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

[NCL4701]

For some dealers it isn’t the technology involved in the communication, the lack of response to internet and email inquiries is just an extension of their lack of response to customers in general. One of the reasons I have a Kubota is when I walked into the local JD dealer with a $60K cash budget for a 50hp +/- basic open station tractor and a few implements a couple years ago (pre-COVID) they made it pretty clear they didn’t have time to talk to me about anything then or later. I’d be quite shocked if that dealer is any better at responding to inquiries by any other means.

I’ll admit I probably wasn’t dressed like I had $6, much less $60K but I really didn’t think I’d have to put on my suit to buy a tractor.

 

[Pleease]

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.

Yes - market speed (if that's the right term) changes with the scope and speed of the media available to facilitate it. Today markets have become more and more fluid due to the immediate availability of so much product and price info.

(BTW I'm 64, and most peers that I know seem pretty tuned into online info, etc., too.)

 

[rScotty]

If a dealer doesn't respond to my emails, I find another one who will. My LS came from a dealer who emailed me about it as I was in the market for a new tractor, but the one I got had 12 hours plus 1 year old, however, it was much bigger than the one I was looking at, so for 2.5k less than the new price of a 32 hp tractor, I got one that was 46hp and took over the original buyers payments and the dealer honored the warranty change over (5yr warranty was 4 yr for me but no problems at all with it)...what a great deal, all by email and my financial institution even took care of the paperwork via email and electronic signature. I only went in person to the dealer to test both the 32hp and the 46hp and the sale negotiating and closing was all electronic.

That sounds to me like you were extremely experienced with tractors and their features before you ever started looking for a new tractor. That's not always the case, and it can be difficult for a buyer to evaluate just how much he knows about a subject. One of the responders on this thread said he would have bought differently if he had known what was meant by a "live PTO".

I buy some things electronically - but not all things. It depends on how much I know.

I guess I'm saying that buying electronicallyworks best when a person is familiar with the product. Otherwise it can be a gamble.
rScotty

 

[houska]

The craziness of the past 2 years aside, there's a generational shift occurring.

As a tech-y about-to-turn-50-y.o., I'm used to doing all sorts of stuff by email. Sure, sometimes you need to discuss with some back and forth, and then phone or in person works better. But whatever is a simple Q-and-A is so much easier by email. No one needs to find the other guy and yank them out of what they're doing (them: with another customer? counting number of widgets in stock? gone fishing? me: driving? bush hogging and barely in cell phone range? doing my day job?). No one needs to scribble down illegible notes with greasy fingers to keep a record of what was discussed.

My 20-y.o. nieces talk with their friends (and boyfriends) by text far more than on the phone or even in person. To me that's weird, just like my preference for email over phone for business stuff is weird to my 65+y.o. friends. But it shows which way the world is going.

If I have reason to believe a Good Dealer is old-school, prefers phone, and it's worth my time to call, I'll do so. After all, it may be to my benefit, and it's a measure of basic human politeness to try to adapt to the other's communication preference. But that goes the other way too; I'd love to see some sign he's trying to adapt, and if he's not, it's an extra barrier to him getting my business.

 

[ddbackhoe]

Most of them these days don't have a clue anyway and the combined experience and knowledge of this community is unassailable.

Yes, exactly. IMHO, why let an uninformed sales person steer your decision? Absolutely hate it when they try to use bs and scare tactics (sale ends tomorrow, low inventory, etc.)

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

For some dealers it isn’t the technology involved in the communication, the lack of response to internet and email inquiries is just an extension of their lack of response to customers in general.

 

[71bronco]

I just recently purchased a new Kioti CX2510. I've left emails, kijiji messages and phone messages for Dealers that never returned my messages or called. I was on my 4th dealer before I found one 2 hours away and completed a purchase there. I do find that Customer service has taken a hit lately and just doesn't seem to be as it was before. I was a cash buyer and I paid him a deposit when I ordered and the balance in full when I picked it up. I was about the easiest Customer to have because I knew exactly what I wanted, I did not try to talk them down in price and I paid for my tractor in full before loading it on my trailer for its new forever home.

The first 3 could have made some easy money if they'd returned my calls, emails etc.

I like handshakes too. But the world just doesn't seem to have enough Honorable people left in it these days.

I went to a NH dealer looking for a 30+ hp tractor. Told him I was just starting to look and was comparing brands. Asked for a price on one he had and he said he would have to call me so I gave him my info. He called a month later with the price. I told him he was a month too late.

Jeff

 

[charles todd]

When I bought my tractor I was a cash buyer. My local dealer quoted me msrp and would not budge. I went home got on the phone and made some phone calls. I took the best deal back to him and said meet it or beat it. I went on a road trip to pick my machine up about 2 weeks later. I did the same thing when I ordered the backhoe for it. Some dealers make enough money and don’t want to take care of a customer that drives by there lot every day to and from work and has spent a ton of money on parts and other things there over the years. I won’t even give him a small parts sale now I will drive the next closest dealer or order parts and filters online just to spite him

Same story here. Bought my tractor from dealer 30 miles away because he worked with me. The dealer I drive by everyday is 4 miles away. I have not bought ANYTHING from local dealer since 2014.

CT

 

[shecub]

That's always been a beef of mine. Price is an important consideration any time that I make a major purchase. If they don't want me "tire kicking", make the price easily available... and I' don't mean "What is the payment?"

I agree. I was considering two different brands of tractor after researching online but one did not list prices so I didn't go look at the tractors there.

 

[PuffyC]

The craziness of the past 2 years aside, there's a generational shift occurring.

As a tech-y about-to-turn-50-y.o., I'm used to doing all sorts of stuff by email. Sure, sometimes you need to discuss with some back and forth, and then phone or in person works better. But whatever is a simple Q-and-A is so much easier by email. No one needs to find the other guy and yank them out of what they're doing (them: with another customer? counting number of widgets in stock? gone fishing? me: driving? bush hogging and barely in cell phone range? doing my day job?). No one needs to scribble down illegible notes with greasy fingers to keep a record of what was discussed.

My 20-y.o. nieces talk with their friends (and boyfriends) by text far more than on the phone or even in person. To me that's weird, just like my preference for email over phone for business stuff is weird to my 65+y.o. friends. But it shows which way the world is going.

If I have reason to believe a Good Dealer is old-school, prefers phone, and it's worth my time to call, I'll do so. After all, it may be to my benefit, and it's a measure of basic human politeness to try to adapt to the other's communication preference. But that goes the other way too; I'd love to see some sign he's trying to adapt, and if he's not, it's an extra barrier to him getting my business.

I think you hit the nail on the head. People today are even buying houses via email and the web so if you're ignoring that part of your business you may not have one soon, and there's a lot of that older/rural demographic that really struggles with this. Today in the modern world, the thought of calling unannounced is borderline rude as you're asking that person to stop whatever it is they're doing and talk to you right now. Sorry, I have stuff to do so I can't just randomly put everything on hold because you decided it was a good time for you to talk. If we need to talk in person we can schedule that in email at a time that is convenient to us both. I've even gotten to the point where there are two automatic deal breakers for me:

- No website at all.
- A website that lists "Call for details" regarding price or inventory.

If that's you then sorry not interested. In a very short period of time that will be most customers, not some, which the manufacturers are savvy enough to know which is why they do this.