Dealers should be required to take a test........

[watsonr]

It's a sorry day when you know more about there product and maintenance then they do!

Isn't that why were here???? Mine sends me the hard to fix saws, the ones he can't figure out or care too. At least I have him trained on what I'm watching for..

 

[kwhite1271]

Actually Elite status means you only carry the Stihl branded products.None of the competitors like products. John Deere no longer puts their name on chainsaws and trimmers. Stihl doesn't make mowers and tractors. Stihl and John Deere are marketing partners and that is why a lot of JD dealers are Stihl dealers. You cannot be a Stihl Elite dealer and also carry Husky/Red Max/Jonsered, etc etc etc.

 

[Cowboy78064]

Thats a pretty bad excuse for being a dealer. Im no expert especially with everything yall do up north where the real trees are, but I have taken every test stihl has to offer and read about everything they have when we arent busy. When my customers come in I would like to actually know a little about what they want instead of trying to sell something different because I dont know what they are talking about.

 

[Tempestv]

I guess I'm lucky here- We have a great Stihl dealer (was a Husky and Echo dealer, but dropped down to Stihl only. The guy that owns the place is a great mechanic, knows the saws inside and out, and is good about figuring out what saw is ideal for your needs. He has every different kind of chain, and makes the chains right there. When I was rebuilding my Husky 380, I mentioned I needed a throttle linkage, and he goes into the back and comes out with an entire blown up 380, which I bought for $15, and got every replacement part I needed out of it. My dad gave me that saw because 20 years ago, his local saw shop told him that they couldn't find that throttle linkage.
The only problem with that shop is that they have a very long service backlog, so if you need your saw worked on, you better figure on buying a new saw when you go to drop off your old one, because it won't get worked on for a good long while.

The Ace hardware is also a Stihl dealer, and while they aren't as good as the dedicated saw shop, they do pretty good. They have 2 locations on opposite ends of town, if you go to the newer store, they have a limited selection, and the employees don't know that much, but at least they will tell you that, and not feed you some line of bull. On the other hand, if you go to the older store, they have a separate building that is just small engines, with employees that only work in that building, and actually know something about their products. Their selection isn't the best, but they can order anything.

The only store that carries professional huskies is a farm and ranch store, and I'd be shocked if they actually knew anything about the them.

 

[spike60]

Part of the problem is the desire on the part of the OEMs to be in big stores that can do big numbers. The big Deere and hardware stores are a perfect example. Big stores have larger staffs and the chance of finding a guy that really knows the saw biz gets smaller as the store gets bigger. In a way, it's not all that different than going to Lowes or Depot.

And if you find a sales guy who knows the product, you still need to find a parts guy who understands what you're looking for, and you might not even be allowed to talk to the guy who works on your saw. But if the store does big numbers, the OEM could care less. Just ship 'em another pallet of 290's or Ranchers.

I'm fortunate to be a shop that does pretty decent numbers, but also one that knows what we're doing. When you get the reputation for knowing your ****, people will travel to do business with you.

 

[opinion]

99% of the people that come in looking for a chain don't know the difference between chain types. And when you try to explain it, they get more confused. So I don't bother anymore and just give them RMC unless they request otherwise. We carry loops of pretty much every Stihl size in RMC, RSC, and RSLFK. Everything else we just cut.

 

[Philbert]

99% of the people that come in looking for a chain don't know the difference between chain types. . . . So I don't bother anymore and just give them RMC unless they request otherwise.

I have used the analogy of buying chains like buying tires for your car. First you gotta find something that fits your saw, like you need something that fits your car. After that, most people want all-season radials. If they want something else, they will probably know.

If all they want is a 'chain' that fits, sell them the general, all around stuff. If they want full chisel, skip, etc., they will probably know, or at least know enough to ask.

JMHO

Philbert

 

[ZeroJunk]

The dealer here has four guys that work in the outdoor equipment area full time and they are fairly sharp.

If they run in to something they don't know there is a guy in the back who can put a saw together blind folded in his sleep and knows even the old models inside and out. And, they will dig out parts that I never dreamed they would have.

I can't complain.

 

[benp]

Thats a pretty bad excuse for being a dealer. Im no expert especially with everything yall do up north where the real trees are, but I have taken every test stihl has to offer and read about everything they have when we arent busy. When my customers come in I would like to actually know a little about what they want instead of trying to sell something different because I dont know what they are talking about.

Thank you!!!!!

I am glad you are there for the oddball that comes in and asks for the "not standard" item that you could be unfamiliar with.

You are least smart enough to find out what they are talking about and take it from there. :msp_thumbup:

 

[brando]

I drive about 50 miles one way to get to the stihl dealer that I like to do business with. It is a father and son shop at the fathers house. The dad is in his 80's and doesn't use the computer but can probably tear down and put back together any stihl from the last 40 years with his eyes closed and the son is just as good. Their prices are better than the large dealer in town and they can get anything in a day or two. They have a collection of all kinds of old saws that they part out or sell whole. They also stock almost all they stihl chain in rolls and make loops up while you wait.

 

[Philbert]

I drive about 50 miles one way to get to the stihl dealer that I like to do business with.

I live in MN - can you tell us what town? Always like to visit good dealers!

Thanks.

Philbert

 

[Cowboy78064]

99% of the people that come in looking for a chain don't know the difference between chain types. And when you try to explain it, they get more confused. So I don't bother anymore and just give them RMC unless they request otherwise. We carry loops of pretty much every Stihl size in RMC, RSC, and RSLFK. Everything else we just cut.

Haha I love the the customers like this:

Customer: "I need a chain for a 16 inch bar"
Me: "ok sir what chainsaw do you own?"
Customer: "I just told you a 16 inch"
Me: ......Explains the difference in saw bars and pitch and link count, ect
Customer: "well they are all the same as long as its for a 16 inch"
Me: walks customer to chain wall and shows him about 3 or 4 differnt 16 inch chains
Customer: grabs the one he assumes is right because they "are all the same" and returns an hour later with his chainsaw complaining it wont fit and none of us know what we are doing.

 

[brando]

I live in MN - can you tell us what town? Always like to visit good dealers!

Thanks.

Philbert

The dealer is in Hibbing mn. They are great guys. They don't stock anything bigger than a 361 because they only sell a couple a year that are bigger but can get them.

 

[Cowboy78064]

Thank you!!!!!

I am glad you are there for the oddball that comes in and asks for the "not standard" item that you could be unfamiliar with.

You are least smart enough to find out what they are talking about and take it from there. :msp_thumbup:

If I dont know about it off the top of my head I will darn sure do whatever I have to do to get it for the customer or go through whatever channels I can to tell him where to get it.

 

[tree monkey]

Haha I love the the customers like this:

Customer: "I need a chain for a 16 inch bar"
Me: "ok sir what chainsaw do you own?"
Customer: "I just told you a 16 inch"
Me: ......Explains the difference in saw bars and pitch and link count, ect
Customer: "well they are all the same as long as its for a 16 inch"
Me: walks customer to chain wall and shows him about 3 or 4 differnt 16 inch chains
Customer: grabs the one he assumes is right because they "are all the same" and returns an hour later with his chainsaw complaining it wont fit and none of us know what we are doing.

what kind of saw do you have?
well it's red
how long is the bar?
about so long
same thing with files, there all the same

 

[Cowboy78064]

what kind of saw do you have?
well it's red
how long is the bar?
about so long
same thing with files, there all the same

We are also a John Deere dealership and tractors are alot worse though. MOST customers who dont know what Stihl they own say " you know I will be right back I brought the equipment with me or its 5 minutes away at my house" but people cant really bring their tractors in the bed of their truck and of course every green tractor ever made is the same no matter what model it is.

And the bad part about files is when you have one stupid employee who thinks they are the same.

 

[benp]

I drive about 50 miles one way to get to the stihl dealer that I like to do business with. It is a father and son shop at the fathers house. The dad is in his 80's and doesn't use the computer but can probably tear down and put back together any stihl from the last 40 years with his eyes closed and the son is just as good. Their prices are better than the large dealer in town and they can get anything in a day or two. They have a collection of all kinds of old saws that they part out or sell whole. They also stock almost all they stihl chain in rolls and make loops up while you wait.

If you would not of mentioned Stihl, you described my Dolmar dealer to a T.

 

[spike60]

Haha I love the the customers like this:

Customer: "I need a chain for a 16 inch bar"
Me: "ok sir what chainsaw do you own?"
Customer: "I just told you a 16 inch"
Me: ......Explains the difference in saw bars and pitch and link count, ect
Customer: "well they are all the same as long as its for a 16 inch"
Me: walks customer to chain wall and shows him about 3 or 4 differnt 16 inch chains
Customer: grabs the one he assumes is right because they "are all the same" and returns an hour later with his chainsaw complaining it wont fit and none of us know what we are doing.

We all get plenty of those folks. I won't sell a chain or a belt or whatever unless I'm sure it's the correct item. If the customer doesn't have enough info for me to confidently give him the right part, that's his error, and he needs to get more info. It's only going to be a bigger problem when he comes back to return a dirty part in a busted package.

My favorite belt story: Guy comes in with 3 belts. The one off the tractor is in 3 pieces. He holds up the other two, one in each hand and says. "I need one that's a little bit smaller than this one, but a little bigger than this one." So, I just handed him a tape measure and said, "Ritchie, I know that you know how to use a ruler. So you tell me what size belt you want and I'll sell it to you." He responds with the usual, "what do ya mean"? "What I mean is that if the belt doesn't fit, it's going to be your dirty belt, not mine." He actually got PO'd and walked out.

 

[Fish]

An old redneck pig farmer goes into a hardware store.....


He goes up to the clerk and says, "I need a file!!!"

The clerk say, "Right this way sir, we have a fine selection over here. What kind of file do you need?? How about this 8 inch flat bastard?"

"No", the farmer replies. "Give me one of those little round mother @#%^&*s!!!!!!!"

 

[opinion]

We all get plenty of those folks. I won't sell a chain or a belt or whatever unless I'm sure it's the correct item. If the customer doesn't have enough info for me to confidently give him the right part, that's his error, and he needs to get more info. It's only going to be a bigger problem when he comes back to return a dirty part in a busted package.

We're pretty much this way but if they insist, I let them know that they can't get a refund. If you want the correct item, bring the correct information. Stop wasting my time with nonsense.