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In terms of pure sales volume, natural disasters often prove to be a power equipment dealer’s best friend—for the short-run. But the dealer’s ability to live up to his promises and finesse customers in their greatest time of need can mean even more—in the long-run.

That’s what you’ll hear from Randy Pinkston, owner of Pinkston’s Lawnmower & Equipment Plus in Midland, NC. The business was actually founded in 1956 by his father in Wadesboro, NC. Randy assumed ownership in 1974 and moved it to another location in town. In 1989 he moved again, this time to nearby Mint Hill. The dealership then moved into its current Midland store in 1998.

The 1989 move to Mint Hill is when Pinkston’s really started to make a name for itself. “I moved there in July and had the store open in August,” Pinkston tells. “Then Hurricane Hugo hit in September and things took off. I hung a sign outside the dealership telling people we had chain saws and generators available—and that we were running specials. I worked closely with my distributor to make sure we could meet demand if we pushed it. He assured me we could, so we went for it.”

Pinkston says that, nearly 20 years later, he still has many of the same customers who first came to him during the aftermath of Hugo. A trust and friendship was established as a result of what the dealership was able to do for residents during that difficult time.

A PIONEER IN OUTDOOR POWER

That trust and friendship is the reason Pinkston’s has been able to introduce several “unknown” brands to its customer base over the years. He was one of the first Charlotte-area dealers for a well-known commercial mower, taking on that line when a competitor had dominant share in the market. “I knocked on a lot of doors,” Pinkston says in reference to his countless visits to area landscapers as he was pioneering the line.

In time, that brand name became a household name among commercial cutters—and there were soon more dealers of it than Pinkston cared to compete with. In late-2003 he was presented with the opportunity to begin carrying another commercial line: EverRide. The thing he craved most, sufficient territory, was part of the deal, so he once again decided to go for it.

Pinkston says many of his commercial customers stuck with him through the transition, primarily as a result of the trust established over the years. But he still had to sell them on a new brand. His strategy to do so was pretty straightforward.

“The first thing I did was walk them through the main construction features of the mower to illustrate the heavy-duty build,” Pinkston explains. “Then I highlighted the standard parts, such as the engine options and the Gates belt, so customers were aware that common parts would be easy to get when it was time for service. Finally, I highlighted some of the bells and whistles that made this machine unique, like the tunnel deck design for improved performance when discharging clippings.”

ROOM TO GROW

It must’ve worked, because Pinkston’s became EverRide’s largest U.S. dealer in 2005. Equipment sales as a whole top $1 million a year these days. Still, Pinkston says much of his focus remains on service and parts.

“The parts department is where we make most of our money,” he points out. Min/max levels are adjusted on a near daily basis. “Missed sales” are also tracked so the parts department can hone in on the right inventory.

A few years ago, Pinkston’s joined the growing number of dealers who’ve implemented storage cabinets into their parts operations. By incorporating half a dozen Vidmar cabinets, the dealership has been able to reduce its parts storage requirements by more than 25%; two long rows of shelving now consist of a single row and the six cabinets. Pinkston is looking to invest in additional cabinets so he can break down more shelving.

“The cabinets have made a big difference in productivity,” Pinkston says. “They’ve freed up a lot of warehouse space we now use for equipment setup. Fast-moving parts are also a lot easier to keep track of in the cabinets.”

CHEAPER THAN A NEWSPAPER AD

Pinkston’s stocks a decent amount of fast-moving parts for brands it does not sell, although the dealership has drastically cut back on the brands it is willing to service. For instance, two-cycle brands not sold by Pinkston’s are no longer accepted by the service department. But a $10 trade-in allowance is granted to customers who are willing to upgrade to a brand Pinkston’s does sell.

The Pinkston’s staff would rather focus on its current customer base, which include a good mix of pros and homeowners. “We’ll often meet landscapers and other professional customers out in the parking lot to get them going, even if we have to load up a demo,” Pinkston says. “I’m not worried about what it costs us. I’d rather lose $50 on a landscaper than spend $300 on a newspaper ad, because a happy landscaper can be worth so much more in terms of good word of mouth.”

Pinkston’s caters to the two-crew landscape companies. “I like them because they’re usually very loyal,” Pinkston relates. “They don’t want to argue about price as much because they genuinely appreciate what we do for them.”

That said, Pinkston’s does do business with several large companies, which include a handful that specialize in tree care. When the dealership first moved into Midland back in 1998, Pinkston says he quickly recognized that a lot of tree care professionals were coming into the dealership for service with the wrong size chain. He immediately set up a “chain room” behind the front parts counter and started aggressively pursuing this business. “We got a lot of these customers on an upgrade schedule, and showed them how we were going to provide them with better product expertise and service than they were used to getting,” Pinkston adds.

Commercial clients aside, roughly 70% of Pinkston’s business comes from homeowners. “We’re fortunate to have a lot of hobby farmers and acreage owners in our market,” Pinkston says. “They’re the ones actually buying a good amount of our larger commercial equipment.”

The reason they do is because Pinkston’s Lawnmower & Equipment has a long history of always living up to its word. “It has been my pleasure to do business with both Randy and his father for over three decades,” says Bobby Garner, a territory sales manager for Carswell Distributing Co. “Randy has worked hard and earned his place as a leader in the outdoor power equipment industry. His staff is exceptionally knowledgeable and is certainly an attribute to his success.”

“Pinkston’s has been a pace-setting dealer in the Charlotte market for many years,” adds Bill Parsley, president of Carswell Distributing. “To do business with those guys means you’re doing something right. We have always treasured our relationship and the opportunity to be associated with Randy and his excellent company.”