Nice move by Mahindra.

[Gator6x4]

I don't have a dog or tractor in this discussion, but I do think it is a good idea for Mahindra to offer on line support. On the other side of the coin I wish them good luck. I have been in the position of providing support on computers. (NO MORE) The how comes, why nots, but so & so said, My friends first cousin who walked by a plant ten years ago said, etc. I think you get the picture. Asking someone to refer to page # ? in an owners manual will usually get the response, I don't have such a manual. If Mahindra has sucess maybe Kubota, NH and John Deere will follow.

 

[jwcinpk]

Has anyone seen my owners manual? I seem to have misplaced it again! I geuss the hotline would be helpful to me.
Also need to know the roll pin size for the pto lever. Seems I've sheared it.
Someone forgot to tell me that Mahindra doesn't sell any ag tractors. Had I known I could have saved my self all the work of rolling this hay. I ceratinly am disappointed to find out that I've done all this work on my farm with a tractor that isn't an ag tractor. Maybe i should have plunked down the extra 15k for green, orange, or another shade of red.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Has anyone seen my owners manual? I seem to have misplaced it again! I geuss the hotline would be helpful to me.
Also need to know the roll pin size for the pto lever. Seems I've sheared it.
Someone forgot to tell me that Mahindra doesn't sell any ag tractors. Had I known I could have saved my self all the work of rolling this hay. I ceratinly am disappointed to find out that I've done all this work on my farm with a tractor that isn't an ag tractor. Maybe i should have plunked down the extra 15k for green, orange, or another shade of red.

When did Mahindra crack the 100hp market? The largest tractor they had the last time I looked was just a utility tractor. Don't get defensive.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Red River, my point was and even you are saying it, that 90% of the questions that this call center and even you get asked are covered by the owners manual. Since this is the case, wouldn't it make more sense for Mahindra to make all their manuals available online instead of paying people to answer phones? If people can come on here to ask a question then they should be able to look up their own manual also. For all I know Mahindra might have their manuals online but it still seems like this is designed to make more people dependent on others for help.

 

[RedRiver]

For instance, what if the customer does not have online access?

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Then how does he find out about the 24/7 call number? And once he does learn of the number might he write it down on the cover of his Op. Manual?

 

[srjones]

Then how does he find out about the 24/7 call number? And once he does learn of the number might he write it down on the cover of his Op. Manual?

This is a new program...as it becomes more and more rolled out, I would suspect the number would be printed on the manual or even the tractor itself. I would also suspect that dealers would offer this number to their customers as a supplemental method of support.

 

[srjones]

Red River, my point was and even you are saying it, that 90% of the questions that this call center and even you get asked are covered by the owners manual. Since this is the case, wouldn't it make more sense for Mahindra to make all their manuals available online instead of paying people to answer phones? If people can come on here to ask a question then they should be able to look up their own manual also. For all I know Mahindra might have their manuals online but it still seems like this is designed to make more people dependent on others for help.

The difference between the printed manual, and somebody on the other end of the phone is that somebody should be aware of the updates, inaccuracies, and TSB's (known issues).

90% of the questions I've asked my dealer have NOT been in the manual or were wrong or unclear (in the manual). I would also guess that 90% of the items on Ernie's list were not covered or were confusing in the manual as well.
RTFM (a computer term) is not much of viable option here.

I've also been oncall and I can say it's probably one of my least favorite activities. I'm less inclined to call the number if I know it's somebody's pager that's getting the page.

However, if there's a call center of knowledgeable people I can call when I'm doing my first oil change at 11:00 at night and the amount of hydraulic fluid that I added was *exactly* what was specified in the manual, but it was too much I could call and ask why, rather than waiting until the next day.

...Still thinking this was a smart move on Mahindra's part.

-srj

 

[jwcinpk]

When did Mahindra crack the 100hp market? The largest tractor they had the last time I looked was just a utility tractor. Don't get defensive.

Didn't know an ag tractor had to be 100 hp. Where I'm at I've never seen a 100 hp tractor, but I have seen a lot of agriculture. As for the defensive part, I was simply saying there are lots of people out there like me who between work, farm, kids, and everything else going on can't find their keys much less an owner's manual, but if I wanted to I certainly would get defensive.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

The difference between the printed manual, and somebody on the other end of the phone is that somebody should be aware of the updates, inaccuracies, and TSB's (known issues).

90% of the questions I've asked my dealer have NOT been in the manual or were wrong or unclear (in the manual). I would also guess that 90% of the items on Ernie's list were not covered or were confusing in the manual as well.
RTFM (a computer term) is not much of viable option here.

I've also been oncall and I can say it's probably one of my least favorite activities. I'm less inclined to call the number if I know it's somebody's pager that's getting the page.

However, if there's a call center of knowledgeable people I can call when I'm doing my first oil change at 11:00 at night and the amount of hydraulic fluid that I added was *exactly* what was specified in the manual, but it was too much I could call and ask why, rather than waiting until the next day.

...Still thinking this was a smart move on Mahindra's part.

-srj

While I agree, whoever is on the phone "should" know the updates and such but for all anyone here knows they might just be sitting there looking the question up in the same manual the caller has. Are Mahindra's manuals that sparse they do not cover most of these types of questions? As for your question about adding just what was specified as the amount the system requires. My manuals state you add the fluid until it reads full. The specs are listed to give you an idea but the operator still should read the manual if they don't know how to change the oil. Does the Mahindra manuals cover basic maintance?

Please don't think I am anti-Mahindra. If I had a competent dealer and Mahindra made a large enough tractor I would strongly consider them. However, they do not make tractors that fit my requirements and my local dealer is a fly by night outfit and I don't even know where he moved to right now. When he first opened up and I had friends ask me about them I told them what you guys all said as far as they are built real solid and are reliable. I have two neighbors that own Mahindras and one good friend who has one. I buy equipment that meets my needs and has proper dealer support which is why I run CNH equipment as I have a great NH dealer local and a good Case-IH dealer a couple towns over.

I joined this discussion to hopefully learn why this move is so "nice" for Mahindra. If anything, I think this will result in more calls to the dealer. I can imagine these dealers will get the same calls they have PLUS new calls asking the dealer for this hotline number. Then they will misplace the number along side their manual and have to call their dealer again to get this number again. I am all for people working on their equipment but there has to be a line drawn somewhere. If people want to work on their tractors and such they should take the initiative to read their manuals.

I would much rather see the money spent on this service spent to better build a dealer network. Help some of these small guys get established and with a better dealer network these owners will have more access to information and hands on help.