Are CUT Manufacturers Smart Enough to Follow TBN?

[airbiscuit]

I am always impressed with the quality of content on TBN. There is a lot of legitimate information about poorly designed or incomplete websites, quirky design features, quality issues, ideas for improvement, etc. I would think it would be a gold mine for marketing research. The question is, are they smart enough to pay attention or TBNers considered a bunch of rubes?

 

[TheMadOne]

I assume Messicks passes on things to Kubota, but TBN isn't really a brain trust. I'd give good odds that anything big that makes its way onto here has already been taken to a dealer, probably rather boisterously and at great length.

Frankly we're a fairly small site, and while we may be focused on a certain sector, we represent a drop in the ocean of SCUT and CUT ownership.

I can tell you now that if Kubota really listened to TBN the standard L models would no longer come with turnbuckles, and would have a factory TNT option, since those are the two most often recited changes to be made to one of those models.

 

[ultrarunner]

Kubota offered a seat upgrade for BX owners... the word was TBN had a lot to do with it.

 

[AxleHub]

Sites like TBN have a surprise factor to tractor makers. For many years manufacturers got used to the idea that they build and the customers "will come". I don't think they recognized the power "choice" gives to prospects.

Sites like TBN demonstrate a different level of awareness. . . both for the good or bad. They demonstrate decision making that is not "paint color biased" in some cases that manufacturers aren't used to. In short, sites like TBN can show a changing awareness of competition that has some basis beyond casual stubborn opinions formed by advertising of 25 years ago.

Manufacturers used to be focused o big equipment importance, but today dealers and manufacturers are running out of the big easy selling prospects (as a percentage of volume).

Can TBN sway a marketplace? I don't think so. But it can affirm buyer's motivation to express opinions to dealers and manufacturers that can make a difference. On any topic or issue, if you thought your opinion was a quantity of 1 or 2 isolated people. . . You could be easily swayed. But when you discover "reasoned agreement" with others. . . then you're not so easily swayed by sales people/dealers/manufacturers. Jmho

 

[RickB]

I assume Messicks passes on things to Kubota, but TBN isn't really a brain trust. I'd give good odds that anything big that makes its way onto here has already been taken to a dealer, probably rather boisterously and at great length.

Frankly we're a fairly small site, and while we may be focused on a certain sector, we represent a drop in the ocean of SCUT and CUT ownership.

I can tell you now that if Kubota really listened to TBN the standard L models would no longer come with turnbuckles, and would have a factory TNT option, since those are the two most often recited changes to be made to one of those models.

Tubular stabilizers and TNT are both dealer installed accessories for the L series. There are sound logistical reasons both are not factory options. If your dealer can’t handle those installs, you probably should find a different dealer.

 

[Oldoak]

I assume Messicks passes on things to Kubota, but TBN isn't really a brain trust. I'd give good odds that anything big that makes its way onto here has already been taken to a dealer, probably rather boisterously and at great length.

Frankly we're a fairly small site, and while we may be focused on a certain sector, we represent a drop in the ocean of SCUT and CUT ownership.

I can tell you now that if Kubota really listened to TBN the standard L models would no longer come with turnbuckles, and would have a factory TNT option, since those are the two most often recited changes to be made to one of those models.

I believe you pretty much hit it.

Most manufacturers occupy their time running the business and most likely get their feed back from their distributors and dealerships rather than spending valuable time on internet blog sites gleaning individual responses.

 

[Texasmark]

Tubular stabilizers and TNT are both dealer installed accessories for the L series. There are sound logistical reasons both are not factory options. If your dealer can稚 handle those installs, you probably should find a different dealer.

Not to interrupt the train of thought, but my little off brand who would have ever thought, Kukje who, Branson came standard with them and a lot more whistles and bells like air compressor high back seat, arm rests, adjustable tilt, adjustable lumbar, tilt and telescoping steering and on and on.........

On the big vs small, my take is that as farms consolidate and get corporate management, a great idea for farming efficiency if you ask me, there is a shrinking of the holes into which you plug equipment. However, the small operations, especially around here, keep growing and growing in number and every one of them has to have a tractor or two and implements and on and on.

IRS site published a comment a year or so ago that the majority of food in the US was grown by small farmers who were in the hole $5k on average, on their Schedule Fs.

On the "we will build what we want and the masses will just have to buy it", I recall a GM CEO saying that many tens of years ago, only to have Toyota and Datsun enter the market place a few years later and baby, life hasn't been the same.

On OEMs design teams pulling up sites like TBN and gleaning design ideas, if you don't think they do, you missed it. With competition being what it is in the small tractor market, an OEM wouldn't last long without satisfying customer's needs.

That's what made green great in the 60's when cotton was king around here. They had folks out in the field....1st hand knowledge......seeing what the farmers needed, getting it back to the designers and getting it out the door. Seems red had problems at the top at the time and missed that GOLDEN opportunity.

Instance referenced herein was 60 miles from the local dealership (which was a good sized operation) but the owner made the trip frequently to get first hand feedback. As a result, that dealer is part of a multi-million dollar operation today and there is no red dealer in town, nor orange of which I am aware.

So why isn't there any green in my lineup today? I had numerous green and blue over the years and when I retired, I was looking for something "cushey" to suit me in my after years. Branson won that toss. Still a lot of green implements however and my Branson 6530C can run every one of them.

 

[smstonypoint]

IRS site published a comment a year or so ago that the majority of food in the US was grown by small farmers who were in the hole $5k on average, on their Schedule Fs.

Source?

Steve

 

[Tractorable]

In my opinion, manufacturers would be wise to follow TBN for feedback. The only manufacturers/dealers I've seen on here making posts are Messick's Kubota and Yanmar Tractor. Messick's also has a great number of balanced videos on YouTube which has to be great for Kubota sales. Other manufacturers would be wise to have an articulate spokesperson post videos of their products.

I'm also seeing a number of manufacturers seek out YouTube personalities and provide them with equipment to use in their videos. This has happened with Yanmar providing Wranglerstar with a new YT359 and also with RK providing Outdoors with the Morgan's a new ~60hp RK tractor.

I know, TBN should start their own video series on YouTube. Where's Jeff9366 when you need him!

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

Most of the people at the tractor companies are aware of TBN, it's a respectable source of info. I'd hesitate to say its a great resource though. A certain kind of person comes here, and does not really reflect the average consumer.