Special to Florida Construction News
While a nationwide inventory and labor shortage continues impacting every industry from groceries to heavy equipment, Todd Bachman has seen Florida Coast Equipment continue its historic growth.
Now one of the country’s top Kubota dealerships, new locations in Plant City, Land O’Lakes, and Homestead have been added over the last few months, bringing the total to 10 stores with the acquisition of Agricon Kubota Superstore’s the dealership locations in Apopka, Ocala and Lecanto.
“Our growth is about building a world-class organization that provides opportunities for the members of our team and gives us the tools to deliver superior customer service and unrivaled product support to our customers today, tomorrow and for years to come,” said Bachman, Florida Coast Equipment president and CEO.
He credits the success to “tremendous focus and commitment from the entire organization” and his belief in leading, innovating and investing in his team keeps the business as one of the top volume Kubota dealerships – named an Elite Kubota Dealership for the 8th consecutive year.
“Your people matter more than anything,” he said. “At some point, you as a person run out of horsepower, so you have to have a fleet of people around you who can deliver the experience you want to deliver. Yes, customer needs are really important, but you’ve got to take care of your people. Pay them well, give them the resources they need and train them before they can ever take good care of a customer.”
Success grows from paying attention to what’s going on in the world, starting every day with five to 10 minutes of news.
“The world and customer demands are changing so quickly, so we’ve got to be on the cutting edge. The second piece is that, like most people, I got into this business through sales, so I talk too much. I need to listen more — you can understand people’s beliefs and intentions if you listen,” he said.
Bachman left a successful political career to join his father-in-law’s Kubota dealership in 2006 as director of business development, sales, and marketing. During his tenure, he has updated all of the facilities, grown the business almost 400 percent, and “hired a first-class team,” according to his business coach.
Today he understands the factors driving buying habits in the market, including a migration back to rural lifestyles search for time outdoors during the pandemic.
“We’re seeing people looking for a way to unplug and enjoy their acreage with a tractor that has 70 horsepower or less or a utility vehicle,” he said.
As Florida Coast Equipment continues the journey of becoming the most successful Kubota dealership in the country, the commitment as your local dealer and the culture of taking care of customers and employees will remain the center of focus within the Florida Coast family.
While the business continues growing, Bachman remains committed to it’s family-focused, community driven approach that has made the company Florida’s premier Kubota dealership.
“We are excited to grow and bring new jobs to the great state of Florida,” said Bachman. “But no matter how much we grow, it’s our tradition of delivering impeccable customer service and unrivaled product support that makes us who we are and that will never change.”
Florida Coast Equipment and BIG ORANGE RENTAL is family-owned & operated full-service Kubota Dealership with 10 Florida locations.
Founded in 1985, the company has grown from a single dealership with two employees to Florida’s largest Kubota dealer and one of the top dealerships in the country.
For more than 30 years, they have served large agricultural growers, builders and contractors of all sizes, nurseries, commercial landscapers, local and state governments, golf courses, HOAs, equestrian facilities, and estate homeowners in Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Okeechobee, Brevard, Seminole, Lee, Collier, Hillsborough and Pasco Counties.
Florida Coast Equipment rents, leases, sells, repairs, services and provides parts for Kubota utility vehicles (America’s best-selling diesel utility vehicle), zero-turn, walk-behind, and stand-on mowers, tractors (#1 selling sub-compact tractor in the world), tractor-loader-backhoes, excavators (#1 compact excavator in the world), compact track loaders, skid steers, and wheel loaders, Toro Construction Equipment, Land Pride and Bush Hog rotary cutters, batwing mowers, and attachments.
“Together we will continue to build on the foundation of excellence established by the Fords and grow the business while focusing on making today better than yesterday for every Florida Coast customer and employee,” Bachman concluded.
