northeast dealer july 2014

DEALER Northeast

The Newsletter of NoRThEAsT EquipmENT DEALERs AssociATioN, iNc.JULY 2014 c Vol. 16, No. 184www.ne-equip.com

EQUIPMENT DEALERS FOUNDATIONAWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS

IN THIS ISSUE:3 Observations From the Field4, 6 Association News8 Industry News10 How to Connect With Anyone12 Avoiding Collateral Description Dilemmas13 Why Join NEDA?14 Customer Satisfaction & Market Share

16 Practical Data Security17 Social Media Checklist18 DOT / FMCSA Info19-22 Human Resource Info24 Increase Dealership Profits Through Work Life Balance25 Equipment Industry News26 Who Wants Your Vote?

ADVERTISER’S:2 Haylor, Freyer & Coon 5, 27 Federated Insurance7 Electronic Merchant Systems9 BallastStar9 PartnerShip11 Kioti15 NEDA - Monthly Specials28 Fastline Publications

NEDA Salutes our Supporting Advertisers. It is our pleasure to list the names of those advertisers who support NE Dealer each month. We trust their advertisement will be remembered when goods and services are required by you, our dealer members. It is good to do business with companies who are interested in doing business with you and your industry association.

Fenton, MO – The NAEDA Equipment Dealers Foundation (EDF) has awarded $20,000 in scholarship funds to NAEDA Affiliate Associations for the 2014-15 academic year. This year 121 scholarship applications were submitted by regional equipment associations. All applications have to be originated and submitted through one of NAEDA’s affiliate associations. These scholarship funds, coupled with matching grants provided by the sponsor-ing dealer and affiliate associations, are designed to help students who are interested in employment in the equipment industry attend schools and receive training so they can work for a dealership after graduation. EDF scholarship funds are available to all employees or potential employees of NAEDA member dealerships. The large increase of over 50% in applications this year raises a significant need for additional funds for EDF to match the growth in applications submitted from dealer members and the affiliate associations for current and future employees. Please do your part to support the future of our industry by making a contribution online at www.naeda.com/SupportEDF/EDFFoundationOnlinePayment.aspx or by check payable to: Equipment Dealers Foundation, 1195 Smizer Mill Road, Fenton, MO 63026.

NEDA Workers’ Compensation Safety Group

Exclusively for New York Members of the Northeast Equipment Dealers Association

DIVIDEND HISTORY

ELIGIBILITY

Over 23.25% Average DividendFor The Last 10 Years!

Policy Year2011-20122010-20112009-20102008-20092007-20082006-20072005-20062004-20052003-20042002-2003

Dividend5.0%20.0%25.0%37.5%20.0%35.0%37.5%25.0%32.5%15.0%

Members of NEDA Inc. Construction/Industrial Equipment Dealers Material Handling & Lift Truck Dealers Farm Equipment Dealers Outdoor Power Equipment Dealers Rental Equipment Dealers with Repair Facilities

ADVANTAGES Aggressive Advance Discount (up to 25%) Additional Discounts Available for Qualifying Dealers Excellent Dividend Potential Claims Management & Loss Control Services Monthly Installments for Qualifying Dealers

81.2%

To see if you qualify, call Darwin Allen at Haylor, Freyer & Coon 315-684-3851/800-289-1503 or fax a current declaration page to 315-684-9801 or Call Ralph Gaiss (Executive Director of

NEDA) at 315-457-0314 for more information.You may also visit us at www.haylor.com

Eligible NEDA Dealers

Purchasing Workers’Comp

From Safety Group #548

Eligible NEDA Dealers

Purchasing Workers’ Comp

From ALL OTHER SOURCES

94.5

4.5

Northeast Dealer • JULY 2014 … 3

Corn and soybean planted acreage seem to have caught up and are closing in on last year’s acreage. Limited access to fertilizer and other inputs (rail capacity taken by oil tankers) and “contrary” weather remain challenges in selected regions. I’ve not seen or read any reports focused on hay/forage production, but it would seem that those segments are also running behind last year’s numbers. No one quite knows how all the

variables will affect commodity prices, but I suspect that they may not be as depressed as the press would lead many to believe. Hope I’m right! Customer traffic has been very good at the dealer’s that I have been able to visit this month. Although Equipment industry sales reports indicate that the sales of high horsepower, FWD Tractors and combines are off by 5-10 % from last year’s sales, total unit sales are running at or above last year’s sales. Production and availability are becoming an issue for selected manufacturers/dealers once again. AEM has reported U.S. Ag Machinery Exports decline 28.1% in 1Q 2014. With the largest decreases occurring in Asia (decreased 36.7%, for a total $145.6 million), Europe (dropped 34%, for a total $628.1 million), and Canada (declined 30.7%, for a total $698.3 million). Total U.S. agricultural machinery exports for first quarter 2014 totaled $2.185 billion compared to $3.04 billion in the first quarter of 2013 — a decline of 28.1%, as reported by Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), citing U.S. Department of Commerce data. I suspect that we may see some belt-tightening via organizational restructuring and revised “poli-cies” within the manufacturer ranks as they look to minimize overhead and maximize their returns/profits on lower sales dollar volumes. NEDA continues to work with State DOT officials in an effort to ensure as best we can that the drafting of DOT regulations is fair and reasonable. I can’t say that we’ve been as successful as we’d have liked in every instance, but we have made progress and continue to advocate on your behalf. You may also want to offer your personal comments regarding the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 49 CFR Parts 385, 386, 390 Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) and Hours of Service Supporting Documents; Proposed Rule. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is extending the comment period for the supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking published on March 28, 2014 (79 FR 17656) to June 26, 2014. This rulemaking examines four options:

continued on page 23

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter co v ered. It is furnished with the understanding that the Northeast Equipment Dealers Association, Inc., the publisher, is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional service. Changes in the law duly render the information in this pub-lication invalid. Legal or other expert advice should be obtained from a competent professional. Some of the editorial material is copyrighted and may be reproduced only when permission is obtained from the publisher and the association.

Board of DirectorsOfficers

eD HiNes, President 2014 / Past President 2001Hines Equipment / Cresson, PA814-886-4183 • Fax: 814-886-8872Case IH, Gehl, New Idea, Cub [email protected]

JOHN e. KOMArisKY, First Vice President /Treasurer / Past President 2012Main & Pinckney Equip Inc. / Auburn, NY315-253-6269 - FAX 315-253-5110New Holland, Simplicity, Brillion, Bush Hog AGCO Parts [email protected]

JOsH AHeArN, Second Vice President / NAEDA OPE Dealer CouncilAhearn Equipment, Inc. / Spencer, MA508-885-7085 • Fax: 508-885-7261Kubota, Cub Cadet, Stihl, NAPA [email protected]

BriAN cArPeNTer, NAEDA DirectorChamplain Valley Equipment / Middlebury, VT802-388-4967 • Fax: 802-388-9656New Holland, Case IH, Kubota, [email protected]

rALPH GAiss, CEO and Executive Vice Pres.800-932-0607, Ext. [email protected]

DirecTOrsJeff BULL, Past President 2007, 2013Bull International Inc. / Washington, PA724-222-0450 • Fax: 724-222-7290Case IH, New Holland, Cub Cadet, [email protected]

GArY HAMMOND, Past President - 2006Hammond Tractor / Fairfield, ME207-453-7131 • Fax: 207-453-7825 John Deere Ag, CP, Golf, Forestry, Kuhn, Kubota, Woods, Bush Hog, Walker, [email protected]

BrAD HersHeYHoober, Inc. / McAlisterville, PA717-463-2191Case IH, JCB, [email protected]

NATe sHATTUcK, Past President - 2010Devon Lane Farm Supply, Inc. / Belchertown, MA413-323-6336 • Fax: 413-323-5080Yanmar, Landini, Monosem, Ferris, Simplicity, Stihl, [email protected]

rOBerT sPOHN, Past President - 2005Sharon Springs Garage / Sharon Springs, NY518-284-2346 • Fax: 518-284-2774AGCO, White, Hesston, Gehl, Kubota, Allis, [email protected]

scOT L. sTANTON, Past President - 2003Stanton Equipment Inc. / East Windsor, CT860-623-8296 • Fax: 860-627-9832John Deere Ag., Knight, Athens, [email protected]

WeNDeLL WALLDrOff, Past President - 2002Walldroff Farm Equip., Inc. / Watertown, NY315-788-1115 • Fax: 315-782-4852New Holland, Hesston, Woods, White-New Idea, AGCO, [email protected]

NorthEASt EqUipMENt DEALErS ASSoCiAtioN128 Metropolitan Park Drive • Liverpool, NY 13088

800-932-0607 • www.ne-equip.com

Observationsfrom the FIELD

Tim WentzField Director717.576.6794

4 … Association News

$500 Rewardfor information leading to the return of or the arrest of the persons who stole the following piece of equipment from the estate of John D. Nicol Jr, Delanson NY. 2007 New Holland model TC26DA, serial # HG20363, with front snowblower, loader, mower and rototiller. All information will be kept confi-dential. Call 518-221-4103.

Express Truck Tax – IRS Form 2290 – Available To All Dealers, All States The NYSMTA is continuing its partnership with Express Truck Tax, an authorized IRS e-file provider who provides IRS from 2290 and IFTA services for the trucking industry. Express Truck Tax provides a discount on their services for NYSMTA members. The Form 2290 must be filed on an annual basis for every heavy vehicle weighing at least 55,000 pounds. By filing your Form 2290, you will receive your stamped Schedule 1, which gives you the ability to drive in any state. All you need to e-file is your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), your EIN number, the gross vehicle weight, and the first use month. Visit the Express Truck Tax website for NYSMTA at www.ny2290.com or click here for additional information.

Premium Assistance Under Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) If you or your children are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP and you are eligible for health coverage from your employer, your state may have a premium assistance program that can help pay for coverage. These states use funds from their Medicaid or CHIP programs to help people who are eligible for these programs, but also have access to health insurance through their employer. If you or your children are not eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, you will not be eligible for these premium assistance programs. If you or your dependents are already enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP and you live in a state listed below, you can contact your state Medicaid or CHIP office to find out if premium assistance is available. If you or your dependents are NOT currently enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, and you think you or any of your dependents might be eligible for either of these programs, you can contact your state Medicaid or CHIP office or dial 1-877-KIDS NOW or www.insurekidsnow.gov to find out how to apply. If you qualify, you can ask the state if it has a program that might help you pay the premiums for an employer-sponsored plan. Once it is determined that you or your dependents are eligible for premium assistance under Medicaid or CHIP, as well as eligible under your employer plan, your employer must continued on page 6

$500 Reward for information leading to the return of or the arrest of the persons who stole the following piece of equipment from the estate of John D Nicol Jr, Delanson NY.

2007 New Holland model TC26DA ,serial # HG20363 , with front snowblower, loader, mower and rototiller.All information will be kept confidential.

Call 518‐221‐4103

1

6 … Association News

Premium Assistance Under Medicaid and CHIPcontinued from page 4

permit you to enroll in your employer plan if you are not already enrolled. This is called a “special enrollment” opportunity, and you must request coverage within 60 days of being determined eligible for premium assistance. If you have questions about enrolling in your employer plan, you can contact the Department of Labor electronically at www.askebsa.dol.gov or by calling toll-free 1-866-444-EBSA (3272). If you live in one of the following states, you may be eligible for assistance paying your employer health plan premiums. You should contact your state for further information on eligibility.

NEW hAMpShirE – Medicaid www.dhhs.nh.gov/oii/documents/hippapp.pdf • Phone: 603-271-5218

MAiNE – Medicaidwww.maine.gov/dhhs/ofi/public-assistance/index.htmlPhone: 1-800-977-6740 • TY—800-977-6741 • TTY 1-800-977-6741

pENNSYLVANiA – Medicaidwww.dpw.state.pa.us/hipp • Phone: 1-800-692-7462

rhoDE iSLAND – Medicaidwww.eohhs.ri.gov/ • Phone: 401-462-5300

NEW JErSEY – Medicaid and ChipChip web: www.njfamilycare.org/index.htmlMedicaid Website: www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dmahs/clients/medicaidMedicaid phone: 609-631-2392 • Chip phone: 800-701-0710

NEW YorK – Medicaidwww.nyhealth.gov/health_care/medicaid • Phone: 1-800-541-2831

MASSAChUSEttS – Medicaid and ChipWebsite: www.mass.gov/MassHealth • Phone: 1-800-462-1120

VErMoNt– MedicaidWebsite: www.greenmountaincare.org • Phone: 1-800-250-8427

To see if any more states have added a premium assistance program since July 31, 2013, or for more information on special enrollment rights, you can contact either: U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration www.dol.gov/ebsa 1-866-444-EBSA (3272)

U.S. Department of health and human Services Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services www.cms.hhs.gov • 1-877-267-2323, Menu Option 4, Ext. 61565OMB Control Number 1210-0137 (expires 10/31/2016)

~ Submitted by Darwin Allen Haylor, Freyer & Coon, Inc.

Syracuse, NY. 13221 – 800-289-1503


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Northeast Equipment Dealers Association has arranged for Electronic Merchant Systems to offer your business a reduced group rate in accepting any type of credit card for payment. There is no fee for analysis of your current statement, application or transfer.

EMS believes that your processor should be an integral part of your business by continuously offering complimentary services, technology upgrades, and assisting your business in its local, regional and national growth. Besides having one of the lowest rates in the business for NEDA members, EMS is committed to offering you additional assistance with marketing and developing your company to its full potential. We don’t do well unless you do well. You can see additional information about us at: www.NE-Equip.com

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News Helping Dealers Succeed

INDUSTRY

8 …”Committed to Building the Best Business Environment for the Northeast Equipment Dealer”

FMCSA Issues Proposed Rule on Driver Coercion In a recent Federal Register, FMCSA issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to prohibit motor carriers, shippers, receiv-ers, or intermediaries (i.e., brokers) from coercing a driver to violate many but not all of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, CDL and drug and alcohol regulations, and/or the hazmat regula-tions. The proposed rule added a provision prohibiting entities that operate commer-cial motor vehicles from coercing drivers to violate the commercial regulations. The agency would define coercion as a threat to withhold, or the actual withholding of, current or future business, employment (i.e., termination) or work opportunities from a driver objecting to operate in viola-tion of the covered regulations, such as the hours of service limits or vehicle mainte-nance requirements. The proposal adopts a "knows, or should have known" standard, noting that a carrier has an affirmative duty when assigning a trip to ensure it can be com-pleted in compliance with the HOS rules. That standard is extended to shippers, receivers, and transportation intermediar-ies when they direct the completion of a run within a certain time.

Truckload Rate Quotes Available Through PartnerShip PartnerShip®, the company that manages the NEDA Shipping Program, offers competitive rates on full and partial truckload ship-ments to all NEDA members! PartnerShip has created relationships with dozens of national and regional truckload carriers to help you save time and money. Even when your freight shipment is a full or partial truckload, requires specialized equipment, or is being export-ed or imported – PartnerShip has the connections to help you with a solution.

truckload Freight Services: • Specialratesforpartial/volumeloads(5,000-9,999lbs.) • Competitiveratesforfulltruckloads(>10,000lbs.) • Soloorteamtruckloadservices • Dedicated,expeditedorintermodal

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Receive a competitive rate on your truckload shipment by visit-ing PartnerShip.com/TLQuote today. There, you can request a free, no-obligation quote for your dry van, refrigerated or flatbed truck-load shipment. This tip is brought to you by PartnerShip®, the company that manages the NEDA Shipping Program. For more information or to enroll, email [email protected] or call 800-599-2902.

FMCSA Issues Electronic Logging Device Guidance to Resolve Enforcement Issues FMCSA recently issued a regulatory guidance to clarify require-ments of devices used to electronically track hours of service com-pliance under the existing standard in 395.15. Specifically, FMCSA made clear what information must be displayed on the devices in contrast to the information that must be recorded by the devices. Some enforcement officials had erroneously issued citations to drivers if their devices did not reflect the vehicle's trailer number. Also, FMCSA clarified that the current standards do not require devices or drivers to provide hardcopies of their electronic records of duty status (e.g., printouts, faxes) to enforcement officials dur-ing roadside inspections, as some officials had required. However, an enforcement official may request that additional information be provided by email, fax or similar means within 48 hours of the inspection.


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TIpS for INcrEASED SAlES

How to Connect With Anyone

Before you can sell or influence anyone, you have to make a positive connection so they like and trust you. Here are some keys to connecting with anyone. 1) When in rome… If you’ve ever visited a non-English speaking coun-try, you undoubtedly tried to learn a few words or brought some sort of translation tool with you. Of course you did that so you could communicate and travel most effectively. Perhaps you also did it to show

respect. If you didn’t, you were probably viewed as an arrogant American. Also, your trip was probably not as pleasant as it would have been if you at least “tried” to play by their rules. Think of this ex-ample whenever you are communicating with anyone. We all communicate at dif-fering speeds and at differing levels of directness. Some peo-ple are very animated and speak quickly; oth-ers speak more slowly and don’t move much. In addition to speed of speech and move-ment, some people are

direct and to-the-point, while others add more words and have a softer style. As a result, you want to match and mirror these two qualities. If they use lots of gestures and speak quickly, do the same. If they speak slowly and are not very animated, slow down and limit your ges-tures. If they are short, direct, and to-the-point, use few words. If on the other hand, they want to talk and take a softer approach, then match this style. Key points: do not match someone perfectly, they’ll think you’re mocking them; also, you want to remain authentic, so just make subtle adjustments where necessary. You also want to match communication in e-mail and written form. If someone uses names, greetings, etc., do the same. If they put everything they need in the subject line, your response should be short and to-the-point.

2) Listen, give, and make it all about the other person. Generally speaking, the more you listen, the more you give, and the more you make it about the other person, the more they will like you. I say generally be-cause about 5% of the population will take complete advantage of this. On the other hand, 95% of people are mirrors. In other words, the more you listen, give, and make it about them, the more they’ll be willing to listen, give, and make it about you. This also works when it comes to accepting people and their ideas. The more open and accepting you are of them, the more open and accepting they will be of you. 3) Agree wherever and whenever you can. People need to be important and their first instinct is to be right whenever possible. That’s why people speed up when you try to pass them on the highway and people rush the gate to be first on the plane. A funny thing happens though when you let other people be right or go first, their second instinct kicks in which is altruism. This is similar to the mirror effect is #2 above. As soon as you let someone go before you in line, they insist on letting you go first, as soon as you accept their way of doing some-thing, all of a sudden you’re once preposterous idea, is now worth trying. Your objective here is to be like-able, agreeable, and get along with people as much as possible, and to be happy and accommodating versus being right. 4) tune into their favorite radio station: WiiFM (What’s in it for me?) Why should they be interested in what you are talking about? What will they get out of it? When speaking, focus on them and use “you” statements versus “I” statements as much as possible. Try to get behind their eyeballs and ask what this means to them in their world and why they would be motivated to act one way or another. Speaking of motivation and what’s in it for them, verbal accolades, giving gifts, money, and proverbial and literal pats on the back go a long way. On that same note remember, what gets rewarded gets repeated. 5) the best question you can ask… The best question you can ask your boss: “What one thing can I do, that if I do it at the highest level

continued on page 24

BY JOHN CHAPIN508-243-7359 | [email protected] | www.completeselling.com

We all communicate at differing speeds and at differing levels of directness. Some people are very animated and speak quickly; others speak more slowly and don’t move much. In addition to speed of speech and movement, some people are direct and to-the-point, while others add more words and have a softer style.


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dealer. In 2013, KIOTI® proudly became one of the first manufacturers in the world to bring Tier 4 compliant compact tractors to North America. This year, the excitement continues with Daedong® Eco Technology and a whole new pack of models in the RX, NX and CK series. You can now offer your customers more power, lower fuel consumption and the features and comforts they want most.

Decreased emissions and fuel consumption and increased power output when comparing Tier 4 to Tier 3 Daedong diesel engines.© 2014 KIOTI Tractor Company a Division of Daedong-USA, Inc.

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Training Materials IncludedPrices Subject to Change

If you would like to schedule acErtIfIcAtIoN/rEcErtIfIcAtIoN

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Call Kelli or Daveat the Association, 800-932-0607.


By DAvID E. SHAy

DEALER FINANCING DOCUMENTS

Avoiding Collateral Description Dilemmas

Most dealerships obtain financing from a variety of sources. Dealers may have an operating line of credit from a local bank, multiple floor plan providers for whole- good purchases and direct financing from suppliers for equipment and/or parts. Normal finance documents include some type of security interest granted by the deal-er to the lender. A dealer must pay particular attention to collateral descriptions when multiple financing sources are involved. Financing documents also contain a list of breach-es that constitute events of default. The list typically includes allowing a conflicting security interest in a lender’s collateral. Because the national floor plan providers and many equipment manufacturers over-reach on collateral descriptions, it is all too easy for a dealer to inadvertently commit an event of default on other loans including op-erating lines of credit. Each of the various financers has a legitimate interest in obtaining security for payment, but these interests must be managed to avoid conflict.

CoMpEtiNg CoLLAtErAL DESCriptioNS The collateral descriptions contained in financing documents should differ according to the specific type of loan. Collateral that is appropriate to support an operat-ing line of credit is different from a floor plan. Collateral descriptions vary according to the purpose of financing:

1. BLANKEt LiENS These are appropriate for use in operating lines of credit. The collateral description typical includes “all” inventory, equipment, office furniture, accounts receivable, chattel paper, general intangibles and any other property interest, including insurance proceeds, that a dealer may own during the life of the loan. The security provided is generally the value of a dealership’s assets less the amounts subject to other financing such as purchase money security interests from floor plans or supplier financing.

2. FLoor pLANS The collateral supporting floor plan loans should be limited to equipment actually being financed by the floor plan provider. All too often, however, floor plan providers will seek to include a blanket lien on all of a dealer’s assets. Another common form of over-reaching is maintaining a security interest in paid inventory.

3. SUppLiEr FiNANCiNg Many dealers overlook this type of financing, but the vast majority of dealer agreements include a security inter-est. This is perfectly appropriate where the supplier pro-vides some financing like selling repair parts on “net 30” terms or granting “cash discounts” for wholegoods paid for within 30 days. Suppliers usually limit security inter-ests to products the supplier provides. A conflict can arise, however, when the collateral description does not account

for paid inventory or seeks to maintain a security interest in any product manufactured by the supplier even equipment obtained from another source such as trade-ins.

Avoiding Defaults The collateral description is like any other contract term – it can be negotiated between a dealer and the lender. Lenders generally do not want to put a dealer in a position of defaulting on another loan, because it puts the lender at a higher risk of non-payment. Lenders understand that their best chance of getting repaid is through continuing operations of the dealership and will work to avoid a de-fault. Over-reaching lenders will not limit conflicts on their own; however, dealers must request changes. The first step is to compare loan documents and outline competing security interests. If there is an overlap in collat-eral, the dealer should talk to the lender who provided the new agreement to limit collateral to a commercially rea-sonable description. Suppliers and floor plan providers do not need blanket liens. Likewise, documents that prohibit a security interest in paid inventory may restrict a dealer’s ability to draw on its line of credit. Collateral descriptions should match the purpose of the financing.

SUBorDiNAtioN AgrEEMENtS Another tool available to manage conflicting collateral descriptions is subordination agreements. These are pre-pared on a case-by-case basis and are usually agreements between finance providers as to the priority of the security interests. For instance, a supplier that prohibits security in-terests in the supplier’s products even after they have been paid for may allow a competing security interest in paid inventory as to a specific lender, but not all lenders. Subor-dination agreements are not a one size fits all. There are a variety of types depending on the specific conflict to be resolved.

CoNCLUSioN Dealers need to be proactive to avoid inadvertent events of default under the various financing documents that support a dealership. Every time a new dealer agree-ment, new floor plan agreement or new bank agreement is presented, a dealer should compare the collateral descrip-tions with other financing documents. If the same collat-eral is being used to support more than one loan, there is likely a problem that needs to be addressed by changing the collateral description. If a lender is unwilling to change the collateral description, then a subordination agreement may be considered. Barring some resolution of the con-flict, the dealer may have no other choice than to switch to a different equipment supplier that offers commercially reasonable collateral descriptions.


128 Metropolitan Park Drive

Liverpool, NY 13088

[P] 800-932-0607

[F] 315-451-3548

www.ne-equip.com

WHY JOIN?What’s in it for me? Plenty!

NEDA is Designed to Meet Your Business Needs

Legislative RepresentationYour Association is involved in State Legislative

Sessions, identifying and tracking all bills affecting

equipment dealers and or/are relative to our industry.

Legislative reports are made regularly to all members.

Dealer-Supplier Relations NEDA works with NAEDA and other affiliate

associations across the nation to work with

manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and other

suppliers to address contract and industry topics and

help resolve issues.

Legal Counsel HotlinesYour Association maintains relationships with various

attorneys and consultants to help members address

employment and labor law issues, dealer contract

issues, customer relations, OSHA compliance and

workplace safety issues, and environmental issues.

Business and Group InsuranceYour association’s recommended providers offer the

finest business insurance and group health insurance

coverage for its members, with prompt, personal

service, and competitive rates.

Monthly Newsletters and Weekly EmailsNEDA provides up-to-date information regarding

various phases of dealer and Association activities.

Special bulletins are issued as occasion demands.

Credit Card ProgramNEDA's Credit Card Program offers your customers the

convenience and instant credit advantage of VISA or

MasterCard cards, at a low, competitive discount rate

and a personal follow-up if you experience problems.

EndorsementsNEDA thoroughly researches various companies to

ensure that only those with the very highest standards

are endorsed by the Association.

Annual Regional MeetingsAnnual regional area meetings are conducted in 5

locations convenient to your dealership each year to

interact with dealer principles and/or employees in

various aspects of business operations.

Business Forms & Supplies, ProgramsNEDA supplies you with a complete stock of forms,

supplies, and programs. Count on a wide selection,

competitive pricing and great service!

Trade-in and Flat Rate GuidesNEDA members receive special pricing on trade-in

guides for agricultural, outdoor power equipment and

power sports as well as the Flat Rate Guide for

Agricultural Tractors and Combines and the Outdoor

Power Equipment Flat Rate Guide.

Cost of Doing Business, Wage SurveysAnnual Cost of Doing Business and Wage and Benefit

Surveys provide data which allows dealers to compare

their dealership expenditures with averages within our

geographical area.

National AffiliationDealers can receive membership in the North American

Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA), which

represents dealers on federal issues. Members receive a

subscription to NAEDA's Farm and Power Equipment

Dealer Magazine and a bi-weekly email NAEDA Update.

www.ne-equip.comYour association's website is a "hub" for dealer

members, providing instant access to online dealer

information and resources,database with a wealth of

information available 24-7, 365 days a year. This in

addition to you calling NEDA personnel for immediate

assistance.

Staff Resources/InformationYour association is a source of information as near as

your telephone, mailbox, fax machine, or computer — a

"business partner" that can provide assistance on both

day-to-day and long-range operations.

Let us prove that membership doesn't cost -- it pays!

Your link to the power equipment industry…is…NEDA !


this is the conclusion of a two-part article that appeared in June 2014's NE Dealer.

Customer retention is earned through customer satisfaction and builds customer loyalty toward the dealership. Listen-up manufacturers: Customer loyalty builds market share! It has been estimated that equipment dealers spend six times the amount of money to capture a new customer, versus what they spend in keeping that same customer loyal to the dealership. Is the equipment dealer’s emphasis misplaced? Customer retention means financial success for the equipment dealer. Losing a customer carries a cost five times the annual value of that customer’s yearly account to the dealership. We have always maintained that how you satisfy the customers’ needs after the sale determines customer retention. I will use the words of an equipment dealer I believe is a true World-Class Dealer. He states that the dealership’s major reason for success in customer retention and loyalty is: “Hire people with a customer focused attitude and then help them to continue the development of this attitude through encouragement, praise and training.” He points out that most dealers hire people that can do the nuts and bolts side of the position very well, but some dealers never ask a potential hire what does world class service look like to them? The dealer goes on to say that you can train people on what a culture of customer service means, but to be the best it must be part of the prospective hire’s character. How many times in the last five to ten years have we written that the department with the greatest opportunity for increased sales and the greatest opportunity for increased profitability is the service department? At the same time that we are writing or discussing this with dealers we are also pointing out that service generally provides the dealership with the lowest contribution to total sales. When a dealer is hiring or replacing a service manager, the greatest concern should be finding an individual with people skills who understands how to provide customer service to the dealership’s customers, and at the same time develop a customer service and satisfaction culture throughout the department. Many times in discussions with equipment sales personnel we ask why they don’t discuss the

dealership’s ability to provide quality service to the customer. Understand that the customer’s number one concern when buying a piece of equipment is his concern about: unscheduled down-time! Customers want to know that your dealership is going to be there for them after the sale. Surveys consistently express the fact that customers want to know that their equipment is going to be fixed right, the first time, on time and at a competitive price! Unfortunately, too many times the sales person replies to our question by saying figuratively: “I’m not sure I want to tell a customer we can do that because I am not sure our shop can perform at that level!” With this reply, remember what was said on the Apollo 13 flight: “houston, we’ve got a problem!” As we said at the beginning . . . customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and customer retention, all lead to the equipment dealership’s financial strength and to those so loved words manufacturers like to throw at dealers: increased Market Share. All are interrelated to that single phrase: Customer Service! Those equipment dealers who have achieved world class service status recognize that Customer Service is not a department. It is everyone from top to bottom within the dealership working together to create that culture that defines true customer satisfaction.

Special Offer tO readerS: Recently we pulled out fourteen articles we have written over the years covering Customer Satisfaction/Customer Service. All of these articles were gathered together in a separate manual entitled: AMS’s Customer Satisfaction Articles. We are offering this manual to our readers at the special price of $19.99. Simply e-mail your request for this publication, stating your name, your dealership and your dealership’s location, as well as your product line, and the document will be sent via email to you along with an invoice in the amount of $19.99, which you will pay after the material has been received. If, after receiving the materials, you are not satisfied, simply e-mail us telling us of your dissatisfaction and withhold any payment whatsoever … simple enough? Our email address is: [email protected]

Customer Satisfaction Market Share

thE AFtEr MArKEt SALES ForCE

BY JOHN WALKERPresident,AfterMarketServicesConsultingCo.,Inc.–817StockbridgeDrive,#399,Ft.Mill,SC29708•Cell918-230-0791

www.amsconco.com


By lANcE forMWAlT AND JoHN fUcHS, SEIgfrEID BINgHAM

practical Data for Copiers, Fax Machines & Scanners Security

Did you know that your copier and fax machine rep-resent one of your biggest security risks when it comes to the sensitive data that you keep in your business? By default, primarily to help speed up performance, almost all copiers or scanners manufactured after 2002 and every fax machine keep copies of every document scanned, copied, or faxed by the machine on either a hard drive or a physi-cal ribbon. Since most companies use their copiers and fax machines for all types of documents, the amount of sen-sitive information these devices contain can be extremely valuable to competitors and identity thieves. CBS News previously investigated this issue by purchas-ing second hand copiers and uncovered a data breach at a New York health insurance company that resulted in a fine of $1.2 million for improperly disposing of the data on the plans leased copiers. If your customer's information is breached and falls into the wrong hands, the data breach laws found in most states will require you to notify them and you may face liability for the damages caused by the breach. Failure to notify your customers can also result in government fines. Please remember that almost all of these devices are actually computers. As a result, you should ensure that these devices are managed and monitored by your IT staff and install electronic and physical safeguards to protect them. You need to treat them as if they hold all of your most sensitive information, because they likely do. The following is a list of some steps and additional in-formation to help limit your data security risks associated with these devices:

• The FTC recommends attaching a sticker or labelto the machine noting that sensitive information is stored and providing instructions on the steps for disposing of the device as a reminder.

•Reducethenumberofrecentcopiesthatyourdevicemaintains to the most recent 10 to 20 documents. However, simply changing the setting to only store a certain number may not be sufficient if the device does not automatically overwrite the prior copies as discussed below.

•Contactyourmanufacturertodeterminewhichsecu-rity features are available on the device or if an addi-tional security kit is required to enable them. Manu-facturers offer many different features designed to secure your data on their devices, but the best fea-tures are (1) encrypting the data and (2) overwriting deleted data once it is no longer needed.

• Encryptionscramblesinformationsothatonlycertainsoftware will be able to read the images. Encryption is offered on most recent devices and should always be enabled. Ideally, you should enable "disk based encryption" (also called "passcode encryption") to prevent access to the information even if the hard drive is physically removed from the device.

•Overwriting is equivalent to electronic shredding.Simply deleting files is not secure because "deleting"

electronic data in the hard drive only removes the reference to the file's location and does not affect the actual data itself...you should think of deleting a file electronically as the equivalent of putting a paper file in a trash can without shredding it. Ide-ally, overwriting should be set to run automatically on a periodic schedule – or immediately after each job is completed. A second overwrite should also be completed whenever a device is replaced or re-moved from use. Overwriting may be called "Image Overwrite"; "Secure Deletion"; "Shredding"; or "File Wipe" on your device.

•Takesteps toensurethat theharddrivecannotbeeasily removed without tools or moving the entire device.

• Before disposing or returning a device, check to see if the manufacturer provides a full drive overwrit-ing option and then make sure it is used. This may be called "HDD Sanitizing"; "Data Overwriting" or other names. If it is not an option on your device, you likely will need to retain a specialized copier hard drive security consultant to complete the overwriting.

•Someusershaveattemptedtosecuretheirdatabysimply removing, destroying, or manually reformat-ting a device's hard drive. This is not advisable if you lease or intend to resell the device because it usu-ally makes the device inoperable by destroying the device's operating system. If the device is leased, you will likely be liable for significant lease penal-ties if the device is inoperable, so be sure to check with your leasing company to determine your op-tions. Alternatively, you can hire a specialized copier hard drive security consultant to install a new, clean, replacement hard drive for your device and keep the old one that contains your data. Completely replac-ing a drive generally costs several hundred dollars per drive but is the safest method for ensuring that your data does not fall into the wrong hands.

•Ifyourfaxmachinehasaribbon,theribbonshouldbe shredded or otherwise destroyed prior to dispos-ing of the machine. You should not melt or inciner-ate it due to potentially toxic materials that can be released.

Additional information: http://www.business.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/bus43-copier-data-security.pdf

Manufacturer Specific Links:• Konica-Minolta: http://www.biz.konicaminolta.com/

security_s/mfp.html?co=header_11#column11•Ricoh:http://www.ricoh.com/about/security/products/

mfp/function/#anc3• Sharp: http://www.sharpusa.com/ForBusiness/Docu-

mentSystems/MFPs/Features/Security.aspx•Toshiba:http://www.copiers.toshiba.com/usa/security• Xerox: http://www.xerox.com/downloads/usa/en/c/

cert_Xerox_Product.


The Dealership Daily

Social Media Checklist To maintain a successful social media presence, managing your accounts must be a daily activity. While automated schedulers are helpful, it takes more than daily posts to keep your social presence relevant. You should be commenting, liking, and engaging on a daily basis as well. Make sure you are completing the following items to keep your social media presence strong.

poSt 1-2 thiNgS pEr DAY For EACh oF YoUr ACCoUNtS. An inactive social media page is a negative social media page. Show your followers that you’re engaged, interesting, and can provide education-al items pertinent to your dealership. They need to know that you and your dealership are alive, well, and ready to work with them. Post your sales, relatable stores and articles, your blogs, and more.

rESpoND to EVErY CoMMENt, EVErY DAY, oN ALL oF YoUr ACCoUNtS. Social media is all about engagement. That means if someone reaches out to you and com-ments, you need to respond, and quickly! It is important to respond to both the good, the bad,

and the ugly comments. It is possible to turn an unhappy researcher or client back around simply by responding to their issues and making efforts to correct them. If the commenter is already happy, then responding to a comment can further prove to them that you are the dealership that they want to work with.

ShArE SoMEthiNg NEW EVErY DAY. Social media isn’t all about you; it’s about your community as well. Advertise community events, other business’ products and services. This will prompt others to share your posts as well.

LiKE thE CoMMENtS thAt CoME YoUr WAY. When you get a comment, someone has taken the time out of their day to read your posts. Show them that you realize they read it and that you appreciate it! Liking helps to build relationships.

ENhANCE ViDEoS. Videos are beginning to dominate social sites. Whenever possible, post a video of your own, or share someone else’s, on your pages.

NortheastEquipmentDealersAssociation

Established 1901

Endorsed Provider


HIGHWAY

NortheastEquipmentDealersAssociationEstablished 1901

Committed to Building The Best BusinessEnvironment for Northeast Equipment Dealers

Keep For Your Records Assistance On Trucking and Highway Problems Contact names and contact information for State D.O.T., police or region supervisors. They were presenters at the NEDA’s 2014 Annual/Regional Meeting

portSMoUth, NEW hAMpShirE 2-10-14

SGT. William Burk, badge # 1081Office:6032238965•TroopG:6032238778Fax: 603 271 1760

ALBANY, NEW YorK 2-12-14

D.O.T. Inspector Nick CollinsOffice:5184577082•Cell:5184242015Fax:5184855217•Email:[email protected] in attendance: D.O.T. Inspector Larry Johnson

AUBUrN, NEW YorK 2-14-14

D.O.T. Inspector Mark Fox Office: 315 454 9673 Cell: 315 399 2378Email: [email protected] in attendance: D.O.T. Inspector Pat English

For D.o.t. Motor Carrier Service/question CALL: NYS DOT Region 3 Supervisor:Adrian Armpreister Office/Cell: 315 454 9673Call Adrian for any questions and/or for citations issued to dealer drivers in NYS.

MErCEr, pENNSYLVANiA 2-17-14

Corporal Richard C. Koontz PA State Police (Commercial Vehicle Safety Division) Office: 717 346 7347(Call him for Violations/Citations issued to dealer vehicles)Email: [email protected] PA Info: [email protected] Data Questions www.fmcsa.d.o.t.gov/login.asp

BirD-iN-hAND, pENNSYLVANiA 2-19-14

Trooper Greg Fischer PA State Police, Harrisburg www.psp.state.pa.usOffice:7173467332•Fax:7173467318Also in attendance: Trooper Cody Clark

FMCSA Grants Exemption to Livestock Haulers After a year-long effort, the Agricultural & Food Trans-porters Conference, in conjunc-tion with a coalition of livestock organizations, secured a one year ex-emption for livestock haulers from the 30 minute rest break. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently an-nounced their decision to exempt drivers of vehicles hauling livestock from the 30-minute break require-ment during the first eight hours of on-duty time. Drivers trans-porting agricultural commodities, including livestock, within a 150-air mile radius of the source of those com-modities who already exempt from the HOS rules and are not affected by this action. In 2013, FMCSA granted livestock haulers a 90-day waiver during the hot summer months with no adverse effects to safety. FMCSA has received four petitions for exemptions, which only address the 30 minute break requirement of the HOS rule, and this is the second to be granted.

~ The Dispatch

Seat Belt Use Among CMV Drivers Increases In early May, FMCSA released a new report entitled, "Seat Belt Usage by Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers (SBUCMVD) 2013 Survey." The sur-vey found that seat belt usage rates among drivers of medium and heavy duty trucks and buses rose from 78% in 2010 to 84% in 2013. Since FMCSA began tracking seat-belt usage in 2007, there has been a 19% increase. Seat belt use was higher in states governed by primary belt use laws (85%) than secondary belt use laws (78%), with western states reach-ing the largest percentage of seat belt use at 91%. The northeast saw the lowest usage at 76%. ATA supports the adoption of primary seat belt laws for all motor vehicles by all states.

Is Your SAlES forcE in the

right hANDS? BY ANNE SALEMO

President, Charter Software Inc.NEDA-endorsed provider

[email protected]

First of a two-part series on how to determine you have the right sales manager in your dealership.

Last month, we talked about the qualities a sales manager needs to create and preserve revenue in your dealership. Now we’ll review their objectives and responsibilities. 1. Provide leadership in training, motivating, managing and evaluating the sales force. Keeps sales team up to date on selling techniques, retail financing, and ensures they have tracking and recording sales and communications within the business system. 2. Works with dealership owner and or in-store marketing staff to implement and achieve marketing objectives. 3. Establish and nurture customer relationships and dealer-ship loyalty through a variety of communications platforms and internal processes. Documents all customer contact and promo-tions using CRM in business system. 4. Promotes a positive image of the company through actions, customer interaction and appearance of staff and facility. 5. Assists in developing and managing the sales department budget to provide realistic, attainable and measurable sales profit goals. Generates and interprets departmental income reports from the dealership’s business system to ensure the sales’ efforts sup-port the dealership’s overall financial and operational objectives. 6. Maintains relationships with suppliers and ensures sales staff receives appropriate product training and are informed of all manufacturers’ sales announcements and promotions. 7. Develops and updates a competitive and flexible pricing strategy relative to market conditions to help achieve the budget-ed sales, market share and financial objectives. 8. Oversees management of new and used inventory within the business management system, including ordering products, managing order fulfillment programs, monitoring aged inventory and floor plan interest expenses. 9. Facilitates communication with customers, other depart-ments and sales staff through meetings, written communications. Applies interpersonal skills for potential conflict resolution. 10. Leverages data stored and tracked within the dealer-ship’s CRM to focus on issues important for customer satisfaction and retention. Do the above responsibilities and objectives fall in line with what you expect from your sales manager? The Sales Manager Job Description document is available from Charter Software: e-mail [email protected] or phone 303.932.6875 x219. Anne Salemo president of Charter Software Inc. is a key con-tributor to the company’s innovations. Her passion for the industry and vision for the company have grown Charter Software into the industry leader it is today.

Simple Stepsto Cyber Security

Recent Internet bugs and vulnerabilities have had a widespread impact, compromising the security of com-puters as well as personal information you may enter on-line. Although you can’t stop criminals from attempting a cyber attack, you can take several steps to reduce your risk of having your personal information stolen, misused or deleted. Start by using strong passwords, avoiding mal-ware and viruses, and protecting yourself against scams and security breaches.

pASSWorD SECUritY•Do not use the same password for multiple ac-

counts, especially important accounts such as online banking or an online store with your credit card on file.

• Passwordsshouldnotbeawordfoundinthedic-tionary or a combination easily

•Guessedbyafriend;becreativeandmixupletters,numbers and symbols to make a strong password.

• Passwordsshouldbeperiodicallychanged,especial-ly in the wake of the Heart bleed bug that left much encrypted information vulnerable to exploitation.

MALWArE•Don’tclickonlinksordownloadattachmentsinun-

solicited emails.•Don’tdownloadanythingfromsitesyoudon’ttrust.•Don’t enter personal information on awebsite if

you clicked on a link; instead, type the URL into the address bar to make sure you go to the site you want.

• Scanallexternaldevices, suchasUSBflashdrives,for viruses and malicious software (malware) before using.

• Installantivirussecuritysoftware.

SCAMS AND othEr SECUritY BrEAChES•Neveremailpersonalinformationonanunsecured

Wi-Fi network; the network can be hacked and the information accessed by unauthorized users.

•Don’tdiscloseprivateinformationunlessnecessary,and always verify the source if asked to input sensi-tive information into a website or email.

Before entering credit card numbers or other pay-ment information when shopping online, double-check that you’re on the website you think you are and check the URL for “https,” which is a general indication that the page is encrypted for your security. Some browsers also display a “lock” icon to indicate that a website is secure.

~Submitted by Darwin Allen Haylor, Freyer & Coon, Inc.

Syracuse, NY. 13221 – 800-289-1503

Northeast Dealer • JUNE 2014 … 19

Checklist: 7 Questions to Ask Before You Terminate Before firing anyone, ask yourself the following seven questions. If you answer “Yes” to any, your risk of sparking a lawsuit rises, so consider contacting your employment law attorney before proceeding with a termination.

1. Is the employee over age 40? Y or N2. Is the employee disabled in any way? Y or N3. Has the employee been injured on the job or

filed a workers’ comp claim? Y or N4. Is the employee a minority or a woman with

any conceivable discrimination claim? Y or N5. Is the employee able to claim any discrimination

based on religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual preference or other grounds? Y or N

6. Has the employee filed a discrimination or harassment lawsuit? Y or N

7. Has the worker been a whistle-blower? Y or N

RESOURCESHuman

No matter how carefully you hire, inevitably your employees will differ in important ways. Some will be good-humored, intelligent, have a strong work ethic, and always be eager for new challenges. Others will be less so, or worse. You want to do everything you can to keep the first group, because they are critical-ly important to the company's success. Here are five things you should do to retain your top performers.

1. pAY thEM WELL (AND Not JUSt With MoNEY) Let employees at every level know that they will be compensated fairly for their efforts, and be sure to follow through with your promises. But don't assume it's all about paychecks and bonuses. Find out what compensation means to them, and also what other things affect their satisfaction. If they want advance-ment, find a way to provide them with opportuni-ties. If they want a flexible schedule that promotes a work-life balance, find a way to work out a mutually beneficial solution. Remember, if they don't feel val-ued for their contributions, or if they do not have the incentive to put their efforts and ideas to work for your company, they will move on.

2. ENCoUrAgE thEM to tAKE riSKS Create opportunities for your best employees (actually, all your employees) to question the status quo, challenge conventional thinking, and offer new and wild ideas without the fear of reprimand. With encouragement and some latitude, capable employ-ees naturally look for better and more creative ways of doing things. Your goal is to encourage a culture of "Why not?" and then provide them with the support to pursue their ideas. While they may occasionally make mistakes--or even fail from time to time – don't hesitate to press important assignments on to your high performers.

3. rECogNizE thEir rEStLESS ENErgY – AND ChANNEL it Employees who excel are smart, industrious, and curious. Often that means that they become bored with routine and hunger for something new and interesting to do. They thrive on new challenges. Har-ness this restless energy and use it to your advantage. Provide your talented performers with a constant stream of interesting assignments that have impact on your customers and your operations. Give them your most perplexing problems and challenge them

to find solutions. Offer a few guidelines and a dead-line but don't tell them what to do or how to do it.

4. giVE thEM tiME to pLAY Children aren't the only ones who need time to play; so do your employees. This may seem at odds with the push for productivity, but planned playtime can be healthy for your organization. Your best per-formers may come up with a brilliant new idea when given the chance to step outside the daily routine. Encourage your top performers to connect with other talented people in your organization and trust that great things will come from spontaneous playing, tin-kering, and experimenting.

5. LEAD BY ExAMpLE Remember that as the leader you are highly visi-ble to your employees. Your approaches to day-to-day challenges, longer term strategic issues, and every-thing in between do not go unnoticed by your orga-nization. Top employees benefit from working with a mentor who can provide advice, career guidance, connections, and a model to aspire to. Set a good (and consistent) example and your top employees will consistently exceed your highest expectations.

Five Things You Must Do to Keep Your Best People



RESOURCESHuman

As health care costs continue to rise, so has the value of voluntary benefits. Voluntary benefits allow employers to offer benefits that are attractive to em-ployees without added cost to the company. Many employers consider expanding their volun-tary benefits to compensate for employees’ increas-ing health care costs. Employees benefit because they have a variety of insurance and other program options conveniently available in one place.

tYpES oF VoLUNtArY BENEFitS A few traditional voluntary offerings include den-tal, vision, disability, critical illness, life and accident insurance. Non-traditional voluntary benefits may include group legal plans, pet insurance, financial planning, employee discount programs, educational and adoption assistance, and identity theft insurance.

ADVANtAgES oF VoLUNtArY BENEFitS For EMpLoYEES Because of their cost efficiency and portability, voluntary benefits are becoming a central component of many companies’ overall benefits strategies, offer-ing high value to employees, all with minimal effort and cost to the company. Voluntary benefits can be either insurance or non-insurance products presented to employees to pick and choose from for elective purchase. Employers can offer value to employees with the following:

•Reducedgrouprates•Convenienceofpayrolldeductions•Boosttowork-lifebalance(fromsuchprograms

as educational assistance)•Theeaseofhavingmultipleoptionsall inone

place

thE VALUE oF VoLUNtArY BENEFitS For YoU Your company can benefit in many ways from offering voluntary benefits. A good set of voluntary benefits can•Costyoulittleornothingtooffer•Providegreatvaluethroughcostefficiencyand

convenience to your employees

•Aidrecruitmenteffortsbecausecertainbenefits,such as dental and disability, are highly valued

•Help build loyalty and retention, reducing employee turnover and associated costs

CoMMUNiCAtioN iS KEY Educating your employees on the value of volun-tary benefits is key to realizing the many advantages these benefits can offer. If your employees don’t know about the various insurance products and programs you provide, they can’t take advantage of them.

A SiNgLE BroKEr Working with a single broker to coordinate your various benefits policies, especially when you decide to offer a variety of voluntary benefits, is a good idea. When all your benefits are presented together, you can avoid coverage gaps and take advantage of a broker who knows your business thoroughly and can help guide you through the process of choosing the best voluntary benefits for your employee group. Haylor, Freyer & Coon, Inc. can provide educa-tional materials on voluntary benefits to you and your employees, and we can assist you with choos-ing and coordinating voluntary benefits to give you and your employees the best value possible. Contact Haylor, Freyer & Coon, Inc. at 315-451-1500 or visit us at www.haylor.com. Any other questions, please call Ralph Gaiss at 800-932-0607.

RECRUIT AND RETAIN:

The power of Voluntary Benefits

Forklift operator safety Training & Certification courses offered

call 800-932-0607 for more information.


RESOURCESHuman

Total compensation statements highlight the monetary value of your benefits package, including the perks that may be overshadowed by traditional benefits. These statements are not required, but providing them may increase employee morale and loyalty. Typical total compensation statements may include the following:

•Salary•Bonuses•Commissions•Stockoptions•Stockgrants•Employeestockpurchaseplan•Retirementplan•SocialSecuritycontributions•401(k)matchingcontributions•Paidtimeoff•Coverageforhealth,lifeanddisability•Wellnessrewards(discounts,cashbonuses,etc.)

Providing these statements increases employee awareness of how much the company spends on his or her benefits. Informing employees of the behind-the-scenes expenses that the company covers can increase retention rates and morale. Another reason to provide total compensation requirements is that the health care reform requires employers to report the aggregate cost of employ-er-sponsored group health plan coverage on their employees’ W-2 Forms. For employers that file fewer than 250 W-2 Forms, this is currently optional. Pro-viding total compensation statements may make providing this information at tax time easier. Contact Haylor, Freyer & Coon, Inc. for more infor-mation on total compensation statements.

Focus on communication and consistency with a flex time policy

Employee Concerns About Flex Time May Limit Its Use Employees like flex time. In a recent study by AstraZeneca, 80 percent of women and 61 percent of men said that flexibility was very important to their decision to stay at their company. Other studies even suggest that giving employees’ freedom in their work-ing hour’s results in more hours worked overall and higher levels of productivity. Flex time means different things in different companies. For some, it might be the ability for employees to work from home, while in others; it is the freedom to alter the starting and ending times from one day to the next without depleting a bank of paid time off. However, flex time is not a chaotic situation; your company can cater flex time programs to work for your particular indus-try or even a particular department. In establishing a flex time system, your company can still expect a certain level of performance and input from employees. You may still require employees (even exempt ones) to work a certain number of hours and/or to be in the workplace during specified time frames (“core hours”).

Addressing potential employee hangups Despite the potential allure of flex time, some employees do not feel comfortable using it. Many are concerned that, by working from home or at nontraditional times, they will be less visible to leaders. They may feel that greater job security comes with work-ing a more traditional schedule (or one that is more in line with the boss). If your company wants to reap the benefits of flex time, employees must feel comfortable using it. They must be able to see that its use does not come with negative consequences over time. To make sure flex time has a chance to be successful in your company:

• Avoid considering face time as a reliable measure of an employee’s contribution to the workplace, but hold them to consistent performance standards;

• Craft a clear policy and make sure managers and employ-ees understand both the possibilities and the limits of the program; and

• Avoid tracking how often employees take advantage of flex time to keep from creating the impression that the benefit is limited or that employees will be penalized for using it.

Contact Haylor, Freyer & Coon, Inc. for more information on total compensation statements.

What are total compensation statements? Are they required? If not, why should I provide them? Employee Benefits

NEED FORMS?NEDA can supply your dealership with top quality and competitively priced customer printed invoices, statements, checks, work orders, counter tickets, laser forms and other business forms and supplies.Contact Kelli at the NEDA Office - 800-932-0607 for a FREE quote on all your forms and supply needs.


crEDIT cArD progrAMEMS (ElEcTroNIc MErcHANT SySTEMS)Steven Miller866-367-1818, Direct 585-285-9954Fax [email protected]

DIvErSIfIED fINANcIAlyour financing choiceTerry Boer at 800-648-8026 [email protected]

fEDErATED INSUrANcE coMpANyProperty & Casualty Insurance (8 states except VT), Health Insurance (PA only)Workers' Comp (All states except NY)John Ballard at 800-241-4945, Cell 859-312-9896Fax [email protected] • www.federatedinsurance.com

HAylor, frEyEr & cooN, INc.Health Insurance Program /Blue Cross/Blue Shield Debra S. Dobroski at 315-703-3229 [email protected] • www.haylor.com

Physical Damage Insurance,Rental / Leasing Equipment Darwin Allen at 800-289-1503 (HF&C, Inc.) [email protected] • www.haylor.com

Workers' Comp (Return Dividend Program for NY Dealers only)Property & Casualty Insurance for VT Darwin Allen at 800-289-1503 [email protected] • www.haylor.com

lEgAl ASSISTANcE – frEE lIMITED Dave Shay at 816-421-4460Fax: 816-474-3447 • [email protected]

NEDA oN-lINE cAMpUSDave close at 800-932-0607 x [email protected]

pArTNErSHIp freight programYellow Freight, UPS Freight, FedEx GroundKeith Korhely at 800-599-2902 x [email protected]

poWEr pro AccrEDITED DEAlErJoe Dykes at [email protected]

rEgUlATory coNSUlTANTS, INc.cErTIfIED Spcc plANDave close at 800-932-0607 x 235robb roesch at 800-888-9596 x 222www.rci-safety.com

SUccESSIoN plANNINg - Buy / SellPlanning Solutions GroupDon HannahsPhone: 301-543-6000888-740-3501 – Fax: 301-543-6030Dhannahs@PSG planning.com

TElEpHoNE DIScoUNT progrAMWorldNet Solutions, Inc.866-532-7653 Mention NAEDA

ralph gaiss, Executive VP/CEO800-932-0607 x [email protected]

Dave close, Operations Manager800-932-0607 x [email protected]

Kelli Neider, Administrative Assistant800-932-0607 x [email protected] (Business Forms)

Tim Wentz, Field Services DirectorCell: 717-576-6794, Phone: 717-258-1450Fax: [email protected]

Scott grigor, NY Farm Show Manager800-932-0607, Ext. [email protected]

Art Smith, Consultant/Editor, NE Dealer717-258-8476, Fax: [email protected]

cHArTEr SofTWArE BUSINESS SySTEMSMelissa Amen303-932-6875 - Ext. 219www.chartersoftware.com

cErTIfIED BUSINESS vAlUATIoNSSWA Financial Consulting, P.C.curtis A. Kleoppel / Bob charbonneau816-561-5323 x 116 & 117Fax: 816-561-1249 or 800-762-5616

For Service / SPoNSoreD ProGrAMS,cAll Your ASSociAtioN

800-932-0607 • 315-457-0314 • Fax: 315-451-3548 • www.ne-equip.com

Observationscontinued from page 3

Option 1: ELDs are mandated for all Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) operations subject to 49 CFR part 395. Option 2: ELDs are mandated for all CMV operations where the driver is required to complete report of Duty Status (roDS) under 49 CFR 395.8. Option 3: ELDs are mandated for all CMV operations subject to 49 CFR part 395, and the ELD is required to include or be able to be connected to a printer and print RODS. Option 4: ELDs are mandated for all CMV operations where the driver is required to complete roDS under 49 CFR 395.8, and the ELD is required to include or be able to be connected to a printer and print roDS. All of which will result in additional overhead expense for your dealerships. Although the deadline will have passed before the newsletter’s publication I’d encourage you to submit comments, identified by docket number FMCSA-2010-0167 or RIN 2126-AB20, by any of the fol-lowing methods: Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov or Fax: 1-202-493-2251

rEAp the benefits of membership, your profITS will follow!


Increase Dealership Profits Through WorK LiFE BALANCE

With todays technologically heavy, always “on” mentality, the line between work and home often becomes blurred. This means that work-life balance is becoming increasingly important for employ-ees. What many employers don’t realize is that a home and work balance doesn’t only benefit the employee; it also benefits dealer-ship productivity and profit as a whole. Numerous studies demon-strate that the most productive em-ployees tend to be those that have full lives, comfortably balanced between work life and home life. Similarly, companies that promote a healthy balance are usually suc-cessful. Employer support for a balance between work and home life is cru-cial for employee success. Keep in mind that work-life balance does not mean complete flexibility and freedom for every employee. To be successful for a dealership, it is best to support employees with a company specific work-life balance program. A structured program

has the following benefits for employers:

•Increased employee reten-tion

•Improvedmorale•Reducedabsenteeism•Increase employee engage-

ment•Increasedproductivity•Decreasedstressandburnout

How do you create a work-life balance program? First, you must get to know your employees. What are their individual needs and how can you accommodate them? These needs will vary and may in-clude flexible work schedules or arrangements, onsite daycare or workout facilities, and more. It is important to note that meeting your employees’ work-life balance needs requires buy-in from senior management. Work-life balance programs should be tailored to individual dealerships and should suit not just the employees’ needs but also the dealership’s culture. Once you have determined what your employees needs are,

you can create and implement your work-life balance program. 1. Determine your priori-ties based on the feedback from employees. 2. Set specific goals for the success of your program. 3. Obtain buy-in from your senior management team. Educate them on work-life balance and why the program is valuable to the dealership. 4. Create a measurement and reporting process which will pro-vide the opportunity to measure usage, feedback, productivity, and ROI for the dealership. 5. Monitor the program and make any necessary adjustments. 6. Initiate a full work-life balance program roll out. It is possible to create an envi-ronment that promotes a success-ful professional career as well as a fulfilling personal life for employ-ees. Create a successful work-life balance program to increase pro-ductivity and success for your deal-ership today!

continued from page 10

possible, will be of most value to you and the com-pany?” To a co-worker or a customer: “What can I do to help you do your job or make your job easier?” To your significant other, a close friend, or family mem-ber: “What can I do to make your life easier?” Very few people have ever been asked these questions. When you ask these questions and act upon the an-swers, it will have a profound positive impact on how people view you.

6) give people what they want. We all want to be liked, feel important, and believe that we matter. A key to fulfilling all these needs is to treat everyone you meet as if he or she

How to Connect With Anyoneis the most interesting person in the world, because to them they are. Give people your time and respect and take a personal interest in them and what makes them unique. Always be personable and professional, treat people as equals, and give people an out and a way to save face if they make a mistake. At the end of the day it really is all about people and relationships. Roughly 86% of your happiness or sadness will somehow be affected by other people. The more you can see things from their perspective and act in their best interest, the better you’ll con-nect, the easier and happier your life will be, and the higher your sales numbers will be. John Chapin is a sales and motivational speaker and trainer.


Decline in orders Reflected in increased manufacturer incentives For the last several months average order growth for new Ag equipment has been declining steadily, and it appears that manufacturers have noticed. According to Ag Equipment Intelligence’s latest Dealer Sentiments & Business Conditions Update Survey, incoming orders declined 5% year-over-year on average in April. This continues the trend that started last November. The April decline is the largest year-over-year to date. According to the dealers who responded to the Dealers Sentiment survey last month, manufacturers continue to get more aggressive with incentives programs as a result of the slowdown in orders and lower sales. Since February, the percentage of deal¬ers who indicated that their manufac¬turers have become more generous with incentives has more than tripled. Three months ago less than 10% of dealers said they were seeing more sales inducements. In the lat¬est survey, a net 30% of farm equipment dealers reported manufacturers were “more aggressive” with incentive programs (35% more aggres¬sive, 59% same, 6% less aggressive). This compares with a net 22% of dealers in January who said manufacturers were “less aggressive” with incentives.

~ AEI

EqUipMENt iNDUStrY NEWS

Ag Equipment sales Decline Accelerates North American large Ag equipment sales were down again in May, with 4WD tractor sales down 14.4% year-over-year, combine sales down 24% and row-crop tractor sales down 15.9%, according to the latest figures released by the Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers. Inventory levels rose year-over-year across all large equipment categories, and Mircea (Mig) Dobre, analyst with RW Baird, said given projected sales declines there is continued risk for inventory destocking in 2014.

~ AEI

Will Deere Double its Revenues by 2018? A little over 3 years ago in February 2011, Deere & Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Samuel Allen said he wanted to deliver three times as much profit at normal operating vol¬umes and to double the company’s annual sales to $50 billion by 2018 as part of his John Deere Strategy. Aided by the introduction of Tier 4 engines, the comment about raising prices may have been truer than any¬one imagined at the time. But it has been Deere’s investments in overseas manufacturing and distribution opera¬tions that appear to be making the biggest contribution toward achiev¬ing Allen’s goal.

~ AEI

Ag Equipment Intelligence/June/2014 3

FARM MACHINERY TICKER (AS OF 6/11/14)

MANUFACTURERS Symbol 6/11/14 Price

5/12/14 Price

1-Year High

1-Year Low

P/E Ratio

Avg. Volume

Market Cap.

Ag Growth Int’l. AFN $45.89 $44.84 $48.00 $33.83 28.83 28,683 600.84M

AGCO AGCO $55.12 $55.09 $64.60 $49.63 9.40 1,246,730 5.18B

AgJunction Inc. AJX $0.82 $1.00 $1.20 $0.73 35.30 67,050 59.257M

Alamo ALG $54.50 $53.51 $61.27 $38.00 18.30 27,742 661.3M

Art’s Way Mfg. ARTW $5.95 $6.00 $7.76 $5.40 50.85 5,730 24.07M

Blount Int’l. BLT $13.44 $11.85 $14.74 $10.52 112.00 252,820 644.77M

Buhler Ind. BUI $6.56 $5.97 $7.30 $5.78 5.70 4,206 164.0M

Caterpillar CAT $108.70 $106.20 $109.50 $80.86 18.47 4,872,420 67.85B

CNH Global CNHI $10.56 $10.75 $13.16 $10.16 12.95 571,778 14.29B

Deere & Co. DE $91.42 $93.65 $94.89 $79.50 10.00 2,628,820 33.26B

Kubota KUBTY $69.27 $64.22 $87.15 $62.95 17.20 17,738 17.31B

Lindsay LNN $89.03 $87.54 $92.93 $71.13 19.15 157,775 1.14B

Raven Industries RAVN $32.83 $31.30 $42.99 $28.38 30.12 147,198 1.2B

Titan Int’l. TWI $16.66 $16.76 $19.89 $14.14 49.73 609,747 892.74M

Trimble Navigation TRMB $38.81 $35.58 $40.17 $24.66 42.65 1,409,390 10.12B

Valmont Industries VMI $159.65 $151.26 $161.16 $129.00 16.73 232,133 4.29B

RETAILERS

Cervus Equipment CVL $20.48 $21.64 $24.50 $19.05 13.30 10,619 305.50M

Rocky Mountain Equipment RMEC $11.05 $10.61 $14.29 $10.37 13.81 29,420 213.43M

Titan Machinery TITN $16.38 $16.58 $20.96 $14.19 14.19 252,975 343.18M

Tractor Supply TSCO $65.90 $66.50 $78.17 $54.12 27.91 963,603 9.13B

For the last several months average order growth for new ag equipment has been declining steadily, and it appears that manufacturers have noticed.

According to Ag Equipment Intelligence’s latest Dealer Sentiments & Business Conditions Update Survey, incoming orders declined 5% year-over-year on average in April. This continues the trend that started last November. The April decline is the largest year-over-year to date.

New combine order intentions were down as well, with a net 32% of dealers planning to order fewer com-bines than last year, not surprising given U.S. combine sales are down

7.9% year-to-date and Canadian sales are down 22.1%, according to the most current report from the Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers (see p. 7 for more detail).

According to the dealers who responded to the Dealers Sentiment survey last month, manufacturers continue to get more aggressive with incentives programs as a result of the slowdown in orders and lower sales. Since February, the percentage of deal-ers who indicated that their manufac-turers have become more generous with incentives has more than tripled. Three months ago less than 10% of dealers said they were seeing more

sales inducements. In the lat-est survey, a net 30% of farm equipment dealers reported manufacturers were “more aggressive” with incentive programs (35% more aggres-sive, 59% same, 6% less aggressive). This compares with a net 22% of dealers in

January who said manufacturers were “less aggressive” with incentives.

Decline in Orders Reflected in Increased Manufacturer Incentives

Current Manufacturer Incentive Programs vs. Previous Month

North American farm equipment dealers have noted a distinct upturn in manufac-turer incentive programs since February.

Source: Farm Equipment dealer survey

Avg. Order Growth – Nov. ‘13 – Apr. ‘14 Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr.

-2% -3% -3% -2% -4% -5%

New Combine Orders vs. Last Year-41% -22% -36% -37% -35% -32%

Source: AEI May 2014 Dealer Sentiments Report

4 Ag Equipment Intelligence/June/2014

A little over 3 years ago in February 2011, Deere & Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Samuel Allen said he wanted to deliver three times as much profit at normal operating vol-umes and to double the company’s annual sales to $50 billion by 2018 as part of his John Deere Strategy.

For the company’s previous fiscal year that ended October 31, 2010, Deere earned $1.87 billion on total sales and revenue of $24 billion.

Following Allen’s challenge, Ag Equipment Intelligence heard from sev-eral long-time Deere customers, as well as dealers, who speculated that the com-pany would double revenues primarily by raising prices on its new machinery.

As we wrote at the time, “While farmers can expect higher prices for ag equipment of all colors in the next several years, it’s doubtful Deere can double its sales through price increas-

es, especially if it hopes to retain its position as the world’s largest farm machinery maker. Based on the huge investments overseas, it’s a better bet the company is looking toward there to grow sales of both its farm and construction equipment.” (See March 2011 Ag Equipment Intelligence.)

Aided by the introduction of Tier 4 engines, the comment about raising prices may have been truer than any-one imagined at the time. But it has been Deere’s investments in overseas manufacturing and distribution opera-tions that appear to be making the biggest contribution toward achiev-ing Allen’s goal.

In its May/June 2014 presentation to investors, Deere highlighted the world-wide regional growth it has experi-enced since 2007, which are illustrated in the charts shown on this page.

For the record, Deere ended its

2013 fiscal year with slightly over $36 billion in total revenues, $10 billion more than it reported in fiscal 2010. Earnings for the period came in at $3.54 billion.

Will Deere Double Its Revenues by 2018?

Deere & Co. Net Sales by Product Category — 2013(Equipment Operations – Fiscal Year 2013)

Deere’s largest revenue source continues to be sales of its ag equipment, and that’s where it will need to focus to meet its aim to double revenues by 2018. Source: Company reports

Large AgConstruction

ForestrySmall Ag

Turf Commercial Worksite Products

OtherAgriculture & Turf – $29.1 Billion Construction & Forestry – $5.9 Billion

Other

Net Sales Outside U.S. & Canada

Deere has seen solid increases in sales outside of North America since 2000. Major invest-ments in overseas facilities indicates its aiming for ongoing growth. Source: Company reports

$13.8$15.1

$13.0

$14.8

$17.4

$20.8$21.8

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

U.S. & Canada – 8% CAGR

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

$3.9$4.6

$3.4$3.4$4.4 $4.3 $4.4

Western Europe – 2% CAGR

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

$1.0

$1.9

$0.7 $0.7$1.4

$1.7 $1.6

Central Europe & CIS 8% CAGR

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

$1.6$2.6

$1.8$2.6

$3.6 $3.6$4.3

Central & South America 18% CAGR

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

$0.8 $1.1 $1.2 $1.4$1.9 $2.1 $2.1

Asia, Africa & Middle East 17% CAGR

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

$0.4 $0.6 $0.6 $0.6 $0.8 $1.0 $0.8

Australia & New Zealand 12% CAGR

Since 2007, Deere & Co. has experienced strong growth in all of its major overseas regions. It will need even more to meet its goal of doubling revenues by 2018.

Ag Equipment Intelligence/June/2014 7

North American large ag equipment sales were down again in May, with 4WD tractor sales down 14.4% year-over-year, combine sales down 24% and row-crop tractor sales down 15.9%, according to the latest figures released by the Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers.

Inventory levels rose year-over-year across all large equipment categories, and Mircea (Mig) Dobre, analyst with RW Baird, said given projected sales declines there is continued risk for inventory destocking in 2014.

U.S. and Canada large tractor and combine retail sales decreased 17% year-over-year in May, following a 13% decrease in April. U.S. sales were down 18% year-over-year, while Canadian sales were down 11%.

Combine retail sales fell, post-ing a 24% year-over-year decrease in May following a 12.7% decrease the previous month. Last 3 month sales declined 19.9% on a year-over-year basis. U.S. combine inventories were 1.4% higher year-over-year in April vs. up 6.9% last month. May is typically a lower-than-average month for com-bine sales, accounting for just 6.6% of annual sales over the last 5 years.

Row-crop tractor sales were down 15.9% year-over-year following a 13% decrease in April. U.S. row-crop tractor inventories increased 5.2% year-over-year in April vs. a 20.8% increase in March. On a days-sales basis, inventories were slightly lower year-over-year at 104 days-sales vs. 105 days-sales in April 2013. May is typically an average month for row-crop tractor sales, accounting for 8.4% of annual sales over the last 5 years.

4WD tractor sales dropped 14.4% year-over-year in May vs. a 12.3% decrease in April. U.S. dealer invento-ries of 4WD tractors increased 19.6% in April.

Mid-range tractor sales rose in May, up 5.8% year-over-year follow-ing a 7.4% jump last month. Compact tractor sales, however, fell 2.2% year-over-year, down from the 1.8% increase last month.

Ag Equipment Sales Decline Accelerates

MAY U.S. UNIT RETAIL SALES

Equipment May 2014

May 2013

Percent Change

YTD 20 14

YTD 2013

Percent Change

April 2014 Field

Inventory

Farm Wheel Tractors-2WD

Under 40 HP 14,900 15,163 -1.7 46,158 44,004 4.9 62,496

40-100 HP 5,993 5,606 6.9 23,181 22,192 4.5 31,763

100 HP Plus 2,371 2,939 -19.3 13,372 14,611 -8.5 10,392

Total-2WD 23,264 23,708 -1.9 82,711 80,807 2.4 104,651

Total-4WD 359 428 -16.1 2,479 2,709 -8.5 1,524

Total Tractors 23,623 24,136 -2.1 85,190 83,516 2.0 106,175

SP Combines 572 682 -16.1 3,299 3,655 -9.7 1,660

MAY CANADIAN UNIT RETAIL SALES

Equipment May 2014

May 2013

Percent Change

YTD 2014

YTD 2013

Percent Change

April 2014 Field

Inventory

Farm Wheel Tractors-2WD

Under 40 HP 1,915 2,026 -5.5 5,044 5,148 -2.0 7,490

40-100 HP 609 633 -3.8 2,377 2,328 2.1 3,852

100 HP Plus 558 544 2.6 2,192 2,195 -0.1 2,906

Total-2WD 3,082 3,203 -3.8 9,613 9,671 -0.6 14,248

Total-4WD 115 126 -8.7 603 10,216 10,416 -1.9

Total Tractors 3,197 3,329 -4.0 10,216 10,416 -1.9 14,841

SP Combines 99 201 -50.7 625 802 -22.1 807

— Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers

U.S. UNIT RETAIL SALES OF2-4 WHEEL DRIVE TRACTORS & COMBINES

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

30,000

28,000

26,000

24,000

22,000

20,000

18,000

16,000

14,000

12,000

10,000

8,000

6,000

2014 5 year average


5 questions to Ask a Candidate Who Wants Your Vote

So, how do I determine if a candidate is competent? How do I determine if he understands his oath, whether he knows his job description, and whether he is willing and able to perform it? Here are a few simple questions that you can ask a can-didate at a town hall meeting, or when he walks up your driveway and knocks on your door. You could also seek answers to these questions by mailing them to a candidate, or by visiting his website and reading about his philosophy and positions.

QUESTION #1What is the purpose of civil government? Bad answer: Any answer that calls for redistribution of wealth, including “welfare” type programs. Such as:“The purpose of government is to do for people what they can’t do for themselves.” Or, “The purpose of government is to help people im-prove their lives.” Or, “The government needs to educate the children of the state.” Much Better answer: “The purpose of government is to protect and defend God-given rights to life, liberty, and property.”

QUESTION #2Where does law come from? Bad answer: Any answer that contemplates that law comes from man or that it changes with time. Any answer that indicates an acceptance of the evolutionary, “living Constitution” mode of thinking, such as: “The law must adapt and change as times change.” Better answer: “Law comes from God. Like our founders, I understand that God is the Lawgiver. All man-made law must comply with God’s law as revealed in Scripture, or it is not law and cannot be enforced.”

QUESTION #3What is an oath?What happens to you if you break your oath? Bad answer: “An oath is a serious promise to the people that you will do a good job. If I break my oath, then the people shouldn’t re-elect me.” Better answer: “An oath is a solemn and binding act BEFORE GOD that presupposes and acknowledges the Sovereignty of God over all things, and recognizes that disobedience will subject the oath taker to God’s judg-ment.”

QUESTION #4Do you believe that it is your job to “bring home the bacon” to your district? Bad answer: “Yes, of course.” Better answer: “No, bringing home the bacon is just another form of theft. The great lie of socialism is that you can get something for nothing.”

QUESTION #5Do you think it is more important to introduce and pass legislation, or to work to repeal legislation that has been passed by your predecessors? Bad answer: “It’s important to pass legislation that helps my district financially. Passing legislation that gets more money for my district makes me look good.” Better answer: “Inasmuch as we currently have de-parted so far from Constitutional government in all three branches, I am committed to working to repeal those harm-ful and dangerous actions of my predecessors that have moved us away from the American (that is to say, Biblical) view of civil government. We have much to undo.” These are just a few examples of questions that will help us to determine whether a candidate is qualified. My purpose here is to give you a start on what to ask and what to look for in an answer. Our failure to uphold a standard is what has gotten us into an ungodly, unconstitutional mess. To get out of it, we must think clearly and rightly and compel our representatives to do so as well. Their per-formance will not be higher than our standard. Make sure it is a clear one. Make sure it is the right one. If this means that you go into the voting booth and pull just one lever or two or just a few, so be it. I implore you not to be complicit in evildoing by voting for the “less-er of two evils.” If you find that there is not one lever you can pull, then write in your own name and put yourself on the ballot next time.

IRS: Pre-Tax Payment Plans Won’t Satisfy ACA Employer Mandate The Internal Revenue Service has clarified that employers will not escape taxes and penalties under the Affordable Care Act if they choose to send their employees to the exchanges and reimburse them with tax-free dollars for premiums in lieu of offering an employee-sponsored health insurance plan. The IRS now says such arrangements are considered, un-der IRS Notice 2013-54, employer payment plans that qualify as group health plans and are subject to the market reforms. The IRS has also clarified that such arrangements cannot be integrated with individual policies to satisfy the employer mandate. An em-ployer is permitted to give contributions in the form of taxable wages to help an employee purchase an individual market plan. The IRS notice doesn’t affect private exchanges.

~ Employee Benefit News

tAx tipS

Precision agriculture requires precision insurance targeted to help protect your dealership from human error. Call today to learn more about our

innovative Precision Agriculture Liability Coverage.

Visit www.federatedinsurance.com to find a representative near you.

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