How often do you work with a departments Sales person?

[trueg50]

I hear "Tractor Mike" keep reinforcing writing down the sames persons contact info in a million places (including cell number) and working with them quite a bit for the sale. How much do you actually work with them and not just the Service or Parts department?

I'm working through the buying process and have had a grand total of 20 minutes of interaction with the Sales guy. He was honest on the first call we had, but never replied to follow up emails or acknowledged receiving questions/docs I sent. When I called to discuss the quote he gave he seemed offended when I asked for money off the price, he never heard of a customer asking for a "work shop" manual but begrudgingly offered to have parts print one out if they had one. I then asked for a wheel spinner and he aggravatingly snapped "FINE but lets not nickel and dimeing this". Maybe I caught this guy on an off day, or tractor sales guys tend to take a firmer stance of "no" on things (I usually work with IT sales and they are light hearted and nicer) but I'll be happy not working with this guy again. I probably should have told him "no deal", but the dealers parts folks seem nice enough with other small equipment I've worked with them on, and the only other Kubota dealer is >1 hour away.

 

[NHSleddog]

I hear "Tractor Mike" keep reinforcing writing down the sames persons contact info in a million places (including cell number) and working with them quite a bit for the sale. How much do you actually work with them and not just the Service or Parts department?

I'm working through the buying process and have had a grand total of 20 minutes of interaction with the Sales guy. He was honest on the first call we had, but never replied to follow up emails or acknowledged receiving questions/docs I sent. When I called to discuss the quote he gave he seemed offended when I asked for money off the price, he never heard of a customer asking for a "work shop" manual but begrudgingly offered to have parts print one out if they had one. I then asked for a wheel spinner and he aggravatingly snapped "FINE but we going to keep nickel and dimeing this". Maybe I caught this guy on an off day, or tractor sales guys tend to take a firmer stance of "no" on things (I usually work with IT sales and they are light hearted and nicer) but I'll be happy not working with this guy again. I probably should have told him "no deal", but the dealers parts folks seem nice enough with other small equipment I've worked with them on, and the only other Kubota dealer is >1 hour away.

Welcome to the forums.

It is a bummer you had that experience. In my case I had a similar experience with my dealer of 20+ years when looking at buying a new (my current) B2650. I ended up switching dealers over it and I am glad I did.

Your sales guy should be helpful beyond the initial sale. Anything attachment wise and out of the Whole Goods catalog will be handled by them. I had a problem with the switch in the joystick on my 3rd function (when new) and my sales guy handled it all. They sent me a new handle to install under warranty so I didn't have to bring it to them.

I see you are in VT. I am a very happy customer of Pinnacle View Equipment in Walpole NH (it is right on the VT border). No sales tax in NH, so that may be helpful.

This should probably be moved to the buying forum.

 

[NWAZL3560]

I've had good experience with the sales guy, other than not getting much info on why it took 3 months to get my new tractor and attachments. I'd had the tractor a couple of weeks and it sounded funny to me. The sales guy and service manager drove 40 miles both ways to see and hear it on my property and let me know that it sounds normal. Haven't had any problem with it yet and that was 2 years ago.

 

[GeoHorn]

Trueg50.... if my salesman complained to me about “nickel and dimes”... I’d let him know right up front that he’s NOT going to have to worry about that any longer as of NOW!

I’d contact the dealership owner DIRECTLY and deal with HIM ONLY... and if immediate success is not found I’d go elsewhere regardless of how far and how long it took! I”d also place a “review” online and in the local paper, and send that dealer a letter explaining that he will spend a lot of advertising dollars to overcome the bad reputation I plan to spread about him and his business practices.

At my own nearby Kubota dealer (Ewald Kubota in Marble Falls, TX) I rarely talk to the salesman who first assisted me with the purchase of several attachments (tiller, land-plane, disc-harrow) but when he does happen to be who answers the phone, he ALWAYS is polite and gets me taken care of. (Most often tho’ I’m dealing with the parts/svc guy or drop by in-person to pick up what I need such as fluids, filters, small parts.)

Don’t be a “victim”. YOU are the most important person who they get to talk to and it’s never proper for them to forget that! I will “forget” them the second time it ever happens.

 

[Lil Foot]

When I first started looking for a tractor, I went to a small two man dealership that carried lots of brands, but all used. The owner tried hard to push a couple of Zennoh tractors (don't remember the models) and I brought up parts availability. He said he could get any part needed overnight. When I asked him why he was the only US dealer on the planet that could get parts for gray models, he got very angry, told me I must not be serious about buying a tractor and walked off. Guess he didn't like being caught at it. I would not have bought a Zennoh, but I might have bought something; instead, I haven't been back since.

 

[SidecarFlip]

No issue at my dealer. The owner is the only salesperson so you deal directly with him and he's very laid back, probably why he sells so many Kubota's.

 

[D2Cat]

I'd follow what GeoHorn said in post #4 to a "T". If a salesman does not want to negotiate on the deal, that's his choice, but when he verbalizes, "don't nickle and dime me..." that is absolutely not necessary. He'd displayed better salesmanship if he would have just said 'No". No smart remarks, no excuses!

 

[lewgar]

I am working with 2 dealers right now, on in PA and one in WV and both are very willing to work a deal. One is family owned and the other has 6 different locations across multiple states. If I were to get that attitude, I agree I would end it quick and move to another dealer that wants your business.

 

[Pau7220]

No sales tax in NH, so that may be helpful.

That's huge! On a 16k machine that would be $1000 in PA. That would be motivation enough for me.... Road trip
There's your negotiation, WSM, and wheel spinner!!

 

[S-G-R]

I've dealt with the same salesmen for a few years and the LX2610 was my most recent and largest purchase from him but I got the same treatment when I was buying a push spreader. He's always friendly and willing to spend whatever time I need with him.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Over the years, I've become personal friends with the owner of the dealership I deal with and I've said before, the head tech there and I shoot at the same sportsmans club too. One of these days I'm going to ask what the markup is on a new Kubota, IOW, how much does he make on a unit and where is Kubota corporate on pricing and discounts.

He sells a lot of units but he don't live large so I suspect the margins are pretty tight but again I don't know and I may ask sometime. he can only tell me it's none of my business, which it isn't but I'm curious.I'd say he's making more on service than on tractors. Everyone around here gets their machines worked on there, don't matter where they buy them either. Hard to get in during the summer with every farmer needing this and that. Why I like to have mine serviced in the winter if I need the shop.

 

[SDT]

I hear "Tractor Mike" keep reinforcing writing down the sames persons contact info in a million places (including cell number) and working with them quite a bit for the sale. How much do you actually work with them and not just the Service or Parts department?

I'm working through the buying process and have had a grand total of 20 minutes of interaction with the Sales guy. He was honest on the first call we had, but never replied to follow up emails or acknowledged receiving questions/docs I sent. When I called to discuss the quote he gave he seemed offended when I asked for money off the price, he never heard of a customer asking for a "work shop" manual but begrudgingly offered to have parts print one out if they had one. I then asked for a wheel spinner and he aggravatingly snapped "FINE but lets not nickel and dimeing this". Maybe I caught this guy on an off day, or tractor sales guys tend to take a firmer stance of "no" on things (I usually work with IT sales and they are light hearted and nicer) but I'll be happy not working with this guy again. I probably should have told him "no deal", but the dealers parts folks seem nice enough with other small equipment I've worked with them on, and the only other Kubota dealer is >1 hour away.

I would not try to work with that guy and probably not that dealer.

SDT

 

[lugbolt]

Give your salesperson one more shot.

Everyone has a bad day. He might've gotten into it with another salesman (you know, arguing over who got more phone calls or whatever they're arguing about), or with the boss, or whatever. You might've been the one who was on the other end of a bad day. Give him one more shot. If he don't do any better, does the dealer have another salesperson? General manager?

Yes I've been guilty of "the attitude"--but if anyone has ever done the job that I did, you would too. I was working at a small dealer, was the head tech, the service manager, service writer, assembly & prep tech, basically I "was" the entire shop personnel (one man show)--and normally we had 4 shop guys at all times (manager, 2 techs and assembly)--and they ALL stayed busy. Imagine one guy doing all of it, for 4 years, and a customer comes in at just the wrong time. Then they hire some guy to "help" who can't read or write, so he can't read an assembly manual, service manual, use a computer, can't write a note, can't write a work order, etc. and I gotta train him? He left, next guy was deaf. You ever tried to get a deaf man to fix a carburetion issue or running issue? Yeah, I've been there. Human nature. I did the best I could do and for that I don't have any regrets.