Dealer Policies & Practices

Welcome

Lake Groomer would like to warmly welcome you as a new Dealer on our Lake Groomer team! We are excited that you made the choice to expand your company with us. As a registered Lake Groomer Dealer, you now work with a company that has taken pride in offering innovative, clean lake solutions.

This Dealer Policies and Practices document should have all the information you need get acclimated to your new title as a Lake Groomer Dealer.

However, if you have any questions about the information in this document, we encourage you to contact your Lake Groomer Sales Representative or any authorized Lake Groomer representative.

Welcome to the team!

General

This document outlines the operating policies, practices and procedures expected to be upheld between Lake Groomer Inc. and Lake Groomer Dealers.

Lake Groomer Inc. reserves the right to modify these guidelines at any time and without notice to Dealers.

If a Dealer operates under any exceptions to the policies listed, permission for this must be stated in writing by an authorized Lake Groomer representative.

Lake Groomer has full discretion to revoke Dealer status at any time and for any reason.

Products

Lake Groomer offers a variety of parts and accessories which each provide different solutions to diverse clients.

Customers may be interested in purchasing a product that a Dealer is not knowledgeable about or does not sell/rent. In this circumstance, customer service will assist the Dealer in learning about the product and how to increase sales by selling parts and accessories.

Sales Channel

Lake Groomer is cognizant that Dealers must be spaced adequately apart in order to ensure each Dealer has reasonable opportunities to gather sales and profit.

Lake Groomer establishes Dealers based on Lake Groomer’s assessment of market opportunity, ability of Dealers to sell and promote, and commitment of Dealers to stocking levels, among other variables.

Pricing

At the time of Dealer setup, Lake Groomer Inc. will provide all dealers with MSRP pricing, dealer discount programs and shipping programs. In addition, Lake Groomer will provide pricing information when it is requested from customer service and anytime Lake Groomer has an increase in pricing.

Whole Goods: Lake Groomer endeavors to change pricing and programs related to whole goods only once per year. Price changes typically occur early in the calendar year, with some variation based on product. However, Lake Groomer reserves the right to modify pricing at any time.

Parts & Accessories: Parts and accessories lists, and parts and accessories pricing are subject to change at any time. Every time Lake Groomer modifies pricing programs, an update email will be sent to all Dealers. Current lists and prices will always be provided to Dealers upon their request. It is essential for Dealers to check order confirmations on parts and accessories in order to ensure they have the most up-to-date pricing for their customers’ orders.

MAP: Unless otherwise approved in writing by an authorized Lake Groomer representative, no Dealer can advertise prices less than 10% below the current published manufacturer’s suggested list price for that product.

Discounts: All discounts are calculated from Manufactures Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). Dealers should make sure they operate off the current price/program information and confirm all prices, discounts and terms on order acknowledgements.

Credit & Terms

Credit Application: Dealers who would like to establish credit terms are required to submit a credit application. Any alteration of the terms will be rejected. In certain instances, a personal guarantee may be required for entities that are not sole proprietorships.

Credit Process:  The Credit Department will review information on the credit application and conduct a credit check that may include:

  • Commercial credit reports
  • Bank references
  • Trade references 
  • Industry related trade groups
  • Financial statements (balance sheet, income statement, statement of cash flows, etc)
  • Personal credit report on company principals (if commercial reporting is insufficient)

Credit Limits:  Credit limits are granted by the Credit Department. Dealers will be considered for credit on a per-company basis.

Terms: Invoices are due 30 days from the invoice date. Payments not received on or before the due date are subject to service charges of 1.5% per month. Inventory that is not sold, is pending warranty or requires service does not create an acceptable reason to withhold payment of any Lake Groomer invoice. If warranty or service issues exist, the Dealer must notify Lake Groomer prior to the due date in order to avoid service charges. If a credit is anticipated because of warranty, or the Dealer prefers to offset invoices using other credits, the Dealer must notify Lake Groomer’s Credit Department.

Special Terms: In the rare event that standard terms may need to be altered for a single order, an authorized Lake Groomer representative will provide specific details of any altered terms in writing to the customer and the Credit Department.

Credit Card Payments/Wire Transfers: Dealers who do not have payment terms may prepay by Credit Card or Wire Transfer:

  • Credit card payment will be pre-authorized at the time the order is placed and the card will be processed prior to shipment.
  • Wire transfers must be received prior to shipment.
  • Credit card payments will not be accepted to pay on account for any Dealer who is paying on Net30 payment terms.
  • Payments by Credit Card or Wire Transfer are subject to additional charges.

Ordering

Ordering Hours: Standard hours for order entry are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., CST.

Lake Groomer will send Dealers order confirmations via email. If a Dealer does not receive a confirmation within four hours of making the order, they can contact customer service to ensure one is properly sent.

NOTE: Dealers may be required to pay a deposit for any custom orders.

Dealers can make orders via the following methods:

As personnel are not always available via phone to receive orders, Lake Groomer encourages dealers to provide written orders via options one and three listed above. This also ensures the phone lines are more likely to be available when Dealers require pertinent information, such as prices, availability, part number identification, etc.

Accuracy: Verbal orders can lead to misunderstanding. Also, verbal orders or written orders that do not include a specific item number, quantity and description can lead to misinterpretation. Lake Groomer sales personnel will do their best to accommodate any method of ordering. But, they assume no responsibility for the accuracy of orders that are not provided in writing, complete with item number, description, quantity, and price along with other pertinent information such as requested ship method and date, ship destination, etc.

All Dealers are encouraged to review the returned order confirmation to verify accuracy of information. Any discrepancy should be communicated to Lake Groomer sales department as quickly as possible.

Changes and Cancellations: For parts/accessories and whole goods, order changes will be accepted at no charge as long as processing for the item being changed has not begun. However, if the product was a special order, or other specific costs are incurred, a change or cancellation to parts/accessories or whole goods order may result in the assessment of additional charges to the Dealer. The Dealer will be informed of those costs and given the option to keep the order unchanged, or accept the additional charges.

Freight

Lake Groomer products have a freight program based off the quantity of units purchased. See the separate Dealer pricing program for freight pricing information.

Freight is paid by Lake Groomer whenever the order meets the criteria needed to qualify, based on the current published program. Free freight or partially subsidized freight is available only to commercial addresses. Free freight will only ship to one address.

Special freight requests above designated established programs include additional fees.

Quotes and order confirmations will show the freight costs and the freight terms. Unless otherwise specified, freight is FOB Fargo, ND.

Dealers are required to send Lake Groomer customer service a bill of lading when a shipment has been scheduled.

Shipping

Hours: The shipping department is staffed Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST.

Method: Unless a specific method is requested at the time of order, the default method of ship is established as “Best Way.” In such cases, the shipping department or customer service will determine best way, usually being the most economical, not the fastest.

The Dealer may change the requested shipping method any time before the order is processed for shipment. Additional fees may apply to any changes made to the shipping method by request of the dealer.

When Lake Groomer programs offer to pay part or all of freight costs, the shipping method will be the most economical. If the Dealer desires a different method, then the Dealer is obligated to pay, at a minimum, the difference between the economical and the requested method.

Customer Pick Up: The customer service department will make every effort to convey an accurate and reliable “promise date” for customer pickup orders. Unless at the time of order availability assurances were provided, the customer should contact Lake Groomer customer service the day prior to pick up in order to be certain the order will be ready when they arrive. If plans have been made to pick up on a certain day, it is requested that the Dealer call to check if there are changes in pick up plans that resulted in any changes to the schedule.

NOTE: When the Dealer is coordinating freight, it is imperative that the pickup time and date be communicated and coordinated with Lake Groomer. The Dealer must also ensure that the truck is suitable for the load. Completion of the order, or timely loading, cannot be assured unless this coordination exists.

Drop Shipments: Lake Groomer will make “drop” shipments to end users, but the Dealer needs to be aware that:

  • Residential deliveries usually carry higher freight charges.
  • Residential deliveries usually take longer.
  • Additional drop ship charges may apply per pricing program.

Shortages & Mis-shipments

Short Shipments—Line Items: If a package or line item from a packing slip was not received, the Dealers should check the shipping documentation to verify the same quantity, size and weights of packages that were shipped were also received.

If an item was shipped and lost en route, it is the customer’s responsibility to notify Lake Groomer upon discovering a shortage. Only then can the customer pursue a claim for finding the lost item, or recovering the cost of an item that cannot be found. Any short shipments or damages must be noted on the delivery receipt from the carrier.

If it appears a line item or package was short shipped, the following information is necessary to report it properly:

  • Order number
  • Item number(s) and quantity missing
  • Ship date
  • Photos of shipment

Short Shipments—Concealed: Should any shortages occur from an assembly or “kit,” the following information is necessary to report it properly:

  • Order number
  • Ship Date
  • Item assembly or “kit” number
  • Part number and quantity of missing pieces(s).
  • Serial number if applicable
  • Photos of assembly or “kit” showing missing component.

Mis-shipments—Wrong Item or Part: Mis-shipments can be the result of an ordering error, an order entry error, or an assembly or shipping error. In the event of a mis-shipment, a Dealer should notify Lake Groomer with the following information:

  • Order number
  • Ship date
  • Item assembly or “kit” number
  • Part number and quantity expected
  • Part number and quantity received (if possible)
  • Serial number in applicable
  • Photos of incorrect parts

Lake Groomer, upon notification of a mis-shipment or shortage, will take immediate corrective action. Lake Groomer will, as soon as possible, ship the correct part(s) and bill at regular terms with a note referenced to the shortage written on the order confirmation.

A return material authorization (RMA) will be provided to the Dealer to authorize the return of the mis-shipped item(s). Credit will be issued for the reshipped invoice when the incorrect items are received. The Dealer must return the mis-shipped items before the due date of the invoice to avoid being subject to late charges.

If the mis-shipment is the result of order error on behalf of the Dealer, the Dealer will be responsible for the cost of the second shipment and the return freight. If the mis-shipment is the likely error of Lake Groomer, Lake Groomer will bear the costs of the freight of the second shipment, and will credit the freight cost of the return.

Returns: All requests to return parts and whole goods must be authorized prior to shipping to Lake Groomer. Authorization will be in writing from Lake Groomer and must be issued with a Return Material Authorization (RMA) number. The RMA number must accompany the returned merchandise.

All returned merchandise is subject to a factory inspection and approval when physically received. Lake Groomer assumes no responsibility for accepting unauthorized returns, nor will Lake Groomer be responsible for any lost shipments or delays in issuing credit on any unauthorized return.

The following information is required for a RMA:

  • Item numbers(s) desired to return
  • Item quantity desired to return
  • Reason for return
  • Whole goods or kit number, if different from the returned item(s)
  • Serial number (if appropriate)
  • Order or invoice number items were received on
  • Date of order or invoice
  • Invoiced cost of returned item(s)

Unless otherwise stated by an authorized representative of Lake Groomer, the Dealer will prepay the freight. When appropriate, such as with shipping error returns, the freight costs will be credited back to the Dealer. Dealers should keep record of the shipping tracking number and invoices for any returned item.

Restocking Charges: Having a cost to restock an item is normal business practice. Lake Groomer may require restocking charges at a minimum of 20% depending on age, condition and circumstances. Any restocking fee would be communicated by Lake Groomer at the time the RMA is generated.

If products arrive in a condition worse than expected, the return can either be refused or incur higher restocking charges. Lake Groomer reserves the right to not accept any items to be restocked that are determined no longer current, or in less than saleable condition.

Warranty Claim Procedure

The warranty claim procedure can be found at: http://www.lakegroomer.com/product-registration/

Marketing Policies

All Dealers should consult Lake Groomer’s Brand Identity Guide when making marketing decisions. They can find specific and detailed information there regarding marketing policies. If a Dealer has questions regarding proper marketing procedures, they should contact Lake Groomer for clarification. Any divergence from the Brand Identity Guide guidelines a Dealer makes can be subject to Lake Groomer scrutiny.

The Brand Identity Guide contains information regarding, but not limited to:

  • Lake Groomer logo requirements
  • Visual Dealer branding requirements
  • Examples of proper branding usage

The following information covers policies not underlined specifically by the Brand Identity Guide:

Advertising, Print, Other Media: Any use of the Lake Groomer name is subject to written approval from Lake Groomer.

If photographs are taken of a Dealer’s facilities or associated work sites, the Dealers are responsible to make such that the environments and actions captured by the pictures follow OSHA, Lake Groomer and local/state safety requirements.

Trademarks and Brands: Any use of Lake Groomer brands, marks and trademarks are subject to the approval of Lake Groomer and must comply with the Lake Groomer Brand Identity Guide. Dealers cannot rename their companies after Lake Groomer and Lake Groomer products.

Website: Lake Groomer has a Dealer locater feature on its website. Dealers should verify that their inclusion on this feature is accurate. If it is inaccurate, the Dealer should contact a Lake Groomer representative.

We encourage Dealers to link Lake Groomer to their site as well as share, follow and like Lake Groomer on social media. A Dealer should contact their Lake Groomer sales representative for any information graphics, etc. needed.

Ad Materials: Lake Groomer may provide various materials available for Dealer use. Dealers should ask a sales representative or call the company for these materials. Lake Groomer has marketing resources that can be made available at very reasonable costs or no costs. If a Dealer has need for materials, they can ask at any time.

Internet Rights

Internet Rights: Dealer sales on third-party websites must have written approval from Lake Groomer (i.e.: E-Bay, Craigslist, Amazon, etc.). Lake Groomer Requires a Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) for the Internet: The Minimum Advertised Price will not be lower than 10% off the published Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for any Lake Groomer Product.

Dealer Termination Policy

Failure to follow the procedures listed in the Dealer Policy Manual and Brand Identity Manual could result in termination of the Dealer.

This would include, but would not be limited to:

  • Removing all Lake Groomer branding from the Dealer’s place of business and website
  • Removing the Dealer from Lake Groomer’s dealer locator
  • Retracting dealer pricing information from the Dealer
  • Revoking credit terms established by Lake Groomer from the Dealer