Compact Tractor Dealers Ignore Two-thirds of Their Potential Website Customers, Industry Survey Shows

   / Compact Tractor Dealers Ignore Two-thirds of Their Potential Website Customers, Industry Survey Shows #1  

Cahaba Valley Farm

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Jan 13, 2020
Messages
1,648
Location
Somewhere Alabama
Tractor
Ford 3000
Good Works Tractors shared this survey in a video that was uploaded this morning to YouTube. There are two versions of the article which I provided below.


 
   / Compact Tractor Dealers Ignore Two-thirds of Their Potential Website Customers, Industry Survey Shows #2  
I'm not surprised.

I can imagine so many tire kickers, out of market people just looking to see if prices a little different than local dealers, people who are not really serious just playing around, etc....

Would hope if someone was serious they would pick up the phone and call or better yet come down, take a look, kick the tires and if serious start talking price.

I have sold lots of stuff on Kijiji (a very common online market place here) and I would say 100% of all texts/e-mails never buy, many are scammers and extreme low ballers. The serious ones and least take the time to call and come on down to see are the ones that tend to buy.

new stuff maybe no inspection needed but at least a call for a big ticket item.

my 2 cents from a "aged" consumer.
 
   / Compact Tractor Dealers Ignore Two-thirds of Their Potential Website Customers, Industry Survey Shows #3  
My neighbor owns a power sports dealership and represents one of the majors (not going to name them).

After a recent dealers meeting, he commented he had good to excellent numbers related to the numbers the manufacture tracks except for one. That was replies to e-mails. Apparently, in this case the manufacture sends test e-mails to the dealer. If they don't respond, that is a demerit on their performance which factors into overall performance rewards. Higher performing dealers enjoy lowered cost in the way of reduced shipping costs or promotions on certain parts and machines which means a higher profit margin for them.

Maybe some of the tractor manufactures should monitor their dealerships in this manner!??

Having said what I said, my experience in buying a tractor recently was positive with respect to answered e-mails and phone calls. The impression I get is there is still a lot of old school tractor dealerships out there who have not embraced an on line presence. Those that have not moved forward are leaving significant money on the table.
 
   / Compact Tractor Dealers Ignore Two-thirds of Their Potential Website Customers, Industry Survey Shows #4  
In my view (and my dealers view), anything net related is tire kicking or shopping for a low ball price. I seel my depreciated out equipment on Tractor House all the time and I never have them list my email address on the ad, just a phone number (landline) and set my price firm and I've never had any tire kickers but I have had unhappy potential buyers because my philosophy is, the first one to lay down a substantial CASH deposit, gets the item. I operate on the 'Early Bird Gets The Worm' principle. Always have.

I don't negotiate with low ball buyers either. It is what it is and I've already researched the asking price so don't bother me with some low ball bs, cause I'm not listening. I end those calls quickly and efficiently, I hang up on them.

Far as my dealer goes, he has a laptop and a printer which he only uses to consumate deals and he don't have a website either or an email address and don't want one. He does just fine without the 'electronic Highway' bothering him and yes, he's my age 71 and yes, he sells and services more units than an other dealer around here. In fact Kubota rates him as a 5 star dealer. We do everything on the landline or he drops by and sits in the kitchen and we has out the details. No glitz no pomp, just good old school way of handling a sale.

If you walked in his store, you'd probably be shocked as it don't look like any modern dealer. Looks more like some one's garage that anything else but in his case what you see and what it is are 2 distinctly different things and most everyone around here knows it and deals with him as well.

His shop is always busy too and not just with Kubota's. He works on everything, green included. I'm glad I'm considered a good customer for getting something serviced and not being , probably entails a long wait, if he even accepts doing the repair.

Case in point, I bought a brand new Kubota Premium round baler (net-twine) from him last fall, signed all the papers on it and had Kubota finance the balance and it's still sitting in his lot and has been all winter, even though I own it and am making payments on it. Saves me having to insure it for one and I'm in no hurry to take possession anyway and he's used it to show potential buyers the features on it. He even toted it to the local fair las fall as part of his display. New equipment is scarce today so I have no issue with any of it. Interestingly Kubota did, the called me and asked me how the new bailer was performing last fall and were completely taken back when I told them I didn't have it and where it actually was. I basically told them it was none of their business so long as the loan was current, which it is. Guess they called him as well and he told them we have an agreement and it was none of their concern anyway. All on a handshake how we do stuff out here in Flyover Country and I'm all good with it. he sells more than enough new Kubota's big and small for them not to make unnecessary waves. Smart on their part.
 
   / Compact Tractor Dealers Ignore Two-thirds of Their Potential Website Customers, Industry Survey Shows #5  
In my view (and my dealers view), anything net related is tire kicking or shopping for a low ball price.
Then your dealer would have lost my sale. Just bought a tractor that started with a series of emails and ended with a 50 hp. tractor in my barn.
 
   / Compact Tractor Dealers Ignore Two-thirds of Their Potential Website Customers, Industry Survey Shows #6  
Lots of older peopl don’t accept changes, and never will.

They eventually age out of the system, as we all do, and change and new ideas and ways of doing business happen anyway.

Change is inevitable, and clinging to old ways won’t stop it.
 
   / Compact Tractor Dealers Ignore Two-thirds of Their Potential Website Customers, Industry Survey Shows #7  
^ That's funny - sort of.

I questioned an older person on what they were going to do and was told "I've done it that way for 80 years, it's good enough now." This was while they were talking to someone on a cell phone. The subject under discussion had to with farming and there are safer ways to do the job than what they wanted to do but were unwilling to consider other ways of doing the job.
 
   / Compact Tractor Dealers Ignore Two-thirds of Their Potential Website Customers, Industry Survey Shows #8  
Then your dealer would have lost my sale. Just bought a tractor that started with a series of emails and ended with a 50 hp. tractor in my barn.
Yep, would have been 2 sales from me lost..... I purchased both my tractors after emailing, then phoning my dealers.... Bought both sight unseen.
 
   / Compact Tractor Dealers Ignore Two-thirds of Their Potential Website Customers, Industry Survey Shows #9  
When I bought my tractor I got prices from 3 dealers. I told them exactly what I was looking for and that I was paying for it. (Financing prearranged through my CU.) It wasn't until 10:30 the night before I was going to buy that I realized that the geared version doesn't have live PTO... had I realized it sooner I probably would have come up with the little extra for a 3901 instead.
 
   / Compact Tractor Dealers Ignore Two-thirds of Their Potential Website Customers, Industry Survey Shows #10  
I am looking for a skid steer attachment and found one online at a dealer in Arkansas. I emailed them from the equipment website and got no response. After 2 days, I called and was put on hold for 15 minutes, then I hung up. I called again the next day and was told the salesman was on the phone. I said I would call back later, which I never did.
I would say there was a 10% chance that I would buy this attachment, but it would have been nice to at least get a price.
 
 
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