How do some people stay in business?
08-13-2003, 04:02 PM
#1
Registered
Thread Starter
How do some people stay in business?
I talked to Mike at Halls propellers about having a prop labbed. I told him what I wanted and he said he can make it happen. After paying him and trying the prop there was no speed difference at any rpm's. I called him back and asked if he could increase the cruise speed which is what I wanted the first time. He said to send it back and he would make some adjustments. I haven't seen the prop since June 2nd. After a couple of weeks I started calling to find out when I was getting my prop back. I finally got to talk to him about 3 weeks ago and he said he would get it out the next day but still no prop.. This was a brand new prop that I sent. I guess his 3 day turn around time is not even close to real time!!!! Too bad Ohio is so far from Florida. Any advise or suggestions would be helpful. Thanks, Dave
08-13-2003, 04:35 PM
#5
Registered
Well here is how it is done, you get the customer to send you something of value, a prop, a motor, a deposit, something substantial enough that a customer must then proceed at your pace because that thing of value might be lost if you piss me off.
Once I deliver that service to you, you are just so glad to finally get it back (or your promised product) that you just let it go.
Now I will not have you back as a repeat customer but there are thousands of people just like you, I will promise them anything they want until I have their valuable thing, then I will work at my pace. Chances are you will never tell anyone about my poor service and even if you do the number of customers vs the number of people that can actually deliver my product are so low that it really doesn't matter if you do or not a certain number will still take that chance thinking you are an unreasonable moron, which is what I tell them when they ask me about what the customer wasn't happy with the service.
That is how many people involved in the boating industry work.
Sometimes it is as simple as, I do a great job, but I am swamped and the season is 6 months long so I promise what I hope to deliver, but sometimes I have to do it 2 or 3 times to get it right because it isn't an exact science, but I don't factor that into the time quote.
Then there are the people that acutally deliver what is promised on time. Most of them charge more for their service and too many of us don't want to pay for it. Because someone else quotes it less, even though they won't deliever the same service, or warranty work if there is a failure and so on. Sometimes you are paying for the speed of service, rather than the end product. That is where Fed-X got it's niche. Costs a heck of a lot more than a stamp, but as their origonal slogan, "when it absolutly has to be there over night" you will pay for it.
That is also how Mercury is able to charge so much for a motor, is it better than what Eckert built? Maybe not, but can you pick up a 525efi in a couple of days almost anywhere in the country and get it worked on under warranty? you bet! How many engines fail in the first year and merc says, sorry, not our fault? But how many times have I read here that the machine shop, or custom builder blames you for the part or assembly failure?
Rant off.....
Once I deliver that service to you, you are just so glad to finally get it back (or your promised product) that you just let it go.
Now I will not have you back as a repeat customer but there are thousands of people just like you, I will promise them anything they want until I have their valuable thing, then I will work at my pace. Chances are you will never tell anyone about my poor service and even if you do the number of customers vs the number of people that can actually deliver my product are so low that it really doesn't matter if you do or not a certain number will still take that chance thinking you are an unreasonable moron, which is what I tell them when they ask me about what the customer wasn't happy with the service.
That is how many people involved in the boating industry work.
Sometimes it is as simple as, I do a great job, but I am swamped and the season is 6 months long so I promise what I hope to deliver, but sometimes I have to do it 2 or 3 times to get it right because it isn't an exact science, but I don't factor that into the time quote.
Then there are the people that acutally deliver what is promised on time. Most of them charge more for their service and too many of us don't want to pay for it. Because someone else quotes it less, even though they won't deliever the same service, or warranty work if there is a failure and so on. Sometimes you are paying for the speed of service, rather than the end product. That is where Fed-X got it's niche. Costs a heck of a lot more than a stamp, but as their origonal slogan, "when it absolutly has to be there over night" you will pay for it.
That is also how Mercury is able to charge so much for a motor, is it better than what Eckert built? Maybe not, but can you pick up a 525efi in a couple of days almost anywhere in the country and get it worked on under warranty? you bet! How many engines fail in the first year and merc says, sorry, not our fault? But how many times have I read here that the machine shop, or custom builder blames you for the part or assembly failure?
Rant off.....
08-13-2003, 05:45 PM
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Originally posted by Von Bongo
Well here is how it is done, you get the customer to send you something of value, a prop, a motor, a deposit, something substantial enough that a customer must then proceed at your pace because that thing of value might be lost if you piss me off.
Once I deliver that service to you, you are just so glad to finally get it back (or your promised product) that you just let it go.
Now I will not have you back as a repeat customer but there are thousands of people just like you, I will promise them anything they want until I have their valuable thing, then I will work at my pace. Chances are you will never tell anyone about my poor service and even if you do the number of customers vs the number of people that can actually deliver my product are so low that it really doesn't matter if you do or not a certain number will still take that chance thinking you are an unreasonable moron, which is what I tell them when they ask me about what the customer wasn't happy with the service.
That is how many people involved in the boating industry work.
Sometimes it is as simple as, I do a great job, but I am swamped and the season is 6 months long so I promise what I hope to deliver, but sometimes I have to do it 2 or 3 times to get it right because it isn't an exact science, but I don't factor that into the time quote.
Then there are the people that acutally deliver what is promised on time. Most of them charge more for their service and too many of us don't want to pay for it. Because someone else quotes it less, even though they won't deliever the same service, or warranty work if there is a failure and so on. Sometimes you are paying for the speed of service, rather than the end product. That is where Fed-X got it's niche. Costs a heck of a lot more than a stamp, but as their origonal slogan, "when it absolutly has to be there over night" you will pay for it.
That is also how Mercury is able to charge so much for a motor, is it better than what Eckert built? Maybe not, but can you pick up a 525efi in a couple of days almost anywhere in the country and get it worked on under warranty? you bet! How many engines fail in the first year and merc says, sorry, not our fault? But how many times have I read here that the machine shop, or custom builder blames you for the part or assembly failure?
Rant off.....
Well here is how it is done, you get the customer to send you something of value, a prop, a motor, a deposit, something substantial enough that a customer must then proceed at your pace because that thing of value might be lost if you piss me off.
Once I deliver that service to you, you are just so glad to finally get it back (or your promised product) that you just let it go.
Now I will not have you back as a repeat customer but there are thousands of people just like you, I will promise them anything they want until I have their valuable thing, then I will work at my pace. Chances are you will never tell anyone about my poor service and even if you do the number of customers vs the number of people that can actually deliver my product are so low that it really doesn't matter if you do or not a certain number will still take that chance thinking you are an unreasonable moron, which is what I tell them when they ask me about what the customer wasn't happy with the service.
That is how many people involved in the boating industry work.
Sometimes it is as simple as, I do a great job, but I am swamped and the season is 6 months long so I promise what I hope to deliver, but sometimes I have to do it 2 or 3 times to get it right because it isn't an exact science, but I don't factor that into the time quote.
Then there are the people that acutally deliver what is promised on time. Most of them charge more for their service and too many of us don't want to pay for it. Because someone else quotes it less, even though they won't deliever the same service, or warranty work if there is a failure and so on. Sometimes you are paying for the speed of service, rather than the end product. That is where Fed-X got it's niche. Costs a heck of a lot more than a stamp, but as their origonal slogan, "when it absolutly has to be there over night" you will pay for it.
That is also how Mercury is able to charge so much for a motor, is it better than what Eckert built? Maybe not, but can you pick up a 525efi in a couple of days almost anywhere in the country and get it worked on under warranty? you bet! How many engines fail in the first year and merc says, sorry, not our fault? But how many times have I read here that the machine shop, or custom builder blames you for the part or assembly failure?
Rant off.....
yep
Platinum Member
08-13-2003, 07:33 PM
#9
Guest
Posts: n/a
08-13-2003, 09:04 PM
#10
Guest
Posts: n/a
Von Bongo, are you refering to the same Mercury who's warranty policy is such that they must first tear your engine down, inspect the parts, and then take a course of action when they see fit. If so, it must be the same company who offered to ruin a friends' summer with this bogus policy on a stock 502 with under 50 hrs. With 99.9% of the boat engine market share they don't move off center very easily. Possibly the dealer is jerking him around, but reading the fine print, I'm sure they can find fault with the driver just as easily as any fly by night shop. Lets face it, there are more crooks in the marine business than almost anything else. One guy has a problem with a particualr shop and suddenly everyone jumps on the bandwagon and condemns them as low cost, low quailty operators. Like I said before, Hall's Propeller has done good things for my past boats and if he skipped town I'll be sorry to hear that. Based on his reputation with alot of race teams I find that hard to believe.
