Just as you’ve finally started to figure out millennials and their motivations, it’s time to start preparing for the next generation — generation Z or the iGeneration.
If we could turn “optimism” and “positive sentiments” into sales, 2017 could end up being a pretty good year for farm equipment dealers and manufacturers. We all know that it will take more than rosy outlooks and good feelings to improve our bottom lines; it’s nonetheless good to hear some upbeat news for a change.
It’s been just over a year since Case IH’s revised sales and service agreement was making waves. At that time, Matthew Larsgaard, president/CEO of the North Dakota Implement Dealers Assn., highlighted 11 provisions that represent major concerns in the agreement that dealers needed to be aware of. Since then, dealer purity issues haven’t been making much noise.
There is a renewed sense of confidence within the country these days and the latest jobs report certainly supports these sentiments. This latest report nearly doubled the projected increase in jobs for the month of February and showed an increase in full time positions for the first time in many months.
A critical tasks of a dealership leader is coaching employees to perform better. Developing employees is a form of teaching. Much like teaching, managing people involves expanding knowledge, changing behaviors and encouraging performance at increasingly higher levels.
A substantial research project concerning cover crop use and involving farmers across the nation gives farm equipment dealers some positive light to shine on the practice as they work with customers incorporating the fast-growing practice into their management plans.
There’s an old joke about a guy who invented a new office printer and planned to sell it for $1 million. Someone asked him how many did he think he could sell at that price. He said, “I only need to sell one.”
Just when we were starting to feel a little bit better about life in the farm equipment business, we’re starting to hear more news about increasing raw material costs that will be showing up in higher prices for ag machinery.
Trends with used farm equipment values are always top of mind with me as I pour through the different types of data (auction price data, dealer listing price data, search traffic data) our Machinery Pete business churns out daily. There are two trends I want to pull forward and touch on here with you as the calendar flips to March 2017.
“This year, given all the changes and the excess supply of commodities, will probably be the hardest ever to figure out,” says Ann Duignan, U.S. machinery analyst and managing director of New York-based J.P. Morgan. “2017 is going to be a very interesting year.”
Built on 90 years of expertise, Yetter Farm Equipment leads the agriculture industry in designing effective and innovative equipment for residue management, seedbed preparation, precision fertilizer placement, harvest attachments, strip-tillage, and more.
Montag is the industry’s innovative leader for precise, accurate metering of fertilizer, seed and other nutrients. The Montag system has become the standard for deep banding of fertilizer. Montag is also pioneering the technology for cover crop seed application. The new Cover Crop+ is able to meter the smallest seed, and can be mounted to tillage implements, combines, plus Hagie sprayers and detasselers.
At Machinery Scope, we believe you deserve the best risk management solutions for your investments in heavy equipment. Since 2013, we have been proud to offer extended warranty, appraisals, and inspections. Machinery Scope is a family-owned business built on our experience in farming and equipment dealerships. We understand your business and provide a personalized and professional level of customer service. Machinery Scope has built a strong warranty product with our customers in mind, offering the same professional level of service from the time you get a quote, through the processing of a claim.