Welcome -- Equipment (r)evolution
By Clair Urbain, Editor, Publisher
Skid steers have been around almost longer than I have, with their humble beginnings in Minnesota back in the mid-’50s. Being a farm kid, the advent of the skid steer loader made manure handling and small earthmoving projects much faster and even fun.
Fast-forward more than 60 years, and the skid steer loader has grown up. Today’s units are more powerful, reliable and have even morphed into rubber-tracked units that have gained their own loyal following.
They’ve evolved because equipment engineers have been listening to what customers want. But it’s more than the engineers; it’s everyone in the value chain who interact with customers and truly listen to their needs. that includes equipment dealers and rental center owners, who have an ear specially tuned to deciphering customer needs into ROI opportunities.
Our cover story this issue, the Leppo family, exemplify this. Their fourth-generation family business has worked with many equipment brands over the years. They have seen them come and go, and have survived and thrived by remaining steadfast to finding out what the customer truly needs and then finding a way to supply it in a fast and efficient manner.
One other important part of the Leppo culture is its commitment to give back to the community by supporting several non-profit causes. In the past, they downplayed their philanthropic efforts, but have recently found that customers, the community and even their employees think positively about their community involvement, which helps give them an advantage over competitors who are less involved in the communities in which they serve.
It really isn’t revolutionary...
This article appeared originally in the March-April 2021 issue of Pro Contractor Rentals magazine. ©2021 Urbain Communications LLC. All rights reserved.
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