Machinery dealership needing a kick in the ar@#

[engineer]

Just like farmers who dont reply to calls not all dealers are bad and that goes for farmers as well.
or have a reson they think not to pay
But the ones that complaine the most are nearly all bad payers

 

[JP1]

Andy, it's the reps job to sell stuff, but it isn't the farmers job to buy stuff. Yes farmers don't Always come back, but some day they will, I'd say its the reps job to keep the door open. If i gave up every time something didn't bear fruit I'd be house bound years ago.

Nonsense! Manners cost nothing

I pride myself on efficient communication and without becoming a PIA

Had a farmer last Friday week (who I knew quite well) plaguing me to death for a quote and then a Pro-Forma invoice (re-worded twice for him) for a grant application deadline the following Monday. All went through that day. 10 days later, no return of calls or emails. Two way street and all that (btw just like AndyRob) no pop at OP

 

[Hooby Farmer]

The joy of tech:
I phoned a dealer about a Vaderstad NZA, advertised 'POA'...
"I'll email you some pictures, it's very tidy, well worth every penny and I'm only asking £12,000..."
The email duly pinged into the inbox, opened the photos, and sure enough, a tidy NZA, presented in a field of machinery. At this point, devilment takes over, and I thought I'd take a look at the metadata attached to the file - bingo, it's got the date and GPS co-ordinates attached to it. 60 seconds later I've got the name of the farm, and the auction results.
- "Thanks for the email, it looks tidy. Is there any negotiation on the price?"
"No, I'm not making much on it, I cant drop the price".
- "thats a shame, because it was sold at the W******'s displenishing sale 2 weeks ago for £5,500. I thought there might be a bit of wiggle room".
And thats when it kicked off.

I cant like this enough

 

[Lazy Eric]

I don’t always think it’s the dealers attitude, more the individual sales person... our local dealer changed the salesman for our account.. the difference is night and day, very helpful and offers demos regularly even though he knows we are not currently in the market for said machine..
Last guy was an ignorant stroker.

 

[nick...]

To add another story about 6 years ago i got our farm back from a contract farming arrangement.not happy with things but took a long while but with accountants assistance i got it back.anyway i needed a plough,combination,rolls,fert spreader and a few other bits and pieces.i sent a list to every dealer by email within a 60/70 mike radious.a dealer from fakenham emailed me back within 2 mins saying he would call on monday.still waiting for that call.i never heard from anyone else at all.i ended up sourcing all i needed my self and with help from forum members .local attleborough dealer rep called after a kick up the arse from a fellow forum member but never heard from him again either.really cant make it up.
Nick...

 

[Rowland]

While at the county show at the beginning of August I went into a tractor dealer stand looking for a demo. Currently using their brand, sourced from them so though it would be straight forward.
Palmed off by 3 reps, the fourth reluctantly took my details. I chased them up with a couple of calls before a rep visited the farm and spoke to Dad (who didn’t know about my enquiry). I phoned again to be told “oh I’ve been up to see your father and gave him some brochures”

The brochures were not for the size/series/spec that I had asked for at the show. After more calls chasing them I’ve got a demo 2 months later. However it’s still not series/spec I had asked for, Ive for a basic tractor with 40kph and mechanical cab suspension

How hard is it to get a 4 cylinder 120hp tractor with 50kph, cab and axle suspension and front links for a demo?

The salesman has got a lot of work to do if he is going to get a sale!

This is no disrespect to you or the dealer in question.
In my experience dealers often only have limited demo tractors so if your after some thing quite specific then your probably not going to get a demo for exactly what you are after .

 

[Rowland]

The joy of tech:
I phoned a dealer about a Vaderstad NZA, advertised 'POA'...
"I'll email you some pictures, it's very tidy, well worth every penny and I'm only asking £18,000..."
The email duly pinged into the inbox, opened the photos, and sure enough, a tidy NZA, presented in a field of machinery. At this point, devilment takes over, and I thought I'd take a look at the metadata attached to the file - bingo, it's got the date and GPS co-ordinates attached to it. 60 seconds later I've got the name of the farm, and the auction results.
- "Thanks for the email, it looks tidy. Is there any negotiation on the price?"
"No, I'm not making much on it, I cant drop the price".
- "thats a shame, because it was sold at the W******'s displenishing sale 2 weeks ago for £14,000. I thought there might be a bit of wiggle room".
And thats when it kicked off.

Edit, in fairness to the dealer I thought I'd better check my facts rather than relying on memory. His price was dearer than I remember, and so was the auction price, leaving a markup iro £4k, not as previously mentioned

Look at this from the other side for one moment.

Said dealer paid 14k for the kit plus commission then has to get it back to there yard advertise it possibly sit on it for a while on borrowed money. Time and travel to the sale .
Is the mark up still 4K ?

 

[Chae1]

Look at this from the other side for one moment.

Said dealer paid 14k for the kit plus commission then has to get it back to there yard advertise it possibly sit on it for a while on borrowed money. Time and travel to the sale .
Is the mark up still 4K ?

Imagine a fair bit could be spent on wearing metal on a vaderstad cultivator too.

 

[Robt]

You would be looking at £1000 for the auction day ( lorry, time, available cash etc...) so that 15k. Then it needs new metal so that 16k, then new customer wants it delivered FOC, that’s now 16.5k. Then he wants you to see him right and stand by it.... it’s now 17k..... hhmmmm that 1k margin was well worth it after you gave him hell an kicked off .... oh it’s easy just as farming is

 

[tweedale terrier]

Let’s face it there’s no easy way of making a pound in agriculture.

 

[Speedstar]

My average annual spend would be less than £10k and I don't expect anyone to bend over backwards for me but the level of unhelpfulness from dealers is quite astonishing.
I only contact people when I intend to buy something and out of 3 or 4 quotes, I will choose what I believe to be the best product at the best price. Obviously 2 or 3 will not get a sale and so feel this is a reason to not be bothered and completely forget that this will mean I will remove them from my list of people I call next year.

In my book weather you spend 10k or 200k you should be looked after the same

 

[BBC]

It's not just ag dealers, groundcare ones are just as bad.

Few years ago needed a main drive belt for a tractor mower I had bought at an auction a few years previously. Dropped into a small groundcare/garden machinery dealer that I had heard was good for parts.

Explained what I wanted and showed him the old belt. Had I bought the mower from him he asked. No. In that case F Off was the reply before I even had a chance to say that I was also looking to buy a new chainsaw because I was speechless!

Needless to say never went there again and it has subsequently closed.

 

[Cloonpotatoes]

At present I find that the more expensive the machine the less interest the dealer have is sales or service.The best service tends to be on smaller items were dealers/manufacturers can't do enough for you.

 

[nick...]

My local Toyota dealer in Norwich is just as bad.my hilux was delivered with a plastic instead of leather handbrake handle.mentioned it to sales girl who said it was being sorted but she then left.i wanted to look at an artic trucks pick up too.this was in March.the women who took over I spoke to in early June.yes she said,handbrake will be here in a couple of days.called again in August and spoke to another chap who said he would get on to it and call later in the day.heard nothing since from anyone since.ive spoken to a dealer in Falkirk through Facebook who has been great regarding the arctic trucks hilux but it’s a bit far from sunny Bunwell to go and look.i don’t think Toyota care either.im glad it’s not only me experiencing useless people
Nick...

 

[manfromhill]

My local Toyota dealer in Norwich is just as bad.my hilux was delivered with a plastic instead of leather handbrake handle.mentioned it to sales girl who said it was being sorted but she then left.i wanted to look at an artic trucks pick up too.this was in March.the women who took over I spoke to in early June.yes she said,handbrake will be here in a couple of days.called again in August and spoke to another chap who said he would get on to it and call later in the day.heard nothing since from anyone since.ive spoken to a dealer in Falkirk through Facebook who has been great regarding the arctic trucks hilux but it’s a bit far from sunny Bunwell to go and look.i don’t think Toyota care either.im glad it’s not only me experiencing useless people
Nick...

Is that Ian grieve at Falkirk bought a car if them years ago good family firm

 

[Rowland]

It's not just ag dealers, groundcare ones are just as bad.

Few years ago needed a main drive belt for a tractor mower I had bought at an auction a few years previously. Dropped into a small groundcare/garden machinery dealer that I had heard was good for parts.

Explained what I wanted and showed him the old belt. Had I bought the mower from him he asked. No. In that case F Off was the reply before I even had a chance to say that I was also looking to buy a new chainsaw because I was speechless!

Needless to say never went there again and it has subsequently closed.

This happens in many walks of life .
I got a bigger wood burner and fitted my old fitted one in daughters house needed a longer flue pipe went to a large stove supplier in Spennymoor asked if they sold flue pipe 1st question was did you buy the stove off us ? No ! Then I can’t sell you any flue pipe! I’ve had 3 Stoves’s fitted in 2 different houses since then and guess if I got any from Spennymoor!

 

[x121x]

Is that Ian grieve at Falkirk bought a car if them years ago good family firm

Bought a car about a year ago, worst service I have ever received, to the point I traded the car out and refused to deal with such a poor service department......

 

[nick...]

Is that Ian grieve at Falkirk bought a car if them years ago good family firm

Yes I think so.he has been really helpful despite being miles and miles away
Nick...

 

[fermerboy]

Yes I think so.he has been really helpful despite being miles and miles away
Nick...

If you are on Facebook search for "the Hilux man" Dave Robertson at SDM Toyota in Falkirk. He's daft about Hilux and does the Artic ones. Puts up pics all the time.

 

[nick...]

If you are on Facebook search for "the Hilux man" Dave Robertson at SDM Toyota in Falkirk. He's daft about Hilux and does the Artic ones. Puts up pics all the time.

Now you mention it he is the one I’ve been chatting too.according to google maps it’s nly a seven hour drive
Nick...