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July/August 2013 cover

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July/August 2013

Volume: 51
Edition: 6

Dealership of the Year 2013

PLUS: How to sell strip-till equipment, an exploration into the prevalence of tractor hour meter tampering, developments in speed and accuracy of planter and seeder technology and more.

  • Table of Contents

    Table of Contents

    To The Point: World's Apart, But on the Same Page

    By Dave Kanicki posted on July 16, 2013 | Posted in Data & Forecasts
    On paper, the two 2013 Dealerships of the Year covered in this issue of Farm Equipment couldn't be farther apart. One Stotz Equipment has 23 locations in 8 states, 380 employees and revenues last year of $235 million. The other Lake County International has 1 location covering a small region in South Dakota, with 22 employees and annual revenues of just over $25 million. (For the record, until 1997, Stotz was a 3-store dealership.)
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    Industry's Best Dealerships Honored in 9th Annual Dealership of the Year Program

    July 17, 2013 | Posted in Best Practices
    The judges for Farm Equipment's 2013 Dealership of the Year program report that selecting this year's award winners may have been their most difficult challenge since the recognition series was established in 2005. But they made their choices and the 2013 Dealerships of the Year are: Stotz Equipment, a 23-store network based in Avondale, Ariz., in the over $50 million in annual revenue category; and Lake County International, a single-store dealer located in Madison, S.D., in the under $50 million revenue category.
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    Dealership of the Year: Stotz Equipment

    By Mike Lessiter posted on July 17, 2013 | Posted in Best Practices
    The last time Stotz Machinery (known then as Arizona Machinery) graced the cover of Farm Equipment (featuring the Avondale location’s famed saguaro cactus) was in April/May 2005 (“Making Multi-Stores Manageable”). What captured attention at the time was the firm’s ability to manage 13 stores (a large number for those days) in 4 states from a remote location.
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    Lake County International: Building Expansion Plays Into Lake County's Service Philosophy

    By Dave Kanicki posted on July 18, 2013 | Posted in Dealers on the Move
    I think the timing of our renovation project was perfect, says Jeff Bloom, co-owner of Lake County International, a single-store Case IH dealership in Madison, S.D. He says the culture of the dealership is built on service, and the store expansion, which more than doubled the size of the entire facility, gives the dealership the opportunity to expand its service and parts operations.
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    How to Sell: Strip-Till Equipment

    By Jack Zemlicka posted on July 18, 2013 | Posted in Niche Equipment Markets

    Strip-till is a niche and often complex farming practice, compared to no-till and more conventional methods. It takes patience, precision and a willingness by farmers to invest time and energy into developing nutrient-rich zones in their fields, which can lead to higher yields and lower input costs. In order to successfully sell customers on the value of strip-till, farm equipment dealers often need more than a smooth sales pitch to close a deal.


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    How Widespread is Hour Meter Tampering?

    By Dave Kanicki posted on July 18, 2013 | Posted in Manufacturer & Dealer Issues
    When Calvin Schmidt recently contacted Farm Equipment, his inquiry was rather straightforward: What does the law have to say about tractor hour meter tampering? Unfortunately, the answer isn't nearly as straightforward as the question. What was discovered is that regulations differ significantly by state and province and enforcement is often spotty.
    Read More

    Ahead of the Curve: Speed & Accuracy Lead Planting Developments

    By Jack Zemlicka posted on July 18, 2013 | Posted in Dealers on the Move
    Source: Kim Schmidt, Managing Editor
    Regardless of where you are in the world, the main focus of all farmers is to increase their yield and get more out of every acre or hectare. What's different is how that goal is accomplished in different areas of the world. There are a number of global planter and seeder technology trends dealers should keep an eye on that will make their way to North America. Looking ahead, technological advancements in planting equipment will come from marrying the needs and developments abroad with those of North America. The combination of Western European speed and North American accuracy would result in highly efficient and precise seeding and planting equipment.
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    Mowers & Mo-Cos: Helping Customers Make the Right Choice

    By Dan Crummett posted on July 18, 2013 | Posted in Data & Forecasts
    The hay business hasn't been the same since disc mowers began replacing sickle bars. And depending upon what kind of hay and forage is being grown in a given area, implement dealers can bale some sizeable benefits as they guide customers in deciding what they need to make quality hay. Conversations with a handful of dealers across the country show growing customer interest in new mowers, and the decision on whether to add a conditioner to help with windrow formation and dry-down is affected heavily by the end-use of the forage at hand.
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    Canada's Farm Progress Show Highlights Innovation

    July 19, 2013 | Posted in Product Innovations & Introductions
    For the 36th year, farmers, farm equipment dealers and agribusiness professionals converged in Regina, Saskatchewan for Canada's Farm Progress Show. With 1.9 million square feet of indoor and outdoor exhibits and more than 45,000 attendees from 50 countries, it's the country's largest trade show. Regina is nestled in the central western part of Canada. This is dry-land farming that extends down into the U.S. Great Plains. The farms in these regions are big and the equipment matches in scope. This was reflected in much of the equipment on display at this year's show, which could be characterized as big and getting bigger.
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    Technology for Profit

    What is CRM and Why Should You Care?

    By George Russell posted on July 19, 2013 | Posted in Manufacturer News
    CRM means Customer Relationship Management. The short answer to why you should care is that your future success may depend on if and how you implement CRM. Retail, your business, the business of selling and serving end users, is very competitive. Long term success often depends on doing a lot of little things right. Selling and servicing farm equipment is no different than any other industry where CRM is now a standard practice. But our industry is just starting to learn about its benefits of and to use CRM successfully.
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    Business of Selling

    Cultivating Customer Share

    July 19, 2013 | Posted in Manufacturer News
    Source: Dr. Jim Weber, Weber Consulting
    Rather than waiting for a potential customer to get a flat tire in front of the dealership or chasing low margin roll-over customers to amp up the dealership's volume bonus, dealers and sales managers, together with their salesforce, would be far better served developing meaningful and lasting relationships with the overwhelming number of customers that are seeking such a partnership.
    Read More
  • Featured Articles

    Featured Articles

    To The Point: World's Apart, But on the Same Page

    By Dave Kanicki posted on July 16, 2013 | Posted in Data & Forecasts
    On paper, the two 2013 Dealerships of the Year covered in this issue of Farm Equipment couldn't be farther apart. One Stotz Equipment has 23 locations in 8 states, 380 employees and revenues last year of $235 million. The other Lake County International has 1 location covering a small region in South Dakota, with 22 employees and annual revenues of just over $25 million. (For the record, until 1997, Stotz was a 3-store dealership.)
    Read More

    Industry's Best Dealerships Honored in 9th Annual Dealership of the Year Program

    July 17, 2013 | Posted in Best Practices
    The judges for Farm Equipment's 2013 Dealership of the Year program report that selecting this year's award winners may have been their most difficult challenge since the recognition series was established in 2005. But they made their choices and the 2013 Dealerships of the Year are: Stotz Equipment, a 23-store network based in Avondale, Ariz., in the over $50 million in annual revenue category; and Lake County International, a single-store dealer located in Madison, S.D., in the under $50 million revenue category.
    Read More

    How Widespread is Hour Meter Tampering?

    By Dave Kanicki posted on July 18, 2013 | Posted in Manufacturer & Dealer Issues
    When Calvin Schmidt recently contacted Farm Equipment, his inquiry was rather straightforward: What does the law have to say about tractor hour meter tampering? Unfortunately, the answer isn't nearly as straightforward as the question. What was discovered is that regulations differ significantly by state and province and enforcement is often spotty.
    Read More

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Yetter Farm Equipment

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.
Machinery Scope

Machinery Scope

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.
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Finance Scope

Finance Scope is able to provide the best financing opportunities for equipment dealers and customers through a diverse mix of lending companies under one single platform. Our large group of lenders, allows for competitive rates regardless of credit scores. Additionally, dealers and customers have access to the industry’s best expertise surrounding finance and lease structures, for all purposes, within the agricultural and construction industries. We provide all of this into one online platform to provide our customers with the best available tailored finance solution for their equipment.
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