String Trimmer Shopping Experience

[Yankee]

I went to a local dealer today to price Shindaiwa trimmers. I already had a quote in-hand from another dealer. I told him I was there to check out the dealership, then told him what I was looking at and, having visited another dealer, wanted to know his prices as well.

He went back, looked up stuff, fussed around for about 10 minutes, then finally came back with a list of prices for the basic powerhead and a number of attachments. I looked it over - it wan't encouraging. 100% list prices ... I asked "do you discount from there?" His reply "Not from THOSE prices" as if to say they were something special. My response - "I have a quote for $80 less than that from your competition. Response - "Well, just keep in mind we only service what we sell."

My parting words were "I don't do business with companies that do that" and "I won't be coming back through your door." "We've been doing business that way for 50 years" he pleaded. "Not with me" I said.

I really do understand giving your purchase customers some extra consideration for service. But I'll never understand why a dealer thinks it comes across positively to virtually threaten in order to close a deal. What was I supposed to do, hop on his full-retail offer just in case I ever wanted to be screwed by his service department (too)?

Moreover, I'll tell anyone I think interested exactly what I think of the dealer and his policies.

Bill

 

[om21braz]

I believe I'd have told him, "Heck, everything they're building today is meant to be thrown away in a few years - what am I going to need your service for ? LOL ! Seriously, some dealers just think they have their area sewn up tight or are the only place to buy/ get service. Some times that is the case, but not usually. We have one hardware store in town here that, admittedly, will have whatever you could possibly need - but you'll probably pay 2-3 prices for it. Most of their business comes from folks willing to pay that in order to get going quicker or from older folks who have done business there for 50 years and just would'nt think of going elsewhere. Someday those folks will be gone, that's when I expect things to get pretty tough for them. Bad part is the regular workers they've had will be the ones to suffer - the owners/family are already well enough off to sell out and close up.
I hope you find a better place to do business !

 

[Poncho]

That philosphy really amazes me.... "we only service what we sell". So what if you bought the same trimmer elsewhere.... he's still a representative of the manufacturer and should be representing them in whatever capacity necessary to make the manufacturer look good.

 

[ihcubs]

It is hard to work on everything that is sold. We have been in business for about 45 years and we try to take care of our customers. We have a TSC and a lowes in our town. How can you have enough mechanics to work on their stuff and other dealers stuff, if you are not selling the product. Most service centers are not profitable.
For example, Briggs and Stratton(the company, It was a trial situation) bought out a dealer in our neighboring town and took all the equipment out and was going to do all warranty work and service everything. It was done right and computerized, the whole deal. Even stole some great mechanics from some of their existing dealers. Well after 1-2 years they were losing money everyday and started taking on equipment lines. So we had B&S competing with us. They ended up selling it back to the original owner.
Now remember this is a company that hurts dealers that don't work on everything. If you choose not to service everyone's equipment, the dealer does not get as big of margins on parts. It's kinda ironic that they couldn't make it work but still punish the little guys.

Dont punish the dealer that is trying to take care of his customers, because that is what has kept him in business. There are not many "Service only Centers" around here. Except for the people that do it behind there house. It is very hard to make it by servicing only. Ask all the appliance dealers around how it feels too.

About the trimmer pricing earlier. I dont know of a trimmer that you can price at manucfacturer's promotional price and get beat by another dealer by 80.00. The trimmer you looked at must have been 400.00 and up and the one dealer price it at cost or very close.

 

[Panache]

The dealers in this area have the attatude "I only fix what I sell, not brands I sell but items I sell. $20 extra for warranty work if you bought it someplace else." WRONG! You now get none of my business.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

I can mirror what ihcubs said. $80 is an unhear of margin, I don't even make that on a $800 Stihl chainaw.

 

[Ledgemere Farm]

I always say: "I may be dumb, but I am not so dumb that I will come back..." /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[ihcubs]

The way a lot of dealers look at it is, that if they work on everything that everybody else sells(lowes, tsc etc.) then you have no reason to buy from them. If you go buy a tractor at TSC and I give you great service on it and it breaks down. Your wife can go get you another one there and just bring it back to me, because we treated you right. That is great and all but there is no money servicing small engines.
We do not sell tractors, only lawn and garden products and it is hard to charge enough to cover your expenses. If there was a lot of money in it TSC and lowes would be doing it too. There was a lowes about 30 minutes from us that had a complete service department for a while(2 years appr.). They didn't close it down because it was making to much money I'm sure.

 

[Yankee]

I wouldn't think of going to a dealership for service on something they don't sell, e.g. a brand-x from Lowes (which you implied) - I'd go to a generic small engine/lawn & garden repair shop. Shindaiwa isn't mass market equipment. This dealer is one of the few in the region. No-one else will have the parts or the expertise and contacts to handle the brand. The effect is to screw Shindaiwa's customer base.

There's a lot of ways to skin the problems you describe. The simplest is to charge more for service. Or, if you like, tier the rates, spinning the purchasing customer rate as a customer service and satisfaction issue, and the non-purchaser rate as a basic profitability issue. Small engine service doesn't pay for mass market brands because much of the equipment is throw-away. No-one in their right mind would pay $100 to fix something worth $100 new. People who know enough or care enough to buy premium and commercial equipment are willing to pay fair rates for service on it.

 

[shvl73]

I'm not positive but, maybe he was referring to warranty work that is reimbursed from the manufacturer. If so, I can see where that might not be profitable. The manufacturers sometimes don't reimburse enough to make it a profitable venture. The scenario I can see is maybe akin to a JD dealer having to do the warranty work for the units sold at Home Depot, w/o the profit from the original sale.