Tapping into external precision expertise can provide efficient and effective avenues to improve customer service for farm equipment dealerships. But the chaotic schedules of precision managers don’t always allow for coordinated sessions, especially nowadays.

Forecasting how farm equipment dealerships will operate in 10 years allows for a combination of creative and critical outlook. With ongoing generational transition on many U.S. farms, relationships between customer and dealers are evolving.

Precision farming specialists are often called upon to be versatile, adaptable problem-solvers. But as the next generation of decision-maker moves into farm management roles, dealerships are also transitioning how they meet the evolving expectations of customers.

Successfully selling precision farming services is an annual objective for many farm equipment dealerships. Getting farm customers to pay for software updates, in-field support and hardware installations is a challenge. But what about connecting customers’ ag tech and equipment investments with a long-term business plan for their farm operation?

As farm equipment continues to become more automated, tracking up- and downtime to the hour — especially with leased machinery — can have a significant economic impact. For ag input retailers that offer custom application services and lease fleets of sprayers, spreaders and floaters, the ability to monitor machine hours, fuel costs and labor time allows for an accurate analysis of return on investment.

The results of the eighth annual Precision Farming Dealer benchmark study — with contributions from dozens of farm equipment dealers, input retailers and independent precision companies — trend toward a conservative reality and a cautious outlook for the majority of respondents.

Strip-till farmers have typically been among the most progressive adopters of precision technology, embracing tools including variable-rate seeding, implement guidance and unmanned aerial vehicles.