143: Erick Haas – Communicating with Transparency

Guest: Erick Haas

Guest Bio:

​Erick Haas is an experienced Ag Sales Manager with LandPro Equipment overseeing 17 Ag Salesmen while bringing 15 years of expertise in the John Deere dealer network. Erick's AOR is primarily Western NY, Pennsylvania, and a portion of Ohio. His background includes Precision Agriculture, Training, Recruitment, and being a John Deere Certified Trainer. Erick is deeply committed to his Central NY community, serving as President of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County, several program advisory boards, a 4-H Leader, and President of the Chittenango Fire Department. He resides on a 65-acre hobby farm in Central NY with his wife and two young girls.

Key Points:

Career Path to Ag Sales Manager at LandPro Equipment

· Early Career: Started with a degree aimed at environmental conservation; initially worked with Soil and Water Conservation, supporting farms.

· Transition to Ag: Joined a John Deere dealership (Chazy Equipment Company) in 2011 as a precision ag specialist.

· Career Growth: Became training manager, certified John Deere instructor, and eventually territory manager for 20 dealerships in the Northeast.

· LandPro Role: Though lacking formal sales management experience, his reputation, technical expertise, and broad network helped him land the role.

Management Philosophy & Style

· People-Focused: Enjoys the human connection, coaching his team, and tailoring support to individuals' strengths and weaknesses.

· Adaptability: Finds fulfillment in varied tasks—from farm visits to desk work.

· Development-Oriented: Gets satisfaction from helping salespeople grow confident and independent.

Building Trust and Influence

· Earning Respect: Gained trust from seasoned, high-performing salespeople by being transparent, consistent, and reliable.

· Trusted Resource: Focuses on becoming a go-to advisor for his team, even when the question is outside his expertise.

Leading Through Change

· Inherited Challenges: Took over a role that had seen high turnover; faced skepticism and had to prove his commitment.

· Transparency: Earned buy-in by demystifying business goals (e.g., market share importance) and opening up about internal processes.

· Best Practice Sharing: Emphasizes education and consistent communication.

CRM and Accountability

· CRM Usage: Encourages CRM use not for micromanagement but for customer service, protection, and visibility.

· Variable Expectations: Applies different levels of accountability based on experience and performance.

· Case Example: A customer hadn't been called on in 10 years; proper CRM use would have prevented the oversight.

Cross-Department Communication

· Breaking Down Silos: Promotes overcommunication across sales, service, and parts to ensure customer needs are met.

· Leadership Coordination: Has regular check-ins with store managers to stay in the loop and encourage collaboration.

Accountability Culture

· Problem Solving: Encourages direct, timely discussions to resolve interdepartmental issues quickly.

· Ownership: Stresses accountability across all roles, not just sales.

Foundational Wins vs. Sales Wins

· Pyramid Model: Believes in building foundational skills—like customer handling, tech comfort, policy knowledge—as a prerequisite for sales success.

· Progression: Describes coaching progression from handholding to independence, likening it to riding a bike.

Documentation & Process

· Written Best Practices: Emphasizes the importance of written procedures to plug process gaps and support memory retention.

· Training Tools: Uses documentation to streamline onboarding and reinforce standards.

Guest Links:

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