APRIL 2022

ARTICLE BY DAN SHELL, SENIOR EDITOR, POWER EQUIPMENT TRADE

Covering the trends and issues affecting the power equipment dealer segment of the lawn and garden and small engine and equipment industries, Power Equipment Trade magazine has developed an industry trend database second to none, now spanning 30 years from the first PET dealer survey in 1992.

This year almost 400 dealers responded to the survey, and we thank all involved who have taken the time to give us their data on how they run their businesses and opinions on issues facing this industry.

The PET Dealer Survey 2022 report includes invaluable information such as dealer demographics (age of dealers), operations, types of marketing dealers find most effective and dealers’ thoughts about the industry.

In 2022, dealers are continuing to grapple with effects of the pandemic. Issues surrounding finding not only qualified power equipment technicians (always a concern) but also employees of any kind were a big topic of the survey comments, along with gripes related to supply chain issues as dealers continue to have trouble getting orders filled completely and timely.

Another big topic in the comments is battery- and electric-powered equipment and their impact on dealers’ futures and their effect of so many carburetor-equipped machines never coming back to dealer service departments. It’s an issue PET will delve into on future surveys and in future articles.

We’ve always looked forward to doing a new PET Dealer Survey to see what’s on the minds of our readers, and also to compare dealers’ business opinions and positions with previous surveys. There are straight line trends like increased labor rates, technician pay and a move toward more larger dealerships that have all gone in pretty much the same direction the past 30 years. Then there are other dealer opinions and positions that shift back and forth a bit, generally depending on economic conditions, things like servicing only what you sell and how recently you raised your labor rate (both more likely in good economic conditions). We also greatly enjoy reading the dealer comments that we encourage our readers to make: Their thoughts on the industry and its future. We’ve always been impressed that dealers are happy to let us know what they’re thinking. This year almost half—168 out of 372 who completed the survey—gave us a piece of their minds.

Article by Dan Shell, Senior Editor, Power Equipment Trade

Dealers React: State Of The Supply Chain

Rotary Adds Two Southern Managers

Outdoor Power Parts and Accessories Association Launches

Certified Parts Corp. Adds To PES Territory

Association Members Vote To Merge Into One

Terry Horan Named President & CEO of Stihl Inc.

The editorial staff of Power Equipment Trade counts six dogs, three turtles and two hamsters among their personal pets. And as a bunch of animal lovers, seeing the good boys and sweet girls in dealerships across the country always makes us smile.

TAKE A LOOK AND DON’T FORGET TO SUBMIT AN IMAGE OF YOUR SHOP PET

NOTE: Information for PET’s spec charts has been furnished by appropriate manufacturers and suppliers.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following manufacturers supplied information for Power Equipment Trade April 2022.

ARCHER

ASPEN

ECHO

IDEAL

PELLENC

ROTARY

STIHL

STENS

Most shops have space for drone repairs. Most of you don’t have a drone line in your dealership, but you have other lines that someone willing to invest in a high-quality drone would be a good fit for them. For example, a customer has a drone they are leasing that they bring in for maintenance. What is the chance this customer would be looking for another high-quality product? My guess is pretty high. You want to ensure that your dealership is set with complementary products, not competing for products.

Article by Sara Hey, Vice President of Business Development at Bob Clements International.

17 Phrases Great Leaders Never Say To Employees

Patience . . . A quality that is in short supply these days. The lack of patience causes us to make choices that often have a short-term feeling of satisfaction, followed by a long-term feeling of regret. By having patience in our hiring process, we are building an organization where our staff are beginning to see that they have a career path, not just a job. No, we are far from having it all figured out, and we will still stub our toes and make a bad hire now and then. But when you get to experience what improved culture both looks and feels like, you don’t want to go back to mediocrity.

Article by Greg German, President of German-Bliss Equipment, Inc. in Princeville, Illinois.