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Conducting comprehensive equipment maintenance during the fall and winter months is a common practice in the commercial landscape world. However, many landscape professionals often fall short on essential maintenance routines during the summer when business is at its peak. Making sure equipment is running properly from day-to-day can be the difference between loses and profits.

Here are a few tips any turf professional can start doing today to keep their machines running all summer long:

1. Daily Maintenance Checks: Whether you’re a solo operation or a fleet manager, making sure the critical elements of your equipment are functioning properly will lead to less time and money spent on repairs. Make time each day during the busy months to check fluids, inspect all belts for failure points, and verify that all switches are working properly to ensure your equipment works as hard as you do and won’t need a day off in shop.

2. Train Employees: Hold a session with all new employees to make sure they know how to operate and perform simple inspections on all equipment. Let both new and returning employees know how your company operates and what the expectations are when it comes to handling equipment. The more knowledge employees have on what to look out for, the sooner potential equipment problems can be addressed.

3. Spares at the Ready: Keep a handful of spare parts available in your own garage and learn how to perform basic maintenance. Having commonly needed parts, such as blades, belts and filters, when you need them means less time at the dealer, or time waiting for parts to arrive. Service parts can often be purchased at a discounted rate during the off season which is a great time to stock up.

4. One Brand, Less Problems: If you’re beginning to grow your business and are considering expanding your fleet, there are many benefits to staying in the same line, or at least the same brand. Each manufacturer will design their equipment with different operating and maintenance access points, so when you become accustomed to one machine, you will find it helpful and more efficient to have similar models within your fleet.

Stick with a brand you know and trust and grow your fleet with their products. Kubota offers a competitive Fleet Program designed to meet the needs of growing landscape businesses. When a commercial landscaper purchases Kubota turf equipment, he/she is eligible for a fleet discount. When more equipment is purchased, the customer receives a greater discount and longer time period to purchase additional units at the fleet price