John Deere reducing dealerships

[Martin Holden]

In an industry that moans there is no margin can we afford the extra layers. The “free” calendar etc ...... it all costs and all goes on the prices we pay, it’s simply not really needed these days in a lot ( but not every) case

this graph shows just how bad it’s got and whose talking the money ........ your “friends“View attachment 923867

the green is nett farm incomes ....... the blue is our suppliers ! This is Canadian data but there is a shockingly similar Uk graph the AHDB did that I can’t find just now

our “friends” are taking the pee

As cowabunga stated in a different thread, it isn’t the income of “your friends” that is the issue; it’s the low prices for what you produce. Food is still too cheap. There are “other friends” as you put it in the production, distribution and retailing of food who are earning a lot of money! They certainly have this year due to the pandemic.

 

[nick...]

Yes but if you haven’t ever met Mr Bailey then you turn up. Apologise. Simply drop a business card. Second visit can be booked if you have the contact details. At the other end of the scale is @nick... one of the nicest guys you will meet. He would love the odd rep to cold call him. I’m sure his kettle would be on . You can’t do right for doing wrong!

Are you after some more firewood anyway thank you for the kind comment
nick...

 

[hutchy143211]

True there is no such thing as a freebie but do we not want dealers and reps to succeed if the service they provide is beneficial and better value to us? We've had many instances with reps over the years where letting them have their margin has paid dividend for us and them. When we go to buy a machine we have a ball park figure or knowledge so we're not going to get ripped off but if they make £500 out of it so what? Its a small figure on a new machine and there's no need to haggle down. The reps we've got come in with very fair offers on used machines an example being our 526 JCB we traded for new. 08 plate, 9500 hours wasn't abused but had some wear on the pins and was a bit rough looking like needing new mudguards. They offered us 14k for it as part of the deal. Quick google showed they were 18k for good examples of 08 to 10 plates similar but ours needed a bit doing and a 9500 hour machine isn't easy to shift to the point they may have broken even if lucky, so what we got was more than fair. Price for new was also on par with what expected so didn't haggle could maybe have gotten a little of. These were first offers on the old machine and new, no messing a deals a deal and that's how we like to do business.

Fast forward 6 months and we were in a bit of a tough spot. Blew the ISOBus battery box in one of our tractors which controls the baler when off into the first field of silage (Had been checked but it was the power feed to the knife so monitor was working). My dad being old school calls the sales rep not the depot to see whats up. Sends fitter out and finds the box is blown, its Saturday afternoon so no chance of getting it sorted until Tuesday with parts (They also weren't that franchise dealer anymore but they kept their word of providing backup and did ring round to see if anyone had one). Grass is fit to be baled and wrapped so what do you do?

First thing the rep does is says to my dad, tell you what our demonstrator tractor has ISOBus in it, so I'll fetch that to get you going. There's no chance of a tractor sale here and he knows it but still brings it, by himself, just to get us going. Brings it, all's working and gets us set off. 200 bales later and the field is finished Saturday evening. Next thing he said was I'll leave it with you over the weekend and we'll source a part Monday, if you've got any more grass to do don't hesitate to use the tractor. If that isn't quality of service then I don't know what is. 200 bales @ £3 a bale is £600, which is what a contractor would have wanted for that job. More importantly we got the job done same day and made the grass to the quality we wanted which is worth more than any bill.

The rep knew that was our main problem and because we have that relationship, made things happen the best way he could to help his customer, when they needed it the most. Regardless of the costs he personally saw the problem through to solution, going way beyond what hes 'obliged' to do. That's why we don't haggle, as the value in times like this are where helping them out along the way helps us. They have to make a margin to offer this level of service and if we don't let them then there's no give coming back. It goes without saying they need to be kept in check and not take you for a ride, but everyone has to make a living. This is not an isolated incident either and I can recall other times they have also helped us out and that is why we continue to deal with them and give them so much of our business.

 

[Matthew Britton]

True there is no such thing as a freebie but do we not want dealers and reps to succeed if the service they provide is beneficial and better value to us? We've had many instances with reps over the years where letting them have their margin has paid dividend for us and them. When we go to buy a machine we have a ball park figure or knowledge so we're not going to get ripped off but if they make £500 out of it so what? Its a small figure on a new machine and there's no need to haggle down. The reps we've got come in with very fair offers on used machines an example being our 526 JCB we traded for new. 08 plate, 9500 hours wasn't abused but had some wear on the pins and was a bit rough looking like needing new mudguards. They offered us 14k for it as part of the deal. Quick google showed they were 18k for good examples of 08 to 10 plates similar but ours needed a bit doing and a 9500 hour machine isn't easy to shift to the point they may have broken even if lucky, so what we got was more than fair. Price for new was also on par with what expected so didn't haggle could maybe have gotten a little of. These were first offers on the old machine and new, no messing a deals a deal and that's how we like to do business.

Fast forward 6 months and we were in a bit of a tough spot. Blew the ISOBus battery box in one of our tractors which controls the baler when off into the first field of silage (Had been checked but it was the power feed to the knife so monitor was working). My dad being old school calls the sales rep not the depot to see whats up. Sends fitter out and finds the box is blown, its Saturday afternoon so no chance of getting it sorted until Tuesday with parts (They also weren't that franchise dealer anymore but they kept their word of providing backup and did ring round to see if anyone had one). Grass is fit to be baled and wrapped so what do you do?

First thing the rep does is says to my dad, tell you what our demonstrator tractor has ISOBus in it, so I'll fetch that to get you going. There's no chance of a tractor sale here and he knows it but still brings it, by himself, just to get us going. Brings it, all's working and gets us set off. 200 bales later and the field is finished Saturday evening. Next thing he said was I'll leave it with you over the weekend and we'll source a part Monday, if you've got any more grass to do don't hesitate to use the tractor. If that isn't quality of service then I don't know what is. 200 bales @ £3 a bale is £600, which is what a contractor would have wanted for that job. More importantly we got the job done same day and made the grass to the quality we wanted which is worth more than any bill.

The rep knew that was our main problem and because we have that relationship, made things happen the best way he could to help his customer, when they needed it the most. Regardless of the costs he personally saw the problem through to solution, going way beyond what hes 'obliged' to do. That's why we don't haggle, as the value in times like this are where helping them out along the way helps us. They have to make a margin to offer this level of service and if we don't let them then there's no give coming back. It goes without saying they need to be kept in check and not take you for a ride, but everyone has to make a living. This is not an isolated incident either and I can recall other times they have also helped us out and that is why we continue to deal with them and give them so much of our business.

This is how this job should be or more precisely how I like it to be, farming should be more than just a business we feed the world ffs! All of us! It’s not just @Clive’s agri business model it’s all of us right across the globe, how can there be much more important ( medical and water obviously) problem is the food processors and retailers think they feed the world. Money and greed are the root of all evil as they say.

 

[marcot]

are they chained to the farm 24/7/365 ? lonely people only have themselves to blame for either making no effort to socialise or being so obnoxious one wants to bother with them

sales reps are not friends just as prostitutes are not your girlfriend ! .... they are only there for your money

You could say the same about wives as well [emoji3]
Anyway the last hooker I was with advertised herself as a GFE so nearly the same as a real one without having to hug her afterwards ...win win ....

 

[thesilentone]

are they chained to the farm 24/7/365 ? lonely people only have themselves to blame for either making no effort to socialise or being so obnoxious one wants to bother with them

sales reps are not friends just as prostitutes are not your girlfriend ! .... they are only there for your money

Hardly fair Clive, I know many, especially Hill Farmers who by nature are quiet introverts, who by breeding are that way. Perfectly sociable, but by nature shy.

We are all in it for the money, what makes you any different to everyone else who is working to get on in life ? Why the attitude ? Bit more respect for others required Sir.

 

[quavers]

Has netherton tractors sorted out a yard for turriff yet?

 

[Suppin Diesel]

Seen their van in Turriff and their lorry and drag coming from Banff side

 

[A H N]

Has netherton tractors sorted out a yard for turriff yet?

I think they have but nothing confirmed yet.

 

[jondear]

You might even learn something!

Sometimes a conversation can be quite enlightening even if you don't buy from the rep that started the thought process.

Farming is becoming more and more lonely for many with no reps making any cold calls at the moment due to covid.

Sometimes it's nice to have someone different to talk about the weather with or Brexit !

 

[Cowabunga]

I spent years turning up uninvited on farms, it was my job.
Fortunately the great majority would accept a polite introduction, it was up to me to read the situation and decide how to make the next visit/appointment. But even back then there were a few full of their own self importance.

Even if you are busy when you receive an uninvited caller it doesn’t take or cost much to say leave me a card and give me a call on the phone to arrange a more convenient/appropriate time. It doesn’t hurt to be nice to the little people. You may find that some progress and succeed and that you might need them in years to come ....

Best one I had when quoting for mow-co...

"Do you know I won the silage competition? Have you told the manufacturer who you are dealing with so that they can quote a special price?"

Another would totally ignore me if I turned up on his yard. Walk straight past without acknowledging that I existed. Knew who I was as I farm some five miles away and we are both dairy farmers. Then a month or so later he'd phone up the depot and ask "why does no salesman over call with me?" 'Cos you're an arrogant pansy that nobody likes and a high maintenance cock that nobody wants to deal with at any cost mate! Mechanics don't want your abuse and complaints either.

 

[Tarw Coch]

You could say the same about wives as well [emoji3]
Anyway the last hooker I was with advertised herself as a GFE so nearly the same as a real one without having to hug her afterwards ...win win ....

What’s a GFE?
Is it the hooker equivalent of a GTi
Was she a sporty model, a bit of a go er

 

[Drillman]

Turned up uninvited many times. If I didn't know the people in question would just ask politely if they weren't busy, if they were I'd say don't worry I'll come again some other time. Quick introduction about who I was/who I worked for and what I was doing and that was that. No further expectations than that. After that, relationships became self-starting.

Any new rep that turns up here regardless if I’m busy or not I ask for there business card ask them to keep there website up to date and tell them I will call if I need them.
Only have one rep now that calls on a regular (2-3 times a year) basis and he always makes an appointment.

 

[An Gof]

What’s a GFE?
Is it the hooker equivalent of a GTi
Was she a sporty model, a bit of a go er

The urban dictionary is your friend. I am led to believe it is an acronym for Girl Friend Experience.

 

[Cowabunga]

hard to understand in these days of very controlled CRM workflows how follow ups etc could ever be missed ?

maybe the rationalzations of dealerships we are seeing is a evolution as manufacturer’s quite rightly demand a more professional approach?

That is precisely and partly what I was on about in an earlier post. Many managers and principals and their staff have no idea about the aids available or how to use them effectively. They have never been introduced to such things.
When I started back in 2002 at least we had mobile phones. Dumb phones. Because I had difficulty organising contacts, enquiries, follow ups and prices and discounts and so on, I got hold of an iPaq personal organiser. The boss also got one as he saw the advantages and the ability to move files between categories, share files and so on. It transformed the business and between us for a few years we retailed about 100 new and 80 used tractors a year plus implements from just one depot.

Later on came the smartphone and this rather spoilt the convenience factor of the iPaq which they replaced as the organisers wore out. The problem here was that you really need two devices so that you can use one while on the phone in private with the other. Unfortunately there was not the wherewithal in management to equip the expanding sales force with the tools they needed to be as effective as possible. Not the equipment or the training.

How many dealerships do provide the best sales and after sales training by someone who is competent in such things. That can encourage new ideas and effective work strategies and motivation? Plus supply whatever tools and backroom information it takes to their front line staff?

 

[Tarw Coch]

The urban dictionary is your friend. I am led to believe it is an acronym for Girl Friend Experience.

That don’t sound ideal for a hooker, having to take em out for the evening, wining and dining them hoping to get lucky at the end of the night.
Kind of defeats the purpose I’d have thought

 

[Cowabunga]

friendship and business should be kept very separate IMO

Blurring those lines leads to bad business or failed friendship ultimately

Better a failed friendship than no friendship at all.

 

[Cowabunga]

What’s a GFE?
Is it the hooker equivalent of a GTi
Was she a sporty model, a bit of a go er

Methinks you want to know too much detail. Why not ask for her phone number?

 

[Tarw Coch]

Methinks you want to know too much detail. Why not ask for her phone number?

I’m shy

 

[ollie989898]

That don’t sound ideal for a hooker, having to take em out for the evening, wining and dining them hoping to get lucky at the end of the night.
Kind of defeats the purpose I’d have thought

Don't ask me how I know this but apparently a lot of guys actually really want the company....