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

[LFP57]

I purchased a tractor from a dealership that has been in business for 45 years and is family owned. The two brothers that started the business are getting up in age and now have the children running the sales and other functions in the business. The business model the two brothers ran the company on seems to be gone, the children seem to just not care and have an attitude. During and after the sale, couldn't get them to answer emails and if they did, it did little to nothing to answer questions.

Considering that this is the direction the world is heading, emails and text messages are the norm for communicating and if you're in sales, that's what you're paid to do. Who would spend a large amount of money for a tractor and not shop around? These people just haven't figured it out yet, their attitude, not responding to text emails/texts are the reason they lost the sale.

Here's a perfect example of one person's experience.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

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.

I was just telling this to my wife, and she happens to know this dealership and deals with them on a regular basis. She works at a local LS tractor dealership. She will call them today and see if she can get a response.

I think the reason for the "call for price" listings is that prices are going up so fast that they are afraid to publish a price. About 2 years ago I bought a skid steer for 17,500 and today a similar skid steer is listed for about 27,000.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

I purchased a tractor from a dealership that has been in business for 45 years and is family owned. The two brothers that started the business are getting up in age and now have the children running the sales and other functions in the business. The business model the two brothers ran the company on seems to be gone, the children seem to just not care and have an attitude. During and after the sale, couldn't get them to answer emails and if they did, it did little to nothing to answer questions.

Considering that this is the direction the world is heading, emails and text messages are the norm for communicating and if you're in sales, that's what you're paid to do. Who would spend a large amount of money for a tractor and not shop around? These people just haven't figured it out yet, their attitude, not responding to text emails/texts are the reason they lost the sale.

Here's a perfect example of one person's experience.

Yep, what he was talking about in that video has been about my experience as well. Here's another example of some of the brain dead stuff you get when you go tractor shopping:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=669434060944446

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

I think the reason for the "call for price" listings is that prices are going up so fast that they are afraid to publish a price. About 2 years ago I bought a skid steer for 17,500 and today a similar skid steer is listed for about 27,000.

The industry was doing this long before covid or supply shortages.

 

[jyoutz]

Yep, would have been 2 sales from me lost..... I purchased both my tractors after emailing, then phoning my dealers.... Bought both sight unseen.

Me too. All email and phone dealings. I never saw my tractor until it was delivered.

 

[NCL4701]

if only the difference business focus was the reason for the poor service. My closest 'green' Deere dealership usually has 50-70% CUT or smaller on the lot. 2 trips to walk the lot, no salesperson even bothered to check with me.

I understand that some dealerships are different, but for the premium price on the green paint, the service should always be top notch. It is especially disappointing because it is part of the large regional chain. The disdain for the small-mid sized tractor buyers is palpable.

I thought you might be describing my local JD dealer but then saw you’re in Texas. Must not be unique to one dealer group.

 

[rScotty]

SNIP
I think the reason for the "call for price" listings is that prices are going up so fast that they are afraid to publish a price. About 2 years ago I bought a skid steer for 17,500 and today a similar skid steer is listed for about 27,000.

When I was a machinery dealer I simply bought at one price - either cash or IOU - so I immediately knew what I had to sell it for.

I don't know how dealers do their buying today - but from what I hear it is a maze of dealership points, floor planning, promotions, deliveries, and financing from several sources.
It could be that without having a sale at a certain price in hand the dealer is a bit lost. He may not even know what price spread he is working with.
rScotty

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

When I was a machinery dealer I simply bought at one price - either cash or IOU - so I immediately knew what I had to sell it for.

I never knew you were a machinery dealer Scotty! What did you sell?

 

[rScotty]

I never knew you were a machinery dealer Scotty! What did you sell?

Motorcycles and used machine tools.

 

[Username Taken]

I was just telling this to my wife, and she happens to know this dealership and deals with them on a regular basis. She works at a local LS tractor dealership. She will call them today and see if she can get a response.

I think the reason for the "call for price" listings is that prices are going up so fast that they are afraid to publish a price. About 2 years ago I bought a skid steer for 17,500 and today a similar skid steer is listed for about 27,000.

My understanding is that the OEM doesn't want Dealerships getting into price wars. So, if you list it for Suggested Retail or do a 'call for price' listing, the OEM will cost-share in the expense of the Ad with the Dealer.

I find it to be senseless. Completely and totally beyond senseless and way into 'stupid'. I'm talking Sears stupid people. So there's that. There are reasons why but that can get long-winded. The OEM isn't doing them a lot of favors with that bit of lunacy

I drove 2 hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic with my wife to buy her car with her. I hate, HATE, dealing with idiot salesmen that think they're slick. That try absurd 'trial close' methods and ask closed-end questions. It seriously ticks me off. I'm like, 'Save it for your 3rd grade students'.

So I drove to Brandon, Brandon Ford. They're like 'Here's the price, take it or leave it'. It's clear, it's plain as day, it's written down, no surprise prep fees or any other BS. It's full disclosure, up front. Every nickel. And you never have to worry about whether or not you got the best possible deal at the time because -- You did. Nobody ese is getting a better deal. They're not rude. At all. Just matter-of-fact businessmen and women. No song and dance, no razzle-dazzle, no 'Bring your Wife by and we'll dicker' kind of stupidity.

Last year, they were the biggest Ford Dealer in the World. They're not every year, but a lot. When I was there looking at an F-250 (I bought a Ram CTD instead), they had over 1,200 (one thousand two hundred) trucks on the Lot. On.The.Lot.

The problem we have here, with unresponsive Tractor Dealers, is really simple. They're terrible businessmen. Amateurs. Mister Haney types. Carnie Barkers instead of salespeople.

While it is sad that Mom and Pop places keep getting shuttered...... It's their own fault. You don't have to be a sooper-star or have an MBA. Just do your freaking job and don't dikk people around.

And if you have employees that won't do their jobs, they need to take it on down the road.

simple