Dealerships With Attitude

[bp fick]

On so many occasions, posters have stated that they didn't buy Orange or didn't buy Green because their visit to a dealer in their area was a bad experience. Phrases like "they couldn't be bothered", or "they thought their stuff was just sooooo all that", or "wouldn't give me the time of day" or "were full of themselves", etc.

Because these reports come from all areas and seem to be equally aimed at Kubota and Deere alike, this thought occurs to me.

These dealerships do have expensive, top selling equipment. No doubt a long list of posters will now follow with their experience, telling us once again, how this color dealer in their area is bad, while this other color dealer in their area is great. That's been done to death here.

What DOES need to be discussed is specifics on what, from a customer's point of view, needs to happen when visiting a tractor dealer?

Can we agree that color is likely irrelevant? I hope so. The issue isn't color, as one must assume good and bad, strong and weak dealerships come in every color.

How can a dealership effectively greet, effectively treat its customers? Please bear in mind that into that dealership will likely walk everything from a fellow looking for a $4000 yard machine, to a gal looking to buy a new $200,000 tractor, to someone who needs help with getting the right filter for his compact. It's an awfully tall order dealing with the expectations, needs and personalities of a clientele that diverse, one would think.

 

[forester2]

Wow; what a tough topic to nail down a response but here's my try.
1) I want to be taken seriously if I ask a specific question or ask a price. If I'm out just tire kicking, I'll say so. Had numerous time when I had a possible interest in something only to be 'blown off'. Which brings me to my second point...
2) Followup: if you say you're going to do something wether it it be checking on a attachment or looking at a trade in, do it or say you can't.

When either of these occur, I find myself just going elsewhere.

 

[EddieWalker]

I was disapointed by some dealers because the saleman wouldnt answer my questions. Why is this tractor worth $4,000 more than the other brand with similar features? The answer, "it just is." Which didn't work for me. I also like for them to be honest with me and when I ask a question to an answer that I already know, they should either admit to not knowing the answer, or tell me the truth. I'm guilty of playing games with salesmen to see if they are honest, and when I catch them lying to me on something that I know, but pretend not to know, then I doubt everything else that they tell me. I do this with all salesmen, not just tractors and implements. I ran into allot of BS from my local dealers and went with the guy that I felt was honest and willing to send the time with me to show me what he had to sell, and discuss the pros and cons comared to the other brands and models. There isn't a perfect tractor out there and the guy selling it should know why his is better then the other brands, but also why it's better.

Eddie



Eddie

 

[robertwhite]

It's an awfully tall order dealing with the expectations, needs and personalities of a clientele that diverse, one would think.

No it's not. It is a VERY, VERY simple thing to say......... "Hi, is there anything I can help you with today" when a customer walks through the door. Doesn't matter if the customer is just looking for an oil filter or the $200K machine as the dealer won't know until he says hello.

I have found that most dealers with attitudes don't even like to get up off there lazy *****, nevermind greet you.

 

[Lt CHEG]

I certainly don't expect a dealer to drop everything they're doing when I walk into the dealership. With that said that's pretty much the service that I received from the dealer where I bought my tractor from. You would have thought I was outfitting a small construction company instead of buying a $30,000 CUT from the attention I received from my dealer. I made sure they knew how much I appreciated this as well.

With that said, the problem that I kept having with dealers was when they would simply say that their color was the best and that all other colors were garbage. They wouldn't offer any reason why the other tractors were crap, just that I should take their word as gospel. Frankly, I found this attitude primarily with the dealers that just sold Kubota. Now I have no problem with a dealer thinking that their product is the best, frankly I would expect it. But just saying that their tractor is the best and all others are junk doesn't make it so. What I am looking for is some evidence why one is better than the other, the pump on this tractor is built stronger than that tractor or the loader on this machine has more lift capacity than that machine, etc. Some dealers have got that part figured out, others do not. I bought from a dealer that knew their product, knew their competition and even said favorable things about their competition but were still able to explain the advantages of their equipment. I am glad that i did so, and would buy more from them in the future.

 

[keyman1808]

Treat everyone as a serious customer. I dont like being ignored because I am wearing jeans and the guy who comes in after me is wearing a suit and everyone goes to the suit and ignores me. Just because he dresses expensive doesn't mean he will buy. Sometimes I dress like that on purpose just to see how I will be treated. BTW I own my own company and I treat everyone the way I want to be treated if I walked into thier store with RESPECT.

 

[Big Bri]

No it's not. It is a VERY, VERY simple thing to say......... "Hi, is there anything I can help you with today" when a customer walks through the door. Doesn't matter if the customer is just looking for an oil filter or the $200K machine as the dealer won't know until he says hello.

I have found that most dealers with attitudes don't even like to get up off there lazy *****, nevermind greet you.

This is the way my dealer is. you walk and stand on the sales floor, while the sales men sit in their offices looking at you through their glass windows.
After 5 min the parts guy ask if you need any help, you reply yes your looking for a BB or RR or what ever. Parts guy gets on the loud speaker and says " sales man to the sale floor" when they come out they look like a used car sales man. you tell them what you want and then their phone rings "i be right back with you" and they spend 10 min on the phone. I don't understand, i there with money in hand and your going to go answer questions on the phone.
I drove 2 hrs to buy my tractor, and have not bought any attachments form my local dealer, most have been bought 30 min away.

 

[bdeboer]

Treat everyone with respect. Get answers if you do not have them, and follow up. I am always entertained by the salesman (lack of knowledge) grabbing the brochure when asked about common options. I can understand pricing questions and details like horsepower.

 

[LostInTheWoods]

Attitude is everything. Good sales, to me, is simply treating everyone like you'd want to be treated. Common sense. You don't have to drop everything you're doing when I walk in the door, but a "Hey, how are ya. My name's _______, and I'll be with you just as soon as I finish ________"

I don't much care to see three people look up at me as I walk through the showroom, then go back to staring at their monitors. (Happened to me at one of the "big name" tractor dealers. Same dealer told me (after I walked up to someone and asked if I could get help) that I could walk around and look at the tractors and come back in and ask. Same dealer also told me when I started asking about prices, that "you've got to pay green to get Green" (guess which dealer I was at). I wasn't wearing an Armani suit, but I'm pretty sure I didn't look destitute.

The folks selling "Orange" were just the opposite, and had every bit the record for reliability as the "Green" folks (at better prices).

Guess who got my business....

 

[CBW1999]

The best experience I have had, regardless of the item being purchased usually has the same components involved-

1. When They acknowledge you are there when you walk through the door. Even if it is just to say hello and that they will be with me shortly- it shows their interest in every customer. Too many times I have stood around and waited without anyone saying anything to me- while personal conversations are finished first, even worse is when I approach and speak first- interrupting their conversation- the looks given....

2. When they stay attentive to answering my questions on a small commission item vs. running over to shmooze the customer looking at a big purchase potentially. I actually had a salesman walk away from me without finishing his own answer!

3. Mutual respect- understand that I have done some research and may need some more education on the products rather than just telling me what I do or do not want. I also respect that they (should) know their products and I should be open to learning from them.

4. The salesman knows his products very well. But will admit when he needs to look something up to be accurate.

When I bought my tractor, I had not done too much research into specific models. The salesman spent a lot of time asking me questions about what I wanted a tractor for and asking a lot of questions about the land I would use it on- before really discussing specific models.

I had the idea in my head that a smaller tractor meant I could get more toys to go with it. He went over a lot of features on each model and what would be a plus or minus for me needs. Once I began learning, I realized what would be the best for my needs. I met with him 3 or 4 times to ask questions and he always was happy to help me. In the end, the purchase I made was based on the salesman taking the time to educate me, walk around and show me the different models and tolerate my annoying behaviors..... His value of maintaining customer service is what makes him successful in the things he does. He has since left that dealership and unfortunately- the example he set has not been maintained.