Dealer Communications Or Lack Thereof

[Steve Herschbach]

We hear a lot about how manufacturers could do a better job communicating with customers. Well, I think the same can be said of metal detector dealers. Just once it would be nice if a dealer contacted me to explain why something is being delayed or even the fact it is being delayed before I finally give up and call to nag them.

I am not going to mention the products or the dealers as my intent is not to pick on anyone in particular. I am sure we all have examples. We contact dealers to say we are interested in a product. First off, it is stunning to me how many dealers don't even respond to an email inquiry! In the case of product that is not yet available, we can put down money, or get put on a waiting list.

And then wait, and wait, and wait. In the case of product delays the only way I ever hear about it is on the internet, on forums like this. Are dealers afraid to be proactive and contact me to say the item has been delayed? I will be less upset if I am kept informed, even if there is no reason other than that there has been a delay from the manufacturer. Keeping me in the dark is what makes me upset.

Or are they just too busy? Too busy looking for new customers to worry about the one they already have on the hook? That does not sit well with me either.

Want to do a better job in your business? Keeping customers up to date on what is going on with their potential purchase is low hanging fruit.

I could say more but that's probably enough. My goal is not to bash dealers but just to point out an area where the ones that care could possibly be missing an opportunity to rise above the rest. There is a huge difference between being an engaged dealer for a product and just being an order taker. If all I want is to order something then I can just do that on Amazon, and that is why Amazon is killing off a lot of retail business. The ONLY reason to deal with a retailer is for expertise, service, and the experience itself. Retailers that don't get that simple fact are going out of business in the next decade.

[Ridge Runner]

Steve

I totally agree with on what you said. I'd be happy if they a dealer would just throw me a bone but that's not the case. I don't have to say on what I've been waiting for being most know. The company at the same time have yet to say a word on how much longer my wait is.

It's best I don't say too much but I don't know how long I can hold out.

Chuck

[GB_Amateur]

13 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

The ONLY reason to deal with a retailer is for expertise, service, and the experience itself. Retailers that don't get that simple fact are going out of business in the next decade.

Decade?  You're being generous, Steve.

The world can change fast.  Internet sales outlets (Ebay and Amazon being the biggest players, including in the detector  space) has grown quickly.  I feel bad for the conscientious brick-and-mortar dealers (as you were) because they're the ones getting squeezed.  The sloppy ones deserve to go out-of-business, but that has typically been true in the age of capitalism.  Most people know that when you don't need to pay rent on a showroom, you save a lot of overhead and can then afford to sell at a discount.

I've bought accessories (crevice tools, snake chaps, digging tools, etc.) at dealers because I appreciate that they provide a service and I want them to stay in business, even when it means paying full retail, which is the norm.  But when it comes to detectors, "sooner or later we're talking real money" and unfortunately even the best struggle with providing value for the extra dollar.  Welcome to (late in) the 2nd decade of the 21st century.  I don't mean to be sarcastic or insensitive.  Unfortunately the commercial world doesn't know the meaning of 'empathy'.

 

 

 

[FschJg]

Recently I had a very bad experience with a dealer that cost me about $1000. In this case it was the communication between a dealer and a manufactor. I was hopeing to get a good service from a smaller dealer i stead of going through one of the big names in the industrie. But I choose wrong and I paid for it. 

Over the years I thought I established a good relationship with some of the places I usually buy. And when I say buy I mean I spend quite a few bucks with them. But I made the shocking discovery I am just one of many customers and it makes no difference if I spend $50 or $5000 in one order. In the end I get the same sh**** service. 

So I concluded for myself that I take myself much to important or better my expectations are much too high. I am just one of thousands of customers and I can not expect to receive a simple email in regards to my order. The iceing of the cake was an experiance I made with a small company from Australia. I read about an EMI filter for the GPX. So I decided to send them an email with a question aboit it and some questions about potential modifications of the GPX as well. No answer! So I send a second email, again no answer. Next due to the time difference I stayed up and gave them a call. On the phone I was told that my questions yould only be answered by the technician who does the mods and builds the filter. I was given his direct email address. So again I wrote up an email with my questions. The answer I got was stunning. In regards to my question what mods are available, what they do and which of the mods would help in ,y situation I also asked for the cost of the different mods. Also I asked for the price of the inline EMI filter. Well the answer I got was " The complete mod package is $2000 and the DD EMI filter is $220"

Wow ok so I said forget about modifications if My simple questions are not answered and just buy the filter and be happy. So I replied that I would like to buy the filter and gave him my address for the calculation of postage. I also asked how I can pay. I NEVER received an answer! So I called and left a message about my order. I yet have to receive an answer! I recon the dealer is not interrested in my money. And to be honest I am not sure if I would have my detector modified by somebody who seems unable to write more than one sentence on a $2000 transaction. 

FschJg

 

[Guest Tnsharpshooter]

I view this subject like the following.

People don't want to be treated like a number.

People want to be personalized.

[Hard Prospector]

I've always  tried to patronize small business as my folks were SBO's and I grew up seeing the ups and downs of that way to make a living. Bought all of my new detectors from a mom n' pop prospecting shop and glad I did because they were proud of their old school customer service and always did me good should there be a problem with the machine.

Unfortunately, these upstanding folks have been the exception to most of my recent dealings with small business operations over the last several years. From boat and rv dealers to gun shops, I could go on and on about the crappy customer service and outright lying I have experienced with many these people. Especially in regard to any warranty issues, once they have your money your the last person they ever want to see again.

I really think customer service in general has tanked in recent years no matter the business or venue and its really too bad.

[Swifty]

When you first get into this hobby the standard advice is to buy from a local dealer and stay away from the detector online box store. You will hear about training which is true. A good price which depends on how good you are at wheeling and dealing.(dealer this is the bottom line the manufacture will let me sell it at, and your buddy get the same detector from the same dealer at a much lower price)

The small dealer can help with warranty issues. Both of mine somehow are not covered and I have to pay for them...Jason has already said it in another post. Why do we need independent dealers anymore?

[Geotech]

On 5/28/2017 at 8:18 AM, Steve Herschbach said:

First off, it is stunning to me how many dealers don't even respond to an email inquiry!

At PriorJob is found out that all official communications between the company and dealers had to be done via snail-mail because many of them didn't own a computer. I asked, do they all own a telephone? Should we play it safe and use the telegraph instead? I suggested that we require all dealers to have a computer and to understand and use email, but that didn't happen.

11 hours ago, Swifty said:

You will hear about training which is true.

Not necessarily. While many dealers are detectorists, some are not (inherited the business, or just a side-line), and many of the dealers are old-timers who prefer simple machines. Hand them a modern LCD-and-button interface and they don't know what to do. These are the ones most likely to still be using the telegraph, see above. As detectors get more and newer features and have graphical displays with menus, the dealers have no idea how to run them, so they're less likely to try and sell those models.