Spring Training 2005 adds value, John Deere style.

The John Deere dealership organization's rookies and seasoned sales veterans recently converged upon the company's Sacaton facility near Phoenix, AZ, for their annual Spring Training conference. Ten, three-day sessions were held from February to April to help dealer personnel prepare for the

"It's all about adding value," explains Cal Peters, manager, marketing sales and support training, from one of the Sacaton classrooms. "When they leave here, they know the machinery. They have the confidence and credibility they need to put the most productive and most cost-effective equipment on their customers' job sites. Factory and company experts are on hand to do the training. Along with 18 of our own new models and prototypes, we have assembled a representative fleet of other brands so the 1,200 sales and support people who come through here will know our competitor's metal inside and out."