Farm equipment automation is on the minds of precision dealers, whether it’s a tangible reality or far-fetched fantasy within their business. But regardless of the take, it’s hard to ignore the impact the emerging technology will have on the ag industry.

Collaboration is usually the answer to solving a complex problem, and precision farming is no exception. Peer groups are a common way for small, independent dealers and larger, multi-store OEM operations alike, to share ideas and strategies.

Change is going to be survival, says Sorensen, founder of HTS Ag, an independent precision farming dealership in Harlan, Iowa. But with every challenge comes opportunity. Dealers must focus on how to take advantage of where they are and chart the plan to get to where they want to be.

Paperwork and meetings may be considered necessary evils in the day-to-day workflow of a precision business, but done right, they provide invaluable insights into how to improve operational efficiency. While precision farming departments tend to have a lot of latitude and freedom, too much autonomy can produce diminishing returns and erode profit potential.

Asking dealers to dust off their crystal ball and predict where they want their precision business to be in 3, 5 or 10 years, the most common answer is “profitable.” But following up with a question on how they will accomplish that goal and there is nothing close to a consensus answer.

As the first Day in the Cab profile in 2013, Phil Moskal, Integrated Solutions Manager with Mid-State Equipment discusses how his role has changed within the dealership since then, along with the evolution of training, service and outlook for the precision business of the future.

Working with customers to find an economic technology solution is what led Phil Moskal, Integrated Solutions Manager with Mid-State Equipment to provide a mobile JDLink terminal case and kit for customer to utilize a portable terminal for his combine and planter tractor.