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Welcome to Season 2 and the eleventh episode of Flyntlok Unlocked. Thank you for joining us!
I'm your host, Jenny Moebius, Flyntlok's CMO, and today we're launching Season 2 from Equip Expo 2026. Join me to see the demo yard and talk to Flyntlok customers and partners about the challenges and solutions equipment dealers face as they head into 2027 and beyond.
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What Equipment Dealers Are Thinking About as They Head into 2027
Host: Jenny Moebius, CMO, Flyntlok
Featuring:
The equipment industry has never been short on innovation. Every year, manufacturers introduce machines that are more powerful, more efficient, and increasingly sophisticated. But behind every new piece of equipment is a dealership responsible for selling it, servicing it, finding the right parts, and supporting the customer long after the sale.
And those dealerships are navigating changes of their own.
From technician shortages and shifting manufacturer relationships to artificial intelligence, electrification, and entirely new categories of equipment, the opportunities and challenges facing dealers are evolving just as quickly as the machines themselves.
That's why Flyntlok Unlocked is kicking off Season 2 at Equip Expo 2026 in Louisville, Kentucky.
Host and Flyntlok CMO Jenny Moebius takes the podcast out of the studio and onto the show floor, speaking with industry experts and equipment dealers about what they're seeing, what they're struggling with, and what has them optimistic about the year ahead.
Joining Jenny are Jeff Blackton of Bob Clements International, Bob and Judy from RJ's in Massachusetts, and Kyle Freeze from Midwest Equipment.
Their conversations reveal an industry that is confronting some familiar challenges but also embracing new ways to work, serve customers, and grow.
And while the conversations cover everything from autonomous mowers to AI-powered dealership software, one theme consistently rises to the surface:
The future of the equipment industry isn't just about better machines. It's about helping the people behind those machines build better businesses.
The episode opens on the Equip Expo demo yard, surrounded by the latest innovations in outdoor power equipment.
STIHL is celebrating 100 years of innovation. Bobcat continues to push the boundaries of compact equipment. John Deere represents generations of hard work, while Grasshopper, Kubota, Bad Boy, and other manufacturers showcase what's next.
Different brands. Different specialties. Different approaches to solving problems.
But they all depend on a network of equipment dealers to bring those products to customers and keep them running.
As Jenny reflects, a dealership is much more than a place to purchase a machine.
It's the parts counter that gets a customer back to work. The service technician who solves a problem when equipment breaks down. The salesperson who knows customers by name and understands what they need.
And often, it's a family business built over decades, with owners and employees working to protect what previous generations created while building something stronger for the future.
That human side of the industry becomes an important thread throughout the episode.
Because while technology and equipment may change, the relationships that make dealerships successful remain essential.
When Jenny asks Jeff Blackton of Bob Clements International about the biggest challenges dealers are facing, he doesn't hesitate.
Staffing.
Across his conversations at Equip Expo, Jeff keeps hearing the same questions:
Where are we going to find good technicians? How much will they cost? And how can dealerships keep growing when qualified employees are so difficult to find?
It's a challenge that affects nearly every part of dealership operations.
Without enough technicians, service departments struggle to keep up with demand. Customers wait longer for repairs. Existing employees take on additional workloads. And the dealership's ability to turn service demand into revenue becomes constrained by the number of skilled people available to perform the work.
But Jeff is also optimistic about the opportunities ahead.
His perspective is that dealers need to reconsider both how they find employees and how they use the employees they already have.
That means recruiting beyond the industry's traditional talent pools, adopting technology that reduces repetitive work, and preparing for the technical skills that future equipment will require.
It's not simply about finding more people.
It's about finding new ways to make a dealership successful with the people it has—and the people it can attract.
If staffing is one of the industry's biggest challenges, artificial intelligence may be one of its most frequently discussed opportunities.
Throughout Equip Expo, Jenny hears the same topic come up again and again.
Dealers are talking about AI.
But the conversation is moving beyond what artificial intelligence can theoretically do and toward something more practical:
How can AI save employees time and help dealerships become more profitable?
For Jeff, that's where the real opportunity lies.
He encourages dealers to look at artificial intelligence as an efficiency tool, particularly when it's integrated into the dealership management system (DMS) employees already use.
Rather than introducing another standalone application, integrated AI can remove repetitive steps from transactions and workflows that occur throughout the dealership.
His advice is to evaluate each activity employees perform and ask whether it creates value for the customer.
If the activity is repetitive, administrative, or unnecessarily time-consuming, there's an opportunity to automate or simplify it.
If it requires human judgment, expertise, or personal interaction, that's where employees should be spending more of their time.
And the distinction matters.
AI doesn't create value simply because a dealership adopts it. It creates value when it eliminates unnecessary work, improves productivity, or helps employees generate more revenue.
Kyle Freeze of Midwest Equipment sees similar opportunities.
As both a dealer and salesperson, Kyle thinks about the time spent on routine activities and the potential for AI to streamline those responsibilities.
He's particularly interested in how technology can provide better insights into prospective customers, helping sales teams understand who to target and where to focus their efforts.
His perspective reflects a broader shift in how dealers are beginning to evaluate technology.
The question is no longer whether AI belongs in a dealership.
It's where AI can make the most meaningful difference.
Jenny summarizes that philosophy with a simple standard: if AI isn't helping improve productivity or profitability, dealers should question why they're using it.
For Bob and Judy of RJ's, the value of technology is especially tangible.
During Equip Expo, they participate in hands-on Flyntlok training and come away with new ideas and workflows they can bring back to their dealership.
Judy is particularly enthusiastic about the time-saving potential of AI-powered features being incorporated into the platform.
She describes how improvements that reduce manual checking and help employees verify parts and completed work can eliminate time-consuming administrative steps.
For a busy dealership, those small improvements matter.
Consider how often employees must stop to double-check information, verify a work order, or make sure a transaction was completed correctly.
Individually, those activities may seem minor.
But multiply them across every employee, every transaction, and every day of the year, and the time adds up quickly.
Reducing that administrative burden gives employees more capacity for the work that matters most: serving customers, completing repairs, selling equipment, and keeping the business moving.
And as the conversation turns lighthearted, Bob has another request for the Flyntlok product roadmap.
A feature that automatically schedules vacations.
It's a joke, but one that gets at something real.
For many independent dealership owners, finding the time to step away from the business can be difficult.
Technology that makes operations more efficient doesn't just improve business performance. It can also help make the dealership a more manageable place to work.
One of the most interesting conversations in the episode centers on equipment that looks very different from what dealerships have traditionally sold and serviced.
Jeff is particularly excited about autonomous mowers and drones.
He sees both as potential growth opportunities over the next five to ten years, especially for dealerships willing to learn new technologies and develop new service capabilities.
His reasoning is straightforward.
New technology doesn't eliminate the need for parts and service.
It changes what parts and service look like.
Autonomous equipment will still require maintenance, diagnosis, repairs, and technical support. Commercial drones used by municipalities and public safety organizations may also require specialized service to remain operational.
Jeff points to higher-value drones used by organizations such as sheriff's departments as an example of equipment that owners cannot simply treat as disposable when something breaks.
For dealers willing to develop the necessary expertise, these emerging categories could create new sources of service revenue.
But they also introduce an interesting question:
Who will service the next generation of equipment?
Traditionally, equipment dealerships have recruited technicians with small-engine or mechanical repair experience.
But Jeff believes the growth of autonomous equipment and sophisticated electronics may open the door to candidates with very different backgrounds.
Someone working in a cell phone repair shop, for example, may already possess valuable diagnostic skills and an interest in complex technology.
That person might not know how to repair a traditional zero-turn mower, but they could be well suited to learning the electronic systems used in autonomous equipment.
It's an opportunity to expand the industry's definition of what makes someone a promising technician.
Jeff also offers another practical recruiting idea: connecting with military recruiters and service members transitioning into civilian careers.
Military personnel with experience in motor pools, equipment maintenance, and other technical roles may already have many of the skills dealerships need.
They understand mechanical systems. They're accustomed to troubleshooting complex problems. And they're familiar with following documented processes and standard operating procedures.
As Jeff explains, the exact piece of equipment can be learned.
What matters is finding people with the right mindset and aptitude for solving problems.
The takeaway for dealers is to broaden their recruiting strategies.
Rather than competing exclusively for the same experienced technicians, consider where transferable skills already exist.
The next great dealership technician may not be working in a dealership today.
While new technologies create opportunities, independent dealers are also dealing with familiar competitive pressures.
For Bob and Judy at RJ's, one of the biggest challenges is navigating relationships with manufacturers that increasingly participate in mass retail.
Bob describes the tension between manufacturers' interest in big-box distribution and their continued reliance on independent dealership networks.
Manufacturers want the sales volume available through large retailers, but they also need dealers who can provide knowledgeable sales support, equipment repairs, and ongoing service.
The challenge is that independent dealerships don't have the same financial resources or purchasing power as major retail chains.
That difference becomes especially important when manufacturers establish inventory commitments or other requirements that may be difficult for smaller businesses to meet.
Judy reinforces the concern, explaining how challenging it can be to support customers while managing the quantity of equipment manufacturers expect dealers to carry.
For independent dealerships, inventory is not an unlimited resource.
Every machine on the floor represents capital committed to a particular product line.
And every purchasing decision must be balanced against other dealership needs, including parts, service, staffing, and operating expenses.
Bob believes manufacturers and their dealer networks need to work together more effectively to recognize those realities.
The dealership provides services and customer relationships that mass retail cannot always replicate.
But those advantages are more difficult to maintain when dealers face purchasing commitments or competitive pressures that strain their resources.
The conversation highlights an important industry issue: manufacturers and independent dealers share an interest in serving customers, but their business models and financial realities are not always the same.
Despite the challenges, Bob also sees reasons for optimism.
At Equip Expo, he's discovered newer manufacturers offering products with more manageable purchasing requirements.
For example, a smaller manufacturer may allow a dealer to begin with ten units instead of committing to fifty.
That flexibility can make it easier for a dealership to evaluate a new product line without taking on a disproportionate amount of inventory risk.
It also gives dealers an opportunity to explore alternatives as they consider which manufacturers and equipment categories best fit their customers and business.
The broader lesson isn't that smaller manufacturers are necessarily better.
It's that dealerships should evaluate manufacturer relationships through the lens of their own economics.
How much inventory must be purchased? How quickly can it turn? What support is available? How does the product fit the dealership's existing customer base and service capabilities?
For independent dealers, the right product line is not always the one with the most recognizable brand.
It's the one that creates a sustainable opportunity for the business.
For Kyle Freeze of Midwest Equipment, another major takeaway from Equip Expo is the continued movement toward electronic and battery-powered equipment.
Kyle sees the technology advancing and recognizes that dealers will need to make decisions about how—and how quickly—to participate.
But those decisions aren't always easy.
Should a dealership expand its battery-powered equipment offerings? Which brands should it carry? How much inventory should it purchase? And how can it forecast demand for products that may be relatively new to its market?
These are questions Kyle says he thinks about regularly.
They also illustrate why innovation creates operational challenges alongside new revenue opportunities.
Introducing a product line requires more than putting new machines on the showroom floor.
Dealerships need to anticipate demand, make purchasing decisions, prepare employees, and determine how new equipment fits their existing operations.
And when technology is changing quickly, those decisions become even more complicated.
Kyle is encouraged by the creative approaches he's seeing across the industry, including new ideas involving maintenance, parts availability, and artificial intelligence.
For him, the willingness to think differently is part of what moves the entire industry forward.
It's also a reminder that dealerships don't need to adopt every new technology immediately.
They do need to understand how the market is evolving and make informed decisions about which opportunities are right for their businesses.
Amid all the conversations about technology, staffing, and equipment, another important theme emerges.
Sometimes the most valuable part of attending an industry event is simply having the opportunity to step away from everyday dealership operations.
For Bob and Judy, Equip Expo is a chance to meet people they usually interact with through a computer screen.
It's an opportunity to speak with the Flyntlok team face-to-face, participate in training, ask questions, and explore parts of the platform they may not have time to investigate during a busy workday.
Bob explains that when you're inside the dealership, it's difficult to find the time to focus on everything you'd like to improve.
At the show, those conversations happen more naturally.
The same is true of networking with manufacturers and fellow dealers.
Whether the topic is staffing, AI, inventory management, or new product opportunities, hearing how other businesses approach similar challenges can provide valuable perspective.
For Kyle, attending Equip Expo for the first time is almost overwhelming because of the sheer number of products, ideas, and innovations on display.
And for Bob and Judy, the experience reinforces the value of the relationships they've built with their technology partners.
Those relationships go beyond a software transaction.
They're opportunities to learn, share feedback, and continue improving how the dealership operates.
The conversations at Equip Expo reinforce an important part of Flyntlok's approach to dealership technology.
Innovation should serve the dealership—not the other way around.
Across parts, service, sales, rentals, and customer relationships, employees have work to complete and customers who depend on them.
Technology should help those workflows operate more efficiently, provide better information, and reduce the administrative burden on employees.
That's the thinking behind Flyntlok's investment in practical AI, including capabilities designed to simplify parts receiving, technician documentation, and customer outreach.
These are not abstract use cases.
They're common dealership activities where reducing repetitive work can create meaningful operational value.
Flyntlok also used Equip Expo to highlight its newest OEM integration with Kubota, expanding the opportunities for Kubota dealers to operate their businesses on a modern, connected dealership management platform.
As manufacturers continue introducing new equipment and technologies, dealerships need systems capable of supporting their evolving operations.
But just as importantly, they need technology partners who understand the realities of running a dealership.
The goal isn't to replace the relationships, experience, and expertise that make independent dealers successful.
It's to give those businesses better tools to protect and grow what they've built.
The conversations with Jeff, Bob, Judy, and Kyle offer several practical ideas for dealership owners and managers preparing for 2027.
1. Look for opportunities to give employees time back.
Start with the repetitive activities that consume time throughout the dealership. Look for AI and automation that can simplify those workflows and free employees to focus on customers and revenue-generating work.
2. Expand the technician recruiting playbook.
Don't limit recruiting to candidates who already work in the equipment industry. Consider military veterans, electronics repair specialists, and other technically minded people with transferable skills and a willingness to learn.
3. Evaluate emerging equipment categories.
Autonomous mowers, drones, and battery-powered equipment may create new opportunities for some dealerships. Consider where customer demand, service capabilities, and your team's expertise could support a profitable new offering.
4. Make inventory and manufacturer decisions that support your business.
New products and brands are exciting, but purchasing commitments need to make sense. Evaluate inventory requirements, capital exposure, market demand, and the support manufacturers provide their dealer networks.
5. Invest in relationships and learning.
Whether it's participating in software training, talking with other dealers, or connecting directly with manufacturers, taking time to learn can help uncover opportunities that aren't always visible during a normal workday.
If there's one word that captures the overall sentiment of this episode, it's optimism.
The challenges facing equipment dealers are real.
Finding skilled technicians remains difficult. Manufacturer relationships are changing. Inventory decisions require careful planning. And new technologies are forcing businesses to reconsider how they've traditionally operated.
But the dealers and industry leaders at Equip Expo aren't standing still.
They're exploring new products, learning new technologies, looking for creative ways to recruit employees, and finding opportunities to make their businesses more efficient.
They're also recognizing that the next generation of dealership innovation isn't only happening on the demo yard.
It's happening behind the parts counter, in the service department, in the sales process, and in the systems employees use every day.
And while equipment and technology will continue to evolve, the importance of relationships isn't going away.
Customers will still need someone who understands their equipment.
They'll still depend on knowledgeable technicians, reliable parts departments, and dealers who stand behind what they sell.
And many of those dealerships will continue to be businesses built and passed down through generations.
That's what makes the industry so special—and why Flyntlok is proud to be part of it.
As Jenny concludes:
Behind every great machine is a great dealership. And behind every great dealership are great people.
Season 2 of Flyntlok Unlocked begins with a look at the people, challenges, and innovations shaping the future of the equipment industry.
And there's plenty more to unlock.
