Business Must Be Good

[LarryBud]

I've decided I need to add a 3rd function and buy a grapple.

Last Friday, between the hours of 8:00 am to 8:30 am, I called 3 different Kubota dealers in the surrounding communities. As told them I wanted to add a 3rd function and buy a grapple. None of the " Phone People " knew what I was talking about and each vowed to get the message to the correct person and call me back.

No calls on Friday. Monday, one of the operations calls and says they can order me a 3rd function kit but forget about a grapple. The other two... never called back. I was ready to drop $3K if the right package was offered but they must be too busy selling high ticket items to deal with a measly $3000 order.

So, I ordered the 3rd function kit from Summit and the grapple from MTL. Instead of supporting my local economy, I'm sending my money to Phoenix and somewhere along the GA / AL Border. I ordered both online last night and they both shipped today. Is this the new economy?

What can you do?

 

[kubotafreak]

My guess, the dealers are very short staffed. They probably throw anyone with a heartbeat in the reception spot. Apparently nobody wants to work. I have seen countless Owners working their businesses where I am. But to agree with you customer service seems to be going out the window quick...

 

[PaulR]

It's tough when you got the dough and there's no product available.
I would have maybe tried going down there.
I'm pretty patient, waited several months for my new tractor last year.
I must have lucked out in the Spring, they had the grapple I wanted in stock.

 

[Yooper]

Those of you who are old enough will remember the days of ordering stuff and being told to allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery. Standard mail order phrase. Maybe we have just come full circle.

 

[bird dogger]

Those of you who are old enough will remember the days of ordering stuff and being told to allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery. Standard mail order phrase. Maybe we have just come full circle.

LOL! How true. As in Sears Roebuck, Montgomery Wards, etc. The list was long! Not to mention Finger Hut!!

 

[ddavis83864]

I've run into similar situations. I wanted rear remoted for my tractor when I bought it new back in March. They ordered them but somehow they never made it to the dealership. Kubota confirmed they shipped them but nothing. I ended up ordering the remotes myself from Coleman and Hoober and saved a lot of money. However the dealership was able to get me a TopNTilt kit very quickly and at about $100 less than anyone else showed they could order it for. Its basically down to who has what you want and what do you want to pay for it.

 

[LarryBud]

Perhaps I’m being too hard on them. Each dealer is 20-30 miles in a different direction and I was ready to make a move.

I could have driven to each for a chat but it would had taken a day to do it. I still think they should have called but maybe they get a lot phone calls that go nowhere.

I’ll have my 3rd fiction kit at the house tomorrow and my grapple delivered to the farm by weeks end. Not bad for ordering after hours on Monday night.

 

[Henro]

Perhaps I’m being too hard on them. Each dealer is 20-30 miles in a different direction and I was ready to make a move.

I could have driven to each for a chat but it would had taken a day to do it. I still think they should have called but maybe they get a lot phone calls that go nowhere.

I’ll have my 3rd fiction kit at the house tomorrow and my grapple delivered to the farm by weeks end. Not bad for ordering after hours on Monday night.

I think dealers need to adapt.

A few days ago I stopped at a Kubota dealer which was the closest one to my house and 45 minutes away, only because I was going to be in the area. I needed some different things for my BX including a couple fuel filters. They didn’t have the mower deck belt that I needed, but it was only five bucks different from the online price at a different place, so I probably would’ve just bought it. BUT fuel filters were double price, and in a moment of weakness I thought I might need them so I bought them. So a nine dollar purchase became an eighteen dollar purchase more or less.

So at the end of the day there’s no motivation for me to go to a local dealer. I can order online and even with shipping I will end up paying the same or less, and won’t have to use my car or time to get what I need.

 

[lugbolt]

I don't know where you are but yes there is some issue with dealer help here in this area.

I got a call from the corporate boss who asked me to go back to work there. But I'm happy where I am at.

 

[LarryBud]

This may be going a little deeper than the original intent of my post which was spurred by frustration.

I think we're seeing our economy evolve from far less face to face / customer service to a web based, figure it out yourself platform. Try calling an airline, UPS shipping, your credit card company for example. It's almost impossible to speak with anyone.

I tried calling Best Buy recently to ask if a TV I wanted was in stock..... They no longer accept phone calls at all. Look at the website or come in are the only options.

I guess I going to have to get used to it.

 

[ItBmine]

I feel your pain. I just drove 4 hours each way to get the Boss plow for my RTV.
I have two local dealers and one never called back and one told me to go to the one 4 hours away because they are better, LOL

The town I live by is useless. Everything from atv to class 8 truck dealers....it's like none of them care.

Luckily my Kubota/Deere dealer, Northshore Tractor, is awesome. They have all kinds of stock and never seemed to have any issues getting stuff during covid.

 

[random]

This may be going a little deeper than the original intent of my post which was spurred by frustration.

I think we're seeing our economy evolve from far less face to face / customer service to a web based, figure it out yourself platform. Try calling an airline, UPS shipping, your credit card company for example. It's almost impossible to speak with anyone.

I tried calling Best Buy recently to ask if a TV I wanted was in stock..... They no longer accept phone calls at all. Look at the website or come in are the only options.

I guess I going to have to get used to it.

Absolutely agree - "automated" interactions seems to be the future and it sucks.

 

[DustyRusty]

I tried to contact J C Taylor Insurance company about a policy, and the phone went unanswered on multiple occasions. I am looking into switching to Hagerty Insurance, since they still have a staff that answers the phone.