The goal of the new program is to facilitate closer contact between Kawasaki's technical personnel and dealers selling and servicing Kawasaki engines.

Bob Talaga, owner of Armstrong Implements, Swift Current, Saskatchewan, explains the dealership’s processes for creating efficiencies in the service department. Armstrong Implements is Rural Lifestyle Dealer’s 2014 Dealership of the Year.

Nick Stergos, vice president of parts & service at Rigg's Outdoor Power Equipment in Valparaiso, Indiana, shares challenges the company has faced in staffing the service department. Despite losing a technician in early 2013 (from 4 to 3 technicians on the team), they were able to hire a part time high schooler who completed miscellaneous tasks and helped keep the other technicians on task. By the end of the year, they had met the quote set for them based on having 4 full time technicians.

Social media is changing how we talk to our customers and how our customers talk to --Sara Steever and about us. The tools offer tremendous opportunities for your dealership, are fairly easy to use, and many are even free. In fact, you could begin posting updates on Facebook, sending tweets on Twitter and writing blogs today.

Rural Lifestyle Dealer was started in 2007 to help farm equipment dealers better understand consumers. New folks were moving from urban areas into the country, buying a dozen acres, and were finding their way onto the showroom of a farm equipment dealership.