A little rant

[Robert_in_NY]

About a month ago I stopped in at a local dealer that sells trailers, mini excavators and Kubota tractors and inquired about a used mini excavator and a new dump trailer. The salesman told me about a used unit they had coming in as soon as they got the new Bobcat in to give the guy and as soon as it was in they would call me and let us know. He knew we were serious as we were currently renting a machine from someone else but wanted our own.

Well we don't hear nothing from him for a couple weeks and finally stop in and visit him again as we see the used unit on their yard. The salesman informs me he forgot about us and already sold the machine but that he was getting another unit in soon just as soon as they find another new Bobcat to give the guy. We then discuss a new Kubota vineyard tractor and again I express the fact I need this tractor before spring. He runs the numbers for me and tells me that we would have the first shot at the mini when it gets in.

Well a week goes by and were in need of an excavator and don't want to rent one again so I call the salesman and he tells me their still trying to find a new Bobcat still to complete the deal but he will call me in two days and if I don't hear from him to call him. He then proceeds to tell me the guy that was buying the other mini we were originally told about is backing out of the deal and wants to buy a different unit. Now the first machine was around $10k and open station with high hours and possibly a grey market unit. The newer used unit was $20k with cab/heat and AC and around 2000 hours and much better suited for our use and desire. I told him I was more interested in the unit we were waiting for and wanted to see it first before deciding.

So two days pass and I don't hear from him so I call his cell on the third day and leave a message. I don't hear from him so I call again 4 days later and he still won't answer so I left another message to which I have not been called back. So I am starting to think they sold the better mini to the guy who originally bought the first mini out from under us. All I can assume is he is a friend of theirs but I do know I am done trying to deal with these guys. The Kubota vineyard tractor is going to come from Messicks anyway now, the dump trailer is coming from a different dealer and I am going to start looking further away to find a suitable mini excavator. The more I try to deal with local companies the more disappointed I am. I do have a great relationship with the local Case-IH dealer and do well with the local JD dealer but they actually honor their word and if they tell you they will sell you something they actually call when its in or when they find something I am looking for.

I never thought it would be so difficult to spend around $75k at one local dealership but I guess they don't need the business

 

[MicroPilot]

Let the owners know what has transpired, and that they have lost you as a customer.

 

[timswi]

Let the owners know what has transpired, and that they have lost you as a customer.

Fully agree..Owners don't like to hear any of that, unless they are just as bad (rare). I blew up at a car dealer once due to some scumbag sales manager and salesman throwing my keys on the roof and preventing me from leaving (an old dealer saying about hanging on to the trade in keys)...

The owner called me the next day and tried to make it right...Tell the owner.

 

[Lloyd_E]

Robert, The sad thing is most people don't value other people words - not like years ago when you said something your words were gospel and a handshake sealed the deal.
Unfortunately you weren't taken seriously... fortunately you moved on. Something better will come. Always does. I would still talk to the owners. In the doom and gloom of the economy today - no one - can afford to turn away business. I tell ya if a client was going to offer me $75k I would be jumping through hoops and making sure they were absolutely satisfied...
I would be doing after sales checks as well just to show my appreciation!

Good luck... something better will develop!

 

[20 20]

Hello Robert in NY;
I have had great luck with Construction Equipment For Sale at MachineryTrader.com: Dozers, Scrapers, Wheel Loaders, Excavators, Motor Graders, Caterpillar, Komatsu, Case, John Deere, Volvo. There is a huge selection of machines, you decide how far how many $$$ and what shape, size etc..you want. I looked at well over 100 excavators in our area and have been VERY happy with my results. I found machines with low hrs and was treated professionally by the different folks I went to. I'm not saying every single person on the site will be professional, but with the amount of choices one has it sure makes things much easier. Also you can see what an average price for a machine should be compared to many of the local stealers bull.

 

[Redbug]

I think when you get any of your new buys...make sure you swing by that dealership on the the way home to see if there's any maintenance items you may need to get for it.

Park out front where they can all see it. If anyone asks about your new equipment, just put on a big smile, thrust out your chest, and tell them what a good deal you got and it was just what you were looking for. And do they have so and so filter for it?...

And if no one says anything...go get that salesman and show him the great buy you got and you wanted to let him know that he does not need to look anymore for that kind of equipment you were wanting since you got a great deal on one...but do they have so and so filter for it? As for other equipment, mention that you have a good lead on whatever it is and may need a part or two...do they carry parts for them?

 

[dmccarty]

....

I never thought it would be so difficult to spend around $75k at one local dealership but I guess they don't need the business

Run away.

Give your business to someone who cares.

Given how much time you have spent on this I would send a letter to the owner.

When I was tractor shopping I looked at JD, Kubota, and NH. I stopped at a NH/Kubota dealer one day and looked over the tractors. I talked to the "sales" man, retired USAF NCO, to get prices. Long story short, I am still waiting for prices.

I think the company sold mostly commercial grade backhoes and selling tractors was not something they cared about. So I bought from someone who did care.

Loosing a sale is bad. Real bad. Loosing a sale in this economy is mind boggling.

Later,
Dan

 

[EddieWalker]

Why waste your time contacting the owner of the business? Either he knows what his sales people are doing and doesn't care, or he's cluelss and doesn't get it. Either way,it's not worth the price of a stamp,or the time it takes to write the letter.

You learned you lesson about the dealership without spending a buck. Just think if you had bought from them, and then learned this lesson the hard way like you did with your tractor?

There are so many mini excavators out there to choose from, it's a buyers market and the options are just amazing.

Good luck and let us know what you get!!!!

Eddie

 

[riptides]

I would opt to ALWAYS give your thoughts and feedback to the top. In this case negative feedback may be appreciated.

People and Businesses are dynamic, one never knows what is happening from the outside looking in.

It is said, upper level management when looking at issues or situations is really only dealing with something like 5 to 10 percent of the information.

 

[ultrarunner]

Fully agree..Owners don't like to hear any of that, unless they are just as bad (rare). I blew up at a car dealer once due to some scumbag sales manager and salesman throwing my keys on the roof and preventing me from leaving (an old dealer saying about hanging on to the trade in keys)...

The owner called me the next day and tried to make it right...Tell the owner.

Pretty low and it still happens... just like running a credit report without permission.

The last time they tried that to a friend... she said, that's ok... I have a spare key and if my key isn't hand delivered to my home today... I calling the police, having the locks changed and your paying for it.

She also wanted a factory sun roof... it was very important to her... the Dealer said he can have a factory sun roof here in the morning... he was full of it... he was going to take the car to the "Sun Roof" factory...

Mute point... Dealership of 35 years closed a few months later and the District Attorney was investigating...

 

[two_bit_score]

I agree there is really no use in contacting the owner, unless you know them personally.

Sorry to hear you got the rug pulled out from under your deal, twice.

I've never made a living in sales but it seems to me that there are a lot of missed opportunities. But, I also think salesmen get worked over by customers a lot too.

How many times have you heard about somebody backing out if a deal, trying to pull something to get a freebie, just being a down right pain to work with, complaining about everything (remember somebody on here wanting to get support for taking his tractor back because the steering wheel emblem didn't stay in the same position after being turned a few times) etc?

I know, it goes with the job.

Bottom line is, when you do find somebody who is good to deal with then stick with them.

Everybody in business is not worth doing business with.

 

[slowzuki]

Friend of mine ended up buying a Cat 303.5 and trailer package together from Cat, financed via Cat. Had better luck dealing with them and the price was competitive. He also had priced the same thing via JD and Volvo but he didn't like the Deere unit as well, and the Volvo dealer doesn't normally do mini's.

 

[ultrarunner]

A little off topic...

Sometimes the most difficult customer/sale leads to future business.

Seen it happen many times... especially with immigrant families.

Not uncommon for every nickle and dime to be hashed out... it can be cultural.

Once you make that first satisfactory sale... future sales to family and friends can materialize.

My Grandfather became very good friends with a Chinese Business man that opened and was very successful in the restaurant business... that first sale years ago took more than a day...

After that, a respect developed and he recommended my grandfather to friends and employees... we always knew because they would they were sent by him...

I think it is called earning my business.

 

[MossRoad]

Not informing the owner is like not telling your neighbor their house is on fire.

 

[two_bit_score]

Not informing the owner is like not telling your neighbor their house is on fire.

Not even remotely. Unless you know them personally.

 

[Combustix]

I would not right a letter I would make an appointment to see the owner or GM. I would sit down an explain why he lost my business. I am sure he would be appreciative. Having been in charge of 1000 employees you will never here of issues such as this. We would here about letters weeks later but at that point was a mute issue. Those that came in directly had their issues handled then and there

 

[Taylortractornut]

Id talk to the manager/ owner. Ive had salesmen sell units out from under me before with out the managers knowing. I bought truck one time because It had air brakes that was the sole reason I wanted it. They had 2 trucks on the lot one with Lucas hydraulic brakes. I wont have them.


I get the info go get m money I have driven the truck and paid 500 down for them to hold it. I get there that weekend and I was doing the pre trip and saw it had Lucas brakes on it. I get the sales man and he told me a man offered a 1000 dollars more even though I had already put a down payment on it. He had put my truck on the reserve lot. I busted up in the owners office and aked him what kinda cut rate operation he had goin. He got the salesman i nthere and made it right, also he kocked off 900 on the price cuttin the salesmans commison.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Thanks for the advice, I am going to talk to the owner the next time I go by the area and let them know but I would be surprised if they did anything. I have had mixed results, one time I complained about an issue on a different board and the owner of the dealership saw the post and took the steps required to resolve the problem. The people who got in trouble didn't help themselves though as they printed a copy of the complaint on the message board and sent it along with the baler. The owner had wrote on it when he faxed it to the manager asking what was going on with the customer (me) so I know if the owner didn't see the post then I would probably still be waiting for my baler to be delivered :laughing:

The other problem occured at the NH dealer, I would refer friends to the dealership who were wanting to buy new tractors. If they ran into the salesman I dealt with they bought a tractor. If they met the store manager they came back to me swearing about their terrible experience. I contacted the store owner and all that did was get me in trouble with the store manager (who is the the owners BIL). I tried to help them out by referring friends and family to them but I quit after that and now have nothing to do with that dealership at all. The store manager likes to tell people their stupid if they want a tractor he doesn't think they need. I have heard him go off on potential customers who insisted they wanted a particular tractor for a particular job and he would flat out tell them he wouldn't sell them one in an arrogant and rude manner.

The best dealer around this area is a small dealer who deals with Kioti now but use to sell Valtra and Agco. They go out of their way to help you even if you tell them your just thinking about a possible purchase. Its a family run business and its just a great place to go to so I try to buy as many implements from them as possible as well as ATV's and accessories. They have store hours that actually work for everyone and are open seven days a week during their busiest times just so their customers can keep going if they need a part or want a new atv/snowmobile/utv or tractor.

 

[Fixemall]

Sounds like you had a Lamb and Webster rodeo

 

[MossRoad]

Not even remotely. Unless you know them personally.

So let's discuss that.

Why wouldn't you talk to the owner?