GreenIndustryPros.com |

The showroom at Maximum Outdoor was just one part of a major overhaul to revamp the facility.

At Maximum Outdoor Equipment & Service in Wichita, KS, the staff is continuously evaluating product mix. While the core brands have been the same for over 15 years, the Maximum team makes it a point to always be on the lookout for new products—to either fill holes in their existing product lineup, or branch into a completely different area.

“We try to attend GIE+EXPO in Louisville, KY, every other year, along with regional shows,” shares owner Carl Witte. “And we’re always listening to customer requests and inquiries for additional ideas.”

One of Maximum Outdoor’s more interesting ideas came about a few years ago at the state fair. “I was working the Grasshopper booth, talking with other dealers about how to get a customer back in after an equipment purchase. One of the guys told me about this grill,” explains Witte. “I came back and told my son Paul, and he said it was the dumbest idea I ever had. We now average about $80,000 a year in barbeque grills.”

Witte says customers who purchase the grills from Maximum Outdoor return to purchase pellets six or eight times a year. “They come back for the pellets but also buy other things, like trimmer line, parts and spices offered by the grill company,” Witte says. The dealership also offers grills for rent, not to mention free use at charity events.

Maximum Outdoor also decided to take on a shovel line and Ferris mowers. “I was a little hesitant about Ferris, fearing it was going to interfere with some of my other lines. But we found that the suspension system caters to a different clientele,” explains Witte. “Usually when we are taking on another line, it is to fill a void like this.”

Now offering several mower options, Witte stresses the importance of listening to customers to help them find the product that best suits their needs.