Is it Christmas tomorrow?

By |  October 24, 2016 0 Comments

gd1016_eop01_sml_400x487I was taking my daughter to Lowe’s to get some handy items so I could tackle the “honey do” list. All of a sudden her eyes lit up like Christmas trees. She was staring at Christmas trees, ornaments, outdoor decorations and lights on brilliant display. Mind you it was not even October yet.

Umm, what happened to Halloween? Thanks Lowe’s. Now I have to explain to a little girl who has no concept of time that Christmas is not coming for another three months.

It reminded me of the many Early Order Programs that arrive in my email and end up on my desk. This seems to be happening earlier and earlier every year. I received my first email reminding me of the impending process in August. I even received alerts that there are early fall options that can be thrown into next year’s EOPs if you need something this calendar year.

The EOPs have become an important tool for superintendents. Besides cost savings there are other benefits to ordering your products before the start of the season.

Peace of mind — Knowing that when you need something it is there in the storage facility gives great peace of mind.

Space — Some facilities, such as mine, may not have room to safely and legally store a large amount of chemicals on property. Many of my vendors offer to store and deliver the product on preselected dates.

Long term payment options — Facilities do not have to make payments for products until much later in the year. This helps with operational cash flow and makes it easier to budget because it is known exactly when the expenses are to be paid and recorded.

One would be hard pressed to not find a plan that can benefit your facility in some form. So how do I take advantage of this and get the best deals possible?

1. Plan Ahead The hardest part of completing an Early Order Program is coming up with the plan before the current year is even over. The longer you have been at a facility the easier it is. The good news is when you master it once, it only takes small tweaks in the years to follow.

2. Order Smart How much of your plan do you want to purchase early? I have slowly increased the percentage of my yearly order as I get more familiar with my property. The more confidence you have in what to expect, the more savings you can achieve through EOPs. Currently, I withhold 25 to 30 percent for the unknown.

3. Determine best strategy to monetize EOP Once the agronomic plan is set and the budget is determined I begin sifting through all of the many EOPs to find the ones that make the most sense for me and my club. There are pre-set packages, cubes, chemical company vs. chemical company offers, and distributorship options galore. This part of the process can seem a little daunting. However, I have never had a salesman not willing to sit down and walk through each of the opportunities they offer. Some will even work through calculations on each order to make sure you get every penny in savings possible.

4. Who is going to get the business? It is important to consider the quality of the salesman’s service and I always remember the superhero salesman that bailed me out when I needed something ASAP.

As you determine how to utilize EOPs to best fit your budget and facility, just know that no matter how challenging it may be for you, I have a little girl who thinks Christmas is coming every day for the next 84 days.

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