Fast & Easy EOP

It’s early order season for golf course superintendents. What are some of the nuances about early order that turf managers often overlook or may not consider?
When the Syngenta team is building the EOP offer, our goal is to prepare something that makes sense for the superintendent and fits their planning needs.  The Syngenta territory managers, technical managers and our authorized distribution partners sit down and review the agronomic plans from the prior year while the season is still fresh in our minds. It is an opportunity to review what has worked well for our customers and identify any potential issues or gaps.  With the experience of our people and the performance of our products, GreenTrust365 is a way for turf managers to build the best agronomic solutions while providing savings for their budgets.  

We have many different offers including pallets, multipak’s, assurance offers and agronomic planning that fits their specific golf course.  Since we aim to meet the needs of courses in different climates and with different budgets, we developed program calculators to help with the planning process.  Superintendents and distributor sales reps can plan their agronomic needs by entering their acreage into the calculators, which will then provide the best offer, package configuration and savings for the golf course. There is even a calculator that will suggest a full agronomic program as a starting point.

Early planning and purchasing is rewarded with additional benefits in October and GreenTrust Reward points can be maximized at this time. It is also important for turf managers to remember that purchases made from Oct 1 – Dec. 7 help determine their rebate level, which will apply to purchases they make through September 2017.

So what special features about Syngenta’s early order program should superintendents take note of this year?
The main structure of the program has remained unchanged for the past few years.  With the stream of new innovations from Syngenta, we want to allow our team and the superintendent to focus on agronomic planning and choosing the best products or agronomic program for their course.  To maximize savings, Syngenta rewards early planning in October, offers portfolio rebates that grow with the number of brands purchased, and provides additional incentives for purchasing Acelepryn insecticide and Spotlight Brands, which are those that contain the active ingredient azoxystrobin.  

We have also launched some new multipak’s including Heritage Action + Velista fungicides and Heritage Action + Secure fungicides.

Summer Pay Terms continue, which means payments are not due until July 6, 2017 for agency products.  We understand how this can help with the golf course financial cash flow and help ensure superintendents have the products they need, when they want them while managing expenses more easily throughout the season.

How do you balance the thought needed to successfully execute and early order program with the fall demands of your job?
Syngenta has tried to make this process as easy as possible because we understand the demands and the schedule superintendents have.  It starts with our people, who have vast knowledge of the issues that face superintendents and how the Syngenta solutions can help. Additionally, our distribution partners are well versed in our solutions and offers.  Our technical team has produced new agronomic programs (48 in all) and full solutions that have been university and field tested and provide fantastic results.  With the GreenTrust 365 calculators and the prebuilt pallets and multipak’s, putting together an order is much easier than in the past.  Last year we added the ability to enter an order into the online calculator and save it for future reference.  So, for the first time this year, distributor sales reps and superintendents can review what they ordered last year, which should make planning for this year and beyond that much easier.

How can your direct sales rep assist you when considering ordering different products than what was purchased the previous fall?
I have mentioned our online calculators, which we have received amazing feedback from customers and distributors, but, I am so proud of the team we have in the field. We have the largest sales force in the golf industry, and they are there with one purpose, to make sure superintendents have the best plan to fit both their agronomic and budget needs. They log thousands of miles each fall to help as many superintendents as possible. Our authorized distributor partners are another great resource because they know our products, our people, and our programs well. That is one good thing about our program remaining similar each year is that it makes it easier for everyone involved.  

What sets GreenTrust 365 apart from the competitive programs?
Good question, at first glance, many appear to have similar program offers now. I hate to sound like a broken record, but I truly believe it’s our people first. You may have seen our ads that say, “Planning a budget is one thing, solving a year’s worth of problems—that takes a conversation or two.” This industry has some amazing people, and I am amazed to see how our team collaborates to solve problems.  Our customers have the opportunity to work with our field sales and technical team, but there is a team that is behind the scenes that are continuing to work on ways to meet the needs of the superintendent.  We also have the broadest portfolio of innovative and branded products, which allows superintendents in all parts of the country to maximize their conditions. As I mentioned before, we work hard to customize our programs to fit our customer’s needs. To really sum it up, I would recommend watching this video about our partnership with John Nelson at the Merit Club in Libertyville, Illinois. After Syngenta hosted a Turf Science Live event at this course two years ago, our partnership grew tremendously. This is just one example of the type of relationship we have with our customers.

At Syngenta, our commitment to superintendents and the industry really goes much deeper than the products we manufacture. We take great pride in partnering with organizations that empower turf professionals and their respective industries. While we do focus on the delivery of innovative products and services that are designed to meet the challenges turf professionals face every day, we are also proud to support the turf industry through collaboration with the GCSAA and by volunteering at different industry events and tournaments.

Last question, there have been a few major corporate mergers announced recently, including ChemChina’s planned acquisition of Syngenta. How will this consolidation on the chemical side of the industry benefit golf course superintendents?
The ChemChina acquisition of Syngenta is not a merger, it is a change of ownership. Syngenta will remain Syngenta. The deal ensures continued choice for our customers at a time when considerable consolidation is taking place in the industry. Syngenta will continue to be a strong competitor in the marketplace with ongoing R&D investment across our current portfolio as well as future innovations in the turf and ornamental controls. Current management will continue to lead all aspects of the company and it will  be business as usual for our employees and customers who will have the same great teams, innovative products and solutions, and stay the same great company superintendents have come to trust.