In my travels over the past few months there is a common theme among dealers—they have too much inventory. Over the past three plus years, dealers have gone from inventory shortages to surpluses of inventory. Dealers have had orders placed with manufacturers for two years that have not been fulfilled until now. That means that the orders placed for equipment two years ago, a year ago, and the current years worth of orders have all been arriving on dealers lots all at once. It seems that the manufacturers were finally able to get the components they have been waiting on… Read More »
As I walked around our show in Lincoln this past December, and then again at our show in Des Moines the end of January this year, I couldn’t help but notice all the innovation there is in agriculture. The one product that seems to be gaining the most traction in farming practices over the past few years is drones. It was very evident with the number of vendors at the show that were displaying their drones and all their capabilities that the small, unmanned aircraft are going to have a lasting impact on the agricultural industry and already have. There… Read More »
It is that time of the year again where we see our insurance agent come into our store just a few days or the day before our insurance renews for the next year, they sit down at your desk, ask you to sign for renewal for the next year, they may tell you a little of what is changing but they don’t go over any of your coverages other than to tell you that you are covered and good for the next year when will be the next time you see or talk to them again. Even though this process… Read More »
Our daily routines limit us when it comes to seeing, planning, and adapting for the future. I experience this when managing the Iowa Ag Expo and Nebraska Ag Expo. Year after year, I follow the same process for prospecting for new exhibitors, mapping floor plans, assigning booths, sending booth contracts, and arranging speakers. My daily routine was uprooted in July, when the Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association (INEDA), which owns and manages the Iowa Ag Expo and Nebraska Ag Expo, kicked off an initiative to bring new, innovative companies and products to the Nebraska Ag Expo—the Innovation Hub. This meant I… Read More »
To combat the employee shortage, dealers are proactively implementing several creative tactics to improve employee retention.
Takeaways from the Iowa District Meeting: In March and April of this year, INEDA hosted seven district meeting in Iowa and Nebraska. In lieu of members attending the annual dealer conference, INEDA staff traveled to see members. These were great events that will likely grow over the next few years.
