Kubota dealer visit

[GrassLakeRon]

So I stopped in yesterday to pick up some udt fluid for my b8200. Being the smart ass I am as I walked thru the door I exclaimed "So I want to buy a new tractor". 5 faces lit up with smiles and then I said, "I don't need a loader". 5 faces went back to their computers screens. After picking up the fluid I started a conversation with the parts cashier. He looked at me after hearing the first conversation and said, " see that mx by the door when you came in? A guy was interested in it yesterday. He went to start it to take it around the yard and no dice. Our mechanic need to order three different parts because we dont know which will fit it because of different parts and supply issues. Be glad your 8200 is working".

 

[jimh406]

Your dealer sounds horrible, but at least they had UDT.

 

[lugbolt]

a lot of dealers put more focus on sales than anything else. When you walk in and say "I want a new tractor", the sales guys will swarm you like stink on you know what. But if you need service? They avoid you. Ask ourselves why that is. I did a job (at a dealer) that required a lot of customer interaction. If I had 100 customers, 90 of them were less than happy to see me and then out of the other 10, maybe 3 were really happy to come say hi. The 90? Those are the ones that stick out at you and can ruin your day. So if I know the majority of customers that walk through the door are gonna be mad about their stuff being broken, it's going to make for a long day-one which I'm less than excited about at 0700 in the morning when I clock in.

--but--when the sales guys show up at 0400 or whatever time they get there, they see more happy people than mad people. Secondly and probably more importantly in this discussion, the sales guys are happy to see everyone knowing what they get paid. In the case of that dealer, it's a substantial pay difference. Think about it. Shop guys waller in grease, sweat their nuts off out in the heat and freeze up in the cold, and deal with mad people all day every day, they know that they are gonna have to buy MORE tools because the shop "ain't got the money" for that special tool, they know they're gonna go home with a paycheck of say, $500 for the week. But the sales guys? They sit in an air conditioned cubicle or office, make a lot of phone calls, talk to customers that are happy to spend money, and they bring home a paycheck of, say, $2500 a week.

And we wonder why us techs aren't excited about going to work and why they don't stick around. I realize every dealer is different and there are exceptions, but I also know that sales is heavily favored in the majority of dealers.

 

[GrassLakeRon]

I have gone to two other dealerships..... The one I bought my tractor from, high sales volume and two techs. The second is an old time dealer. One salesman, 3 techs and 1 cashier. I had my tires put on here. Their word is their bond and I can always count on them. Lower sales volume but lots of repeat business.

 

[chim]

Makes me glad Messicks is only minutes away.

 

[Moose7060]

My dealership is less than 15 mins away and when I walk in I get greeted by my first name. They are the reason I bought orange even though I owned 2 greens before.

 

[fried1765]

Makes me glad Messicks is only minutes away.

I am 450 miles away, and still glad to have Messick's available to me,.....via UPS, and USPS.
Messick's is one of the most customer dedicated dealerships for ANYTHING, that I have EVER encountered.

 

[D2Cat]

I am 450 miles away, and still glad to have Messick's available to me,.....via UPS, and USPS.
Messick's is one of the most customer dedicated dealerships for ANYTHING, that I have EVER encountered.

Your prejudice is showing!

I've been buying from Coleman Equipment before they were Coleman Equipment.

Scott O'Dell was who I bought my first Kubota from and they are now one of the three locations Coleman Equipment owns/operate. Coleman's Bonner Springs store is within 30 miles of this distribution center. https://www.insidelogistics.ca/dc-warehouse-operations/kubota-opens-giant-logistics-centre-156328/

 

[fried1765]

Your prejudice is showing!

I've been buying from Coleman Equipment before they were Coleman Equipment.

Scott O'Dell was who I bought my first Kubota from and they are now one of the three locations Coleman Equipment owns/operate. Coleman's Bonner Springs store is within 30 miles of this distribution center. https://www.insidelogistics.ca/dc-warehouse-operations/kubota-opens-giant-logistics-centre-156328/

I have absolutely nothing against Coleman's.
Messick's has treated me EXCEPTIONALLY well, so I have no reason to look elsewhere.
I have never bought a tractor from any dealer!

 

[mcmxi]

My dealership is less than 15 mins away and when I walk in I get greeted by my first name. They are the reason I bought orange even though I owned 2 greens before.

The local dealership is less than 3 miles from my place, close enough that I've driven both tractors to the dealership to have accessories installed. Like you, everyone there knows me, and sometimes when I pull up one of the staff will use the PA system to say that there's a call for me on line 1. It makes me laugh every time.

When I went looking for my first tractor in 2016 I stopped at a JD dealership in town and they were such assholes. I've had nothing but an outstanding experience with the local Kubota dealership and products over the past 8 years. I've bought three tractors and numerous implements from them, and the manager bought my BX25D from me to use at his cabin on the lake. I have a tremendous amount of respect for them and I trust them to give me great advice and fair prices.

 

[Moose7060]

The local dealership is less than 3 miles from my place, close enough that I've driven both tractors to the dealership to have accessories installed. Like you, everyone there knows me, and sometimes when I pull up one of the staff will use the PA system to say that there's a call for me on line 1. It makes me laugh every time.

When I went looking for my first tractor in 2016 I stopped at a JD dealership in town and they were such assholes. I've had nothing but an outstanding experience with the local Kubota dealership and products over the past 8 years. I've bought three tractors and numerous implements from them, and the manager bought my BX25D from me to use at his cabin on the lake. I have a tremendous amount of respect for them and I trust them to give me great advice and fair prices.

Sounds like we have identical experiences as well as great dealerships. Of course the first attitude they see from customers is engrained no different than the first impression customers can get from dealerships.

 

[mcmxi]

Makes me glad Messicks is only minutes away.

I would really like to spend some time at one of the Messick's dealerships. If I ever find myself in Pennsylvania I'll be sure to do just that. For now all I can do is watch Neal's excellent videos. The last one with his son was hilarious.

 

[lugbolt]

I have gone to two other dealerships..... The one I bought my tractor from, high sales volume and two techs. The second is an old time dealer. One salesman, 3 techs and 1 cashier. I had my tires put on here. Their word is their bond and I can always count on them. Lower sales volume but lots of repeat business.

that is a characteristic of most small dealers and why it's so important to support them.

 

[GrassLakeRon]

that is a characteristic of most small dealers and why it's so important to support them.

I would love to, only problem is certain parts they tell me to go to messicks. The last order I got from messicks was paint. Both the quart and gallon cans were heavily dented in the box they came in.

 

[fried1765]

I would love to, only problem is certain parts they tell me to go to messicks. The last order I got from messicks was paint. Both the quart and gallon cans were heavily dented in the box they came in.

Messick's is great!
If you have an issue with their packing/shipping, you should tell them.

 

[lugbolt]

I would love to, only problem is certain parts they tell me to go to messicks. The last order I got from messicks was paint. Both the quart and gallon cans were heavily dented in the box they came in.

some parts cost more for them to order in small quanties than they'll ever make back on them. A can of paint, they may have to order a case minimum quantity and if you buy one can and they're stuck with 5 more, those 5 may be on the shelf for ages. In that time, they may have to pay $75-$100 in interest, for 5 cans of paint that cost them $50. Just one (of many) examples. So they're probably not too far off in directing you to a more high volume dealer, be it online or physical.

Working with a dealer buying their dealership. At one time they had about $210,000 worth of parts inventory. We offered them $20,000 for it, because they literally threw away (into a dumpster...) a TON of outdated inventory, as it was costing them more to keep it in stock than it was worth. That should give you an idea of what I'm describing. Those costs are significant and they add up with parts inventory before you even realize it! This was a multi-line dealership. They sold out to another company in 2018 and that company owned a bunch of other stores. Those other stores, the inventory of parts that accrued interest, the amount of interest was in the millions in 2020 when I left.