In a recent interview Ed Neuberger, branch operations manager at Ziegler Ag Equipment, a 27-store AGCO and Claas dealer with stores in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri, broke down Ziegler’s technical department model and how it benefits both technicians and customers.

The technical department, a staff of around a dozen employees stationed at various Ziegler locations, has two functions: supporting technicians with service questions and supporting customers with in-the-field problems. For the technicians, Neuberger explains that the technical department can either offer direct assistance to technicians or, if they’re unable to solve the problem together, will reach out to the manufacturer for additional help.

“At Ziegler, we have a dedicated technical department, who technicians can call when they’re having trouble with a particular repair,” he says. “The technical department then either helps the technician figure out the repair right away or reaches out to the manufacturer for more help. They’re there to get that repair going.”

Neuberger also describes the technical department as a “liaison” between Ziegler’s service departments and their customers, fielding calls from farmers about equipment problems and working to solve them before they consider sending out a technician.

“It’s hard for any dealership to have one person fielding customer calls from the field, because they’re coming in all the time,” he says. “So the technical department helps to balance out the workload. This lets customers know they can call in and get service, and it doesn’t matter what time or what day it is.”