Gooseneck trailer tips

[camcojb]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Well.... I think I'm heart broken this morning... but stuff happens while you're having fun sometimes.

The long and short of it is I canceled the trailer order this morning after several emails and phone calls telling me that the Renegade factory has yet to schedule a build date - and that the build date IF I sign off on drawings (that I've been waiting and waiting for weeks to get) might get scheduled July 29th and I'd be 12 to 16 weeks out from there.

All of this time I was working on a delivery date of June! They haven't even slotted a build date!

I signed basic - and I mean the most very basic (as posted here earlier) weeks ago... and I requested more detailed drawings for review.... it was back then that I was told June delivery date. In the meantime I was working under the ASSumption that we were just drilling down on details such as flooring choices - fabrics - and minor details etc.

After several emails requesting more detailed drawings -- and being given many excuses as to why they aren't done (illness etc)... I'm now told that they don't have the expertise to produce the drawings and that there's no build date unless I sign off on what I have! A two year old could draw the basic shapes I have.... and I'm supposed to commit to taking a $400,000 totally custom built trailer based on this. Oh and by the way --- I'm now months out as well --- another missed summer --- because of their inabilities.

I could actually work with the basic drawings --- given a large stretch of "trust" that they build a good product and we can figure stuff out as we go.... but the move of the build date is just the last straw. That infuriates me. Mind you -- I gave the dealer a $150,000 deposit LAST JUNE.

Charley will just have to watch TV from the little 12V cigarette lighter version I'll buy at Camper World... :

I just don't get it. You are the kind of customer I would DREAM of having, and they just piss it away. Makes no sense.

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by camcojb

I just don't get it. You are the kind of customer I would DREAM of having, and they just piss it away. Makes no sense.

Ya know Jody -- Seriously -- I am a dream customer. SAR - which should stand for Stupid Ass Retards - worked the entire build of the '32 with funds UP FRONT without once ever having to ask me for a reload. Who does that? Me... because I understood that it was "tough" out there and I figured I'm going to have to pay for the stupid little car no matter what - so big deal if I'm 30 days ahead of the game. Big whoop.

Brizio has been working now for several months - billing against the funds I wired him this summer.... and he's nowhere close to being out of money. The entire build was discussed - motor - tranny - color - interior - stance - looks - everything UP FRONT.... They're not waiting on me for a single thing. They know exactly what I want - they have funds to buy all the parts - body - frame - motor - everything.... way before they need it. How easy is that? I trust them. I know what I want - I communicate it - and let them rock and roll.

I don't ask for a discount for cash - I don't ask them for interest on my money - I only ask that they hurry up because I'm like a little kid waiting for Christmas morning.

This is why I say "it must just be me". SAR screwed the pooch.... cost them the next build.... the trailer guys (Renegade) have now blown through TWO builds and got neither of them. Little wonder business is tough! It's hard enough when you do everything right - let alone when you're stupid enough to blow through the easy customers! UGH!

[camcojb]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Ya know Jody -- Seriously -- I am a dream customer. SAR - which should stand for Stupid Ass Retards - worked the entire build of the '32 with funds UP FRONT without once ever having to ask me for a reload. Who does that? Me... because I understood that it was "tough" out there and I figured I'm going to have to pay for the stupid little car no matter what - so big deal if I'm 30 days ahead of the game. Big whoop.

Brizio has been working now for several months - billing against the funds I wired him this summer.... and he's nowhere close to being out of money. The entire build was discussed - motor - tranny - color - interior - stance - looks - everything UP FRONT.... They're not waiting on me for a single thing. They know exactly what I want - they have funds to buy all the parts - body - frame - motor - everything.... way before they need it. How easy is that? I trust them. I know what I want - I communicate it - and let them rock and roll.

I don't ask for a discount for cash - I don't ask them for interest on my money - I only ask that they hurry up because I'm like a little kid waiting for Christmas morning.

This is why I say "it must just be me". SAR screwed the pooch.... cost them the next build.... the trailer guys (Renegade) have now blown through TWO builds and got neither of them. Little wonder business is tough! It's hard enough when you do everything right - let alone when you're stupid enough to blow through the easy customers! UGH!

To me it's much easier (and more successful) to keep your customers happy and get the rewards of that relationship, plus the additional business they bring because they're happy and spread the word, than to not take care of your customers and constantly battle to replace the ones you lose so you stay in business. As hard as it can be to develop a good customer it baffles me that so many companies just don't seem to care about keeping them.

[Sieg]

Originally Posted by camcojb

To me it's much easier (and more successful) to keep your customers happy and get the rewards of that relationship, plus the additional business they bring because they're happy and spread the word, than to not take care of your customers and constantly battle to replace the ones you lose so you stay in business. As hard as it can be to develop a good customer it baffles me that so many companies just don't seem to care about keeping them.

Sadly the 80/20 rule applies to your common sense and logic. Unbelievable isn't it.

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by Sieg

Sadly the 80/20 rule applies to your common sense and logic. Unbelievable isn't it.

I've been buying cars from one dealer here in Seattle since 1976.... I'm on #9 now... It's really not hard to keep customers. Treat them with respect... do what you say you're going to do... be honest when things aren't going as they should.

When I was the factory Rep for Brown Jordan... I treated every customer as if we were partners. The better they did - the better I'd do. After all... I was a commissioned rep... so I got a percentage of everything. I could write one order and feed them full of crap - and make nothing from then on... Or I could help grow their business - which would in turn - grow mine.

Not really rocket science.

[Sieg]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

... be honest when things aren't going as they should.

That's where the vast majority of salespeople fail and mostly out of fear.

In reality that's their opportunity to stand above the heard and earn future business via honesty, trust and respect. But NOooooo it can't be that easy.

Sadly we'll probably never know the core reasons on your trailer order unless we happen to read a new report that they closed their doors.

[Greg from Aus]

I think it's a division of SARS and they are out to get you.

Greg

[fesler]

Originally Posted by camcojb

To me it's much easier (and more successful) to keep your customers happy and get the rewards of that relationship, plus the additional business they bring because they're happy and spread the word, than to not take care of your customers and constantly battle to replace the ones you lose so you stay in business. As hard as it can be to develop a good customer it baffles me that so many companies just don't seem to care about keeping them.

This is why we treat our customers like family, they fly into town and hang out at the shop for hours and play with the dogs ask how the kids are doing and have lunch with the guys. I dont want clients that dont love what we do I want clients that live what we do and want to be apart of it. Its simple do what they ask and dont waste their money and they will be happy.

[Ketzer]

Originally Posted by fesler

This is why we treat our customers like family, they fly into town and hang out at the shop for hours and play with the dogs ask how the kids are doing and have lunch with the guys. I dont want clients that dont love what we do I want clients that live what we do and want to be apart of it. Its simple do what they ask and dont waste their money and they will be happy.

My buddy and I were out for the GoodGuys show last month, it was either raining or hailing or freezing. We decided to get out and shop-hop to kill time and stopped in over at the Fesler camp.
We're just a couple average Joes off the street, gonna poke around and see what we could see. We were greeted at the door and asked if we wanted a tour right off the bat. Chris was out so his son took over tour duty. We were shown their projects, asked about our projects, told what they could help us with and even offered some free swag. Very down-to-earth bunch of folks.
It is as the man says, they love what they do and it shows. His son and his crew really seem to get it's always about the customer.


Jeff-

[GregWeld]

People must have woke up Monday morning and thought to themselves... "Hey, ya know what? I think we just blew off a $400,000 order!"

I've had lots of phone calls..


Too bad they're MONTHS behind the curve and what's gone is gone. I'm real easy to deal with - right until you piss me off. Then it's game over.