If you’re the one truck one trailer I would think your time is even more valuable as you do not have the same resources a large scale operation would have. In most cases landscaping is a part time job for you so the days you are out mowing you cannot be dealing with down machines or something breaking on the job.

If you are the mid to large scale operation every time your crews are spending more time hanging out at the dealership versus on the job site the money you are billing for is going right out the window.

Think about this for a second. You are on a lawn and break a belt or recoil.  If you are lucky it happens as you are putting the machine back on the truck but if it happens when you get there or in the middle of the job your whole day just changed, causing you to lose time which equals money. A trip to the dealer to pick up the repair part could be 30 minutes, because as you know when you have to be somewhere you will get stuck behind someone who hasn’t figured out yet how to push the gas pedal. So now you are at the dealership, it could take another 15 to 20 minutes to get the part provided it is in stock. Then another 30 minutes back to the job. So if you are lucky you only wasted and hour and a half getting the part never mind installing it.

So where does that Hour and a half maybe two go?  Well, you either need to hustle to make it up or it is lost forever. What do you bill an hour?  Does throwing out $60 maybe $75 dollars sound good?

Now imagine if you had kept a few repair parts on your trailer.  In the case of a belt breaking simply walking to the trailer and putting on a new one just saved you an hour.  Not only did you save time and money by not leaving the job you also maintained a level of professionalism that does not go unnoticed by your customers that could lead to future business.  So Not only did you save that $60 dollars in waste travel but you may have also preserved future income.

This just scratches the surface of the other hidden little costs that you saved on just by having a few parts in stock. Wear and tear on the truck, traffic, gas, professionalism and your own sanity for the long haul are just some things to mention.

Take a small inventory of your machines, Look at the stuff that could break, items you always replace and keep and extra one or two.  In most cases if you buy in bulk you will save a few extra cents here and there. Most big companies think like this and make great profits, No reason you can’t do the same.

As the saying goes. Time is money. Corny but seems to make sense here.

As a small, single, female, walking into any Power Equipment store can be a little intimidating. I know I can't be the only woman who worries about being scammed, mistreated, or underestimated. In my journey for the perfect Snow Blower, I had gone to a few bad dealership before I finally found a great one! Here are 5 Tell tale signs you are dealing with and upstanding Power Equipment Dealer.

1.) They will greet you at the door.

Nothing is worse than feeling like you are being completely ignored when you are shopping for something expensive, or waiting to get your machine serviced. A great Power Equipment Dealership should have a person ready and waiting to greet you by the door with a happy easy going expression.

2.) The showroom is clean and well organized.

A huge sign of poor management for any Dealership is a dirty store. If you don't care enough to clean your own store, why would you care enough to thoroughly service my machine? Or care enough to sell me something that is new and working for that matter. So after you have been greeted, scope out the area and make sure everything is looking in order. 

3.) The salesman looks you in the eye.

Your salesperson should be able to look you in the eye while selling to you or while he is explaining something to you. When someone is able to look you in the eye it shows that they are honest. If his eyes are darting around, or he is unable to hold eye contact for an entire conversation.... Be careful, chances are he isn't being honest with you. 

4.) Your salesperson gives you his contact information.

Your salesperson should not be nervous about giving you his information. He should be proud to stand by his words. They should also be to able direct you to a functional website, and show you how you can use it to better your experience.

5.) Explain reasons for service.

After you have bought your machine from a reputable dealership and used it for a couple seasons, wear and tear will occur. You should be able to bring your machine back to your trusted dealership for service. Your salesperson should be able to thoroughly explain all repairs and why you need them. If you feel as though they are tacking on extra work to a machine that had one problem, be careful, ask them detailed questions. If they are being honest, they should have no issue answering your questions.

So, in conclusion, stay sharp, trust your instincts, and stay strong in your decisions. You will know when you are being treated fairly, and when you are working with an excellent Power Equipment Dealership. The dealership I worked with was local to me, however, they had an online store that anyone can go on!