Dealer's not what they used to be

[Bird]

From what I've seen, both from places I've done business with, as well as what my brother did, was that it was the individual salesman as often, or more often, than the dealer. Some send Christmas cards and Birthday cards to their customers.

 

[houstonscott]

Got a calendar from the LS guy.

HS

 

[Kubota 2007]

I can't imagine a dealer making a decision that showing his loyal customers and wishing them a Merry Christmas or thanking them for their business, could be based on a forty forty cents stamp. The same dealer will advertise in local newspapers taking a three page add,and it's all for the same purpose, to attract business and to keep the customers you have. There are other type's of greeting cards besides Christmas that could be sent out,"Thanks for the business" etc! Every customer would like to get a Kubota calendar at the end of the year. Most dealers I've done business with are all smiles and freindly until the sale is finalized, then they are on to the next sale, and pretty much forget about past customers. The american way has turned into "profit only". The old school dealers are soon to be a thing of the past. Just changing time's I guess?

 

[mkfriel2]

If cost is a factor, all they need to do is send an e-mail card which would cost nothing and little time.

 

[creekbend]

Rest assured that I am in no way affiliated with this Company in any way. My Dealer is Collie Equipment in Danville, Virginia. Jim is the owner and I can honestly state that he is honest and caring and fair. All the employees are A+.:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[JJZ 109]

I don't know about Christmas cards, but the building supply place where I buy most of the materials for my seamless gutter biz puts on one heck of a barbecue for their customers every year.
I wouldn't miss it!

 

[ultrarunner]

Not really an issue where I am since all the Dealers no longer exist :-(

On the other hand my brother went right into Real Estate right after college... he had Real Estate as his business minor.

Over the last 24 years his Christmas Card list is close to a 1000 and all have the family letter plus a handwritten note...

Everyone that has ever bought a sold a house through him plus all the families where he volunteer coaches summer league get a card (With the help of his wife and daughters)

He is consistently a top performer in the office and doesn't spend any money on any type of Advertising other than his Christmas List...

 

[4shorts]

There not all bad. Every Christmas a rep drives one hour to visit me at my shop to shake my hand, wish us a Merry Christmas and give us a bottle of wine and a few calendars.
Even in our little business my wife sends out enough cards that it cost over $125. In stamps but we do it and our Kubota dealer does it because we appreciate our customers and it do make everyone feel good.

 

[art]

Our current ag mailing list is around 4500 and our lawn and garden list for the last five years of sales is about double that. We do have a customer appreciation day with a meal for those that care to come and we normally feed over two thousand for that.

We did mail calanders but we have to keep our mailing list up to date and had a lot of returns. Net cost here is over three dollars not counting the time to stuff and address.

We stress that everyone gets a call within two weeks of a sale and some with questions get more!

Dealers lives have changed from days when we were given literature to having to pay for it from some of our major manufacturers. I could give a whole list of other things that have happened in the past twenty years to change what we do!

I don't think that any dealer wants to loose a customer in this business climate and we do try to make contact on a regular basis.

 

[Bird]

The car dealer from whom I bought the used Crown Vic almost 3 years ago, and whom I use for all my car service sends me invitations to one or two BBQ or hamburger meals a year at the dealership, and to come by to pick up a free turkey just before Thanksgiving.

It's the first car dealer I've had do anything like that.