Loyalty, dealer/brand, is it worth it?

[Turnip]

So in the next 6 months I'll have a bit of a shopping list of kit and additional wishlist for the next year's. Now I was always told that being loyal to a dealer was a good thing, discounts perks etc, and this almost always equals brand loyalty as that is the brand the dealer sells. Sometimes this meant compromising on the quality of the equipment because it was what the dealer sold.

I'll have about 6 or 7 agricultural dealerships 30 minutes from home, with the addition of the Internet. Is loyalty to the dealer/brand still worth it or should I just buy the best kit for the job from whoever has the best deal on the day?

 

[NUFF465]

I have always believed one should first, buy the product you think is best for the particular job in mind at the best possible price with the supplier within a reasonable distance from your farm in case after sale support is needed , sad to say, I don't think there is much loyalty around these days from either customer or dealer

 

[texelburger]

I always buy locally from 4 local dealers if possible,it makes life so much easier with warranty work and any other niggles that may arise.I know all the dealer principles/owners personally and socially which helps.We nearly always buy new but very occasionally have travelled to see a 2nd hand machine that wasn't available locally.

 

[ColinV6]

Everything we’ve bought in the last 5 years has come from one dealer and salesman.

3x tractors
New manitou
Rear discharge spreader
Front and rear mowers

I like to think of a transaction now as an enjoyable and relaxing chat between friends now. Something you don’t get buy turning up as a complete unknown.
Service and backup is also a huge contributor to choice of dealers/brands. It could be the best thing in the world but if you can’t get them in a hurry, on a Sunday when your busy at silage for example, it’s no good at all.

 

[startinghandle]

Everything we’ve bought in the last 5 years has come from one dealer and salesman.

3x tractors
New manitou
Rear discharge spreader
Front and rear mowers

I like to think of a transaction now as an enjoyable and relaxing chat between friends now. Something you don’t get buy turning up as a complete unknown.
Service and backup is also a huge contributor to choice of dealers/brands. It could be the best thing in the world but if you can’t get them in a hurry, on a Sunday when your busy at silage for example, it’s no good at all.

Did you obtain quotes from other dealers?... I think dealer loyalty means very little these days

 

[ColinV6]

Did you obtain quotes from other dealers?... I think dealer loyalty means very little these days

Generally no, not on the items so far, as they sell mainly the brands I’m interested in which works out well. For a new trailer however I may look elsewhere but no plans for that at the moment. We have a broughan and it’s superb. Said dealer doesn’t deal with broughan

 

[balerman]

Sadly all loyalty gets you is being taken for granted,by all means use favoured dealers but don’t be blinkered.Look around and buy what suits you rather than what dealers have in stock and are keen to shift.

 

[steveR]

Did you obtain quotes from other dealers?... I think dealer loyalty means very little these days

I wanted to buy a compact last week from one dealer, however, the other quote was 10% less, neither were particularly close. The cheaper one got my business and delivered within 3 days.

 

[Finn farmer]

We know every dealer near us. We'll get quotes from everyone on machines we want. All the dealers have separate salesmen for tractors and implements. We've two tractor salesmen who we can't get on same page with, but their implement salesmen on the other hand are great. JD salesman pulled the rug on us a few years ago, so we didn't deal with him anymore (RIP). Previous Mf salesman was great, but stopped selling tractors and ended up selling implements only. Every one of them gets a sale now and then, but the best backup comes from the smaller "players" as there isn't an international company behind them telling how the things "need" to be done.

 

[Gerbert]

I buy about 90% at one dealer. Not because he is the cheapest, not because he has the best brands, but because he proved to be honest, gives great service and is well located.
I like to deal with people that can be trusted on their word. When that is not the case, financials have to show that is worth the risk.
To give an example, I recently bought a 4 rotor rake without even signing something. It showed up far earlier then expected and because the dealer didn't have inside storage I put it in my shed months before paying. And that wasn't the dealer I buy about 90% from.
To ad another example: me and my father where at a hardware/tool dealer to buy some bolts and screwdriver bits, value would be 25 ish euro. My father knew the guy that runs the shop. Their policy was that we had to show ID and pay the first order with cash in order to have an account. We paid with cash alright and never went there again. We get our tools at a guy that put a multiple of that amount on our new account after we saw him for the first time, probably spent about 10k there a few good years down the line.

 

[box]

Ahhhhh, the old "for you my friend, special price" chat up line. Shop around, save money where you can, buy the machine that you want. Remember, the salesman is only your "friend" because you've got money and they want it.

Workshop and parts supplier loyalty is where the savings are.

 

[nick...]

There is no loyalty from dealers or manufacturers towards customers.it seems you have to chase and chase people and they may get back to you if they can be bothered.it really annoys me and I could write a book on the subject.
nick...

 

[Gerbert]

Just because you have a dealer that isn't on the ball very much doesn't mean everyone does.
I agree that the salesman is only there to make money, and as long as you keep that in mind I don't see the problem. You can both be friendly with him and know he has to earn a living.
If I want to buy something I will mostly be well aware what it costs (or certainly what I want to spend) before I ask, and the salesman knows that.

 

[Stw88]

friend of mine went to work at a place who bought all there machinery from 1 dealership. large spot changing at least 1 if not 2 tractors a year plus all associated machinery. Quote for new tractor was lying on table 1 bait time needless to say the dealership had been pulling his pants down for some time as he knew they didn’t shop around.

 

[Sid]

I like to think of a transaction now as an enjoyable and relaxing chat between friends now

 

[box]

You can both be friendly with him and know he has to earn a living.

Ofcourse. But it doesn't mean you have to buy an overpriced/poorly made/unsuitable machine off him to maintain some kind of relationship or brand/dealer/salesman loyalty.

Remember - they're the ones that need us, not the other way around. One mustn't be afraid of hurting a friendly salesmans feelings if there's a better deal to be had elsewhere or if their brand is rubbish.....it's not personal, it's just business.

Like I said above, loyalty has it's place.....just not with the sales department.

 

[Gerbert]

Oh yes, ofcourse. I didn't mean you should buy crap just because you like the salesman/ dealer.
I disagree however that they only need us, we kinda need eachother. Even if you give them very little business, more dealers is more better.

 

[Spud]

We use most of the local dealers in varying amounts, and are quite patriotic re machine choices. Dealer approach varies massively.

For some kit we deal directly with the manufacturers (potato kit, sprayers, trailers)

Some dealers take umbridge if they lose out on a deal, some take it on the chin and look at the positives - we're still a customer, they'll get parts sales, probably get a chance next time.

One, despite us buying several new and second hand machines of considerable ticket from them, doesn't seem to appreciate my business at all, and can be quite difficult, despite me always paying bills, giving notice/time for work etc. To be frank they don't deserve my loyalty, their approach and attitude stinks.

Some we don't do much with, but only because of us not having the type or makes of machines that they sell.

One particularly we do regular, though not big business with is superb, and as such we do like to use them if possible. I bought a 10yr old combine from them 6yrs ago, but we still get invited to the driver training day every year, and feel no less valued as a customer than if we had ten tractors of their colour. They lent/hired/demoed me a second hand baler last season when mine broke and we were stuck (mine not their colour) on the understanding that if we liked it, we'd buy it, and if it wasn't for us, then I'd pay them some per bale hire. I bought the baler.

Parts staff can make or break a dealership, regardless of franchaise or sales staff.

 

[box]

we kinda need eachother

We don't need them, it's just another pointless layer of pen pushers in the middle, inflating the price of the end product. Who do you think pays for the multi million dollar premises? The massive showroom? The flash offices and smoko rooms?

We need parts (I prefer to order these online and have them arrive in my mailbox overnight)
We need a workshop (even though most servicing and repairs are carried out onsite by a man in a ute/pickup/truck/van).
We don't need salesmen.

Without us, they havn't got a business. They need us. They seem to forget this sometimes....like a lot of industries servicing the farming sector. A downturn in farming tends to reset things a bit.

Honda NZ have just rolled out their online store, you can customise the vehicle to your liking (spec, colour etc), purchase and pay for a new vehicle through the website, direct from Honda NZ. A "Honda Ambassador" brings the vehicle to you. Sounds like a great idea to me? Or am I missing something? Oh yeah, the suit wearing salesman that thinks he's important is missing....just saying.

 

[Drillman]

If it’s a new machine I always start locally and go from there.

used machine I buy the machine that suits from a dealer who I can trust even if it means travelling to the other end of the country.

We recently bought a machine locally from a dealer, sold as seen, I spoke to many local and not so local dealers about the type of machine I was after but haven’t as yet told any of them I’m fixed up.

the machine I purchased was a month ago and decided to see if any of the other folks I spoke to ever get back to me with anything.

bit sneaky I know especially as I was been a touch ambitious in what my budget bought but decided. Not to say anything and see who gave lip service and who was making a genuine effort to fix me up.

the latter will be much higher up the phone call list next time I’m after something!