Local dealer dropped ball -- forget buying a Massey?

[Catman8]

"Discuss your potential purchase directly with the General Manager or Owner and strike a deal with him. Also pass on to the GM your experience of his esteemed salesman and ensure he is aware his salesman nearly cost the dealership a sale, as well as subsequent service and maintenance."

The employees for a company are trained and act under the control of the owner or general manager so in my experience what the salesman is telling you is exactly the owners policy, unfortunately there is no striking a deal, just like the OP experienced, and arrogant attitude don't let the door hit you in the *** on the way out. This is the norm, I once made an offer on a Dodge Ram and when the sales man took the offer to his boss we could hear them all laughing in the next room, then I called Dave Smith Kellogg Idaho gave me a rock bottom price over the phone, no attitude, no bs, flew there, drove my truck home, awesome experiance, maybe it's a rude California thing.

 

[ultrarunner]

If so inclined I've found a letter to corp cc to the owner most helpful... and address it to a person at corp... often VP in of Sales... etc.

If you telephone my best results come from contacting executive secretaries... they speak for the boss and have time to follow through... and if you address them by name they also take ownership...

 

[BlessedMess]

"Discuss your potential purchase directly with the General Manager or Owner and strike a deal with him. Also pass on to the GM your experience of his esteemed salesman and ensure he is aware his salesman nearly cost the dealership a sale...

Certain somebody knew they lost a sale -- maybe $50k in tractor, implements -- they had to put minimal effort into. No sense of creating a confrontation if the salesman is potentially the owner's son-in-law or of some other strong family/community association. Further, I distrust impartial service down the road even if there was an amends with the owner. If the salesman takes the owner's place in a few years, for example, I'd really be up the creek.

The good Lord sometimes puts roadblocks into our lives to slow us down or protect us... many times hindsight has proven 20/20, and I suspect these events will too. Have learned a lot from the experience and the many viewpoints y'all have expressed. Couldn't be more appreciative of you individually and collectively taking time to share your experiences and sage advice. Proud to be part of the TBN family and hope to contribute back some of the wisdom and advice I've gained. Thanks again.

 

[PatrickS2222]

Certain somebody knew they lost a sale -- maybe $50k in tractor, implements -- they had to put minimal effort into. No sense of creating a confrontation if the salesman is potentially the owner's son-in-law or of some other strong family/community association. Further, I distrust impartial service down the road even if there was an amends with the owner. If the salesman takes the owner's place in a few years, for example, I'd really be up the creek.

The good Lord sometimes puts roadblocks into our lives to slow us down or protect us... many times hindsight has proven 20/20, and I suspect these events will too. Have learned a lot from the experience and the many viewpoints y'all have expressed. Couldn't be more appreciative of you individually and collectively taking time to share your experiences and sage advice. Proud to be part of the TBN family and hope to contribute back some of the wisdom and advice I've gained. Thanks again.

This is but the first one we know of ..... how many others are there that the management don't know of?

I suspect that's a lazy salesman's closing strategy ..... "I need to buy it from this dealership, then I can have it serviced here" is what he wants you to conclude. But it appears he's either too arrogant, unhelpful or just plain lazy to qualify why he wants you to buy it from that dealer with his signature on the deal - he just doesn't want to EARN his commission!

This is the sort of thing which sends businesses broke and nobody seems to understand why. The GM needs to hear this first-hand ... from you. That said, nobody (other than one salesman at your local dealer)says you can't buy from an out-of-state dealer. Remember there are lots of capable independent repairers too! Good luck! :drink:

 

[2ndhalf]

Get the tractor you want. Don't let a stupid sales person stop you from that!

I would go to the out of state Massey Dealer and say bring it to me. They will service it locally if you don't believe me call the MF corporate.. Some Saleman are desperate and will literally tell you anything to get the sale. Get the tractor you want.

 

[PatrickS2222]

Get the tractor you want. Don't let a stupid sales person stop you from that!

I would go to the out of state Massey Dealer and say bring it to me. They will service it locally if you don't believe me call the MF corporate.. Some Saleman are desperate and will literally tell you anything to get the sale. Get the tractor you want.

That just about sums it up - desperate could well be the key-word too. I'd be inclined to take the tax advantages of an out-of-state purchase as well. But that said, I would still feel obligated to relate my experience to the local dealer's GM. Small businesses are often the heart and soul of smaller towns, and provide the bulk of local employment, which we need to protect where we can. I would always thank a client for informing me of anything which wasn't satisfactory. I used to add "I want to be the first to find out, not the last" and that helped defuse many a tense situation. Then we'd both work on an expedient solution, and I generally would still have a satisfied client. We would both go home more relaxed.

 

[2ndhalf]

That just about sums it up - desperate could well be the key-word too. I'd be inclined to take the tax advantages of an out-of-state purchase as well. But that said, I would still feel obligated to relate my experience to the local dealer's GM. Small businesses are often the heart and soul of smaller towns, and provide the bulk of local employment, which we need to protect where we can. I would always thank a client for informing me of anything which wasn't satisfactory. I used to add "I want to be the first to find out, not the last" and that helped defuse many a tense situation. Then we'd both work on an expedient solution, and I generally would still have a satisfied client. We would both go home more relaxed.

Yes, I would certainly tell the owner of the local company why you purchased elsewhere. With the attitude of the salesperson not sure I would give them a second chance though.

 

[PatrickS2222]

Yes, I would certainly tell the owner of the local company why you purchased elsewhere. With the attitude of the salesperson not sure I would give them a second chance though.

I would not consider giving him a second chance - he blew almost a walk-up sale. If I did ultimately purchase from that dealer, I'd deal directly with the GM or owner/manager, certainly not that salesman. I wouldn't let it turn me off MF or any other make, nor the particular model tractor I had chosen though.

 

[GregP27]

These guys are right. It's like when the A&P mechanics in the Navy say they won;t work on some aircraft ... it means the brig! They WILL work on planes the Navy owns whether they like it or not; it's the job.

I'd have a meeting with the owner, GM, and the same salesman all at the same time, but don't notify the salesman of that, let the owner (or GM) do it. State your case in front of all of them and ask if it is true, If so, I'd walk, but leave them with, "See you at the next Better Business Bureau meeting guys, watch the local news for the story, too, and good luck with sales numbers ..."

Then get the tractor you want from someone else. When you get it, drive it by the Massey Dealer and wave at them from inside their own parking lot!

I might also raise **** with Massey Corporate and ask the state governemnt what applies there, In most staes, a dealer is required to honor a warranty that is still valid on a product their companys eels, and they are required to support it for a minimum of 15 years after the prodcut is discontinued with parts and service, just like a car dealer is. You can still get a discontinued Oldsmobile service at any GM dealer.

Maybe a call to corporate (ask for your area rep) will clarify it. You can always ask him to come visit and let you know so you can meet him at the dealership for a Massey Customer Service pow wow with the big cheese. You might be surprised how much that can help.

I was on a company health plan once that denied me a prescription. I had a very good friemd who was a aywer. He called the insurance company, identified himself, and wanted to know the name of the person who denied the prescription. When he got it, has asked what their medical degree specilaty was in. It was an accountant, and he said the firm would be pursuing prosecuting him for practicing medicine without a license as well as notifying the sate insurance commissioner. They offerd to fill it within 10 minutes and continue to do that when it was due.

Occasionally, a word from the right person jars loose all kinds of cooperation. Sometimes not.

Good luck!

 

[plowhog]

I will depart from the consensus of opinion here to instead look at the dealer side of this.

OP said Massey 2706e was "top choice during brief test drives." So, its fair to presume he was consuming resources at the local dealer. It's probably fair to presume the dealer provided an employee to discuss tractors, a showroom and maybe some brochures, and they had tractor(s) to drive around on the lot. All of which cost money, and require a return on investment in order to keep the doors open for the next customer. So far, no problem, no foul. Normal business.

OP then tries to beat the dealer down off their quoted price, by several thousand dollars, using a lowball out of state bid. No problem, no foul. This is done all the time. I've done it myself.

Where I disagree is the seeming belief the local dealer should be required to sell his product on terms he doesn't want to-- just because the OP wants that. Massey dealers have an annual allocation, and when all their tractors are sold they have ... nothing ... to sell until the next year. So, as they begin to fully sell "this years" allocation, as the number of tractors gets low they began to hold out for higher and higher sales prices for the last units remaining. That is their right and privilege to do that. They are the ones paying rent, paying employees, and paying to have tractors for people to come and kick tires on. It is what I would also do if I owned a tractor sales operation.

Finally, my opinion is that the dealer did the OP a huge favor saying he would not service an out of state purchase. Buyer beware on steroids. I used to own a company that sold a 2nd tier computer brand. These were also sold mail order. I had many people come in, see and touch the equipment, get extensive product demonstrations, ask questions, blah, blah. Then some of them purchased mail order because it was cheaper. At my expense, they used my resources and knowledge, then cut me out. Later, when those same customers brought in their mail-order unit for warranty service, I gladly accepted them for service. Those units stayed at the absolute back of the line while I gave preferential service to "my" customers who bought from me locally. Was it vindictive? No. I had a responsibility to back up the service promises I had made to customers when they signed a purchase order with me, some of whom also bought after warranty maintenance contracts. I moved mountains to ensure the customers who chose me as their dealer were not left hanging. I had no such responsibility for those who I made no such promises to.