jd vs. kubota

[_RaT_]

Garry, I have about 4 local dealers who have various combinations of tractors. My closest is a JD/Kubota dealer. I have a NH/Kubota dealer. My point is, all the ones I deal with must have learned how to treat customers and the other competing brands. Perhaps it's a tougher market here and you need to learn the best way to keep a customer coming back. Perhaps I just got the right sales person. In any event, my opinion of the tractors sales folks is far more optimistic.

I have found the sales of parts always to be hit or miss but fortunately, with a huge Kubota supply house just south of me in Stockton, CA. I have been told by others who have needed a part ordered, that it is quick to get. Local dealers seem to know what it takes to have the most likely needed inventory, carrying fenders or what have you for any brand would be a tremendous and in my opinion unnecessary cost. Conveniant for the customer but I'm sure reflective of the price. Without question, JD has the best website. They have done a tremendous job on it and seem interested in making it better. Kubotas is pretty much a product site as is NH. I suggest anyone interested in a tractor get armed with as much info as possible before going to the dealer. It will help you ask the right questions. Those you don't know, thats where a good dealer comes in. Happy shopping... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I'm lucky that my JD dealer is full of competant, honest hard working folk. My salesman is also the president on the local school board. He is an honest straight shooter. They give one price to everyone whether you are a first time buyer or CowboyDoc. It happens to be around 18-20 percent off. They'll tell you the moment you try to haggle, "What if your neighbor finds out we sold you your tractor cheaper than he got his for?"
Considering they are the only dealer in town of any brand, they treat everyone right. I've heard of folks here complaining that they stood out by a tractor for 10-15 minutes and nobody came out to help them so they left. That may have well been at my dealer because their tractors sit on the side of the building which has no windows on that side. At least the tractors are out in the open where if you want to go look after hours you can. They don't sell them like cars or Kirbys.

The Kubota dealer kept telling me that Kubota outsells Deere by some high margin and kept putting down Deere. I came very close to buying a Kubota. Now that I know what I know about how important a good close dealer is, I consider that the single biggest factor in purchasing.
One other note while I'm on a soapbox, the salesman represents about 5-10% of a mid-sized dealership, however he treats you, is only the tip of the iceberg. I have found that it is best to know the parts guys and service manager. They are who you'll deal with after a sale. A good dealership will introduce them to you after a sale or before if you ask.

I have to be honest, when I sold products for a motorcycle dealership, there were people whom you almost couldn't make happy if you stuffed their pockets with cash and gave them a free motorcycle. I could usually figure these guys out after a minute. These are the guys who come back to the service department to complain about the air in their tires smells. Or, "There's a scratch under my fender, the paint is defective."

Sorry you guys' JD dealers haven't come to the conclusion that it is a competitive market out there.

Mine has.

 

[bigpete]

<font color="blue"> when I sold products for a motorcycle dealership, there were people whom you almost couldn't make happy if you stuffed their pockets with cash and gave them a free motorcycle. </font> ...and those people are typically the most vocal about their supposed **disappointment** ...looking for validation of their position and actions.

I have been preaching, teaching, and training in the areas of customer service for a good part of my professional career. While it makes no difference to the consumer (including me, as a consumer) there are distinct differences between customer service diseases and customer service symptoms. While its not always easy to detect, the arrogance of a (any) salesperson may be a symptom of a personal customer service disease, a dealership customer service disease, or a greater systemic (company) disease. As I said, it doesn't matter to us who is carrying the disease, but it might help clarify things if make a higher-level contact at a dealership to find out just how far upstairs the disease is shared. Of course this only matters if the dealer is selling a product that you are truly interested in--don't sell yourself out of the best product just because there is a pinhead jerk working on the sales floor.

Deere really does battle internally about this issue, and it has become even more interesting with their foray into the box store L&G market. Dealers now earn the right to be classified as a dealer that can service lawn tractors that are sold through box stores. I don't know the specific criteria, but I assume it has to do with shop quality ratings, dealership size (measured by sales and inventory), location, and probably a caveat about customer satisfaction ratings. It is these type of institutional programs--in addition to healthy competition--that do help improve dealer and salesperson attitudes. It has to come from the top, though.

The bottom line for me is that I think customer service is more than lip service and advertising. It can be traced back upstream pretty easily, and I will refuse to let one or two n'er-do-wells prevent me from getting the best product and support possible. And back to Kyle's point, try not to put your stock in loud customer commentary that includes extreme modifiers, i.e. **ALL** dealers of a particular product are arrogant/inept/rude/whatever. These types of commentaries often come from somebody with a distorted perception of their experience and they are just trying to cover their failures in the customer service transaction. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jd2210]

I've been selling cars since I was 16 (except for a 3 year JD stint) and have encountered literally hundreds of customers with unrealistic expectations.
The past 3 or 4 years I have been just plain old getting rid of them. I have a very solid customer base and have been selling cars to the same families all their lives. Most customers are very good and when you get one hang on to them. Catering to the jerk is thankless and has no long term benifits. I used to sell 400 cars a year and thought you needed every sales and every customer to make a living. Now I sell 250 a year and make more money and have a happier staff. Every person who walks in my door gets the same price, and most of my customers love that. I have (get this) a customer who drive 6.5 hours to get all his work done here because he finally found a dealer that treats him like a human.
Bottom line that I've found out: the good customers understand that you need to make money to stay in business and if you make the profit a fair one for both parties and treat them with after sales service they will always come back. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[jfdlaw]

The last few posts reminded me of a friend who manufactures and sells boats. He once told me about a customer who was buying multiple boats and trying to get a discount. As the negotiations went on the customer said "I don't care what I pay, I just don't want to ever hear that you sold one for less that what you are charging me." I think with a lot of people its not the actual price, its that they didn't pay more than the guy next door. My Deere dealer discounts a set rate, that's the price, take it or leave it. Some would consider it arrogance that they won't dicker. I think its being fair, and that's fine with me.

 

[jd2210]

I'd have you for a customer anyday.

 

[Dutch445]

There really is a lot to this idea of selling more than price. Whether it's cars, tractors, boats, it doesn't really matter, the best customers understand the need for the dealer to be profitable, they want a fair price, but they also want to know you will be there for them down the road. They can always go to the huge discount stores, and every industry seems to have them, and buy price price price. But it seems the happiest customers are those that like a lot of TLC before, during, and most importantly AFTER the sale. And if you give that to them, they do become loyal, and don't mind paying for the extra service. The future sales are easier, and price isn't an issue anymore.
Where I am, there are mostly good dealers, actually several with great reputations for customer service. But, that doesn't mean you can't bump into a salesman and have a very poor first impression. That is too bad for the dealership, because in the back they might be great, but with some arrogant know it all salesman out front, the customer may never get to experience service from the other departments. I'm sure this holds true for most big ticket items.

/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

BigPete, I always enjoy reading your post when they lean on the humorous side of the road. I just wish you'd post more often...

 

[Keoke]

Considering the hydro and brake pedal layout, how does one brake steer a Kubota hydro while back dragging with the front wheels off the ground? I'm sure it's possible but can't figure it out.

george

 

[_RaT_]

When I "back drag", I find it far more effective to leave my front wheels on the ground. I used to lift them off the ground but with years of experience have found far better results with the loader having only enough tractor weight to still allow my front wheels to remain in contact with the ground. Whether it is on my L3830 HST, or the two gear tractors I frequently use, it applies to them all. I suggest you try working your loader leaving the wheels on the ground and forget about differential brake steering, it's in my opinion far more manuverable and productive.