Jeffersonville, OH | kwk - 11/1/2025 10:07
Chris, do you mind expanding on the thought about not supporting consolidation?
Our local Deere dealer has been great overall. They got bought out by another location, and that dealership now has roughly 15 stores. Local store is 5 miles from me. There is one dealership an hour from me that hasn't joined the merger, but I can't see consistently driving an hour for parts just to prove a point to Deere. I'm not sure how a guy could 'not support' it.
Nearest red dealer is 30 miles away, also consolidated, with a less than stellar service department.
What gives?
You think every dealer that was bought out by a bigger one is great? There are threads here yearly about how bad their dealer is after getting bought out.
Today, there is no way around going to the big guy...but 10-20 years ago while it was happening there were usually opportunities to drive a bit farther to support one of the dealers who were still "independent" and help them hold on. Now, the time has passed.
I'm also not saying all big stores are bad, it really comes down to the individual store and the people there...a good manager who treats his people well can still do what they have always done, but as management leans harder for profit and market share above all else, it's harder to fight the systems in place at a corporate dealership.
My thoughts are just that, mine, from experience on the outside of the corporate dealers, but knowing plenty of people, and having some family on the inside of those types of operations. I don't mean to say that all of corporate is bad, nor is every single store dealer worth saving just for the sake of not consolidating them.
What I am saying, is support those who support you, be it a single location dealer, or a single location of a 15 store chain that is the exception to some other corporate locations. And support means different things to different people too...some people it means taking care of every little thing they need, and others it's simply a part and some information a couple times a year as they do everything themselves. To each their own!
Is that a satisfactory clarification?
Chris |
Local dealer never ceases to amaze me
