Compact Tractor Dealers Ignore Two-thirds of Their Potential Website Customers, Industry Survey Shows

[ArlyA]

I like to email or text a business and ask "can you service this machine?" or "do you have this in stock?" In fact I did that that very thing late yesterday. If you don't respond, that represents there customer service or now much they really want my business.

 

[ddbackhoe]

A strong market for purchase and an equipment shortage, dealers think they have buyers by the cojones. Some buyers are willing to keep their money in their pocket until the supply shortage changes.

 

[Root Cause]

I saw where people look at something online 7 times before making a purchase. Since then, I have realized that it takes time for me to warm up to a website, verify it, go back, cost compare etc.

I can see where companies are short-handed and just let the process overrun them. I have found that it does work better to call or show up in person once I am ready to buy.

 

[bmaverick]

I was a tire kicker for 2 years. Dealers really never gave me the time of day except the desperate ones that were questionable IF they would be in business a year later. I did end up with a compact tractor. They journey to getting one was surreal in itself. I got the best service and customer questions answered from a refurbished dealer than the big boys selling new.

Now that we are post-covid, the world is now totally different, demand is very high, machines with options are very low or slim pickings no matter the brand. And if you are looking in the 40Hp to 70Hp diesel range, good luck in finding anything.

 

[bmaverick]

And if a dealer needs months to get you parts, you start looking elsewhere for your modified compact tractor. LOL

 

[Diggin It]

Guess I'm old school. Even though I'm only 52. I call on the phone or physically show up and I want to talk to a person. If you want to text or email me a detail or document that's fine but I still want to talk to a live person and put eyes and hands on what I'm buying.

I don't care for what technology is doing to society.

I worked a call center for a long distance phone company for several years in the 80s answering customer calls. After that, I installed and serviced phone systems for several years. Then I worked for Uncle Sam purchasing and managing phone systems. Then I went back to installing and servicing for another several years. Then I worked 911 Dispatch taking emergency calls.

I hate phones. I despise them with all of my being. If I never had to use one again, it would be too soon.

I do what I can by email, so everything is in writing. I prefer written replies in case of issues later.

Initial contact with my LS dealer was by email. After a few exchanges, I called him and finished it off before I drove down and signed the papers.

 

[ArlyA]

I worked a call center for a long distance phone company for several years in the 80s answering customer calls. After that, I installed and serviced phone systems for several years. Then I worked for Uncle Sam purchasing and managing phone systems. Then I went back to installing and servicing for another several years. Then I worked 911 Dispatch taking emergency calls.
I hate phones. I despise them with all of my being. If I never had to use one again, it would be too soon.
I do what I can by email, so everything is in writing. I prefer written replies in case of issues later.
Initial contact with my LS dealer was by email. After a few exchanges, I called him and finished it off before I drove down and signed the papers.

I emailed a local saw dealer and asked if they had a XYZ model in stock. They got back with me and said they did, and it was a sale at that time. I went down there and bought it. Funny how communication with a customer can work. I like to get services from any business, who will respond....

 

[Torvy]

I've never really liked phones for doing business. Like @Diggin It , I like email for making sure I can reread what was discussed and prevent miscommunication.

 

[Ashland268]

When I started shopping for my tractor I admit I was thinking green or orange……in that order. I was paying cash.

Since I already knew something about the green one (4066r brother has it), I went to the Orange dealer first to look real close at the Grand L.

There wasn’t a single customer in the lot and my wife and I walked around “window shopping” for 15 minutes before a salesperson came out to greet us. He strolled out with a cup of coffee, smoking a cig, looking like he just rolled out of bed and introduced himself to my wife…not me.

I told him what I was looking for and I admittedly asked a pretty ignorant opening question about whether the Grand L had a turbo on it? (I DID NOT mention green).

Well he went off on a 5 minute pissy anti-green rant about how orange tractors are engineered and built better and don’t need a turbo. How Orange is #1 in the world and I’d be losing money by buying green…..etc, etc.

We left there and drove 5 miles to the green dealer. A salesman came out to meet us in 30 seconds flat. We spent over and hour talkin tractors, he answered questions and gave some great advice after asking us about what we’ll use it for. He even gave my wife a tractor driving lesson!

3 days later we wrote him a check for 65k for a 4066r with many additional options. The very one my wife drove.

IMO, if you have employees like the orange dealer I visited, your best bet is internet sales. If you have people like my green dealer, do it in person.

FWIW……today, I wouldn’t walk through the front door of that orange dealer if they had a 75% off everything sale.

 

[sparker133]

I have found a general overall unwillingness of companies to get back to customers. I talked to quite a few different dealers of various makes of excvators to see the prices and what they were like. Called and emailed many dealers, not looking to fund a lower price just to get a price to make a informed decision. Some salesman called me back, couple never even called me back even after I called them again. Some drug it out so long it was unreal, they would ask a question and I would answer right away then two days later I would get a response. Sometimes 2 to 3 weeks just to get a price and ideal of availability.

In the end when I saw the one at the deere dealership one afternoon and contacted my salesman within 2 hours emailed me a price. Emailed and answered all my questions quickly and efficiently, by the end of the next day i owned a new excavator.

Been going through the same thing with a new work truck for my company. I completely know I will have to order and wait for what I want and need but I want to get it ordered right away. Went in and talked to my normal salesman that have bought 3 trucks from before. That was 3 weeks ago and Emailed and called him since. He did respond to the email the other day saying still working on it. Talked to another dealership and talked with another sales man twice then haven't called or emailed since. Said I should see a email by the end of the week, that was 2 weeks ago. One salesman never even called me back after 2 calls and 1 email, had done business with him before also may be not any more.

Same thing emailed a new dealership they got back to me right away worked with me emailed back and forth and bought a new truck 3 day later from them.

Last example my wife was interested in a audi suv and was taking with a large dealership that had some coming in. My wife was on the phone with him for 45 minutes. We told him we would put a down payment on the car to hold one coming in. We wanted to come in and look at one if possible but wanted to know if he maybe has one close to look at. He said he had a customers cat that was there and was going out for delivery. He said he would take a good video of the car and send it to us. He said they also had a dealership car that was a year older that we could look at. Said he would make sure it would be here when we wanted to come. That was on a Monday, Wednesday came still nothing. My wife called Thursday and left him a voice-mail then I called Friday and left him a voice-mail, He never responded. I called on Monday and talked with the sales manager to make sure he worked or something didn't happen. They told me he worked all last week, told them what had happened and I wasn't impressed. They apologized and wanted to know what they could do to make it right. Told them nothing, if that's how there salesman treat potential customers. It was a 2 hour drive for us wanted to do most over the phone before we came in.

For me if you work with me answer my questions, call or email me back right away I will pry buy from you. I am not looking the rock bottom price I am looking for a reasonable price and a feel that someone cares a little about my business. Almost always I do all my research ahead of time and have a list of wants and questions ready to do. I don't want to waste alot of their time or mine.