Landscape Contractor Seal of Approval

What better way to determine a dealer’s quality than to ask their customers? Loyal landscape contractors clients who depend on fast service, adequate parts inventory and even training tips for their crews will deliver honest answers and offer valuable feedback to dealers that want to fine-tune their operations to meet today’s demanding standards.

The contractor's livelihood depends on his mowing equipment operating and generating revenue. It's just reality that at some point the landscape professional is going to have an issue that requires his servicing dealer. When these issues do arise, it's less about equipment and more about the relationship a contractor has with his dealer and the support systems that stand behind the product, noted John Cloutier, marketing communications manager, Exmark, Beatrice, Neb. Those who don’t offer services such as zero down-time equipment, convenient store hours, top-notch service, inventory support and effective business management practices might not win out in a dealer “survival-of-the-fittest” market.

“The dealers' service shops are extremely important parts of their business,” Cloutier pointed out. “The service and support that a dealer and brand offer the landscape professional are as important purchasing considerations as the equipment itself.”

Keeping this principle in mind, Exmark has launched a pilot program that recognizes key dealers with a “PROCertified” identity – a title earned based on feedback from their end users through surveys. Customers rate dealers in several categories, including store hours, timely service, loaner equipment  and extra parts availability, industry knowledge, customer relations and valuable technicians. These surveys are sent back to the Exmark for review.

Furthermore, in order to enroll in the program, dealers must fill out an application and meet a list of requirements. Dealers are rewarded with “bonus points” for additional services, such as equipment pick-up and delivery support, bilingual personnel, community involvement and effective product displays.

The reward for ramping up operations? – the noteworthy PROCertified dealer title.

Some of the program’s objectives include:

• Creating a unique dealer program that recognizes dealers who provide exceptional service and customer care to their professional landscape customers.
• Setting a standard of performance that is not based on sales and size of market.
• Raising the bar of dealer customer care performance standards throughout the dealer network

Customers of endorsed dealers are mailed satisfaction surveys to determine the quality of a dealership’s service, parts inventory, convenience and customer service, among other issues. Internal phone surveys are conducted to non-mail respondents until the survey sampling reaches a target level. The survey is mailed annually to ensure customer satisfaction remains constant or improves. Low customer ratings lead to a review of a dealer’s PROCertified status.

“At Exmark our vision statement is to be the industry leader in products, programs and services, to set standards that others will strive to follow," Cloutier noted. "This program sets a service and support standard that every dealer should strive for that is committed to the commercial customer."  

The author is Managing Editor – Special Projects for Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached at khampshire@gie.net.