All About Service: A Conversation with Dan Gerlach, Director of Service at AllTerra Central

Downtime isn’t an option. That’s where AllTerra Central’s service department comes in. With thousands of repairs handled each year and decades of combined expertise, the team keeps equipment calibrated, repaired, and ready for the field.

We sat down with Dan Gerlach, Director of Service at AllTerra Central, to talk about his background, the work his team does, and why service is such a critical part of the AllTerra promise.

Q: Dan, tell us a little about your background. How did you first get into surveying and eventually make your way to AllTerra?

Dan: My first experience with surveying was a summer job during college, so … three summers worth of being a rodman, pounding nails, hubs, all the blisters, all the sunburns, losing all the weight. And I decided I did not want to work outside anymore. So I got into semiconductors, and I was a repair tech for semiconductors for three years. Semiconductor went down, so I found a job that combined my surveying experience with my repair experience, and I’ve been at AllTerra for 16 years now.

Q: What does your department look like today?

Dan: AllTerra Central operates seven service locations across the region — six in Texas, one in Oklahoma, and one in Arizona. Across those locations, we have teams of highly trained technicians with decades of combined experience working with Trimble equipment.

That experience really sets us apart. These aren’t generalists. They know Trimble systems inside and out, and they know how critical it is to get equipment back in the field quickly.

Q: Just how much service volume are we talking about?

Dan: That’s 33,000 items a year. … So that’s across seven stores divided by 12. What’s that a month? That’s quite a few. … Calibrations, that’s the big one. We strive to keep that about a week or under, if possible. And we have 14 techs through the seven stores, and those 14 techs, have a combined experience working on Trimble of over 200 years. So, we’re experienced.

Q: What are the most common service requests you see?

Dan: Calibration is easily the number one request. Surveyors rely on accuracy, so keeping equipment dialed in is a constant need. Beyond that, we handle a steady mix of repairs — cracked data collectors, GNSS receiver issues, and routine maintenance to extend the life of equipment.

We aim to turn around most calibrations within a week, and often faster. That’s a big deal for customers who can’t afford extended downtime.

Q: Speaking of downtime, what options do customers have if they need service right away?

Dan: I think what it is...we offer a bunch of options. So, if a customer needs something right away, there’s the expedite service. He could get something done in a day, no problem. If he wants to schedule it for a week or two out, he could schedule it a week or two out. We could accommodate that. If he wants to drop it off and just pick it up in a week, that’s great. We could do that. So, it’s all the different options the customer has.

It’s really about giving customers choices. Whether they want to plan ahead or need a fix immediately, we have a path that works.

Q: How does the service process work? If I have a piece of equipment that needs repair, where do I start?

Dan: The easiest way is through our online service request form. Customers can fill out the details, hit submit, and we can create a service ticket right away. That usually saves a day or two compared to waiting until the equipment physically arrives.

Once the request is in, the equipment can be dropped off or shipped to any of our service locations, and we’ll take it from there.

Q: A lot of companies offer equipment service. Why should surveyors in your region choose AllTerra Central?

Dan: It comes down to three things: experience, professionalism, and accuracy. Our technicians have been working on Trimble systems for decades, and that depth of expertise means customers can trust the job will be done right.

We also focus on speed without cutting corners. We know surveyors are out there building infrastructure, managing projects, and meeting tight deadlines. Our job is to make sure the tools they rely on are ready to go.

Q: What’s next for your department?

Dan: We’re always looking for ways to grow and improve. Right now, we have 14 people on the service team, but we’re looking to add more. Demand keeps rising, and we want to make sure we can keep turnaround times short while delivering the level of service our customers expect.

At the end of the day, our mission is simple: keep surveyors working. If we do that well, everything else falls into place.

Trusted Service, Proven Results...

Service isn’t just an afterthought at AllTerra Central — it’s a core part of how the company supports surveyors. Under Dan Gerlach’s leadership, the service team combines decades of expertise with flexible options to keep equipment in top condition and customers on schedule.

From fast-turnaround calibrations to expedited repairs and discounted rentals, AllTerra Central ensures that downtime doesn’t derail critical projects.

Ready to schedule service? Make a service request with AllTerra Central to get started.