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| I work at a Cooperative and keep fighting this same issue. Not only do I sell Ag Leader equipment but I also sell seed, chem, fert, petroleum. We know that Precision Ag is the future but when something is new we all know that change can be challenging. Information is a commodity but the value is variable.
I have many growers that have bought new planters that came with VRT capabilities but don't have a clue how to use it. The expertise at the dealer level varies from each dealer. I assisted 4 growers with Variable Rate Planting last year (3 green and 1 red) each had a different dealer that they worked with. When it came to Prescriptions for the machine THEY (not me) sold them, one had a good handle on it, two were unsure and didn't know what to do with the info and were ready to tell the growers to abandon it and the forth I actually had to update several components of his machine just so it would work (thank god for stellar support). I have yearly inputs at stake with these growers some (not all) will leverage that relationship for me to be their "FREE" tech support.
One dealer was out working with the grower when I arrived and blamed my prescription for why the planter was not working. Once we (myself and someone else I know in the coop system) got it to work the grower had a question how to set something unrelated to VRT should be set and the dealer technician looked at me for the answer? This is the same dealer that cuts his prices 10% and forces me to give up margin to get the sale on my Ag Leader equipment. So it is hard to make your $ up front.
I guess my point is, there is information everywhere. That is why many of you are on this site. Some growers rely on their dealers more than others. I have the growers that call you at midnight and wonder how to set the brightness of their EZ Guide 500. Or the grower that bought his 500 from the equipment dealer but wants me to calibrate it since he knows I am more dependable since I call on him throughout the year. I also have growers that read everything and are on this site and are writing their own VRT files.
So how does one get paid for the time that is spent for holding hands when you are not generating income from sales? We (dealer/retailers) are not trying to get rich off of these support calls. (At least I’m not, I just want it to help cover my time, truck, support products, software…) Contract service is one idea that comes up. But farmer A looks at it and feels it’s a deal and then farmer B thinks it’s a slap in the face. I don’t claim to have the answers and I believe that’s what the intent of some of the posts were for is: what could growers and dealers come up with for a win-win situation? | |
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GPS "Service" Contract?
