Softrak Putting Greens

[packerbacker]

Wow, what a dissapointment. Ive decided to use putting greens as another add-on for my company. I got a ton of info from All-Pro and I got on SofTrak this morning to get some about them. I click on the dealer section and it says i need a password. So i call them and some gal answers the phone. I ask for the password and she asks for me zipcode. I give it to her and she tells me that there is already a dealer in my market. I said I wasnt a customer but rather a business owner looking to expand. She says there can only be 1 dealer in my area because of the size of it. I live in a city of 3 million! I ask her for some info anyway and she says she will have someone call me. I tell her to forget it if her company doesnt want more business then Ill go with All Pro.


Thats not the way to make money.

[Grass Gator]

I got the same type of run around with Softrack as well. My first question to them was what differentiates them from All Pro and as soon as I asked that question they asked where I ws from. I told them and they immediately said there was already a dealer in the area. I was like "okay.....?"

I've had nothing but great conversations from All Pro. Anybody using them?? Is there much of a market in the residential side or is it more commercial (hotels, etc.)?

[packerbacker]

Ive seen a few at some neighbors of some of my customers. I thought it might be a great add on to my company. Something that wouldnt be expensive to get into but could generate some more money throughout the year and keep me busy during the down season. I guess Ill be going with All Pro.

[Grass Gator]

We will as well. Have had nothing but grat conversations with them. (Yet to install one yet though).

[packerbacker]

Same here. I think im going to put one in my backyard first. I need the practice with install AND my golf game :)

[Randy Scott]

We've installed a few from All-Pro. Customers have said they are pretty true to a real green as far as speed and what the "stimp meter" reads. One customer is a professional golf instructor and had nothing but good to say. We don't get a demand for too many of them. Only three in two years. It's in all our advertising, but we don't advertise them specifically to areas we probably should (as far as who would really want them).

Pretty simple to put in and makes for good profit. Longevity will be the key. To see how they hold up after a few years. They should have sand swept into them every season to keep the blades standing up and not laying over from the snow in winter and summer foot traffic.

Investment is up there for a good size green. People today realize they won't be in a home for a long time. To drop 5K or more on something they can't take with them, and to now narrow down the selling market of the house (contrary to believe, not everyone likes golf). These all influence them as to whether or not it is worth the money.

[Grass Gator]

I agree on the upkeep. I've heard they look bad after a few years if not kept up with. A simple yearly maintenance offer or program should keep the customer happy for years...

[packerbacker]

Im more curious to know if they fade after time and if so can something be added to it to re-color it or keep it the nice shade of green.


Randy, how big was the one you did? And how long did it take you? Are these easy enough for one person to install?

[newleaflandscape]

Not that great of luck with putting greens in my area. When I first heard I though I would offer it to make a couple more bucks too. I have had probly four or five customers show interest in it, and we have actually installed one very small one. I think it was only like 25 or 30 feet in diameter. Didnt really make nothing on it, cause I wanted the experience installing one. I have mentioned it to many customers and alot of them think it sounds cool, but no one wants to fork over the extra cash to have something like that. As far as upkeep I think they are excellent. I havent been out once to do anything to it. The customer has been able to handle the upkeep. Enjoyed installing one but they just arent a popular item yet. Give it about five or ten years though. I think it is kind of like the waterfalls and ponds. Just gnna take a while for it to catch on and I think eventually it will be a moderate seller.

[packerbacker]

How long did it take you to do the install and how many guys did you have?

[SofTrak@versasport.com]

Wow, what a dissapointment. Ive decided to use putting greens as another add-on for my company. I got a ton of info from All-Pro and I got on SofTrak this morning to get some about them. I click on the dealer section and it says i need a password. So i call them and some gal answers the phone. I ask for the password and she asks for me zipcode. I give it to her and she tells me that there is already a dealer in my market. I said I wasnt a customer but rather a business owner looking to expand. She says there can only be 1 dealer in my area because of the size of it. I live in a city of 3 million! I ask her for some info anyway and she says she will have someone call me. I tell her to forget it if her company doesnt want more business then Ill go with All Pro.


Thats not the way to make money.

At VersaSport Intl., the exclusive supplier of SofTrak, we understand that it can be frustrating when you contact a company to add their product line to your existing business only to find a road block in your way, that being an existing SofTrak dealer. However, please understand that SofTrak has a high level of commitment to its dealers and when they join our team we put their interests ahead of our own. Each dealer has an exclusive arrangement with us to sell SofTrak Putting Greens. Yes, we want to sell as many SofTrak Greens as possible, however we do not want to compromise the dealers investment in our product. We recognize that SofTrak, being one of the highest quality putting greens on the market today, helps differentiate our dealers from other competitors in the market.

[SofTrak@versasport.com]

Wow, what a dissapointment. Ive decided to use putting greens as another add-on for my company. I got a ton of info from All-Pro and I got on SofTrak this morning to get some about them. I click on the dealer section and it says i need a password. So i call them and some gal answers the phone. I ask for the password and she asks for me zipcode. I give it to her and she tells me that there is already a dealer in my market. I said I wasnt a customer but rather a business owner looking to expand. She says there can only be 1 dealer in my area because of the size of it. I live in a city of 3 million! I ask her for some info anyway and she says she will have someone call me. I tell her to forget it if her company doesnt want more business then Ill go with All Pro.


Thats not the way to make money.
At VersaSport Intl., the exlusive supplier of Softrak, we understand that it can be frustrating when you contact a company to add their product line to your existing business only to find a road block in your way, that being an existing SofTrak dealer. However, please understand that SofTrak has a high level of commitment to its dealers and when they join our team we put their interests ahead of our own. Each dealer has an exclusive arrangement with us to sell SofTrak Putting Greens. Yes, we want to sell as many SofTrak Putting Greens as possible, however we do not want to compromise the dealers investment in our product. We recognize that SofTrak, being one of the highest quality putting greens on the market today, helps differentiate our dealers from other competitiors in the market.

[MarcSmith]

It's really no different than auto dealerships, it would be crazy to put a Chevy dealership on every corner so they limit the amount of dealers.....Not the worst way to do business....but it is kinda limiting and frustrating though at the same time...

[JRAZ]

So, then is All Pro like the Aquascapes of putting greens? Whether or not you like the aquascapes product or system you have to acknowledge they are successfull at moving their product. Which is why I don't get why a putting green supplier would want to limit themselves? You could have all the contractors marketing that they install "Such & Such" putting greens, rather than just a few limited dealers that have to invest upfront to sell your product. Besides that, like with pond building, for putting greens you can find all the supplies on your own and get all the necessary materials yourself and install, saving you money as a contractor.

[jsaunders]

I like All Pro, Very helpfull, but putting greens aren't a huge seller

[packerbacker]

At VersaSport Intl., the exclusive supplier of SofTrak, we understand that it can be frustrating when you contact a company to add their product line to your existing business only to find a road block in your way, that being an existing SofTrak dealer. However, please understand that SofTrak has a high level of commitment to its dealers and when they join our team we put their interests ahead of our own. Each dealer has an exclusive arrangement with us to sell SofTrak Putting Greens. Yes, we want to sell as many SofTrak Greens as possible, however we do not want to compromise the dealers investment in our product. We recognize that SofTrak, being one of the highest quality putting greens on the market today, helps differentiate our dealers from other competitors in the market.





The funny thing is. Companies like mine and thousands of others ARENT looking to join anyones team. We are our own team. And the fact still remains that if Softrak doesnt want our business then we will take it elsewhere.

[JRAZ]

Packer backer, exactly! It makes no biz sense for them to be that way. You would think people would learn from the success of the likes of Aquascapes.

Now we know there are many lurking vendors around here.

[MarcSmith]

Now we know there are many lurking vendors around here.


Softrak is a sponsor of LawnSite, I would expect them to be here.....

But for the vendors to be lurking, that, IMO, is a good thing as they can get some first hand feedback from the people who use their products and its not sugar coated in the least bit. But tatthe same time they can defend themselves and their products as they see fit....as well as they can see what people are looking for in a particular product and move their product line accordingly...

[packerbacker]

Softrak is a sponsor of LawnSite, I would expect them to be here.....

But for the vendors to be lurking, that, IMO, is a good thing as they can get some first hand feedback from the people who use their products and its not sugar coated in the least bit. But tatthe same time they can defend themselves and their products as they see fit....as well as they can see what people are looking for in a particular product and move their product line accordingly...





I would to but it looks like they have no interest in someone trying to do business with them