Alleviate Price, Risk & Uncertainty Using EOP

Early order programs alleviate price, risk and uncertainty concerns for superintendents across the country

According to a Golfdom report in 2015, 80 percent of their readers participated in an early order program. Why does it make sense for a superintendent to participate in an early order program (EOP)? What are the benefits of using a VGM Club preferred fertilizer and chemical supplier when ordering early?

It goes beyond the stack-able product credits, but they are worth mentioning. Our committed fertilizer and chemical partners offer many different specials during EOP season.

Those specials do not take the place of your normal quarterly product credit rebates. They are stacked on top of them! Members save significantly more by years end resulting from their EOP purchases in early fall.

"From course to course, challenges differ. Even courses that border each other have unique challenges despite their close proximity. The importance of maximizing maintenance dollars, however, might be the one universal commonality of the industry." - From the article titled, "Early Order Program Guide," by Stacie Zinn Roberts. Found on Golfdom.com.

Understanding the benefits of participating in an EOP is crucial. The benefits of purchasing early are threefold. From the article mentioned above, Michigan State University's Chairperson of the Department of Supply Chain Management, David Closs, Ph.D. explains that an early order program can also lower risk and uncertainty:

"It's beneficial because I've [superintendent] locked in a price and I've locked in a quantity, so I can take that risk off the table. I own it so I don't have a problem of maybe it won't be available or it won't get delivered. I've reduced my uncertainty, and in many cases I've reduced my price. The big things are uncertainty, price and risk - it reduces all of those."

In 2016, VGM Club members using our fertilizer and chemical programs totaled just over 1,000 facilities. Those members received product credit rebates that totaled over $1 million, and both of those numbers are on track to increase. "The growth of these programs is a testament to the value our fertilizer and chemical programs bring to our members," said Mike Woltz, director of business development – Agronomy.

Couple all of this together and it makes an overwhelming amount of sense. In conjunction with our committed fertilizer and chemical partners - we have created an early order program that works. Not only does it stretch budgets further, but is also alleviates risk and lowers uncertainty in a hardly predictable profession.

For information on how to take advantage of our early order program with our preferred fertilizer and chemical companies, contact your VGM Club rep or visit their supplier page on VGMClub.com.