Unresponsive dealers

[daTeacha]

It all sounds familiar. The salesguys who have been in it for a while seem to be in a rut about how to treat customers. I ended up buying my Case from a store in the next town based on how I was treated during a casual visit eyeballing and sitting on machines. Turns out the guy who I dealt with was one of the owners, and maybe that's the difference. Half the employees there are related and it is a true family run business. It isn't small, just family owned and operated. The other one was a place with absentee owners and three different stores spread out over about 60 miles.

 

[keltonkrew]

I had a very similar experience (and it was with a dealer that I had bought from before - bought my CC LT2042 thre last year).

My Bolens was stolen and I was replacing it (Insurance). I had to get prices so I called them to get the price of the Kubota BX2350. Called twice and mentioned what was happening, insurance was going to pay for it so it was basically a "cash" deal. Never ever heard back from him. You would think that since I paid cash for my CC from him, that he would think that I was a serious buyer.

Went to the MF dealer (actually insurance contacted them). They handled everything for me. All I had to do was go pick it up - they were going to deliver it but I had them apply the delivery charge to the grill guard.....

so 1 tractor was replaced, but not from the dealer who wouldn't give me the time of day...

 

[CurlyDave]

Well, I didn't email dealers, but when I bought the backhoe, I had pretty much narrowed it down to a Deere 110 or a Kubota L39.

The Kubota dealer didn't even have one in stock for me to look at, and even though I had the salesman's full attention, he just wasn't that interested or knowledgeable.

At the Deere dealer, not only did they have several to look at, but the salesman even came out to my property (30 miles) the next day to look at it and what I wanted to do with the machine. He suggested the options I wanted. And, he was right, even though I thought he might just be jacking up the price at the time.

I went back to the Kubota dealer and priced the same options as the Deere. Even though the 110 was about $4k more than the L39, I decided to get the Deere and I have never been happier to have spent an extra $4k in my life.

The dealer service has been very good, and even though I had to find out a few things on TBN, I am very satisfied.

 

[Iowachild]

I think a great number of folks given the opportunity would really like to conduct business over the Internet. It saves time & money, especially when gasoline is hovering around 3 bucks a gallon.

This is exactly the point of what is being discussed here as far as I am concerned. I may be at the point for I spend more over the net than I do in regular stores.

When I was looking for parts for a Ford 1310 I wasn't interested in driving an hour each way to get or order parts. I wanted to order parts over the net. People here clued me in to Messicks. It was truly simple. I would e-mail a description of what I was looking for and get a diagram sent back to verify the parts I wanted. Another quick e-mail reply and the parts were on the way to me.

Now I'm not saying I would buy a complete tractor over the net (the E-bay thing didn't go so well), but if I e-mail a dealer with what I am looking for, a reply at the very least acknowledging he could help me would be helpful before I start driving all over the country side!

 

[VAChesterfield]

I believe tractor buyers in this day and age break down into two buckets. In one bucket are the “for real” farmers, ranchers, landscapers, and such who use their tractors day in and day out to earn their living. These are the guys (and sometimes gals) who can, and do, go to their local dealer to drink coffee, kick the tires, and dicker over saving a few hundred dollars.

Then there are tractor buyers like me. I work in a non-farming job (OK, it’s an office job, but on the other hand, my office is in my house) 50 to 60 hours a week, and my tractor and my 10 acres of Virginia comprise my stress relief program. I don't have the time to drive around to my local dealers to drink coffee and kick the tires, especially since my local dealers are only open to noon on Saturdays & going there Mon - Fri is not an option for me unless I take vacation -- which isn't going to happen anytime soon.

When I was looking to buy I needed a dealer who could and would cheerfully work with me like I work when I am at work, over the internet via email, or at the very least by telephone. In the end I bought my NH TC 30 over the Internet from Tar Heel in NC.

I believe it's time for tractor dealers to recognize they have a customer base that has a split personality -- and change their behavior accordingly. If not, given that our Nations' farming and ranching populations are shrinking, and suburban mini-ranchers like me are growing in number they will find their cash flow going to the savvy dealers at an ever increasing speed.

 

[Iowachild]

I do shower, dress neatly, drive a relatively new Suburban, speak English, and wear a hat with my airplane's manufacturer logo.

bill177,

I just have to ask, do you own a Cardinal? Airplane.....177!

MIKE

 

[PineRidge]

Steve you sir, have my applause. That was very well said.

 

[unreconstructed]

I think it boils down to how hard the salesmen want to work and also the market you are in. Here the ag market means no discounts on small tractors-one place the salesmen won't even bother with you and the other he will get the job down but at full retail. I buy parts from the local service department and have had to buy my equipment and tractor 250 miles away. The price difference has been worth it.

 

[777777]

Hi,

Well, I am of the firm opinion that if you are going to publish a website or provide an email address, then you better get off you butt to answer email.
Doesn't take long.

Ran a small company for a while that I had a website for and an email address. Didn't matter who it was or where they were, would always answer a request for information AND be nice about it. In many cases it resulted in a sale but in others, it simply resulted in good will or someone who will provide my name to someone else who would actually buy from me.

With tractors, well, I can speak as a complete novice. Lots of brands out there. After listening to the sage advice on this site, you decide what you need but what about the brand. Go to the locals, but only a couple of brands local. Rest of brands may be just as good or better and have a better price.

Off go a few emails to a few brand dealers. Can speak from experience that now there are certain brands I just wouldn't waste my time with. Send emails to 4 or 5 dealers of a particular brand, no answers and so decide that if the dealers lack of response are representative of the product, then I don't want the product. Maybe after sale service will be the same. So, the brand loses over something that would only take a couple of minutes on the part of the dealer.

You know, you appreciate honesty. Sent a dealer a request for pricing and yes, he answered AND had the savy to say, I can see you are not in our area so will just give you the standard pricing so that you can get a feel for what the tractor is worth. If you decide you want to deal long distance, give me a buzz and we can talk. Now that, is a dealer I would deal with.

So, in my opinion, not only do dealers lose out by not taking a few minutes to answer and email but brands lose out as well.

Just my thoughts.

Have a great evening

Tom

 

[ToadHill]

Last August 2005 when I was in the market for a new tractor I went to 4 different dealers Deere. MF. Kubota, NH. I planned to pay cash and wanted to trade in my older tractor. Each dealer said they would call to set up a time to come out and see the trade-in. I'm still waiting for any one of them to show up.