During a dinner at a recent product launch I sat beside an equipment dealer as the conversation turned to "service-after-the-sale." He noted brand names are available everywhere, but service departments can be as different as both sides of the aisle in Congress.

His comment that equipment dealers who are accustomed to working with farmers many times have a completely different attitude about getting repairs done quickly and efficiently than their counterparts who deal with lawn and garden customers, intrigued me. The main difference, he explained, is that "farm-oriented" dealers know equipment is the life-blood of their clientele and repairs need to be done right the first time, and need to be done "right now!" Lawn and garden operations can, and many times do, have a less hurried approach to wrenching.

I thought about that a lot, and realized I have a classic example of the two in my own small equipment experience over the past summer.

I have a one-year-old John Deere lawn tractor/mower purchased from a regional JD dealer who sells lots of iron across north central Oklahoma to farmers and acreage folks alike. I also have a Stihl 2-stroke line trimmer purchased from a small-engine outlet tied to a predominately "urban" equipment rental business.

The line trimmer's "business end" fell off (under warranty) and I took it in for repairs. Three days passed, and I called to check on it. "It's ready, come get it." I retrieved the machine, took it 12 miles back home and started it -- the head immediately fell of again. "Gracious!," I said, "they've failed to fix my line trimmer!" (Or something to that effect.) Back to the dealer with a firm insinuation that the repair needs to be done and done right or the $216 purchase price would be expected back -- on the barrel head! Two days later and another 24-mile round trip and I had a new trimmer head and drive shaft -- as I should have had with the first experience.

In June, the mower started making noises like a spindle bearing going out. I took it in for service (which included some heavy duty sheet metal bending to remedy the effects of a stump I tried to move with the mower) and noted the "bearing slap." Two weeks passed because everyone else was having their mowers repaired in the early season. The sheet metal problem was repaired and the bearing "was OK" I was told.

I kept running the mower (with the noise getting worse) until finally at my wits' end (not a long trip) I pulled the deck and with my air-wrench yanked the middle and left spindle which had about 1/8-inch slap in them, took them to the JD dealer and said: "Now, this why I had the machine in your shop in June and the bearings that were "OK" are here for you to look at!" They replaced both bearings with no question at Mr. Deere's expense. I needed a mower belt while I had the machine apart, so I went to the parts counter -- no belt in stock, it's after 3 p.m. Friday, I'm leaving on a week-long trip Sunday, my wife needs the mower to keep the place looking neat since it's listed with a realtor, and I'm exasperated.

Before I know it, a lady behind the counter says, "Let me put you on the FLASH system (John Deere's get-the-part-out-there-and-now method of keeping farmers in the field when the needs are great), you'll have your belt by 9 a.m. tomorrow."

Wow, the belt was there the next morning just as promised, the spindles and new blades went back together in about an hour, the mower was running by noon Saturday and I left for the business trip knowing the place wouldn't need to be baled by the time I got back.

Now, while both repairs had problems, I remember most the fact that I as a small acreage owner needing a "lawn mower" belt, was able to take advantage of a system originally designed for folks who need an injection pump, or transmission bands in the middle of harvest. My dealer saw my needs as important as someone who had spent $140,000 on a professional piece of equipment. That lady behind the parts counter could have just said to herself, "So what?"

But she didn't!

I can buy Stihl equipment at that same JD dealer. Now where do you think I'll spend my line trimmer dollars in the future?