Every month we will feature dealers and landscape professionals who stand out in the industry. They are companies and people who share our philosophies, going above and beyond the expected to deliver not just a great product or service, but a great 360-degree experience. We’ll be asking them a few questions that will highlight what they’re doing right, how they’re doing it and how they will continue to do it in the future. We hope you keep coming back to read these well-deserved pats on the back.
For our first feature, we spoke with Dean Meyer from Waconia Farm Supply. We’ve had a relationship with Waconia since 1998 and it’s still going strong. Not only are they focused on their customers’ needs, but they’re a progressive-thinking company that’s not afraid to try new things.
How long have you been in business? 61 years.
What do you look for in the products you carry? For us, it’s all about the reputation of a company, how easy they make the process, the quality of their offerings and availability. And having competitive terms doesn’t hurt.
What do your customers look for in a mower? They want something that’s reliable, that’s built to last, that’s low in maintenance and high in productivity. They also want to work with a company and dealer that stand behind their products.
How do you feel you do things differently? We strive to provide the best customer service possible ― before, during and after the sale.
What are your goals for your dealerships? This can be easily answered with our mission statement: Be a value-added supplier of goods and services, and enhance our customers business and lifestyles in a manner beneficial to both customer and our company.
What is the one thing you focus on when it comes to your customers? Customer satisfaction. Always.
Where do you see the industry headed? It’s definitely becoming more competitive and specialized. Consumers have more knowledge at their fingertips forcing dealers to know more about the products they sell.
Where would you like to see the industry go? I’d like to see dealers having more control over what the manufacturers provide for service to dealers.
What are some of the things currently affecting your customers and how are you dealing with this situation? Our customers are scrutinizing each aspect of their business, like dealers are. They are running as lean as possible and only doing what they are profitable at. We try to be efficient, offering our customers exactly what they need through diverse yet relevant product offerings.
What similarities/philosophies do you think you share with Exmark? We strive to be the best and be proactive. We never want to be in a situation where we are reacting to the market…we want to be the ones other dealers are reacting too.
Thanks Dean, for taking the time to answer our questions and for doing things right. Way to go.
SHARE
