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Customer-focused Initiatives
Machinery dealers tend to be the first point-of-contact for those interested in purchasing a tractor.
Kioti offers cabs for comfort in all seasons on some of it's tractor models. |
Manufacturers are working with their dealers to provide the best customer service and product information possible.
Kioti, for example, launched a 5-Paw Dealer Excellence Program last year to recognize dealers that excel in the support, knowledge and convenience they offer customers, similar to a 5-star hotel rating. Dealers re-certify their rating each year, and customers can find recognized 5-Paw dealers on the Kioti website.
Inside and around the tractor, manufacturers are incorporating more customer-focused features, too.
The hydrostatic, shift-on-the-go transmission was one big area of usability that many manufacturers told us about. These are being incorporated into smaller tractors in response to the call for easier-driving pieces of equipment.
John Deere’s customer-focus programs have resulted in the integration of more comfort-based features. If you spend long days on the tractor, you’ll appreciate more comfortable seats.
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Kubota B3200 with quick-attach loader makes many farm tasks easier.
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There also are features that make it easier for you to do your work. Power reversers, for instance, allow users to go from forward to reverse with just the movement of a lever—no clutches and gear shifts to fumble with.
In developing the SC series, which was launched last year, as well as this year’s newest EX 450 compact tractor, Cub Cadet Yanmar focused on making the machines easy and safe to operate and economical to maintain.
Likewise, “Kubota has always been conscious of making tractors’ usability easier,” says Kubota's Peggy Horkan. And the company has worked to increase the ergonomics of the levers and pedals and designed a quick-attach loader with this idea in mind.
“We’re seeing more interest in cabbed tractors,” says Ron Parrish, market development manager for Kioti.
He attributes this to the aging farming population as well as those part-time farmers who really want to be comfortable while working their land. Kioti’s challenge has been to design a cab for a small tractor that’s large enough to be comfortable, and Parrish believes they’ve delivered.
Massey Ferguson also has a new line of tractors coming out this spring, according to Chris Box, marketing specialist with Massey.
They'll continue to provide features hobby farmers ask for: attention to comfort and ergonomics, hydrostatic transmission (that makes driving a tractor more like driving a car) and easy to use attachment systems.
In addition, look for new features on the Massey Fergusen website that focus on the rural lifestyle population.
At Branson Tractor, marketing administrator Debbie Alexander explained their customers have requested easier access to the driver seat.
In response, the company relocated gear shifts to make getting on and off of the tractors easier and fitted the machines with weather-resistant floor mats to reduce slipping in wet conditions. The seats are larger, too, for increased comfort.
Headlights: Meeting the Needs of Busy Hobby Farmers
With so many people working full-time jobs and working their land before and after work—often in the dark—several manufacturers are taking notice of changes that need to be made to accommodate them.
New Holland's Boomer 8N, coming this spring, is modeled after the Ford 8N. |
John Deere’s Precision Guidance system, for instance, uses GPS technology to plot the path you’ve set for the tractor; a lightbar mounted in the driver’s area alerts you when the tractor has gone off the path. The tool costs approximately $1,400 and offers invaluable assistance for those farming in the dark.
Kubota is installing halogen headlights in its tractors, which offer brighter light and better side-lighting than traditional headlamps. Its hoods are being designed in a more streamlined fashion, allowing improved visibility all the around the tractor. Attachments, too, are put together with more emphasis on visibility. These features are designed for operator safety at all times of the day.
Blast From the Past
One tractor that was creating a lot of buzz for small-scale farmers is New Holland’s Boomer 8N retro-styled compact tractor.
It’s a special edition that’s modeled after the Ford 8N, a top-selling tractor from the 1940s and 1950s. The sleek, classic look is paired with modern technology to bring a touch of nostalgia to the farm with the latest innovations.
This tractor was being shown at the National Farm Machinery Show and will be available beginning in May.
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