We've been selling Vermeer balers since 1972. While everyone's baler today is better than those being sold 35 years ago some dealers do have problems with technology on today's balers. The monitors sold in the 1980's on all MFG's balers were nothing but a headache once they got a few years on them. Now today's balers have so many features that principal members of a dealership that are in their 50's and beyond just think changes causes problems. I also believe that all mfg's balers are round balers today than the balers manufactured 10 years ago. If the operator does not stay up with the technology, then to him, he thinks one model is not as good as a previous model. Most of the problems are caused when a dealer is not keeping up with the technology and does not teach the customer what features a machine has and how to use that machine. It is very easy to judge the Vermeer dealers against other Vermeer dealers. Master dealers and Platinum Master dealers just are better dealers than other Vermeer dealers because they are committed to be everything it takes to be a success. All dealers are not created equal. Term of service only has relevance if that dealer has been a large producer over a long period of time. The average dealer, all MFG's, sells 2-4 round balers each year. If a dealer is selling 2-4 balers in an average year, do you think he will be as much on his game as a dealer selling 25-50 round balers a year? Our selling average is over 50 New round balers a year for 35+ years. The average for Vermeer dealers is 4-10 balers a year. The average tractor dealer, all MFG's, sells 50-80 tractors a year. When you ask a business man what he likes the best, he usually will say the product he makes the most money on. If you go into a New Holland dealer and he sells both NH & Vermeer round balers you have to wonder why. Both are good produces. We all know major MFG's put pressure to sell their products first. You might want to ask that dealer why he sells both MFG's product?
I have physically been in thousand of dealerships, when you ask the average dealer what is the best product, I tend to believe 50% of them will say whatever product they currently have in stock. This means you had better do your home work and purchase the product that meets your needs. Perception of the operator is usually all the facts he knows and cares about. I can not tell how many time a customer comes in wanting to trade a piece of machinery because it is not working correctly and all that was wrong was it was assembled incorrectly. I see this in all types of equipment. Twenty years ago there was big differences in MFG's product. There are still some differences but most all of the work fine for their intended use. It is simple, if you have a products that is working fine in you neighbors field and not working correctly in your field then it is either in the operator's control or in the tractor or the implement or all the above. Identify what is going wrong and then you can start to solve your problems. A good dealer will identify what is going wrong and work with you to solve your problem. Selling you a different product can be a solution but should be you choice not the dealers choice. Now if you are using that machine in an non-intended use then we are back to the operator's fault not the implement.