Like the large companies, independents can't provide great service to every farmer. Dealers must focus their energy on the customers they think will keep farming and grow larger. Your fertilizer company is not a social welfare agency. Larger grain companies have no problem focusing their energy on key accounts, but it's more difficult psychologically for the smaller players to priorize customers. Don't let them take all the good ones and leave you with the rest.
Tough markets are no time to be passive.
Once independents have identified their top 25 customers, Downey said, they should ask them why they do business with them. These farmers might value extra service and not just low prices. Once the dealer knows what the farmers have in common, he should identify 25 other customers in the area who may like the same service and develop a plan to attract them. Even Cargill doesn't have enough resources to take care of all customers equally well all the time. Send us an e-mail.