to change the thread direction a tad....
here are the things i really appreciate about my local john deere dealer:
1. they are Always there [during planting and harvesting season - the shop is open all hours of the night] (sales weasels don't do weekends, and are gone by 5)
2. the owners & workers all grew up here and know the land.
[most farm too]
3. if i am having a problem, they are trying to fix it.
4. i get sound advice and no b.s.
5. they happen to be a couple of miles away [in the other direction, mind you - maybe they could move?]
6. found out later that the son of a neighbor works there. [too late for a family-friend discount though]
7. service. fast, correct, no hassles.
8. rentals
9. family business for generations. [and i would assume that most dealers are]
i shopped all of the colors for what i was looking for, the deere people had the best fit.
did i get the best price? maybe, there are other deere dealers farther away that are certainly closer to me than some of you have to go to find any dealer at all.
did i get the best value? yes - i am CERTAIN of that.
10. they know me by name, know what projects i do.
11. they ask me how the tractor is, have i had any problems?
12. you can't tell the difference between a friend and a customer. [well, friends get their own coffee maybe]
now i have not bought all of my attachments from them, i have some used stuff from an old retired farmer [another neighbor] that sells some stuff to supplement his income.
but, i do buy all of my parts/liquids/etc from the deere people. and if there is ever a mechanical problem that i don't want to mess with - service is only a phone call away.
why?
they have earned it.
it isn't likely that i will be a customer of mr. carver since he does not live near me, and i am pretty sure that he won't mind that one bit.
why? because i think mr. carver is just like my dealer.
he is doing business on his own merits the best way that he can.
i am still learning a lot from mr. carver and the other dealers here [and all of you owners too].
sorry if this went a bit long, i get 'preachy' now & then.
diggernh, be sure to hug that wife of yours and thank her for the rest of us! [we want to use her as a role model for all wives]