Bobby Sailer: 2022 40 Under 40 Award-Winner

Our 2022 40 Under 40 Awards featured young OPE leaders from across the country. In the next couple of weeks, we’ll highlight several of our 2022 award-winners here. Our winners were chosen not only for their numerous accomplishments and individual strengths, but also for their passion for their dealerships and outdoor power equipment – and the promise they bring for the future of our industry. Of course, you can check out the entire 40 Under 40 roster in our May/June issue.

BOBBY SAILER

Sales & Parts Manager, Woodland Commercial Equipment – Grand Rapids, Michigan

At Woodland Commercial Equipment, “We have high expectations of ourselves and our vendors,” says Bobby Sailer. “We are a team of leaders and give every employee room to make large decisions without micro-managing. We all have the same ambitious goal and make decisions with the big picture in mind.”

“Hiring elite employees first makes everything so much easier,” he continues. “Because of this, we have very little employee turnover, and our team is held to a high standard of integrity, responsibility and results. Loyalty is very important to us. We have high expectations of ourselves and our distributors, but in return we are very loyal to our teammates, customers and vendors.

He enumerates Woodland’s three “non-negotiables”:

• Cleanliness: “Woodland has been recognized for having the cleanest facility and most importantly the cleanest bathrooms in the industry. We strive to have the most efficient, cleanest, well-organized place for our customers to visit.”
• Team continuity: “We are working for our customer. We dress with the highest-quality Woodland apparel, treat every customer as our guest, and always radiate positive energy. We each have very high expectations of our fellow teammates and our products offered.”
• Fully stocked shelves: “We have an eye for empty peg hooks, messy shelves or, worse, empty shelves. We recognize our customer drove all the way here, and it’s our responsibility to help them find what they need.”

The dealership also has a very aggressive growth plan, he says: “With the use of aviation, our plane can get us where we need to be quickly. It has also opened up future opportunities for multiple locations. We are moving and growing quickly, and the plane will enable us to efficiently visit multiple locations in the same day. We also get very involved in the industry. Being able to quickly get to industry events or dealer panel meetings has enabled us to build relationships with power equipment dealers across the region.”

It’s easy to take note of Bobby’s work with Woodland, says a nominator. “It’s all about teamwork, and Bobby is the consummate team player. Bobby has an understanding of each touch point with the customer – he is there to support them and Woodland, and his sense of humor goes a long way to keeping the moving parts working. Woodland overall is a stand-out dealership, but the people are the magic ingredient and Bobby has that magic in boat loads. He is a great guy and represents our industry very well.”

“Getting out and getting to know the customer and their business on a personal level has helped me understand the added value we can bring to their business,” Bobby says. “The fast-paced commercial landscaping industry is something we are focusing in on. The better we can help keep our customers productive, the more profitable they will be. We pride ourselves knowing we can help them grow their bottom line and build solid relationships.”

Woodland’s equipment roster includes: Wright, Exmark, Scag, Cub Cadet, Polaris, Giant Vac; handheld equipment includes: Stihl, Echo, Shindaiwa, Honda and Little Wonder.

WOODLAND COMMERCIAL EQUIPMENT
https://woodlandce.com