Arrogant dealer

[CinderSchnauzer]

Agreed.

The arrogance of John Deere dealers has been discussed, numerous times and reported by numerous TBN members in numerous states. This theme has emerged over the past several years. Many have looked at Kubota and competing makes...you may wish to consider this path as well.

Looking at other colors may well be a good idea, but let's kill the myth right now that arrogance is limited to the JD stores. First time I looked for a tractor I went to Red / Green / Orange - you name it.
The Orange Kioti store gave me a "quote" as a single $$ amount written on the back of a brochure. Same with the first Orange Kubota store. At the second Orange Kubota store I was standing there talking with the sales rep when someone else came along, basically butted in with some questions and the sales rep started talking to him, answering his questions and totally ignored me. He didn't even notice when I walked out the door. The Owner didn't seem too concerned when I phoned him to mention why I would never be back.

The Red MF store talked to me, let me test drive and gave me a quote with at least some details, but basically hand written on a piece of paper. The second Red store spent time, answered question, did the test drive and gave computer generated quote with MSRP and a discount.

Both the Green JD stores talked, did the test drive, gave computer quotes with discount etc. I picked the closest JD store, had lots more discussion and factory ordered with a sizable discount. Between tractors, lawn machines, ATV's, my son and myself have probably spent $100K there in the last 6 years.

Neither of us has spent a dime at the Red / Orange stores.

So by all means, take a look at the other colors, but don't be surprised to learn the bad apples come in more than one color.

 

[sixdogs]

Agreed. The days of an arrogant dealer charging retail and being snotty about it are declining rapidly. Oh, they'll still pick up a nubie now and then but the smart shopper now has the internet to shop what has become a global market. This truly is the golden age.

 

[forgeblast]

It seems to me when your business is based on customer service that should come first. I have worked retail and I also have my own side business. Every person I come in contact with is a potential customer. I treat them as such. Because of this I have gotten 3 nice commissioned work jobs. Just by being nice, listening to them, treating them as a customer even if they did not buy something that day.
We all have bad days but when your in customer service you have to remember your the point of contact for the business, you cannot have a bad day. Sorry soapbox off, but after working in customer service I have to vent.

 

[daugen]

Forgeblast, you sound like a very nice guy to do business with, just what a guy like me would look for. My local Kubota dealer owner is a genuinely nice guy. So is his wife. They take my money with a smile and say thank you, and give super service. If the store had been green instead of orange, I'm sure the experience would be the same.

We only have one JD store in our county now, and they seem uninterested in my business. Only half a dozen tractors out front. Pretty lame actually. The local Kubota dealer is packed with equipment with just about the entire line represented, with attachments on and ready to demo. Wasn't a hard choice for me.

 

[jmc]

Many years ago I left a large JD dealership when the two young, brash salesmen started making fun of the fact that I owned a Ford tractor. I've bought a lot of stuff since then but not there.

I started a thread here, maybe 5 years ago, referencing an article in the Wall Street Journal about JD's strategy of consolidating their dealerships to avoid competition between dealerships. I think they were telling dealers to get bigger or get out.

But just to play the devil's advocate, some dealer neglect may be from misjudging a potential customer. They need to separate the serious customer from the tire kickers somehow. Still, that's no excuse for bad manners.

 

[jmc]

Many years ago I left a large JD dealership when the two young, brash salesmen started making fun of the fact that I owned a Ford tractor. I've bought a lot of stuff since then but not there.

I started a thread here, maybe 5 years ago, referencing an article in the Wall Street Journal about JD's strategy of consolidating their dealerships to avoid competition between dealerships. I think they were telling dealers to get bigger or get out.

But just to play the devil's advocate, some dealer neglect may be from misjudging a potential customer. They need to separate the serious customer from the tire kickers somehow. Still, that's no excuse for bad manners.

Here's that JD thread I mentioned above:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...05922-john-deere-weeding-out-dealerships.html

 

[sixdogs]

...



We only have one JD store in our county now, and they seem uninterested in my business. Only half a dozen tractors out front. Pretty lame actually. The local Kubota dealer is packed with equipment with just about the entire line represented, with attachments on and ready to demo. Wasn't a hard choice for me.

This is why I say the other dealers have literally given away their small tractor business and Kubota has been in the best position to capitalize on it. Some day the other makers will rue the day but by then Kubota will be the elephant in the room.

 

[Furu]

Looking at other colors may well be a good idea, but let's kill the myth right now that arrogance is limited to the JD stores. First time I looked for a tractor I went to Red / Green / Orange - you name it.

I have gone to the local Kubota dealer several times. Not only to look at their tractors several years ago but also implements. Yes JD; may think their stuff is gold plated or solid gold but the Kubota dealer not only was a "bit" arrogant and dismissive but at least their prices were OUTRAGEOUSLY high and out of sight. I returned years later to look at a Landpride RBT 35 and 40 series blade and was not only shocked by their quote but their attitude had not changed even though the salesman had. I ended up buying a RBT 40 series blade for less than they (Kubota dealer) had quoted for a 35 series. (bought from a JD dealer that was in a different mega chain than my normal JD dealer mega-chain, just 50 miles further away)

Point is it is not the color/brand that is the issue.
It is the dealership, the owner and the attitude that the owner allows/fosters with/from his sales-folks.
When my local JD dealer got gobbled up by the mega group the same sales guy had an attitude change (not for the good) as far as his pricing flexibility.
Parts folks saw no change at all only in the sales area.

 

[ajd187]

I don't think that it is a JD issue either.

when I was looking I shopped JD, Kubota, Massey and Kioti (the latter were the same dealership).

The worst one was the Massey/Kioti dealer. They were ok to deal with, but priced at list. Even with competing offers from the JD and Kubota dealers on a similar model for thousands less, they would not budge on their list price offer by a penny.

The JD dealer is part of a mega-group of 6 stores of the same ownership. They sell so many subcompacts that they price bottom line and sell by volume.

 

[BHD]

John Deere has been consolidating there dealer ships, our local mega deal has just joined a super mega dealer out of western Nebraska,
in some states there are only two or three actual dealers, they may have many locations,

21st Century Equipment - Store Locations - 21st Century Equipment LLC. - 1-800-682-5121 - Alliance | Bridgeport | Gordon | Imperial | Ogallala | Sidney

http://www.4riversequipment.com/locations/

some have the same name and some keep there old names but still owned by one person/corp.

list of Colorado JD dealers John Deere Dealers in Colorado - Find Colorado John Deere Dealers

so depending no where one lives, finding another dealers may be hard,