Got shot down by dealer

[Wharton]

I don't understand what is so "custom" about this trailer, except maybe the diamond plate. If this dealer only sells trailers that have factory installed options what does that say about his service dept. Maybe he has been in business for 45 years but he could have just as easily said that he couldn't do everything on the list but could do this, this and this. To drop the sale totally, with no further discussion is odd.

Dealers are strange people though. When we went looking a couple of years ago(early 2010, middle of the recession) we were up front about a trade, about what trailer we were looking for and what options we wanted on it(both factory and dealer installed). We emailed 4 dealers, 3 responded, 1 had too high of a price. Down to 2, liked both, both had good reputations. We had a final price from both, I then asked about the trade price, emailed pictures of our trade-in rig. Now I said I had a trade in my very first email to both of them. The one dealer just stopped communicating, totally. I sent a followup email, still no response. I went with my last dealer and am very happy. He did everything we wanted on our wish list and more, good price, had one warranty issue, made an appt. and he did the item while we were at lunch.

The dealer that dropped out many people have gone to and rave about his dealership and service. We had even stopped there several years ago and were impressed. Why they stopped communicating who knows? I thought is was very unprofessional of them. I have since found out several other people have had this experience with them, yet others still rave about them and they do a lot of business. It is a husband/wife team so you can't blame the sales people.

 

[gpshemi]

My intention wasn't to sit here and burn this dealer. I just hate it when we decide to keep things private. To me, a forum is a place for search-able open discussions on all topics - like them or not. It's not a place of introduction to a bunch of private conversations. That's called a Chat room and has no value to me.

YMMV

 

[RogerO]

There is yet another thought on this topic from someone with 36 years of "customer satisfaction". A customer that wants specific additions, and so called custom changes, is very often a (how can I say it) pain in the a** to deal with. They are very particular and often nothing satisfies them. This added to the fact that the dealer is not making much money on the additions sends out major red flags.

I have regretted more often than I care to admit doing work for customers who I knew would be a problem pleasing. I wish I had the fortitude of this dealer to say "sorry find someone else" before committing to I job I know I'll regret.

As someone wise told me long ago, "the money you make is not worth the heart muscle and stomach lining you lose".

Just me $.02

 

[timbuktu]

Roger, I completely agree with you about some people being impossible to please. But in my defense, half of the add-ons I requested were fairly standard (eg CareFree slide out toppers, a second awning, tank heaters, and tank indicators, etc). The only real customization was the black diamond plate. However, I made it clear that none were deal breakers. In hindsight, I am glad they shot me down bc since then I have found a dealer willing to do the majority of my add-ons with no issue. The only add-on I have accepted to let go is the black diamond plate, but I think that's something I will do myself. I don't have any hard feelings to this dealer. They simply felt in was in their best interest to not pursue this sale and I cannot blame them for that. I'd rather they be honest than to say yes to everything only to find out after it's too late that they can't successfully do the add-ons and risk having a very unhappy customer.

 

[sunflower]

I find it very disturbing that the dealer being prompt,up front and honest is questioned.I think the dealer had a reason not to go ahead with the deal and I doubt very much that it was a poor service department,you don't survive that many years by doing bad business.

 

[drzr]

Well, here is one reply from the other side of the fence. I am not in the RV business, but I have owned a small computer business in Colorado Springs for over 30 years. Anytime I have had to deal with a new vendor, more often than not, I wind up losing money. Right now I have a laptop computer sitting in the shop because we are trying to replace the motherboard, and the replacement didn't work. We're now in our second week of trying to get an answer from the vendor.

Yes, I did practice diligence in selecting the vendor, but again, it was a new vendor for me.

If everything goes OK, the dealer could probably make money. Not having familiarity with the product/vendor could lead to all sorts of problems. He may have to learn the proper way to install the product, buy new tools to install the product, there are all kinds of variables.

Maybe these aren't all the proper defenses, but I would rather have a customer happy with the product I deliver, rather than risk disappointing a new customer because I couldn't perform up to his expectations.

I'm sorry, but in this instance I side with the dealer.

Al Schlafli

I totally agree, I'm in the funeral business. I had three funerals scheduled one day another family wanted a service that same day and I KNEW that we could not provide the type of service I am known for. I referred them to another funeral home, I would rather them be comforted than us conduct a haphazard service and they be forever be scarred by our inadequate service.