[AT] At the John Deere dealer.

[Dean VP]

Farmer:

I can really relate to your desires about knowing what the price is on
something rather than having to run around asking questions. We have a JD
Dealer 15 minutes from us and another about an hour from us and a third
about an hour and half away. Each has their unique attributes but when it
comes time to lay out some real dollars only one gets the business and we
travel the hour rather than the 15 minutes. 

There seems to be those businesses that have a real sense of trying to meet
and exceed a customer's expectation vs those just doing what is necessary.
The difference is really noticeable. And being told the straight skinny vs
the company line is refreshing. I especially appreciated the comment about
the "suckers". That is telling it like it is. 

As you know I am a "Greenie" but JD has gone overboard (over the edge) on
attaching its name to nonsensical things. I guess I can't fault JD as much
as the gullible public for this phenomenon. If the public didn't fall for it
JD wouldn't be doing it. But I must admit it cheapens the John Deere name
IMHO. But the bean counters run the company and Beans are what they want to
count. 

I just get worked up at times about the heritage and quality reputation JD
had and deserved at one time and now JD is trying to leverage that earned
reputation with additional sales that do nothing more than soil that same
reputation. It is hard to look the other way at times. But, I'm not paying
enough of their bills to have a right to criticize. I only have the choice
to take my business where I feel the most comfortable. That has been
sufficient of late. 

I do know that JD's sales of agricultural equipment aren't keeping the
dealers doors open anymore. They have to find other ways to make a buck. I
just wish they could be a little more restrictive about how much they
prostitute themselves. 

It will never be like it was in the 40's and 50's when going to a JD dealer
was all about Agricultural tractors and associated equipment. I have vivid
memories of some of those dealership visits. It was a bit like a visit to
Mecca. Now I feel like I have been to Wall Mart or K Mart. Only the prices
are much higher. I'm not sure the quality of some of the extraneous stuff is
much better either. But it has JD's name on it. I'm not buying into the
game. Bah Humbug!  :-) 

Dean A. Van Peursem
Snohomish, WA 98290

I'm a walking storeroom of facts..... I've just lost the key to the
storeroom door 


www.deerelegacy.com

http://members.cox.net/classicweb/email.htm



-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Indiana Robinson
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 6:31 AM
To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
Subject: [AT] At the John Deere dealer.

	I had to run over to my favorite John Deere dealer yesterday to pick
up a new 
accelerator pump diaphragm for my 4020. After I choked down the $30 price we
spent a 
little time looking around. This dealer is in a "VERY NICE" new building and
the inside 
puts you more in mind of a nice huge modern Harley store than the typical
old country 
farm implement dealer. While not cheap the pricing runs a little better that
all of the 
rest of the Deere dealers around me which are all owned by one company now,
Smith 
Implements. I didn't like that dealer back when he owned just one
dealership. Now he owns 
all of the others very close to me except the one I was at yesterday. One of
the things 
that makes the good one one of my favorites is that "everything" out for
sale has posted 
prices... I detest going in a store (or even a yard sale) and asking over
and over again 
"how much is this? How much is this? How much is this?... My general
philosophy is "if it 
isn't priced, it isn't for sale".
	This place has a good sized room dedicated to "John Deere" labelled
stuff. Some absurd 
in price and some actually quite reasonable. As we looked around we found an
item I could 
not identify. It was a small disc about 2" across and about 1/4" thick. It
had a small 
notch in the edge and was apparently some kind of ceramic. I guessed it to
be maybe some 
kind of knife sharpening stone. It did BTW say "John Deere" on it. The
manager stopped to 
chat and after I complimented him on having stuff (including the bigger
stuff) priced I 
asked him "what is this?". He looked it over and said he had no idea but
would find out. 
He came back a minute later and said "would you believe it is an insert to
drop in a cup 
holder to absorb condensation from a drink can". He then just chuckled and
shook his 
head. There were some pretty pricy John Deere fishing lures next to that
disc. I asked 
him jokingly about what kind of fish were they designed to catch and he
broke out in a 
big grin and said "suckers"...   ;-) 

	This dealer BTW has a web site at:
http://www.hendrens.com
	I go to the Franklin IN store. There are a couple of pictures of it
on the web site.

-- 
"farmer", Esquire
At Hewick Midwest
      Wealth beyond belief, just no money...

Paternal Robinson's here by way of Norway (Clan Gunn), Scottish Highlands,
Cleasby Yorkshire England, Virginia, Kentucky then Indiana. In America 100 
years 
before the revolution.


Francis Robinson
Central Indiana USA
robinson at svs.net

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