AchingBack... First you wrote:
AchingBack said:
I can't speak about all Mahindra implements. My dealer was comparing them to the brands he currently stocked, and said they weren't as good. It is my understanding these aren't being made by Mahindra, just for them, and the prices aren't competitive.
It appeared you were
accepting your dealer's line that the Mahindra implements were: a)
Not well made, and b)
Overpriced. I thought that everyone knew they were made in the USA
for Mahindra (rather than made
by Mahindra in India), but apparently not. Personally, I don't see where that matters very much (I actually like the "Made in USA" thang), but if it bothers you, I guess it bothers you.
Now you write:
AchingBack said:
Of course dealers speak in their own interest. Wouldn't you. Many Mahindra dealers were in business selling other brands long before the brand started incursion into the U.S. market. For example, my dealer sold Cub Cadets, and offered Bush Hog, and other brand attachements. You can't expect them to give up the relationships they have already established with long time suppliers for these goods.
This whole statement kinda floored me. As an honest businessman, I always speak in my client's best interest. I don't know if this is just cynicism or your real view... and maybe I am naive, idealistic and/or blind... but I still expect a dealer to consider
my best interests first rather than his own self interests. So far, I believe that has overwhelmingly been the case for me, but maybe I've just been lucky and found more reputable and trustworthy dealers.
I would further think that when a dealer decides to switch to a different tractor brand...
a huge decision... he or she does so with his/her eyes wide open. One would hope they are taking on the new brand based on a determination that it is a good brand with good products that his/her loyal and future customers will want to buy and be pleased with. Why would any dealer want to recommend the tractors that he previously sold?
If he/she thought they were truly better products, he/she should have stuck with the previous tractor brand.
In the case of implements, I have no problem with any Mahindra dealer selling an independent line of implements... or two, or three, or four... for any reason. But part of the deal of being a Mahindra tractor dealer should be that Mahindra tractor customers can buy the new line of Mahindra implements from you without a big song and dance and a hard push to buy some vastly more expensive prestige brand simply because it is in the seller's self interest. I have not run into this anywhere, but apparently you have. My only problem has been complaints from the dealers that Mahindra mishandled the product introduction such that no product was available for them to sell even though the big announcement and advertising push had begun.
You also write:
AchingBack said:
I don't care if it says Mahindra on it or not. It is all about the better product, and price.
I'm curious if you have any other evidence (besides your "self-interested" dealer's words) that these Mahindra implements are inferior and overpriced. Everything I've read, heard or seen so far indicates exactly the opposite.
Dougster
