What Could a Thousand Dealers Do?

We at the Professional Power Equipment Congress (PPEC) are delighted to work with Yard & Garden magazine on the introductory Dealer Pulse column. The column will discuss the issues and challenges facing the outdoor power equipment industry.

PPECongress.com and Yard & Garden’s new portal site, GreenIndustryPros.com, bring together a variety of information that is valuable and relevant for the outdoor power equipment community. We encourage you to visit both sites to take advantage of the resources offered. Both sites connect dealers, and what they do once connected could be powerful.

What could a thousand scientists do if they put their efforts towards a single goal? What could a thousand chefs come up with if they worked together to create something that has never been tasted before? What could a thousand outdoor power equipment dealers do if they worked together? We may not know the answer to the first two questions, but there is clearly a defining movement that will answer the third and most relevant question.

PPEC’s membership and presence has grown in a very rapid fashion. PPEC (ppecongress.com) currently logs over 7,000 visits a month from dealers, distributors, manufacturers and support industries. The wealth of free and pertinent information generously given by the Professional Servicing Dealers (PSD) and other related professionals is massive as well as astounding.

Progressive dealers realize that their very survival in this extremely challenging industry requires a collective effort on the part of their peers. The box stores have leveraged their thousands of outlets and have managed to tip the scales their way. How can single dealerships compete with these mega stores, especially when it comes to negotiating pricing? Most PSD’s have shuddered when opening a flyer, learning that their local mega-mart has priced identical equipment at a 10% or less margin.

Working Together

The PPEC works to bring servicing dealers together in the sharing of tried and true policies and procedures. We have been truly amazed at the willingness of dealers to offer this extremely valuable information. If you stop and think of the combined knowledge that a thousand PSD’s have, you realize that a magnificent library is available.

Now that we have come together, we need to begin exploiting our combined muscle—namely our buying power. Other very important components will also be negotiated, such as freight, terms, advertising, parts discounts, warranty reimbursements and returns.

The mega stores are getting special deals, so there is no reason why servicing dealers should not receive the treatment when buying in quantity. Servicing dealers should unite for a successful future.

With the explosive rise in the cost of doing business, better margins are no longer a wish list item, but rather a necessity. Unfortunately, margins are at record lows and that needs to change. A PSD should make a minimum of 25% margin.

Ultimately our goal is to bring parity to every PPEC member. PSD’s are a very unique group. Representing a line and maintaining adequate factory parts and service is a very expensive proposition.

When was the last time you purchased an automobile at a mass merchant? Of course, the average person would never dream of it. After all, they have no knowledgeable salesperson, no service and no parts. Why should they be allowed to sell zero-turns and tractors that require the same essential services? It’s simply because the manufacturers knew that as individuals, dealers would comply. We may have agreed to do so, but we deserve a better margin because of our expertise, reputation and service investment.

Hopefully you now have an idea of just what a thousand Professional Servicing Dealers could do. We can make significant changes, ensuring our very survival. We can do it, but only with each other’s help. Please join the cause by becoming a member of the Professional Power Equipment Congress today for free. It’s only the first step in working together for a more successful future for PSD’s.