i think i've upset my local stihl dealer

[Wood wasp]

I can see both sides of story and Steve B makes excellent point re different perceptions of same conversation.

 

I'm bit of a part time cutter and recently bought a saw from one of major online dealers for first time as was attracted by price, bought it on a whim during Christmas holidays so local dealer never had a chance to quote. Great communication from the online guys but was still two weeks after they reopened that I received saw…. The wrong saw!!!!

 

While waiting on hearing how this would be resolved I contacted local dealer just to see what price he could have done compared to internet, £25 dearer but he'd change the sprocket to spec I requested and set up saw so I could walk out door and cut. Also got some excellent advice re oils (to detriment of his sales) which will save me a few quid.

 

So I bought saw from him and will also buy a 550xpg next month also. To my mind everyone's a winner - I've supported local dealer and got better service, he's done best price he can and gained two saw sales

 

* I should add online dealer is resolving wrong saw cockup asap and also made gesture to cover inconvenience

Edited January 18, 2014 by Wood wasp

[teepeeat]

And you're basing all of this on one persons side of a story. Not suggesting that the op isn't telling the truth, but I've been around long enough to know not to jump to conclusions based on 1 persons interpretation/perception of events.....something all would do well to keep in mind

 

fair comment Steve

[openspaceman]

Again....we hear a lot about the 'bad attitudes' of dealers, but what about the bad attitude of customers?

 

That may be so but I was commenting on Honey's list, and they are a dealer I used to frequent as a forestry contractor and still do, occasionally, as an employee of a small company.

 

When I was in business there was no internet, I paid cash and bought from three local dealers, all of whom were friendly.

 

I also have to deal with our local Ford dealer and would never use them by choice.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

I am rather the opposite to Honey Bros, although i am talking machinery in general, not Stihl.

 

It is common these days to get customers in waving printouts around and asking if I will match internet prices.

 

In short, I will not. If I were to, then my profits would be insufficient to run my small business, and there would be one less sales/repair facility in the area.

 

My prices are very reasonable though and never far off the mark, but if a customer chooses to shun me and buy cheaper elsewhere then I will happily shun him if he brings the internet bought machine into me to fix under warranty, and will concentrate my efforts on giving my loyal customers excellent service.

 

 

I did once offer to match an internet price on a Ride-On mower by a pushy customer. The customer asked when it would be delivered as he wanted to be there for me to show him how to use it.

I said it would be sometime over the next week, but could not say when, so he had better stay in. I furthermore said it would be on a pallet and would be left on his drive, and, as I was only a driver on that day then I could answer no questions. He did not like that, but as I pointed out, if he wants internet prices, he gets internet service.

 

Or, I said, for an extra £100 he could have it at a time to suit him, and I would spend as much time as needed to commission it.

 

He jumped at the chance and ended up paying £20 more than my original price would have been.

 

Spot-on!

 

Research online, decide what you want, then go see a trusted dealer (in my experience, who will later become a friend). For me, deliveries are a nightmare because they either can't find us or you have to wait in for days.

 

Your post is spot on!

[Mesterh]

Without trying to offend anyone, I cant believe people have the brass neck to do that ie buy cheaper elsewhere then expect the local guy to drop everything to help them out knowing they won't come back again unless theres a problem with something else, never mind brag about it:001_rolleyes:

 

Every single one of us would be fuming if a tree customer did that to us.

 

" I know you didnt do the tree work as you were too expensive so I used someone else but I need you to come around and sort a few problems out for free if you dont mind":lol:

 

So, how many of us would be round there like a shot showing them what they missed out on by not hiring us in the first place, and they will surely use us in the future?

 

Or would we all tell them to bugger off and that they shouldnt have been tight gits in the first place?

Edited January 18, 2014 by Mesterh
language Timothy

[GardenKit]

And you're basing all of this on one persons side of a story. Not suggesting that the op isn't telling the truth, but I've been around long enough to know not to jump to conclusions based on 1 persons interpretation/perception of events.....something all would do well to keep in mind

Steve, with respect, I have to say…………………….

 

……………………………………………………..you talk a lot of sense:thumbup:

[Warners]

Without trying to offend anyone, I cant believe people have the brass neck to do that ie buy cheaper elsewhere then expect the local guy to drop everything to help them out knowing they won't come back again unless theres a problem with something else, never mind brag about it:001_rolleyes:

 

Every single one of us would be fuming if a tree customer did that to us.

 

" I know you didnt do the tree work as you were too expensive so I used someone else but I need you to come around and sort a few problems out for free if you dont mind":lol:

 

So, how many of us would be round there like a shot showing them what they missed out on by not hiring us in the first place, and they will surely use us in the future?

 

Or would we all tell them to bugger off and that they shouldnt have been tight gits in the first place?

 

I tend to agree with this. Okay so you can save a bit of cash by using an anonymous online seller but if we don't support the local dealer the same buyer will be the first to complain when the dealer disappears. When it comes down to it is it really worth trying to save 50 quid or screw the helpful dealer to the floor when in the grand scheme of things you'll make the extra paid back in an hours work.

[RobRainford]

I have had open chats with my dealer about prices of other retailers and the lack of ability to compete on prices. My dealer is pretty good anyway on a majority of products.

 

I would much rather pay slightly more for the local service which is always bang on. We have bought the odd piece of kit elsewhere where there was a substantial saving but mostly go to one guy.

 

 

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[DN22 Gardening]

Hi Kevin, thanks for your post, its a shame its not you in charge of the Stihl section.

 

You're spot on saying your front counter staff are good, Peter, the guy i aim for when i do come in, is absolutely brilliant, always pleasant and helpful. i hope, in return i'm just as pleasant.

 

The chap i had a problem with is usually quite good, must have just been a bad day.

 

However, his 'bad day' has cost platts 4 saw sales, and two hedge cutter sales in 2013, plus numerous repairs which i have neither the time or inclination to do. To be honest, i only come into the Tuxford branch now if i'm passing. All my service parts i buy elsewhere.

 

I buy my saws off another local dealer in Retford, who usually gets to within £20 or £30 of internet prices, i also use him for my consumables. The last saw i bought, an ms261, he was £25 cheaper than jonsies !!! and before i'm slated, i never gave him the price i'd looked up on the internet to compare.

I always research the prices of equipment i'm about to buy, having spent three years at one firm i worked at being responsible for spending around £2m per annum, you get to be a little jaded when it comes to suppliers complaining about profit margins and the rep turns up in a brand new BMW. ( or in Platts's case brand new Discovery TDV6)

 

The 201t (rubbish saw) i bought last January came with all the paperwork attached to the box, turns out the dealer i'm currently using paid £390 ish, plus VAT for it. suffice to say i paid a significant markup on that price, but he matched the price i'd found online so everyone was happy. The dealer had made a good profit, and i'd got the saw at a competitive price.

 

Every business has to make a profit or it goes under, i understand this perfectly, but asking customers to pay overinflated prices isn't the way to build a loyal customer base.

 

my argument with the chap at Platts was that if i'm not competitive with my prices, i either get competitive or get out of the business. His argument was, i either pay their prices or go elsewhere, which i did.

 

i've thought about having to fix things under warranty. I can appreciate that Stihl probably pay significantly less that the £30/£40 per hour that dealers get to charge Joe public but a saws warranty only lasts a year, and i've got some saws that are 7 and 8 years old so you'd get to charge full rates for repairs over the full lifetime of the saw.

[skyhuck]

Without trying to offend anyone, I cant believe people have the brass neck to do that ie buy cheaper elsewhere then expect the local guy to drop everything to help them out knowing they won't come back again unless theres a problem with something else, never mind brag about it:001_rolleyes:

 

Every single one of us would be fuming if a tree customer did that to us.

 

" I know you didnt do the tree work as you were too expensive so I used someone else but I need you to come around and sort a few problems out for free if you dont mind":lol:

 

So, how many of us would be round there like a shot showing them what they missed out on by not hiring us in the first place, and they will surely use us in the future?

 

Or would we all tell them to bugger off and that they shouldnt have been tight gits in the first place?

 

:congrats: