Well yesterday my dad and I went to my local Cat dealer so I could see their current used stock. I have heard of U.S. Cat dealers being arrogant but even though I am only 12 years old they treat me like gold! I will post some pics tomorrow:bouncegri
Me too!....though I might be 400% you age.
My trip to the local Caterpillar Dealership: And... they'll probably get some of yours... someday... OCR...
Every human entering your shop, is a potential customer. If not now, he/she is in the future. And u can bet he will tell all his friends, if he is treated badly. A well treated customer will, in most cases, also tell his friends. And everybody else who asks, about the treatment/experience.
This has been my experience with each dealer I've dealt with as well -- Patten, Holt (Texas), Altorfer, Gregory Poole, and NC Machinery all took the time to show me around and talk to me for quite a while. There are reasons Cat has been the only construction equipment company I've ever interned with, and people development is chief among those.
People buy from people at the end of the day. If you have no interpersonal skills and give a poor 1st impression to the customer, you could have the best machine in the world but you'd never sell it. BTB
Thanks for all the replies guys! The local Komatsu dealer is not as friendly. Anyway here are the pictures!:drinkup (just one for a test on this post) One of the guys took me for a drive on a CB355D roller:woohoo
Okay my pictures work . 2nd pic I thought I was operating it!
looks like you having a good time,good to see someone your age interested in these machines,when you do get the chance to run one it will beat the heck out of playing some video game.i don't know about australia but you should see if you can get to a conexpo show sometime.
I was into Heavy Equipment since I was 3 and it makes it all the sweeter when your old enough to run it. And I was so pissed I didn't make it to the ConExpo this year....gah....now I have to wait for, what is it, 3 or 4 more years.
mar 2011 las vegas. i plan on being there.:drinkup
Will see you there my friend! Thanks! :drinkup
Good onya champ!:thumbsup Nice to see some guys going about their job well. It's not hard to take the little bit of time to be friendly. Made your day I bet. Good to see young blokes participating sensibly here too.:salute
Thanks guys! That friendly service did make my day! A few more pics...
Wish I could say the same as you. I have had mostly good experiences, especially with the folkes from Komatsu and Bell, Volvo and Doosan but most other guys see me and turn their heads. I have also had some very good experiences with Cat, and now seeing as my uncle has done some legal work for Barloworld Caterpillars CEO, I have been offered the opportunity of going to Cat in our capital province and getting on the equipment at their training centre. But I mean I have walked onto some stands at our local agricultural show and no-one has even approached me. I mean their usual customers are mommies with their little ankle biters, or some regular equipment users, but when a 16 year old with his twin brother come and have a look at their equipment, it should be veiwed as a good time to make good first impressions, but most don't even bat an eyelid. I go to the show almost every single year, and I mean I have been offered a job at Bell, basically JD, and also at Terramite, and the Doosan man reckons we should come and be his demonstrators. My Volvo connection will drop whatever he is doing when we walk on to his stand, and Manitou was exceptionally friendly. But, I remember one year where I was almost chased off the Cat stand! RUDE much. But enough about my rants, it is so nice to know I am not alone!
Wow.....I want the blue one Thats not a noticeable color at all........ I have visited some of my local dealers as well, for the most part it hasnt been to bad, the folks at Case were really nice, same as Cat, Kobelco, Volvo and Doosan. But the people at Komatsu and Deere were complete asses.....So I dont know if they have a "He looks to young be an ass." Policy or what :beatsme Its good to know that they treated you well at Cat, maybe I will book another visit to mine. That friendly service makes you fill all warm and fuzzy inside.
My latest trip Hi again guys, Just a few weeks ago my Dad and I went off again to the machinery dealers. R.D. Williams Cat was friendly and warm as usual. Instead of Komatsu we went to a few other dealers expecting to be allowed to at least climb on the machines. Emeco let us climb but were not very friendly (much grunting when the man saw my R.D. Williams hat) and Topline Machinery said we couldn't even climb on the machines!:idontgetit Makes Komatsu look better even if they grunt a bit too BTW: CabbageThe1 the pretty blue one is a D8R set up for stockpiles. Just thought you may want to know.
Haha yeah, I kinda thought it was a D8 just wasn't too sure...Thanks for clearing that up!
you are lucky, locally, the cat dealer won't look at you nor send their sales people to call on you unless you run a pretty good sized fleet...that's okay, i like my deeres and hyundais
Sorry to here that dayexco. Pics from the latest trip anyone?
You have pics and you didnt put them up sooner?!?! Get them on here!!
hey D11RCD so which machine is your favorite :beatsme
Pictures Should've posted pics earlier:Banghead but they are not as good as the last ones, took my camera not Dad's. johnecat, do you mean of all time just what I have climbed on?
what would you like to operate ?
I want to operate (this week) Well I would love to operate a D9T or a D8R/T.
Next time another dealer grunts at the hat you are wearing, tell them that you would wear one of theirs if you had one. Just dont give up the one you have. Still today I'll pull out a Case or JD hat to wear when I go to Alban Tractor when I am in need of a new Cat hat. It works more than not.
Good idea:drinkup