What it took to create a successful AD relationship

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by Vipes

Nice story and thanks for sharing. This shows that a relationship is built over time. I recently met a collector when I was picking up a DJ at my AD. He has all of the popular professional models. He has spent a ton and has referred many friends who bought watches with this AD. So he is a true collector that has been loyal to this AD. The AD rewards him with first dibs for popular models.

Exactly. I think some members are completely looking over the fact that Mr. Watch and the sales guy have known each other for 15 years.

That and the loyalty factor as you mention.


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[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by Talbel

I can echo the OP's experience. I have been a pretty loyal customer of my AD for about 7 years. I am not a big spender by their standards, but have probably spent about $50K - $60K or so over the years (a lot by my standards). I started with a Breitling, bought my wife some earrings and maybe a necklace. Bought an Omega, a JLC, a Datejust and a GMT over that time period. Plus I am sure a couple that I am forgetting. When I am in the area I stop in and say hi because I like the guy and we talk watches etc.. I have never asked for any hard to get watch or to be put on any type of "list". I was offered a Daytona and declined (not my thing). Then right before Christmas on 2018 he offered me a BLRO which I bought. Since then he has offered me a CHNR, a BLNR and a back dial Daytona (all of which I declined) For me the key is that I have been a loyal customer, he knows I will come to him if he carries the brand I am interested in and I have never asked him for any special favors. We have a relationship and he treats me well and for that I remain loyal. There was no plan, nothing was contrived he just provides good service and that keeps me coming back. Just my 2 cents

Awesome


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[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by Benzsiam

Thanks for sharing the nice true story, I hope you will get what you are looking for soon.

Thank you and thanks for reading


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[Rori]

Sometimes it takes hundreds of thousands of spendings and sometimes it takes nothing more than an impression obtained at First-Look.


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[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by Mr DateJust

I bought about 10 watches from my AD for myself and others. Mix of sports and DateJust. Smaller AD so probably easier to build a relationship. Nice people who owned it and I always went there. Was offered Daytona. Turned it down as I had already owned one in the past after being caught in the hype and they really aren’t for me.

Issue is the AD closed down so that’s all wiped out. I’ll never be able to build that again. Luckily I’m not looking for another watch until it’s time to get my DayDate down the road sometime. Something that can’t be helped but still I suppose could be viewed as “unfair”. I know I’m small potatoes compared so some but I still built up that relationship over a number of years and none of it matters now.

I wrote a thread about a relationship going downhill a while back.

This stinks and I am sorry for that.


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[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by Napoleon

Cool story. I’ve actually considered trying to find a whale with long AD history, and convince them to help me buy one of the hard to get pieces. It would be cool if some members on this forum teamed up to help each other out. In the end I went gray and paid a few more bucks but got what I wanted without the hassle.

Suggest you stay friends with that guy though.

His wife and him and mentoring me through some things and I’m trying to help them every which way I can




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[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by ZeGerman11

In my former career, I had wealthy clients offer to “open doors” that otherwise wouldn’t have been available to me. I could never accept due to industry regulations, but it was a nice compliment when someone of that caliber would offer.

Very cool you get to take advantage of that, and very nice of him to offer a favor like this (which I’m sure he doesn’t do often).

Hope you get your watch soon.

Thanks!


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[GONZO2LR]

I enjoyed reading your story....i hope you get your Rolex soon!

[Robf52]

I love your post and totally agree with your AD relationship-building tips. The AD's are business people and have their own sales goals and pressures. Being a big spender, Mr. Watch deserves the respect and attention he gets but, in terms of human relations, he rightly reciprocates and treats the AD with respect. It's all part of the dance, and he does it well.

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by GONZO2LR

I enjoyed reading your story....i hope you get your Rolex soon!

Thanks Luis! Hello from a fellow Texan


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[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by Robf52

I love your post and totally agree with your AD relationship-building tips. The AD's are business people and have their own sales goals and pressures. Being a big spender, Mr. Watch deserves the respect and attention he gets but, in terms of human relations, he rightly reciprocates and treats the AD with respect. It's all part of the dance, and he does it well.

Agree 100% with you.

Thanks for the feedback and comment Rob


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[Nairn1980]

Originally Posted by ratty

I would also say that I rang the AD who I bought the gold Daytona from at 10am on the day that the new ceramic Daytona was announced and asked to be put on the list for a black dial version. I think that was 2015 and I hold that I was second on the list. I’ve yet to hear from them!

As someone said on this thread, I suspect that someone has to be either famous or spends lots of money regularly to get any sort of favours at most ADs.

Have you continued to buy since?
If not sadly you’ll likely always have a VIP ahead of you .

[ArtNouveau]

I agree that money matters but not as much as some people here think, personality and other factors count too. Good luck.

[Polarexplorerii]

that was a cool story, thanks for sharing!

[42itus]

Originally Posted by Napoleon

Cool story. I’ve actually considered trying to find a whale with long AD history, and convince them to help me buy one of the hard to get pieces. It would be cool if some members on this forum teamed up to help each other out. In the end I went gray and paid a few more bucks but got what I wanted without the hassle.

Suggest you stay friends with that guy though.

I've actually had a TRF member go pick up a watch and send it to me. It took a tremendous amount of trust on both parts because he wasn't buying a hot watch for me so if I bailed on him he would have been stuck. But we did a video chat and he was a long time member so that went well.

Recently another TRFer was able to use his purchase history to get me a HUGE discount on a PM piece. The AD price was lower than any grey price, around 25% off of retail. So he was able to save me a lot of money and I'm hoping that my PM purchase will help further strengthen his relationship with his AD.

Then last year I helped a TRF member purchase his first Rolex, a BLRO, using my purchase history with my AD.

So there are definitely a lot of members that want to help.

[biscotti]

Thanks for your thoughtful post, OP. I think you will get your GMT as it sounds like the AD likes Mr. Watch and you seem like a good guy. It really does matter if the AD actually likes you. You should stop by the AD once in awhile by yourself say hi and have a quick chat with your sales associate though.

[slimboy1974]

Great story normally I scroll by the long ones but really enjoyed that

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by Polarexplorerii

that was a cool story, thanks for sharing!

Welcome!


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[alphadweller]

Being a big spender does it.

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by 42itus

I've actually had a TRF member go pick up a watch and send it to me. It took a tremendous amount of trust on both parts because he wasn't buying a hot watch for me so if I bailed on him he would have been stuck. But we did a video chat and he was a long time member so that went well.

Recently another TRFer was able to use his purchase history to get me a HUGE discount on a PM piece. The AD price was lower than any grey price, around 25% off of retail. So he was able to save me a lot of money and I'm hoping that my PM purchase will help further strengthen his relationship with his AD.

Then last year I helped a TRF member purchase his first Rolex, a BLRO, using my purchase history with my AD.

So there are definitely a lot of members that want to help.

Awesome


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[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by biscotti

Thanks for your thoughtful post, OP. I think you will get your GMT as it sounds like the AD likes Mr. Watch and you seem like a good guy. It really does matter if the AD actually likes you. You should stop by the AD once in awhile by yourself say hi and have a quick chat with your sales associate though.

I went to pick up a link from him the other day and we talked watches for about 15min

Very enjoyable experience




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[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by slimboy1974

Great story normally I scroll by the long ones but really enjoyed that

Thanks for reading. I tried to keep it short, but also wanted to try to describe the experience




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[RJRJRJ]

I turned down the black 116500 a few times, but it was because it would screw me out of getting the white one that I was waiting for. I eventually got my white one.

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by RJRJRJ

I turned down the black 116500 a few times, but it was because it would screw me out of getting the white one that I was waiting for. I eventually got my white one.

Congrats

The one white is my favorite.


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[redmonds214]

First off;

I saw you were from Texas also so that really made me want to jump in and give you some hope and advice.

You will get that GMT you really want, you will just need some patience, and some luck. No you don't need to spend tens of thousands of dollars to get one. When I first got into collecting I too was a little discouraged because I am far from rich. There are lots of people with money in this hobby, and they all want the same thing imo.

One thing I encourage you to do is to pop in more just to check out new pieces you may like, I guess it depends how much you are into watches but you never know your love could grow even more as the time goes by. Form a connection, don't force it, personality matters, and from the looks of it you are just as friendly, heck you are from Texas ha! Pop in, check on new products that may have came in, chat watches, try on new pieces, talk about things besides watches.. heck I can say I formed a great friendship with my AD and I don't look at them as a means to get what I want, but more of a genuine friendship. But I enjoy meeting new people etc. Let your face be more familiar there, and establish more connections like you have done with Mr. Watch. Now I do know there are some crappy ADs out there so just find the one you are most comfortable going into, and explore your hobby with the experts there. I got offered my favorite GMT (Batman with jubilee) after purchasing a Tudor Black Bay Steel so don't get discouraged, Good luck and send me a PM when you get that GMT!

[mzcool]

This is absurd. No offense to you personally, or anyone else here, but this is the #1 reason I would go to the grey market for any hard to find Rolex model.

I shouldn’t have to build up a decades long relationship with someone in order for the “right” to spend thousands of dollars with them. I get this for some limited model, rare, exclusive item, but virtually any luxury brand is grateful for my business, except Rolex.

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by redmonds214

First off;

I saw you were from Texas also so that really made me want to jump in and give you some hope and advice.

You will get that GMT you really want, you will just need some patience, and some luck. No you don't need to spend tens of thousands of dollars to get one. When I first got into collecting I too was a little discouraged because I am far from rich. There are lots of people with money in this hobby, and they all want the same thing imo.

One thing I encourage you to do is to pop in more just to check out new pieces you may like, I guess it depends how much you are into watches but you never know your love could grow even more as the time goes by. Form a connection, don't force it, personality matters, and from the looks of it you are just as friendly, heck you are from Texas ha! Pop in, check on new products that may have came in, chat watches, try on new pieces, talk about things besides watches.. heck I can say I formed a great friendship with my AD and I don't look at them as a means to get what I want, but more of a genuine friendship. But I enjoy meeting new people etc. Let your face be more familiar there, and establish more connections like you have done with Mr. Watch. Now I do know there are some crappy ADs out there so just find the one you are most comfortable going into, and explore your hobby with the experts there. I got offered my favorite GMT (Batman with jubilee) after purchasing a Tudor Black Bay Steel so don't get discouraged, Good luck and send me a PM when you get that GMT!

Thanks for the kind words Pleb!

Will do


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[Baco Noir]

Getting an introduction to a good AD through a valued customer is probably the best way to start an AD relationship. A friend has introduced to 2 ADs via phone calls or texts that have treated him well and they immediately treated me well and offered me excellent discounts - still do. We have both many watches from each, and for the hard to get watches wait for a long time, but always get a great discount to this day.

[TswaneNguni]

Just ask and if it comes your way great ,if not too bad .

I know some ADs for decades,some for less than two years .
I only buy Rolex from Rolex ADs.
Have gotten great references from all .

[ToyotaMoe]

Thank you for sharing your experience with us Jesus. I’ve read it twice now. A lot of lessons to be learned. I’ve only started a relationship with a salesperson with my local AD as I’m fairly new to the hobby. My coworker introduced me to her a month ago as I was looking for a YM 40mm blue dial. He has purchased a few watches from her. She said she can get it and I pulled the trigger instantly. We actually stopped by the AD during lunch today just because we were bored and gave her a heads up that we were coming by. She greeted us both by our names and we just talked about watches for 30min. Second time I’ve met her but it felt like we knew each other for years. I feel that’s how you start a relationship and down the line I might be offered a hot watch (after a few purchases of course). You have to start somewhere. Getting on the forums and crying about not getting the hottest watch out there only side tracks your relationship building with that AD.