Local residents can fulfill their agricultural and construction equipment needs with a visit to Advantage Ag & Equipment.
General manager Jeff Wilson said the owners bought the dealership seven years ago and have operated it under the current name since then.
“We sell farm equipment from small subcompact tractors to large frame tractors and large sprayers and balers, plus all of our short lines of rakes, tedders, and rotary cutters and Kinze planters,” he told the Mount Vernon News.
Wilson said they have equipment from under $10,000 to over $300,000 for a large sprayer, with the option to finance large purchases.
The dealership provides training, Wilson said, showing service techs what to look for during equipment inspections in the field, in addition to providing information to customers on how the equipment works.
“All of our sales people and service techs go through yearly training to keep up on all of the technology updates that are always going on, plus we do clinics through the winter to bring in our customers,” he said.
Wilson believes that industry will transition to electric-powered equipment but that it will be a slow process. For example, manufacturer New Holland is working on a small, electric-powered excavator at the moment, “but it is going to be a little while,” he said.
He said customers consist of large farming operations to hobbyists who rely on equipment for the hay, corn and beans grown in the area.
“We promote our business with social media, our website and truly the best is word of mouth when we go out to do a service job and get the customer up and going and back in the field in a timely manner,” Wilson said. “That is the best advertising because that is going to tell the next guy and so on, (such as) a farmer in a diner talking is great advertising.”
The company’s loyalty program provides a discount on purchases for the rest of the year once a minimum purchase threshold is met.
Wilson, a longtime sales rep and native of rural Licking County, grew up around farming and farm equipment. His grandfather operated a small farm.
“I’ve always loved being around equipment,” he said, including observing how GPS and other recent technology has transformed the industry.
The company supports local county fairs and 4-H clubs.
“We purchase livestock to help support the kids, we work with schools on FFA training classes here at our dealership and various other donations throughout the year,” he said.
