Profile: Reesink Turfcare

By Alistair May 17, 2018 06:35 Updated

David Cole, MD of Reesink Turfcare, explains how the company, which distributes Toro fine turf, irrigation and groundscare products, Otterbine lake and pond aerators, plus TYM compact tractors in the UK, has responded to the ever changing roles of course managers

The increased use of technology, environmental pressures, health and safety importance, tighter budget control and people management responsibilities have all played a part in expanding the role and responsibilities of a course manager. And that’s without the club’s long-term expectations from members, board, committee and management.

As the industry moves forward and job responsibilities evolve, so has the role of distributor. At Reesink Turfcare, we’ve responded to that by focusing on how easy it is to do business with us and how in turn we make life easier for our customers, all the while thinking what else can we be doing?

The answer we’ve come to is by offering more in every way. More products, more range, more options. More help, advice and guidance. More training and support. More ways to buy. Adding more value.

It wasn’t rocket science, we simply needed to change our view on what we as a turfcare machinery and equipment distributor exist for:

A range of products that do more

An over-used slogan maybe, but we want to be a one-stop shop for all of our customers’ needs.

Common sense perhaps, but as a distributor you bring to market the products you think will bring the most benefit to your customers. All our product divisions represent brands we consider to be among the very best in the marketplace to do that.

Toro, of course, is well known for its global market leadership as a manufacturer of innovative products. Its approach to new product development is widely considered to be second-to-none and its success in identifying emerging trends within the turfcare market is directly linked to the way it takes the time to go out into the field to meet Toro and non-Toro users.

Work with customer groups like this has led to the development of revolutionary new products, such as the Reelmaster 3100-D Sidewinder, and new technologies like the electric-powered Greensmaster eFlex 21, the industry’s first lithium-ion battery-driven greensmower.

Another example is Toro’s hybrid and all-electric technology. With increasing interest in the industry to reduce carbon footprint, the Reelmaster 5010-H is powered by Toro’s patented PowerMatch technology and its unique drive system couples the power from a 24.8hp diesel engine to a self-charging 48-volt battery pack, to seamlessly match the power needed for traction and cutting, based on current mowing conditions.

The GTX-E, the all-electric utility vehicle, is a particularly interesting machine – it’s a turf and grounds crossover utility vehicle which demonstrates how high power and performance can be delivered by a green power source; it’s the next generation of mid-duty utility vehicles with green credentials and the only one on the market.

We’ve used many words to describe Toro’s innovative product range over the years – durable, versatile, productive, efficient, the list goes on. But one that is continually evident is economy, bringing with it added value too. For example, the Reelmaster 3575-D made quite the splash when it launched in 2016. Its lightweight credentials allow for the engine, a 24.8hp (18.5kW) diesel, to provide enough power to climb hills, while operating groomers and rear roller brushes, and consuming less fuel per acre than a conventional fairway mower!

It’s an ethos that applies to TYM tractors, and Otterbine too.

In response to customers wanting a reliable and effective compact tractor to work alongside their Toro turfcare machinery some years ago, we set about looking for the perfect partner. As a result, we successfully launched and developed the TYM brand in the UK. The extensive range of compact utility and mid- to heavy-duty tractors has been very well received by the market, enjoying healthy and consistent growth.

When it comes to Otterbine, we work closely with the brand spreading the message of the importance of improved water quality in lakes and ponds. Through Otterbine there is a viable scientific solution to re-balance the delicate eco-systems of the water bodies. The Fractional in particular does this incredibly well, having the highest independently tested performance rates of any fractional aerator on the market.

David Cole

You need more support, backup and advice, not less

The customer should be at the centre of all that you do and you must work to achieve the best solution for them possible. As a distributor, we are focussed on the way we communicate with our customers, and the way we deal with customer support. It’s why there has been solid investment in our service centres, now in Scotland, the south east of England and East Anglia and why we work closely with our network of Authorised Service and Dealer Locations (ASL) to develop new joint initiatives such as our Service Level Agreement (SLA) which benchmarks great customer service.

Our strategy is to ensure that we deliver strong customer service with all our business partners. We’re looking to continually improve on our customer experience after a sale completes, and our SLA outlines the core customer service standards, goals and considerations adopted by all our ASLs, which helps to earn the loyalty of our customers.

They incorporate common goals and values that are the baseline for supporting our commercial turf product customers and set high standards for servicing, repairs and warranty, and the spare parts supply process.

We hold 15,000 Toro items, available for delivery at 24 hours’ notice pretty much anywhere in the UK and 12,000 fast-moving lines are housed at the European distribution centre in Belgium with 48-hour availability. If all else fails, a 72-hour trans-Atlantic airfreight service comes into action calling on parts held at Toro’s Minneapolis manufacturing base. This is all at no extra cost to the customer and represents the kind of reassurance we want to give greenkeepers: minimum downtime, maximum productivity, more customer service.

In fact, it’s this approach, focussing on keeping the customer’s total cost of ownership as low as possible – a shared philosophy with The Toro Company, that has seen us recognised by The Toro Company for our outstanding performance in ‘Parts, Service and Technical Training’ in the past.

Make more training available

Our ambition is to continuously improve standards in the industry. We have a dedicated team and in partnership with Toro we have created and developed the biggest range of vocational training for land-based disciplines in the industry.

To date we have nine courses for turf professionals providing all levels of training that cater to not just the novice, but the more experienced, too. We work with the approved bodies LANTRA and City and Guilds, and are continually looking at how we can further improve our offering.

One way to do that is by making training as convenient and accessible as possible. We have made sure dates are flexible and that there’s the option of training delivered on customers’ premises. Some find training in a familiar environment, with their own equipment, makes it even easier to develop or invest in their greenkeepers’ skills.

We have also developed a Master Service Technician programme to provide a strategic career pathway for technicians within the dealer, service centre and Reesink workshop locations. The programme demonstrates the company’s investment in the people who ultimately deal with the customer, ensuring the best possible service.

More helpful ways to finance

Finance on turfcare machinery has been something golf clubs have been taking advantage of for years and of course finance is widely available on most everyday things. The concept is certainly not new. However, we realised there was more we could do for golf clubs, especially during periods of unclear economic forecasts.

In 2017 we developed an irrigation finance product, an industry first for full installations, as well as the sprinklers and hardware. Products only make up 25 percent of the overall cost of a project so finance for installation makes a remarkable difference.

Plus, it takes away two of the biggest headaches we find exist for those embarking on new irrigation: installation happens sooner and there is less upfront capital outlay. And as anyone who has gone through the process will know, choosing and installing an irrigation system can be a lengthy one. Removing the headaches that comes with financing the project makes the decision-making process a lot simpler and quicker.

It also means that now for the first time, finance is available across all our brands. Whether you’re in the market for a Total Solutions package, a fleet of greens mowers, a single TYM compact tractor, or a lake and pond aerator, there’s a finance option available.

Not only is finance now available on more products, it also enables customers to buy more of what they need, thanks to the competitive deals we can access, meaning customers can now get more from their resources.

The upshot is, as our customers’ role changes so does ours as a distributor. If more than ever before, the course manager is expected to do more, then it goes without saying the distributor is expected to do more too. We took a look at the business and set about making sure that we deliver more in every way to golf clubs: what they need, when they need it, and so far it seems to be a strategy that is working.