Honest dealers..............

[montanaman]

In my opinion, I work pretty hard to see that my customers are happy with the products they buy from me and the level of service I offer. I am far from wealthy from running this business, but I have to believe that by treating people the way they should be treated, I will experience steady growth.

Yesterday, I had an older man come in with a MS250 chainsaw mentioning that he thought the compression was getting too high. He said he just could not get it started but the dealer he took it to a few days ago had no trouble getting it running. They told him that for about $100, they could look at it for him and see if there was a problem. He explained to me that he didn't want to put that much into it but wondered if I could look at it for him. I told him I would give it a quick look over for any engine damage that could be causing it to start to seize, but I compared it to a new on the shelf saw and told him they felt about the same. I told him it would only take a few minutes and I wouldn't charge him a dime.

I ordered a gasket for a guy who had a trimmer at this same dealer and they charged him $80 to repair it and told him they couldn't find out why it wouldn't run?? He told them when he left it there that he didn't want to put more than $60 into it and they called him later and said they were into $80 and it still wasn't running?????

The truth is, I think this guy is just getting up into the years where he can't do the things that he used to be able to do. I know people don't like to hear this or admit this, but there is nothing wrong with this saw, yet a dealer was willing to take $100 from him to find nothing wrong??

I'm really glad he came in to see me. If he still wants to cut a little wood, I can always offer to set it up with the easy starting system for him and it will cost him less than he could have been charged to get nothing. The truth is, it's more than likely a good time for him to hang up the saw and I know that it can't be easy when that time comes.............

Ken

 

[bontai_Joe]

My Deere dealer was a lot like you, one of many reasons I liked doing business with him, Hey I might pay 50 cents more for a quart of oil than I would at the mega dept. store, but it was worth it to me. Unfortunately Deere is yanking the franchises of over 3500 small dealers in favor of Home Depot. He is good enough that he will stay in businesss as an independant shop. I've experienced the "other" kind of dealers as well. I can think of 2 right off the top of my head that are no longer in business, word gets out about bad service, just like it does about guys like you that give good service

 

[Fordlords]

This is where customer service is so important. Still to this day, most siblings do not wander much more than 50 miles from home, and that is where the old man will come in play to recommend someone in town who knows what they are doing. There are some things the kids can buy at a box store that they can handle on their own, and others they can't- yard care equipment usually fits the latter bill. That everything today has to be about making the almighty dollar rather than making people happy and satisfied is very sad.

-Fordlords-

 

[Shantycoke]

A person can appreciate what you did for the older fella, and word of mouth is the best thing (or worst) a dealer can have. You helping him out will probably benefit you for years to come. You treated him like a human being and showed him some respect, which is what people look for when they're about to spend some money. The local Deere dealership put the screws to me, and for that reason, I won't even consider John Deere products. Not because they're bad tractors, because I don't think they are, but because the horses backside that runs the place took me for an imbecile, and he is a representative of John Deere. I've spent thousands and thousands of dollars at the local Kubota dealership simply because the fella that runs it is a gem, and I recommend him constantly. On the other hand, I've probably steered 50 people away from the other guy. Not saying I cost him 50 sales, but lots of people won't even consider him due to the way he treated not only me, but others who dealt with him.
You sound like a good guy, and I hope you and your business prosper for it.
Pat

 

[JiminGa]

A person can appreciate what you did for the older fella, and word of mouth is the best thing (or worst) a dealer can have. You helping him out will probably benefit you for years to come. You treated him like a human being and showed him some respect, which is what people look for when they're about to spend some money. The local Deere dealership put the screws to me, and for that reason, I won't even consider John Deere products. Not because they're bad tractors, because I don't think they are, but because the horses backside that runs the place took me for an imbecile, and he is a representative of John Deere. I've spent thousands and thousands of dollars at the local Kubota dealership simply because the fella that runs it is a gem, and I recommend him constantly. On the other hand, I've probably steered 50 people away from the other guy. Not saying I cost him 50 sales, but lots of people won't even consider him due to the way he treated not only me, but others who dealt with him.
You sound like a good guy, and I hope you and your business prosper for it.
Pat

sorry to here your deere dealer sucks, but that in no way reflects all Deere Dealers!

 

[Shantycoke]

sorry to here your deere dealer sucks, but that in no way reflects all Deere Dealers!

I guess it came across that way, but I did not intend to put down all Deere dealers. I know there is good and bad in everything. The point I was trying to make was that I have a JD dealership and a Kubota dealership nearby. I didn't even consider JD because of the guy that runs it. I did purchase a Kubota tractor, loved it, and bought 2 more. Tommy Pytash and his employees treat me like a human being and a friend, which equals out to thousands and thousands of dollars for them. I have also sent some friends to talk to him, and he sold some tractors to them. You reap what you sow, and I hope that the original poster prospers if he treats all his customers the way he treated the older gent that came to him for help.
Pat

 

[Tig]

I bought my B7100 from a Kubota dealer....... I won't buy anything else from them and I drove past them to buy a more expensive snow blower from the JD dealer. The JD dealer treated me like a customer, good guys.

 

[JiminGa]

I agree the OP did the right thing, I hope he is blessed with more customers than he can handle.