Summer is just around the corner, which means turf professionals are already feeling the crunch of busy season. The key to minimizing down time this summer is to ensure that your equipment is ready for the work ahead. Whether it’s adding new models to your fleet or preparing and conducting maintenance on your equipment prior to heading out to the job site, we’ve compiled our top tips to ensure your business and your equipment are prepared to tackle the jobs ahead.
Four Tips to Maximize Equipment Productivity
#1 Routine Checks - Maximizing productivity is always the name of the game. The first step in increasing productivity is running routine equipment checks, such as reviewing the condition of the drive and deck belts and ensuring your blades are sharp before every run. Checking equipment prior to a booked season will help catch maintenance issues that may have gone overlooked and contribute to significant downtime. For additional resources watch our Know Your Kubota YouTube series for maintenance tips, or check your manual, available on the MyKubota app.
#2 Utilize Attachments - In addition to routine checks, adding attachments like a mulch kit and grass catcher can create efficiencies in your day-to-day work. A mulch kit can help you get your job done faster by quickly turning clippings into mulch, and a grass catcher can hold up to 10 bushels of grass clippings and offers a fast clean up through an easy attachment and detachment process.
#3 Diversify Your Equipment Fleet - A well-balanced equipment fleet is especially valuable during the busy summer months when you may need to deploy multiple models across multiple jobs. Senior Turf Product Manager Tom Vachal says, “Kubota has several units that really deliver comfort and time efficiency. Specifically, Kubota’s SZ series and Z700 series deliver both of those things for a very reasonable price, so they’re an easy add to an existing fleet.”
Vachal recommends the Z700 series for landscape professionals due to its performance and adaptability. With a deck size ranging from 48 inches to 60 inches, top speeds of 11.2 mph, and powered by Kawasaki’s industry-proven FX and FX EFI engines and Kohler Command Pro engines, the Z700 provides the power and versatility to get your landscape jobs done with superior results.
The SZ series is great for comfort and productivity and excels in small and tight commercial spaces. This series of stand-on mowers has wide angle platforms that offer operators enough foot space and the ergonomic cushion pads ensure you’re mowing comfortably, even through the longest jobs. The SZ series has a max speed of 11 mph, commercial-grade Kawasaki FX and FT EFI gas engines equipped with Hydro-Gear integrated transmissions, and features adjustable operator controls to match driver preferences.
#4 Grow Your Fleet As You Grow Your Business - As your landscape business continues to grow, it is important to expand your fleet to the same scale of your operation. Here are a few questions to ask yourself when determining the expansion of your lineup based on your growing business: Is demand high for your service? Are your jobs primarily spread among commercial or residential properties, or both? How often will the equipment be used, and what obstacles might it need to work through?
If your answers indicate the growth of your business, consider the Kubota Fleet Program. Designed for commercial customers of all sizes, the Kubota Fleet Program makes businesses eligible for a fleet discount with the purchase of just ONE unit. And through the EverGo program, participating dealers have demo and loaner units available in case a backup is needed due to a warranty-covered repair.
