Proudly serving the industry for which it was named for more than 50 years, Outdoor Power Equipment provides dealers who sell and service outdoor power equipment with valuable information to succeed in a competitive market.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/500307
6 MAY 2015 OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT www.outdoorpowerequipment.com EPG Media & Specialty Information 3300 Fernbrook Lane N, Suite 200 Plymouth, MN 55447 OPE STAFF Group Publisher David Voll Associate Publisher John Kmitta Editor Steve Noe Art Director Brian Snook Senior Production Manager Karen Kalinyak DIRECT MAIL LIST SALES MeritDirect, Jim Scova, (914) 368-1012; e-mail jscova@MeritDirect.com REPRINT SERVICE Joanne Juda, Sr. VP Market Development (630) 399-9864; email jjuda@specialtyim.com EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Former Executive Director, EETC (retired) Jim Roche Senior Advisor, Servantage Dixie Sales Jim Starmer President, Plano Power Equipment Glen Whitt Director of Sales and Marketing, Central Power Distributors, Inc. John D. Hedges CIRCULATION For subscription inquiries and customer service questions, please call (847) 763-9565 or fax (847) 763-9569 business hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. EST Publisher's Notice: We assume no responsibility for the valid- ity of advertising claims in connection with items appearing in Outdoor Power Equipment. Commercial product names are used for the convenience of the reader. Mention of a commercial product does not imply endorsement by Outdoor Power Equipment or EPG Media & Specialty Information, or preference over similar products not mentioned. EDITORIAL OFFICES EPG Media/Specialty Information Media 3300 Fernbrook Lane N, Suite 200 Plymouth, MN 55447 ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES: EAST Chris Pelikan Senior Account Manager Phone: (954) 964-8676 cpelikan@epgmediallc.com MIDWEST Peggy Tupper Senior Account Manager Phone: (763) 383-4429 ptupper@epgmediallc.com WEST Leslie Palmer Senior Account Manager Phone: (248) 731-7596 lpalmer@specialtyim.com With homeowners, landscapers and foresters having plenty of options when it comes to buying lawn mowers, chain saws and other outdoor power equip- ment, Husqvarna recently interviewed many of its customers and dealers about why it's important to conduct business with authorized sales and servicing dealers. The top five reasons were as follows: 1. Been there, done that. Many Husqvarna dealers have used outdoor power equipment in previous jobs, like former logger Charles Moore, who owns and operates AG&N Agricultural Supply in Adamsville, Tenn. "I ran chain saws for years, and I know what's good and what isn't," explained Moore. "I can help people figure out what they need before they buy." 2. Well trained. Dealers aren't hourly employees punching the time clock, like in some larger stores. They are well-trained, certified experts — often with hours of training under their belts. Moore, for example, and his staff have attended numerous Husqvarna classes at the company's corporate headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., and elsewhere. "At Husqvarna, we only offer our complete line of prod- ucts through more than 5,000 retail dealers," said Jeff Dewosky, vice presi- dent and general manager, Husqvarna North America. "Each is a highly trained professional with both the pas- sion and experience to serve the needs of any customer." 3. At your service. Authorized dealers service what they sell, a significant advan- tage for time-sensitive customers. Most large retail stores that sell outdoor power equipment do not offer in-store warranty or other service, so items must be shipped to another facility — causing lengthy service delays. "We do the service, and we stock the parts," said Jeff Gettos, who owns Sell's Equipment in Woodhaven, Mich. "That's important to our customers." 4. Try it, you'll like it. Do you want to fire up the engine before buying a new trimmer or lawn tractor? Dealers love to take the customer outside to conduct "show and tell" demos. 5. The price is right. Authorized dealers work with the manufacturer to offer flexible financing terms, extended warranties and instant rebates. For example, Husqvarna offers — exclusively, through its dealers — zero-percent financing for 48 months on select products. "That's a real incen- tive for anyone, especially if you're running your own small (landscaping) business," said Gettos. As I noted, these were only the top five reasons identified by Husqvarna based on interviews with its customers and dealers. Undoubtedly, you could come up with many more excellent reasons that customers should do business with you. Please send me your top-five list to snoe@ specialtyim.com. Thank you in advance for your consideration, and I look for- ward to hearing from many of you. Why customers should buy from you UPFRONT Editor Steve Noe | snoe@specialtyim.com OPE