*Content sponsored by Briggs & Stratton
Over the past decade, the outdoor power equipment industry has shifted from a “do-it-yourself” mentality to one more focused on service support. With this shift, dealers are taking center stage, evolving from equipment retailers into year-round service partners for landscape professionals.
In this new role, dealers need partners who can offer the tools and support necessary to provide top-tier customer service and grow to adapt to the needs of the industry.
Recognizing this dynamic, Briggs & Stratton spent nearly a year connecting with dealers and their customers to reimagine its dealer program. The result is a tiered partnership model intended to make it easier for dealers to serve customers while improving shop profitability.
How it Started
The Briggs & Stratton team spent almost a year doing voice of customer research to find out just what exactly they needed to be their most productive and profitable.
One of the most significant findings was that dealers often choose engine brands based more on manufacturer support and ease of doing business than on product differences alone.
This idea of how to provide the tools that helps dealers better serve their customers and drive profitability into their shops is the cornerstone of the new dealer program.
A True Dealer-Centric Program
No two dealers operate the same way, which is why there are three exclusive programs, or levels, within the new structure: Elite, Preferred and Dealer.
“It was really important for us to create tiers that tailored programs to the different dealer business models, allowing our dealers to choose what partnership model fits their business best and creates the most value,” says Tom Rugg, senior vice president and president of Power and Energy Solutions at Briggs & Stratton. “We recognize that our dealers are entrepreneurs at heart. They wonder “how can I provide the next level customer experience?” We’re giving them the choice of how we can provide what’s next for them.”
Each program is built on a base of offerings to better serve dealers. This includes world-class training tools, access to genuine parts, ready-to-post social media assets, top-caliber Vanguard Oils and Service Kits and a locator tool to direct online shoppers to local dealers for parts purchases.
Dealers also have access to Briggs & Stratton Assist. This AI-powered feature makes navigating documentation and looking up parts faster and easier. Briggs & Stratton Assist searches nearly 60 years of manuals, illustrated parts lists and technical documentation and making it so anyone, a season pro or a new hire, can simply type a question into a search bar and get the answer in seconds. Dealers can even snap a picture of the model, and Briggs & Stratton Assist will tell you what part you need.
Beyond this base, there are several key differences between the levels.
Elite Dealer
This top-tier level is for large-scale dealers looking to deeply integrate with Briggs & Stratton. It includes access to premium services, such as 24-hour parts guarantee, priority within the call center, that can make a big difference for landscape professionals.
“The Elite Dealer Program is designed around large-scale partners,” says Rugg. “For these guys, the primary goal is maximum uptime for their large landscape clients. These tools make it happen.”
24-Hour Parts Guarantee
If the part is not readily available at the dealer, Briggs & Stratton is committed to shipping that part within 24 hours. And if it doesn’t ship within 24 hours, Briggs & Stratton will pay for the landscaper to use a rental machine.
Making sure the parts are in within 24 hours or paying for a rental machine, it’s all about ensuring uptime for landscape professionals. Or, as Rugg puts it, putting money where their mouth is.
Annual Stock Adjustment
The annual stock adjustment has been increased so dealers can stock up on parts with confidence because Briggs & Stratton will accept parts in return at the end of the year that aren’t needed.
This ensures dealers have the right part for their customers at the right time without taking on the burden that they might be stuck with it.
For Elite Dealers, the annual stock adjustment is with 2-for-1 offsetting order.
Service Support
One of the dealer requirements of this program is to have a Master Service Technician (MST) on staff. Having this qualified individual does more than add peace of mind to customers, it will help streamline service.
How? Well for starters, an MST can submit warranty claims without pre-approval.
“Because these MSTs are highly trained, we trust them,” says Rugg. “We sell highly technical products that are used in a wide variety of conditions, so we believe for a dealer to succeed, they have to have a technician that is an expert in our products.”
That means less waste in the shop and faster turnarounds should there be any kind of failure.
It’s all about uptime, Rugg adds. When machines are running, landscapers are making money, plain and simple.
The MST certification requires yearly recertification, ensuring that technicians are up to date on all the latest advancements and best practices for Briggs & Stratton offerings.
Another key benefit is Elite dealers will be paid for diagnostic time. Meaning Briggs & Stratton is paying for the full value of time in the workshop.
Call Center Priority
Elite Dealers are automatically taken to the top of the queue of the call center, making sure less time is spent on hold instead of the workshop floor.
Preferred Dealer
The second tier is the Preferred. With this designation, the dealer can offer better parts pricing and have return privileges with the annual stock adjustment.
For Preferred Dealers, the annual stock adjustment is with 3-for-1 offsetting order.
Dealers in this level will still have all access to training opportunities, the Power Portal and the Call Center.
Dealer
Every great partnership begins with a strong foundation. The Standard Dealer is usually a smaller, highly service-focused partner, who will then have access to genuine Briggs & Stratton parts, engines and accessories backed by warranty reimbursement opportunities and ongoing support.
Plus, these dealers have access to Briggs & Stratton training tools and Briggs & Stratton Assist to support them as they look at what growth opportunities are next.
Setting the Standard in Training
One thing that hasn’t changed is Briggs & Stratton’s commitment to training excellency.
“Our goal is to make it easy for our dealers to understand highly technical products,” says Rugg. “Everybody learns differently, so we have hands-on training, we do virtual training, we offer self-paced. Whether it’s coming to a seminar or using AI, it is your choice.”
The best way to support customers is to listen to them and delight them. It’s not a product,
It’s a Partnership, not a Transaction
This level is an investment, on both sides. The Briggs & Stratton team is looking at this as a partnership, elevating their level of support and taking on some elements that might be costly to dealers.
The Briggs & Stratton team invested heavily in customer research to narrow in their focus, find the best opportunities to partner and support dealers and ultimately found the best ways to make it easier for dealers to work with Briggs & Stratton day to day.
“This is a program that’s born out of extensive voice of customer research,” says Rugg. “We feel the best way to support our customers is to listen to them and to delight them. And if we have a business that is focused on delighting our customers, we feel like we are going to win.”
Interested in learning more and talking with a Briggs & Stratton representative about which level is the best fit for your dealership? Connect with them at: powerdistributors.com
