The Great Turfstradamus Predicts.....

       The Great Turfstradamus will make a prediction: This upcoming year, you will hear more about GPS Spray application than any other "new" technology/products introduced at the GIS. Ok, this is probably not going too far out on a limb. I might even have just a little bit of insider trading information, but the end is near! I have heard many times, " They can do it in the Ag market, why can't we?" Now some of that discussion was during the demise of the centrifugal pump and depending on who you spoke to, it could be operator error by running the pump dry or the witches brew in your tank. One of my favorite lines from a technician, on the failure of a centrifugal pump years ago was, "Farmers are spraying paraquat through those pumps and they are not having the seals leak!". But I digress, we can talk pumps another time.
       As of today, we have the Smithco Star Command System (*disclaimer-unit I sell) and the Nu-Tec product. I have been on  the Smithco unit and am really impressed with the technology.
I did speak with the people from Nu Tec at last years GIS and have heard some positive feedback from some of the sales guys who had customers get units set up. The newest introduction is a company called Turflux out of Pittsburg. We got the chance to get a presentation at the Penn State Turfgrass Conference, a few weeks back, and will be working with them. I cannot give an overview that would do it justice, but I am a believer in what they are preaching.
       I do think that 2 of the other major sprayer manufacturers will have something at the GIS in this product line. I know of one prototype here in the Mid-Atlantic (might be green) and from prior to my exodus, there was talk of something on the near horizon on the GPS sprayer front in red.
      With the talk of savings from 15% to 40%, depending on whose literature you are reading, the introduction of a GPS sprayer into your fleet may be closer than you ever thought.

I have seen the future and it is coming to a sprayer near you!

http://turflux.com/

http://www.smithco.com/new-smithco-star-command-system/

http://nutecsoil.com/


WJC
AKA-The Great Turfstradamus

Extra Helping of Thanks

       Thanksgiving seems to be a more reflective time for me this year. I realize that I am very fortunate with good health,for the most part in my wives family and my own. Both our parents just celebrated (Ok they slightly acknowledged) a 60+ year wedding anniversary and other than a few George Costaza's parent moments, they are doing well.
       For me, this was a year with a lot of soul searching, as a job change was eminent. I looked to many of the people who had played a part in my growth throughout my career for support.I have been very lucky to have some great people whom I consider my mentors. From the early part of my time at Philadelphia Turf, men like Barney McFadden, Bob Stokes, Tom Drayer & especially Scott Keener were all big influences on how I learned to do my job. Barney and Bob are no longer with us, but still made a large impression on me that continues to impact who I am today.
       Two other people that I have looked to as mentors and are the definition of being at the top of your profession are Jim Nedin & Tom Hurst. They are two of the most knowledgeable technical experts I know in the Turf industry, but that is not what makes them extraordinary. It is their passion to take care of people and never leave anyone hanging! To quote Jim Nedin " While they might worship in different churches of grinding theory, they both have the religion of sharp reels make better turf conditions." I consider myself very luck to have had the chance to work closely with both and have learned a ton over the years, probably as much technically as much as they way to treat people!
      And I would be remiss, if I did not mention someone who has been over the years a great mentor to me, Frank Shuman. Frank was the owner of Philadelphia Turf, who retired back at the end of 2007. He has taught me a lot about business and his direction on how to do the right thing and often steers me when I know I need to not take the easy road. From all the conversations we have had, I always know Frank will give it to me straight and more often then not his advice is; "Cork, you know what the right thing is to do, so you just do it!" Frank got me the chance to be a part of the board of the First Tee of Greater Philadelphia, which I am really proud of being involved with. He also has taken me on scholarship to some really cool events, where I usually joke to the valet parker that I am pretty sure that my pickup would be the ONLY one he parked that night.
       These men all have had a profound impact on me professionally and personally, I probably can never say thank you enough for all that they have done.
I know that this Thanksgiving, I have much to be thankful for.....

Hope you and your family have a healthy and happy Thanksgiving!

WJC










      

Elephant Hunter vs. Rod Carew

       During one of the discussions at Jacobsen University, from the back of the room, I heard a line that I thought was a great one. I believe it was a sales manager who made the comment," You guys are elephant hunters. You are looking to sell $60,000 mowers." I really thought it was a great analogy. I know for me, over the past few years, the focus on large deals, and the time they took, absolutely put me in that category; which was not what I had based my early career territory management on. The consistent sales of one and two pieces to many of your customers was how to be successful. One of things I used to kid with my sales manager back then was, "Rod Carew was able to make it to the Baseball Hall of Fame by hitting singles!".
       The equipment purchasing world has changed with more and more clubs leasing, so there are more "elephants" to hunt, but the reality is the success rate has to be high or you will be struggling to succeed. On the other hand, if you are able to continually sell (hit singles and doubles), you have a much better chance of being a solid performer and helping your company grow.
       Don't get me wrong, winning a large sale is a great feeling. The hard part is they are time consuming and if you aren't lucky enough to earn the business, you probably missed out on some other opportunities that aren't coming back.
 I guess in a perfect world I would be Rod Carew the elephant hunter.....



WJC

      

From a Different Point Of View

       This past week, I attended my first event at the training facility for Jacobsen in Charlotte, NC. While I have attended too many Toro University events to count over the years , I was interested in seeing things from a different point of view. This Jacobsen University program was about five distributors, compared to traditionally the ones I attended for Toro, consisting of all Toro's USA distributors. The idea of an on site training area is a good one and the educational and break areas were really well done.
        All in all, it was similar to what I had seen regarding class room work and in the field training in the past except obviously from a different perspective. Even to the point that I was having flashbacks as the Tier 4 information was reviewed on power point slides. The slides were identical to what I had seen at other classes. The truth is, for me, I learn better from talking to peers who are willing to share their knowledge. The point of understanding what features are important to emphasize, during a demo,sticks more in my A.D.D. mind then slide after slide of features and benefits. Also, I have never been someone who could stand there and rattle off specs with the exception of  a few key ones. To me, it is about how the product fits a need or can make your job easier, rather than how many outlets to plug in your phone are on a unit.
       It was a fact filled few days and I did get to some quality time to talk to and learn from some long time Territory Managers. The end take away being, I still have a lot to learn....

     
WJC

Social Experiment

       A few years back, I realized the shot clock had started on my career as a sales rep for the Toro distributor I was employed by. Coworkers, who I was close to, didn't believe me that it was time to find a new job before I was let go, but in then end my observations were based on a great piece of advice I received from my older brother. He said "watch what they do, not what they say". I started to prepare myself to move on to another position. After reading as much about changing jobs as I could, and even meeting with a social media expert to make myself a more viable candidate for a possible position by putting together a social media plan. With all that in place, it was time to get to work.
       The first thing was LinkedIn. With each person I had a meeting with, or  just trolling LinkedIn as I watched TV for people I might know, I worked on building my connections up over 500 as quickly as possible. Then came working on growing my Twitter following. That still has not gone as I thought, but I have gotten some positive feedback regarding the information I put out. Finally, throw in this Blog and you have my social media campaign in place. Facebook is not my thing and don't plan on adding that.
       Ok, so now I am slightly on the social media map. I have had multiple interviews and was even told during one interview by a  human resources person  to emphasize what social media I use in the next round. It did not do too much to help,but there are many variables involved in being offered a position and having enough Twitter followers hopefully is not a deal breaker.In the end, the right opportunity came from having a strong professional relationship with a competitor.

       Do I think having a personal social media plan in place is important, absolutely. I am glad I have invested the time and effort and even learned a lot as I worked through the process. Did it have anything to do with me finding a new job....not so much.

WJC

WHY?

       I must say this past week was pretty eventful with the reaction of past co-workers, other industry friends and customers, as the news slowly made it's way out of my leaving my old employer to join Lawn & Golf Supply Company. Obviously, there were some of my close friends, who were aware of my frustrations with some things I was dealing with, but hopefully, for the most part, I think I had kept it professional in how I did my job. When all the orders are delivered in the next two months, I will still end with one of my best sales years yet.
       I was really touched by some of the comments I received. It was nice to have multiple customers call me to make sure I was OK. Even today, I got a very complimentary text, from someone I have the ultimate respect for at another Toro Distributor, that made me appreciate the friends I have made in my career. The one theme that came from most who knew me was that no one ever saw me leaving my position.
       Do I feel some guilt... sure, but only in regards to taking care the people I call on. I have always sold to customers with the understanding that I would be there to resolve any issues. While it was never me with a wrench fixing something (we all know we don't want that), it was about being able to steer the process through parts or service that made things just go easier.
       When someone asks "Why?" My honest answer is that it was time for a change. I am excited about the direction of Lawn & Golf that was discussed with me during conversations about this possible move. In the end, it comes down to what is best for my family and myself and this was it.


WJC

Jedi Knight No More

       In early 2008, I was lucky enough to win the Toro Master Salesman award. This award is given each year, in the commercial division, to one winner. Your wife is flown into town to surprise you when they announce the winner. To me it is the biggest accomplishment of my professional career! Over the years, I watched men win, who were well respected by everyone, earn the coveted Master Salesman Ring. It is a big deal to get the gold ruby ring and gold business cards that come with the award. It is something you can only win once. Some customers and other Reps have referred to winning the master salesman award as being a Jedi Knight.
       So this Friday was the last time I will wear my ring. Friday I resigned from my position as the sales representative here in Philadelphia . While there were many variables involved, in the end I took advantage of an opportunity to work for  the Jacobsen Distributor, that has been in the business since 1937. What is even more interesting is the gentleman, who started  Lawn & Golf Supply Company, began by working for Philadelphia Toro, owned by T. L. Gustin. He was the grandfather of the Frank Shuman, who I worked for until Philadelphia Turf (was changed from Toro to Turf )was sold in 2007. Small world!
       Over the years, I have had the chance to work with some incredible people in the business. Any success that I achieved were always because of the people who worked in parts, service & inside sales . I can never say thank you enough. While I thought that I would make a run at Barney McFadden's 42 year career, it just wasn't in the cards, but just under 23 years isn't bad....
   
 Now it is on to the next chapter in my career!


WJC

incommunicado

       On Thursday night, as my son was filling up his water jug before practice, the thing we all never like to see happened....my cell phone on the counter took a bath! It is interesting to me to think about the progression I have gone through in my career with communication devices. I went from using a pay phone a few times a day to call in and check messages, to a pager, to the flip phone. I then progressed to the hottest new idea at the time, the Nextel push to talk ( awful coverage!), to my first smart phone, the Blackberry (which I really made me better at my job!).I then progressed to the  multiple versions of smart phones followed by the real high tech IPhone to now  the Droid. With each advancement in technology, I am able to do more from the road, but when they break, I find myself dead in the water. This is due to the realization that with cell phone use, it's hard to know anyone's phone numbers anymore!
       While I can check my messages remotely, the one thing that really became obvious to me on Friday, is how much I use text messaging to communicate with customers. While guys used to comment, "you're like a high school girl" with texting, it is funny how it has become more and more prevalent.  Sure many things can't be taken care of in a quick text, but the lack of interruption and ability to respond when you want, seems to work well in our business. In the end, nothing is better than personal interaction, but just as modes of communication has evolved, so has the way we communicate.


WJC 
      

Ask For The Order

       One of the main principles that is at the core of being successful as a salesperson is a common sense concept of, "asking for the order". It is often overlooked and many times the hardest part of the sales process. Why is this important? As I wrote about last week, it is clear that many clubs have come to crossroads with the condition of their fleet. Downtime and repairs on units are far outweighing the value. Many turf managers have no choice, but to throw that money into the black hole that is a 10 or more year old piece of equipment.
       I know for me, it is not the easiest thing to do, but my advice is GO ASK FOR THE ORDER! Your club officials have line of sight to your expenses. Stick to the facts, and as I have heard  one of the better speakers in the Turf Industry, Sabrina Bladon, state in her talks, " You are talking agronomics and they want economics!" Don't go emotional about how much grief it is causing you, sadly they really don't care....but when you talk about wasting club money (i.e. THEIR MONEY) you hit a nerve. If you use the concept of hours on a mower to miles on a car, it can help to make the picture a little clearer. I use 75 miles to equal one hour on a piece of turf equipment. This is not scientific, but an approximation. I have heard a range for different types of engines and some guestimates, but a comment from a technician the other day about it being an off road vehicle too, makes me feel OK about my number. Then you can add in the multiple operators and being run at full throttle during operation as just some more facts toward your case. The great question is would any person put thousands of repair dollars into a car that had over 300,000 miles. I will go out on a limb and tell you not too many people!
       Then you start thinking "my club has really cut back over the past few years and there is no way they are going to let me get anything"; How do you know if you don't ask? I recently have had three clubs in a similar situation. When the Superintendent took it to their Supervisor, guess what the answer was??? YES! They were told this makes sense and to start the process of acquiring the equipment.
       Save your self the stress of hoping everything makes it through the morning before the shotgun start. Do a little homework on what options are out there and you might be surprised at your sales skills when all you had to do was ask!

It Is Just Time

       It is always interesting to me to see the cycles that run through the market here in Philadelphia that I have been calling on for almost 20 years . I can't remember the last time when a topic has been so often discussed as the need to address an aging equipment fleet. Some clubs have more frequently been using  the option of leasing to catch up and stay current, while other clubs have not begun to lease and are not interested in considering it. Just this past week alone, I was asked numerous times about how do you approach your club managers or officials to make them consider making a large investment. The reality is no matter which supplier you choose, there is a large amount of money involved.
       I really feel this all leads back to 2008 & 2009's economic downturn which resulted in many clubs not continuing their equipment replacement plans. It seems to have caught up to many clubs all at the same time. I am hearing more and more in conversations about units with more than 4000, 5000, even 8,000 and 9,000 plus hours on units. To me, when these units need repair, it is tough to justify putting large amounts of money into something this far into it's life cycle. When your club does not have the capital on hand and leasing is not a road your ownership wants to follow....what options do you have?
       Does your club lease any other equipment (namely golf carts)? Is there an member at your club who works in  leasing to use as an advocate? Have you done your homework unsolicited to see what type of numbers you are looking at if you were able to lease your high usage units vs the continuing increase in your repair and maintenance budget? Is there an opportunity to beat the price increases coming regarding the new Tier 4 products by getting a pre-Tier 4 unit? What does down time really cost you? If your technician had more time to focus on day to day routine service rather than trying to find duck tape, bailing wire and some chewing gum to get the rough unit to just get you through the day how much better a product could you produce? Is off-lease units something you need to consider to bridge the gap? Does the "No Pay 'til May" programs make sense to do something now?
       There are many variables that need to be considered, but a little homework now may go a long way to making your job easier in the future!


WJC

Working Dad

        When I started working at Philadelphia Turf back in 1992, there was another salesmen hired at the same time as me. His name was Bob ( last name withheld to protect the innocent). The reason I mention Bob was I believe he lasted less than 6 months. He had a legendary ending when he went into the owners office, with a paintings falling off the wall door slam ending with our Sales Manager, Tom Drayer, going in after him and telling him to just leave the building....Now maybe his personality was a little high strung, but I truly believe the survival at a new job, with no sales experience, is tied directly to a mentor.
I spent my first few days with some of the veteran sales reps traveling to see how to do the job. The majority of the time was spent with Scott Keener. Scott had the territory next to my original area of Central PA. What we still laugh about today is how he felt me out for a few hours before giving me the real scoop on what was the important parts of the job and how to stay out of trouble.
       That first year and pretty much ever since, Scott has been my sounding board on how to handle situations and those times when I just needed to vent some frustration. The first few years, I would call him almost every night (pre-cell phone) and review what happened that day. I would explain how I handled each situation and he would walk me through what I should have done or did right. What was picked up on by most in the company was how close Scott and I were. Kenny Myers, one of our parts men, stated one day," I just talked to your father and told Scott I just talked to your son". The father-son relationship just stuck.
       A few months ago my 10 year old was by me when I was speaking to Scott and I said " talk to you later Pop.". Pete looked at me and said "who was that?". I answered, "it was Mr. Keener."
I guess it is not the easiest thing to explain to a 10 year old about how someone at your work is known as your Dad.

I am incredibly lucky to still have my own Father around in his 80's to talk to and go to for advice.
I have also been very lucky to have a second father and mentor in Scott and his guidance throughout my career and life has been invaluable!

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

WJC

Digging In The Dirt

       The past few weeks I have been in numerous discussions regarding using turf sensors. The first time was a few weeks ago, at a breakfast meeting with Bill Brown, Group Vice President from Toro, and some local superintendents . One of the discussions centered around the thought that using sensors were a valuable tool, but the debate was is the cost justified when dollars are tight with the final question being, " Should I buy multiple sensors or a greens mower?". (I voted greens mowers...)
The comments definitely created some discussion of the true value, and in the end, I would say the consensus was that it is helpful, but the only way to really know is to stick a knife in the dirt!
       Then this past week, we had the Toro Precision Sense unit in our area at multiple locations. The Precision Sense is another tool to dial in your programs. The unit measures soil moisture, soil salinity, surface hardness, plant performance, NDVI ( measuring plant density/color/stress) and topography. Really incredible technology!
      As with any new technology, it can not replace the ability to dig in the soil and use your specific experience with your turf.
      In the end it all comes down to one of my favorite Jim Nedin sayings " If you have happy grass, your members will be happy and you will be happy!"

Toro Precision Sense in action






WJC

Radio Silence

       One of the parts of my job that is the toughest is the lost sale. You hope to supply a product at a competitive price that makes it easier for the customer to do their job. As we all know, there are many things involved in the process of purchasing a piece of equipment. Add in multiple units and the leasing variable and things can get very involved. Having an open line of communication and making sure there are no questions left unanswered is the key to earning the business. But as a wiser older salesman once told me, "Every salesman loses sales!". Hopefully, the batting average is better than most hall of famers in baseball, three out of every ten at bats getting a hit!
      One of the hardest tight ropes to walk is how to stay in contact, as the process is playing out, without having a customer look at your name on caller ID and the first thing that comes to mind is, "I am not taking that call." Then you have the dreaded radio silence. If things have gone radio silent, it is almost always," I have not made my final decision," or the dreaded, "we decided to go another direction." OUCH! Like a closer in baseball or a defensive back in football, it is good to have a short memory. That is not the easiest thing to do, especially depending on how much time and effort you have exerted in trying to show you bring value, as much as the product itself. For me, I would prefer the Band-Aid approach and rip it off quickly. It is always appreciated if you fill me in on what questions were left unanswered,and hopefully the next time, I can improve. Sometimes my product was just not the best fit for your operation, but hopefully, not too often!




WJC

Is Cash Still King at Your Club?

    To lease or not to lease, that is often the question. Years ago my wife and I went car shopping and it was just when leasing was becoming more of an option to get a car. After the sales pitch, my wife and I walked out and she said that the leasing option sounded great. I laughed and said that we have it for our customers too and I wasn't so sure.... After lots of work through the years,with people from Toro, like Mike Nesdahl & Jack Asinger, I now understand what is in the stew that makes up a lease payment.
     At that time, leasing was just being introduced into the Turf industry. Now when I say leasing, I am talking about a true lease or fair market value lease, where you turn it back in at the end of term and not a conditional sales contract or $1 buyout. Today leasing is used as much as a straight cash purchase in my market and in warmer parts of the USA with higher hour usage, leasing is even more popular.
       As we all know every club is different. So the big question is why lease vs. purchase? I have the same answer for anyone who ever asks me....It depends on your club! The perception that clubs that are cash poor lease is a misnomer that is not true any longer. I work with some clubs that are classic traditional clubs that money is not an issue and they lease their high usage units. WHY? Because you can get the latest and greatest tools, not tied to capital dollars fluctuating, consistent repair & maintenance budgets and the most equipment for your money.
       Now comes my favorite comment "We are a cash club!". Really?
Do you lease your golf carts???That is different, why I have never been given a good answer!
      My club is never going lease.....not if you don't give them the option by doing your homework on clubs that your facility holds themselves as a measuring stick against and see if they are leasing. Find the board members who work in the financial world, talk to the members who own companies that have equipment fleets and ask questions. What often moves the dial is a member saying, "Why aren't we doing this, when Corcoran Country Club up the street is?"
      If you don't feel comfortable talk about it, I would urge you to get educated about it. If you have a vendor you trust, use him as a resource. I get asked multiple times a year by turf managers to speak to someone at their facility about leasing and they want to know if it is a viable option.
The reality is it all depends on your club!

WJC

Clean Me!

       To quote the great Jim Nedin " You check your greens mowers everyday, how often do you check your sprayer"? This past week, I got the chance to work with Jim on some customer visits. Midway through the morning, I got an email from a customer about a sprayer having pressure issues that they needed to resolve ASAP. Luckily we finished ahead of schedule and had time to make a quick visit.
       With his incredible diagnostics skills, Doctor Jim, proceeded to walk through the spray system, tracking what was causing the problem. The flow meter had some wear issues, but as seen below, the main problem was clogged agitation nozzles inside the tank!
       One of the biggest things taken for granted in my experience is that the performance of the sprayer is correct. A greens mower can give you a bad cut that will grow out in a day or two, but a bad application will take weeks to recover or worse. Add some time into you spray program schedule to do more catch tests, review your cleaning process and send your Raven and flow meter in to get re-calibrated each off season. And oh yeah....Give it a bath!

 

 

WJC

Almost Bulletproof

       I have often said the ProCore 648 is probably the most innovative piece of equipment that Toro has come out with since I started back in early 1990's. However, for one of the most bulletproof units, there is a misconception of no service needed. As with any type of machinery, there is always adjustments that are required over time. After working with Jim Nedin this Friday, as he went over a customer's 2 ProCore 648's, it made me realize how many units are starting to get some time on them and should be checked. On a side note, every time I work with Jim, I am amazed by how knowledgeable he is on so many products. On this visit, it was really incredible to watch his diagnostic skills at work!
       I have seen already a few times where 2 units are set at different depth settings to try and make them perform the same. This should throw up a red flag that you need to get them back to spec! You can take a look at your owners manual or contact your local Toro service department and get your units back to the way they were the day you got them.

       Even if it just running the unit at a lower RPM or using the extended taper tines when it is wet, the unit has multiple adjustments and options to help you aerate with optimum results.

                        The amazing Jim Nedin at work!

WJC

On Board with The First Tee

       Recently, I was fortunate enough to join the board of The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia. I was introduced to The First Tee program a few years back when I was invited to play in an event at Walnut Lane Golf Club by Frank Shuman. Frank is the former owner of Philadelphia Turf Company and is a big supporter and board member of TFT of Greater Philadelphia. He has been generous enough to invite me to multiple First Tee events and was kind enough to nominate me.
       So what does an equipment salesman with a golf game that rarely breaks 100 anymore bring to the table?(Just for the record, pre-kids I could shoot in the 80's!). Hopefully, we will be able to do some things from the maintenance side that will continue to help, the program grow. What is really exciting is that I was already contacted by a friend, who just happens to be a customer, about working with TFT of Greater Philadelphia to host a first of it's kind event later in 2014. We also have some other ideas from the Turf angle that are really exciting.
      With all the talk about growing the game of golf, how better than to get more kids into golf?

     
                        This is a photo from the "Live Green" event at Walnut Lane GC this past fall

WJC

The Weather Channel

       I can't remember a time when my customer visits were so dominated by the talk of the weather.  We experienced the second highest snowfall total year on record, here in Philadelphia, and a much hyped nor'easter just went to the south of us this past week. Needless to say, people have had enough. To top it off, temperatures are inching slightly higher this week, with a weekend of 2"-3" of rain. This  is pretty much going to stop the chance of any rounds of golf this weekend. 
       Because the weather is deterring people from playing golf, the real financial impact of this winter has yet to be seen. The lost revenue that golf in the Mid-Atlantic part of the US has experienced is growing from an inconvenience into big time concerns. Clubs that have been doing a little better than just paying the bills have some major anxieties. Some have not had any rounds in months and the sluggish start to the spring weather just increases the pressure. Add in the man hours plus, in some instances, contractors that were needed to be brought in from the tree ice damage back in early February, it is not a pretty picture.
       OK, enough on the negative perspective. The upside is golfers are in the starting gate and kicking to get out. I think if Mother Nature would just cut us a little slack in these next few weeks, you will see one of those NGF reports that "Golf Rounds are up!". The hard part is Superintendents all are aware it is going to be one of those years that people will not soon forget.

WJC

Capital Competition

       Recently at Turf Equipment University, Steve Keating, the Manager of Selling Skills for the Toro Company, gave a presentation called, "Selling Your Needs to Your Members". It really was a great talk about how you compete for capital dollars at your club. The reality is at most clubs there are capital dollars available, but the big question is how you get more of them? I can't tell you how many times I have spoken to a Superintendent or Technician, who was voicing his frustration about not being able to replace a piece of equipment that was long overdue to be retired, but the clubhouse was getting new carpeting, painting and their kitchen redone.
       To steal a line from one of our other presenters, Sabrina Bladon from AdFarm, "You talk agronomics and they want economics"! So how do you speak their language? I know the Superintendents, who have been the most successful, have long term facts and figures about their repair and maintenance expenses. Sometimes people forget how many man hours get tied into that figure. In addition, what tracking system do you use for your fleet and the big white board in the shop does not count. From the Toro side, we have myTurf to track your fleet. I have multiple clubs using the wireless hour meters on their mixed fleet to keep records current. I also have some using Trims and a few others an old school notebook.
       Well, talking numbers is one part of the equation, as the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words; Even better a walk through meeting at the shop! One of my favorite stats to make a comparison is that a non-turf person can relate to hours on a machine to miles on their car. One of the stats I have learned throughout the years is that 75 miles equates to 1 hour on a piece of equipment (Believe I got this from Jim Nedin). So, if you think about running a car at full throttle with multiple operators and extreme conditions, it is a little easier to relate to. Helping the decision makers to fully understand the age and condition of your equipment is so key.
       Sadly, just talking about the improved ability to be better at providing a quality product, is not  always the best approach. One of the other angles that hits home is safety. The reality of today is you need to protect your club and yourself legally. While everyone wants to provide a safe work place, the fact is sometimes your equipment is not helping in that effort.
        To come back to Steve Keating's presentation, know who you are selling to. Is your greens chairman a financial planner (numbers guy) or a lawyer (safety and legal impact). Hopefully, you have a professional salesperson who you trust and can help you to put together a plan for success.
In the end, the more preparation you put into your sales presentation to you owner or board members, the odds go up to win the battle of the capital dollars.



WJC

For The Record

       John Tyrrell & Pat McStravick, lawyers from Hollstein/Keating/Cattell/Johnson & Goldstein, were presenters at last weeks Turf Equipment University. When they walked in with an oversized brief case, I knew we were in for a presentation heavy on the facts. They had brought a 50+ page report for each attendee of lawsuits involving golf clubs. With cases that ranged from cart accidents to the clubs responsibility regarding ponds, it was a lot of excellent information!
       While most of us are still waiting out the snow melt, do you know if you & your club are covered?( and I don't mean by snow) Some questions to think about while you keep waiting for the snow to clear:
-Do you have a record of all your training events?
-Do you have all your safety features connected on your equipment?
-Do you have a written program for safety checks throughout your course?
-How clear is your signage on  your course?
       Everyone is behind schedule this year and instead of taking anything else out on the course and getting it stuck, why not take this extra time to protect you and your club? Contact the clubs insurance agent and see if they can help you or even find out if you can have lunch with the club's lawyer. Maybe get something in writing on what they would need to know from you in the case of an accident. The biggest thing that I took away from John & Pat's talk was the better your records, the better chance you have in protecting yourself and your club. The interesting thing is how it leads to a better prepared staff and a safer work environment too!


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Love It When A Plan Comes Together!

       This past week we hosted Turf Equipment University at The Ace Conference Center in Lafayette Hill, PA. One thing our company is very proud of and often talks about is the commitment to education. If someone ever filmed behind the scenes at TEU and all that led up to TEU, it would show without a doubt this commitment. What started back in the planning stages early last fall, ended with two different events in two states within two weeks. It was some project....
       For me, I was the leader for the Superintendent track. Knowing TEU is not about all turf talk, this year's theme focused mainly on personal and professional improvement. I really could not have been luckier with how each  speaker's theme rolled into the next. We were so fortunate that some all- stars took the time to come in!
       Our day started with Darin Bevard, Regional Director of the Mid-Atlantic for the USGA Green section. The morning had a strong turf talk flavor, but really it was more about what support is available  to make your job easier. Darin was followed by Chase Rogan, Mid-Atlantic Field Staff for the GCSAA, to talk about what resources they have available to their members. Bill Brown of Turf Republic was to follow. To me, Bill is a great speaker, because he is truly passionate about technology and how it can be used to maintain turf. The great question is how many of those in attendance will have an drone and a GoPro camera in their arsenal this upcoming year. In the always tough spot (right before lunch) was Doctor Mike Fidanza. Doctor Mike is one of the true good guys in the Turf business! If you are having a bad day, hopefully you run into Doctor Mike, because his positive personality is contagious.
       After an incredible lunch, we got a reality check from Todd Miller, founder of Golf Safety.
I was blown away about what might happen if OSHA makes a stop by your shop! His voice of experience, as a former Superintendent, and an expert in safety regulations, makes him an invaluable resource. If you have an old shop and are looking to build your case for an upgrade or just want to make sure that you are providing a safe work environment, I would urge you to check out Golf Safety! Todd was followed by John Tyrrell & Pat McStravick of the law firm of Hollestein/Keating/Cattell/Johnson/Goldstein. John and Pat represent professional sports teams and sports and recreation business owners. They had an in depth research presentation about what your club is responsible for in the case of an accident, as well as how you need to keep records and be vigilant about your safety precautions. Our last speaker of the day was Steve Keating, of the Toro Company. Steve is the Manager of Selling Skills for Toro. His topic was 360 Degree Leadership. Steve has a Word Press site called, Leadership Today, and is one of the best speakers on the topic. If you ever have an opportunity to see him speak, I would urge you to do it!
       As day two kicked off, Sabrina Bladon of AdFarm, was gracious enough to make the trip down from Canada and continue the focus on leadership and branding. She hit some great points and afterwards a few of the attendees said her talk made them really think about their approach.
       The final class of TEU was Steve Keating talking about how to sell your needs to your club. Steve's focus was on how to be professional and get you point across as well or better than other departments in your club that are competing for the same capital dollars. One of my customers said to me that he could have listened to Steve for two days!
       I cannot say thank you enough to all the presenters for their time and effort to make our event a success!

                                          

              Doctor Mike addresses the Superintendent Track

                              Opening Session of TEU

                                                    

 Sabrina Bladon addressing the Superintendent Track

WJC

Under Cover

       To clear the snow off your greens, or not, seems to be the question on most Superintendents  minds right now here in the Mid-Atlantic. The discussions about how long has the turf been under cover and is there an ice layer are the main concerns. As with any turf management processes, there are always different points of view. For some, the fear of mechanical damage is a concern . The other edge of the sword is whether there is damage from being under snow. So what do you do?
The old school answer of spreading Milorganite, is probably a thing of the past, with the concerns of too much nitrogen. Currently, the use of colored topdressing, is the most prevelent answer. Today, I heard one I had never heard before, sunflower seeds.
       So the problem is one that has not been an issue for years. With another polar vortex in the long range forecast, it will be an interesting couple of weeks.



WJC

S-NO-W

       Here in the Mid-Atlantic,we are just about to get another few inches of snow this morning,after a week where some areas got over 20 inches! To say people have had enough is an understatement. While we are all focused on snow clean up and school closings, I can't help but start to worry about how this is going to effect the golf industry. It seemed the second half of 2013 was better for some of the clubs that had been on the financial bubble. Over the past bunch of winters, while play is minimal, there is still income to help pay the bills. Occassionally, there is a super warm weekend, where clubs have had packed courses. This winter, you have no golf, no people coming in to eat and bills to pay, so things might get interesting. I know I have written about it before, that the golf industry in this area was once considered an 8 month season, but that slowly changed. The weather has been milder over the winters for the most part. Sadly, I think this is something to keep and eye on as this winter plays out.
       One other side effect, of this winter of discontent, is how it will impact all the new bermuda grass. More and more facilities have been using bermuda grass,in many areas here in the Mid-Atlantic,including driving range tees, and some fairway applications. Hopefully, as spring finally arrives and temperatures start to rise, we will not see any effect from such a brutal winter!

                                       

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GIS 2014

       The Golf Industry Show 2014 is now in the record books. While some guys had to return to Philadelphia earlier than planned to try and do some emergency cleanup from the ice storm, the majority of attendees I spoke with were really enjoying Orlando. Now to put it in perspective, we have had an AWFUL winter here in the Mid-Atlantic and to be in Florida for a record high temp for February is something that we might not want to gloat to our wives at home about!
       Arriving on Tuesday for the annual Toro business meeting, the week began on a high note. Much of the meeting was discussions about Toro's 100th anniversary. Starting with a video of customers and their feelings and experiences with Toro that was really well done. The high light for me being Matt Shaffer of Merion Golf Club saying 'I have the best Toro Salesman in the world". With lots of grief to come from other Reps, it is really tough to put into words how much Matt's words were appreciated!
       The trade show on Tuesday was really busy. I would say there was a lot of buzz in our booth regarding the new automatic transmission Workman HDX and the new Toro Infinity irrigation head.
To me you know a new product has a bright future when the comments are "it makes so much sense, why hasn't someone done this yet?".
       The Pennsylvania Allied room on Wednesday night was a great time as always! It was really good to see some people that I have not caught up with in a while. Add in few other receptions and it was a full week of  great events.
       Now on the social media angle, I was really impressed with Aquatrols use of hosting Golf Course Industry Magazine & Turf Republic's Tweet Up event on Wednesday. Many people commented on the traffic by their booth. It is still in it infancy but the use of social media is absolutely going to play a bigger and bigger roll in the Turf business in the future.

Hope everyone had a safe trip home!




The Toro Company 100th Anniversary hat that was being given away in the booth

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You are So Lucky!

        For most of us heading to the Golf Industry Show here in the North Eastern US, and for the most part, anywhere but the deep south, you get the same reaction when people hear you are going to Florida, "You are so Lucky!". When you can get to 80 degree weather and morning temps have been in the single digits here in Philly, I am up for going anywhere warm! The sad part is the majority of your time, this upcoming week, is spent inside a convention center or a hotel, unless you are one of the smart ones and have a golf event set up.
     So what is the National all about (Yes, that what it will always be to me...)? I know for me, it is a chance to see some of Toro's new equipment and an opportunity to pick the brains of some of the Marketing Managers and Engineers. It is a chance to see what my competition has new and to see if someone has come up with a game changer. Really, the highlight of the week, is probably the Pennsylvania Allied room. It is where you get to see a lot of people you might not have seen for a while and end up usually with some good laughs.
       The thing that most interests me this year is to see the impact of social media. More and more people in the golf industry are starting to get involved.It will be cool to see how it keeps growing, especially the events that are tied specifically to social media at this GIS.

Hope to see you in Orlando!



WJC

 

Passion

      Years ago I was at a dinner where the discussion was about passion and how to be successful in any career it is so important. A few weeks ago at the Eastern PA Turf Conference during one of the speakers presentations that discussion came to mind. Tim Moraghan owner of Aspire Consulting gave a talk about unintended consequences and he was on fire! Tim is someone who loves the game of golf and has the ability to speak from a view of common sense like not many others in the industry. With 20 years as the USGA Championship Agronomist, Tim has so many incredible stories about his experiences.
    
        I was lucky enough to meet Tim when I was a kid working the 1989 US Amateur at Merion Golf Club. Recently I have asked Tim to come in and speak at some of our training events. If you have an opportunity to hear Tim talk, I would urge you to do so. Obviously, like any presenter, you will not agree with everything he says but I can guarantee that he will make you think about how you come at your job.


WJC