Dealerships uphold reinke service standards
Skone Irrigation, Inc. in Washington State has five Reinke Certified technicians, with four at the Platinum Plus level. Southeast Washington hosts
potatoes, corn, onions, and many other crops. Potato growers supply restaurant chains such as McDonald’s and Wendy’s. With desert-like conditions, irrigation is a necessity.
Erik Skone, President, takes pride in his service to southeast Washington growers. He chooses to sell Reinke products because of both the product
quality and the company’s commitment to training and service.
“Reinke pivots just work when you put them out in the field; they last a long time and continue to run,” he said. “They have a great warranty, and the company stands behind its product. They are flat out dependable.”
From day 1, Reinke expects more from its dealerships than other irrigation companies. Being a Reinke Certified Dealership means making a
commitment to provide growers with the best service and products around. Dealers take a minimum of three classes — two electrical and one structural — to become Reinke Certified.
Training doesn’t stop there. Reinke offers financial incentives to dealerships for having Reinke Certified technicians. They take six courses, passing a test for each course, to achieve a Reinke Plus Certification. If they pass each test with a 90 percent score or better, they earn a Platinum Plus Certification.
“Once you become a Reinke dealer, you do it for life,” he said. “The growth of the service department and our ability to fix problems has continued to make us grow in our market.”
Technicians usually travel to company headquarters in Deshler, Nebraska, to complete their first certification, then take continuing education classes online through Reinke’s Learning Management System (LMS). They take 16 credits per year to maintain certification.
Even dealers close to Reinke headquarters find the online education resources useful.
“I can go online and take courses or watch how-to videos on system installation or troubleshooting. I also can learn more about topics such as swing arms or lateral move systems. The technology side has been the biggest help for me. Irrigation technology has advanced so much since I started,” said Mike Amen, a sales manager at Holdrege Irrigation in Nebraska.
In addition to providing resources, Reinke cultivates dealer relationships and encourages communication and feedback. Although Skone is 1,500 miles away from Reinke headquarters, he has a direct line of communication through his Dealer Council representative.
Dealers from across the nation elect council representatives for their given territory. The council meets twice a year to discuss dealer issues. Their feedback is communicated to Reinke President Chris Roth and other decision-makers. Dealer input influences company decisions on parts, distribution and even new engineering projects.
“When you are a Reinke Certified dealer you are part of a select group of individuals that are committed to uphold Reinke’s worldwide standards,”
Skone said.
potatoes, corn, onions, and many other crops. Potato growers supply restaurant chains such as McDonald’s and Wendy’s. With desert-like conditions, irrigation is a necessity.
Erik Skone, President, takes pride in his service to southeast Washington growers. He chooses to sell Reinke products because of both the product
quality and the company’s commitment to training and service.
“Reinke pivots just work when you put them out in the field; they last a long time and continue to run,” he said. “They have a great warranty, and the company stands behind its product. They are flat out dependable.”
From day 1, Reinke expects more from its dealerships than other irrigation companies. Being a Reinke Certified Dealership means making a
commitment to provide growers with the best service and products around. Dealers take a minimum of three classes — two electrical and one structural — to become Reinke Certified.
Training doesn’t stop there. Reinke offers financial incentives to dealerships for having Reinke Certified technicians. They take six courses, passing a test for each course, to achieve a Reinke Plus Certification. If they pass each test with a 90 percent score or better, they earn a Platinum Plus Certification.
“Once you become a Reinke dealer, you do it for life,” he said. “The growth of the service department and our ability to fix problems has continued to make us grow in our market.”
Technicians usually travel to company headquarters in Deshler, Nebraska, to complete their first certification, then take continuing education classes online through Reinke’s Learning Management System (LMS). They take 16 credits per year to maintain certification.
Even dealers close to Reinke headquarters find the online education resources useful.
“I can go online and take courses or watch how-to videos on system installation or troubleshooting. I also can learn more about topics such as swing arms or lateral move systems. The technology side has been the biggest help for me. Irrigation technology has advanced so much since I started,” said Mike Amen, a sales manager at Holdrege Irrigation in Nebraska.
In addition to providing resources, Reinke cultivates dealer relationships and encourages communication and feedback. Although Skone is 1,500 miles away from Reinke headquarters, he has a direct line of communication through his Dealer Council representative.
Dealers from across the nation elect council representatives for their given territory. The council meets twice a year to discuss dealer issues. Their feedback is communicated to Reinke President Chris Roth and other decision-makers. Dealer input influences company decisions on parts, distribution and even new engineering projects.
“When you are a Reinke Certified dealer you are part of a select group of individuals that are committed to uphold Reinke’s worldwide standards,”
Skone said.