Customer-Focused, Useful Information | Toro 4500-D instruction

Factory Service School

Toro’s Customer Factory Service Education Program Earns An A+

eing a leader in the equip-		ful topics as cutting unit adjustments,		“One thing I’ll say,” he adds, “is that
ment industry requires more		hydraulics, electrical systems, equip-		they didn’t run away from someone
than great equipment. We		ment maintenance, diagnostics and		who said, ‘Hey, I have a problem with
depend heavily on the people who		troubleshooting.		something.’ They listen to what the
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operate and service our equipment.		“It was very informative,” says Rick		people have to say.”
That’s why we have a long-standing		Paré, Equipment Manager at Eagle		The chance to meet with Toro engi-
commitment to training and education,		Crest Resort in Redmond, Oregon. He		neers and ask them specific questions
to help ensure that customers are as		attended Factory Service School this		has always been one of the most popu-
comfortable and knowledgeable about		past September. “Training is beneficial		lar features at Factory Service School.
equipment as they can be.		for everybody. You always like to see		The technicians in attendance know
One of the many popular things we		new updates and new innovations that		their equipment better than anyone,
offer in our training spectrum is Toro’s		are coming along. The mere fact that		and Toro appreciates the opportunity to
Customer Factory Service Education		greens are so fast and are cut so short		get first-hand input from people who
Program, or as it’s more commonly		now, we’ve got to be on our toes all the		put the machines through their paces
known, “Factory Service School.” Our		time.”		every day.
Factory Service School is a three-day		In addition to the training classes		“They asked us if we had any prob-
session held at Toro’s Training Center		and seminars themselves, Paré enjoyed		lems, or if we had any questions we
in Bloomington, Minnesota, including		the chance to swap notes and tips with		wanted answered,” Paré says. “I thought
a visit to our assembly facility at		the technicians he met there.		that was good; they were very straight-
Tomah, Wisconsin. Designed primarily		“One person’s attitude on how to		forward.”
for technicians, the guests at Factory		maintain a piece of equipment differs		Customer-Focused
Service School attend a variety of help-		from another’s,” he adds. “Whenever
ful seminars that address issues of con-		you get together with a bunch of tech-		Given the wide range of products
cern to them and the industry. They		nicians or superintendents, you always		Toro represents, part of the challenge
also get unique			talk about what
opportunities to			works for you and
meet other techni-			what doesn’t.”
cal professionals			“When you hear
from around the			someone else with
country and			a situation similar
exchange ideas.			to yours, it helps,”
Created over 20			agrees Michael
years ago to pro-			Koopman, another
vide training for			technician who
distributors, Toro’s			attended Factory
Factory Service	Toro’s Factory Service School gives equipment man-		Service School last	Technicians benefit greatly from the interac-
Schools have since	agers and technicians hands-on instruction on how		year. Koopman is	tion with Toro employees and peers at the
been expanded to	to properly service Toro equipment.		the Equipment	Factory School.
include technicians			Manager at Old
from golf courses, sports facilities and		Collier Golf Club in Naples, Florida.		with any type of training is to make
municipalities. Currently Toro offers		“It was geared more for education,		sure it’s relevant to a particular cus-
these end-user Factory Service School		but they gave us the option of giving		tomer, to give him or her the informa-
sessions about five times a year.		our feedback,” he says about Factory		tion they need most.
Useful Information		Service School. “I think one of the best		“We have two different types of
		things—and something that people are		schools we offer to our customers,”
The Factory Service School program		really interested in—is when they		explains Jim Peterson, Toro’s Education
usually starts on a Sunday night with a		brought the engineers in and asked if		and Learning Manager in the
welcoming get-acquainted reception.		we had any questions for them. That		Commercial Products Division. “One
Then over the next three days, “stu-		was on Monday, the first day. Then, if		has a golf focus and the other has a
dents” of Factory Service School attend		they couldn’t answer a question, they		grounds focus. So the technical infor-
informational tours, presentations and		said they would get back to us before		mation we provide is specific to the
hands-on sessions addressing such help-		we left for home on Wednesday.		needs of the technician,” he says.