Met with 5 or 6 Kubota Engineers from Japan today, they listened and asked questions

[JOHNTHOMAS]

John, yes you have owned several Kubotas but you're also an honest guy that will give a truthful answer and knows how the machine is supposed to function, and knows why or why not the tractor features work or don't work. That's great marketing info for them.
Interesting that they visited Barlows. Any idea if they going to other dealers?

I did tell them about owning a BX2350 and since I'd owned other Kubotas knew that it was WRONG with the jerk in revers and traded out of it real quick. No verbal response but some knowing looks and head nods. I don't know if they are going to other dealers. Was really just the man off the street with a request to attend the night before. Well I am one of their customers. I taught Marketing for several years at a Ky College. There are many methods of research and one is to obtain info from current owners and their satisfaction. Others can be very extensive and take days to weeks to do. I wasn't going to give them to many hours, no days or weeks for sure unless they fly me first class to Tokyo.:laughing: I felt their survey was spot on for their objective and other companys with other colored tractors probably need to do surveys of why they are losing customers or not getting them. Seems Kubota isn't as concerned about losing much to other Companys and I don't think they have much to be concerned about either. :laughing: They did want to know about my feelings concerning the drive on deck that another Company has. Told them it didn't mean anything to me but I believe that is in their sights./B]

I hope you told them to improve on the $2 plastic HST fan.

I did mention the plastic fan and there were some nods of understanding and looks of concern. I may remember later other bits of conversation.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Agree-makes the most sense regardless of what your product is to understand what drives your competitors success-or failure.

In this internet age I don't understasnd why more manufacturers don't make use of it for surveys. As always, key to any good survey is how it is designed but there are people who are paid to do that.

Kubota has always sent me a survey after purchasing a Kubota. Covers many aspects of Dealer, machine, etc, etc, etc. I can do it on the internet and usually do or mail it back which I never do. Surprised your Green Company (See you own Green and NO ORANGES) doesn't do that.

 

[hawkeye08]

JohnThomas, glad you had this opportunity. They got information from you about a variety of tractors and mowers, while if they had picked me, I could only tell them about one. If you get the chance to go to Japan ever, try and get a factory tour. I had an opportunity back in 2000 to spend a week in Osaka and working at the Hitachi computer storage factory. We (10 other engineers were also there) were treated very well. Other than the long plane ride, it was a great experience. I still have the factory hat somewhere from that trip.

 

[art]

John, yes you have owned several Kubotas but you're also an honest guy that will give a truthful answer and knows how the machine is supposed to function, and knows why or why not the tractor features work or don't work. That's great marketing info for them.
Interesting that they visited Barlows. Any idea if they going to other dealers?

They visit with dealers that move a lot of their inventory in the class of equipment they are working with. They will be in PA/NY area within the next week.

 

[art]

I hope you told them to improve on the $2 plastic HST fan.

Selling different brands opens up a whole can of worms when equipment is involved. Comparing manufacturer's I'd rather worry about a transmission getting warm over a stick getting into a hydraulic oil cooler that is leaking out the fluid needed to drive a tractor to where it could be worked on!

 

[sixdogs]

This kind of thing is why Kubota already is the big dog in the compact tractor market and why they are making inroads into the utility and larger class tractors. They are a first class tractor and first class business people.

 

[TomSeller]

This kind of thing is why Kubota already is the big dog in the compact tractor market and why they are making inroads into the utility and larger class tractors. They are a first class tractor and first class business people.

You got that right.

 

[jcummins]

I did tell them about owning a BX2350 and since I'd owned other Kubotas knew that it was WRONG with the jerk in revers and traded out of it real quick. No verbal response but some knowing looks and head nods. I don't know if they are going to other dealers. Was really just the man off the street with a request to attend the night before. Well I am one of their customers. I taught Marketing for several years at a Ky College. There are many methods of research and one is to obtain info from current owners and their satisfaction. Others can be very extensive and take days to weeks to do. I wasn't going to give them to many hours, no days or weeks for sure unless they fly me first class to Tokyo.:laughing: I felt their survey was spot on for their objective and other companys with other colored tractors probably need to do surveys of why they are losing customers or not getting them. Seems Kubota isn't as concerned about losing much to other Companys and I don't think they have much to be concerned about either. :laughing: They did want to know about my feelings concerning the drive on deck that another Company has. Told them it didn't mean anything to me but I believe that is in their sights./B]


I did mention the plastic fan and there were some nods of understanding and looks of concern. I may remember later other bits of conversation.

You missed the opportunity!!! You didn't ask about the desire to test out new equipment for them on your proven testing grounds...being a very experienced Kubota operator and owner.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

You missed the opportunity!!! You didn't ask about the desire to test out new equipment for them on your proven testing grounds...being a very experienced Kubota operator and owner.

I was afraid they'd do it and send truck loads of tractors and I'd never get caught up on my reading. :laughing:

 

[Herkypilot]

Another well documented problem is the jerky 3pt hitch on the L's and MX tractors. There are many posts on this site regarding this.