Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » [GMCnet] Vendors
| [GMCnet] Vendors [message #107533] |
Sat, 04 December 2010 18:33  |
bill schurman
Messages: 97
Registered: February 2004
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I totally agree with the Jim's. Thanks for being there for us. Support our vendors. They keep our coaches running.
William S. Schurman
P.O. 773325
Steamboat Springs, CO (Ski Town USA)
at the foot of Rabbit Ears Pass
970-846-4212
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| Re: [GMCnet] Vendors [message #107534 is a reply to message #107533] |
Sat, 04 December 2010 18:46  |
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In total agreement here.
Those of use that have run our own businesses or worked in a small specialty
operation understand what it's like to have a customer (potential customer)
come in, pick your brain and ask all kinds of questions. You, the sales
person (one with information and product knowledge) answer the questions so
as not to be rude or give your business a bad reputation. Then, the thing
happens that just gripes your butt -- the person goes away from you and buys
what you've been talking about from another source that's cheaper.
Folks, the reason the other source is cheaper is because that other source
didn't have someone on the staff with experience or knowledge. That's why
they can sell it cheaper -- they don't offer excellent customer service.
Unfortunately, most Americans that have never been on the other side of the
counter seem to thing it's a constitutionally protected privilege to not pay
for good service and information. That attitude sucks.
If you want information, buy from where you got it. If you're smart enough
not to need help then go ahead, figure things out yourself and buy from the
cheapest place you can. Just don't forget to add in the shipping cost and
the time it took you to learn what it is you know.
As I've pointed out before; you can offer only two of three things in a
retail business. You can offer good product, great prices or excellent
customer service. You can't offer all three and make a living or pay the
bills.
Support our vendors and those with valuable information. You may need them
at some point in the future.
Or, if you pick their brains and buy elsewhere be nice enough to pay them
for their time. It's not the American way but its the ethical thing to do
(my assumption here is that you do a value system that's worth something
beyond a wooden nickel).
Byron Songer
1978 Royale by Coachmen
Louisville, KY
Personal - http://web.me.com/bnsonger
Eastern States - http://www.gmceast.com
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--
Byron Songer
Full-timing to enjoy the USA
Former owner but still an admirer
GMC paint schemes at -
http://www.songerconsulting.net
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| Re: [GMCnet] Vendors [message #107544 is a reply to message #107535] |
Sat, 04 December 2010 21:00 |
Patrick Flowers
Messages: 195
Registered: February 2004
Karma: -24
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GMC specific vendors are very important to our coaches, but let's keep in
perspective that this list is for the benefit of the owners and not the
vendors. The list guidelines state that "limited commercial postings" are
accepted on that basis. I don't want to see this list begin to be
dominated by commercial vendors. I feel that the few that have actively
participated have played by the rules. I'll also point out that some of
the newer innovations that have been incorporated into our coaches and
sold by these larger vendors were, in fact, developed by "hobby shops". I
understand the frustration of a business owner when someone announces in a
public forum something that undercuts their pricing. Unfortunately,
that's going to happen here and it will probably happen on a regular
basis.
I think this list has been a profitable experience for those vendors that
participate. Sometimes you just have to take the good with the bad.
Patrick
--
GMCnet Listmaster
'73 CanyonLands
Tyrone GA
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Patrick Flowers
GMCnet Listmaster
'73 CanyonLands
Tyrone, GA
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| Re: [GMCnet] Vendors [message #107557 is a reply to message #107544] |
Sun, 05 December 2010 05:56 |
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mike miller
Messages: 3576
Registered: February 2004
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Karma: 0
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| Patrick Flowers wrote on Sat, 04 December 2010 19:00 |
... let's keep in perspective that this list is for the benefit
of the owners and not the vendors. ...
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Thanks Patrick, I have been thinking the same thing just was trying to find a good way to say it. The vendor participation in the actual forum has gone up over the last few years. BUT the forum was here before with very little vendor input.
That said... I understand the value of GMC vendors. To me, the heart of the matter seems to me to be what Byron said:
| Quote: |
... to have a customer (potential customer) come in, [call in] pick your brain
and ask all kinds of questions. You, the sales person (one with
information and product knowledge) answer the questions so as not to
be rude or give your business a bad reputation. ...[then] goes away
from you and buys what you've been talking about from another source
that's cheaper. ...
... If you want information, buy from where you got it. ...
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While I agree, I believe that advice given freely here, on the net, doesn't QUITE fit into the same category.
My "thought flow chart" when looking for NEW or reconditioned parts: I check the vendors web sites, I then check "GMC net" for ideas and sources. Then check those sources. If I have questions I ask "the net." If all my questions are answered, I go with the best price/value. Quite often, one of the vendors will be within "spitting distance" of the lowest price, so they would be the best value, even if I do not have any questions. IF, after checking the net, I still have unanswered questions, I just go to a vendor for information AND the parts.
Granted, I buy more used "Craigslist/junkyard jems" than new parts. This will change as I get into my "2040 GMC project."
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
More Sidekicks than GMC's and a late model Malibu called 'Boo'
http://m000035.blogspot.com
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| Re: [GMCnet] Vendors [message #107598 is a reply to message #107557] |
Sun, 05 December 2010 15:09 |
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No argument here. The Net/Forum is open. If a vendor posts information here,
so be it. The vendor is the one taking the risk. The occasional "we have
that" doesn't bother me. Getting into sales mode on this resource, however,
is abusing the situation.
I guess it boils down to this; if you don't know and you get no answer in a
forum, be prepared to put your money where your mouth is when in a
one-to-one conversation.
Of course, we're talking something besides spark plugs, oil or the sliders
for curtains.
Byron Songer
1978 Royale by Coachmen
Louisville, KY
Personal - http://web.me.com/bnsonger
Eastern States - http://www.gmceast.com
Mike Miller wrote:
> While I agree, I believe that advice given freely here, on the net, doesn't
> QUITE fit into the same category.
>
> My "thought flow chart" when looking for NEW or reconditioned parts: I check
> the vendors web sites, I then check "GMC net" for ideas and sources. Then
> check those sources. If I have questions I ask "the net." If all my
> questions are answered, I go with the best price/value. Quite often, one of
> the vendors will be within "spitting distance" of the lowest price, so they
> would be the best value, even if I do not have any questions. IF, after
> checking the net, I still have unanswered questions, I just go to a vendor for
> information AND the parts.
>
> Granted, I buy more used "Craigslist/junkyard jems" than new parts. This will
> change as I get into my "2040 GMC project."
> --
> Mike Miller
>
> #01 - `73 26' X Painted D. "The Spare"
> #02 - `78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath "The User"
> #03 - `77 23' Birchaven Side Bath "The Keeper"
> Hillsboro, OR
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--
Byron Songer
Full-timing to enjoy the USA
Former owner but still an admirer
GMC paint schemes at -
http://www.songerconsulting.net
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| Re: [GMCnet] Vendors [message #107636 is a reply to message #107544] |
Sun, 05 December 2010 21:29 |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
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Senior Member |
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Patrick, give it a flippin rest. This is a symbiotic relationship. We don't
have vital parts without vendors & they don't have a livelyhood without us.
I have been on both sides of the counter & really, really appreciate the 2
Jim's & most all the rest of the vendors too. Just my 2 cents worth.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 Royale 403
On Sat, Dec 4, 2010 at 7:28 PM, <patrick@gmcmotorhome.com> wrote:
> GMC specific vendors are very important to our coaches, but let's keep in
> perspective that this list is for the benefit of the owners and not the
> vendors. The list guidelines state that "limited commercial postings" are
> accepted on that basis. I don't want to see this list begin to be
> dominated by commercial vendors. I feel that the few that have actively
> participated have played by the rules. I'll also point out that some of
> the newer innovations that have been incorporated into our coaches and
> sold by these larger vendors were, in fact, developed by "hobby shops". I
> understand the frustration of a business owner when someone announces in a
> public forum something that undercuts their pricing. Unfortunately,
> that's going to happen here and it will probably happen on a regular
> basis.
>
> I think this list has been a profitable experience for those vendors that
> participate. Sometimes you just have to take the good with the bad.
>
> Patrick
> --
> GMCnet Listmaster
> '73 CanyonLands
> Tyrone GA
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
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| Re: [GMCnet] Vendors [message #107730 is a reply to message #107544] |
Mon, 06 December 2010 20:26 |
GMC_LES
Messages: 569
Registered: October 2009
Location: Montreal
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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I am a relatively new GMC owner (<2 yrs) with decent technical & mechanical skills. I have years of experience operating both a car repair & an autoparts business. I now work full time in the aviation industry.
The main reason I got I involved with my GMC was because of the high level of support that is available from our vendors as well as many individuals on the Black list.
I believe that the main reason for such a successful history with these coaches is the combined efforts of all of us to share our knowledge and experiences. We as owners & vendors would have a tougher time surviving without each other. As Patrick mentioned, quite few of the great advancements were conceived in some small garage long before they made it to regular production by a vendor.
Yes the vendors need us to support them in order for them to survive. We as owners must also find a way to make our coaches fit within our financial means. If we only purchased from the vendors, some of us might be forced to let go of our coaches due to cost. Others will try to run them with no maintenance. We see what happens when these coaches are neglected as an increasing number appear to be, so cost of repairs is important to the survival of this rare breed if coach.
The whole idea of having this listserv / forum is to promote the survival of this coach. Sharing info that helps another owner keep his coach running us what it is all about. Stepping on someone's toes once in a while is inevitable. It is how we handle those issues that makes this group of people an interesting bunch. The end objective is to help each other.
Because I am working full-time and rebuilding my coach, I don't have all the time in the world to design and fabricate everything I need. I do have access to the knowledge and resources to produce just about anything I might need, but just don't have the time to do it all myself. Because of this I know that I will be tossing somewhere over 10000$ towards the Jims in the next year for some of the more complex components. The rest I will source on my own in an attempt to keep my overall costs under control.
This is my way of contributing to the support of our favorite vendors so that they can continue to support us.
Something that might be worthwhile is to adopt 1 day of the week as "vendor day" to allow our vendors to discuss or promote their specials, new products, etc. We as potential customers could then ask questions as necessary with the end result being a user searchable database of helpfull info. The best day to choose could be the day that historically has the slowest bandwidth usage. Just an idea.
Les Burt
On 2010-12-04, at 10:28 PM, patrick@gmcmotorhome.com wrote:
> GMC specific vendors are very important to our coaches, but let's keep in
> perspective that this list is for the benefit of the owners and not the
> vendors. The list guidelines state that "limited commercial postings" are
> accepted on that basis. I don't want to see this list begin to be
> dominated by commercial vendors. I feel that the few that have actively
> participated have played by the rules. I'll also point out that some of
> the newer innovations that have been incorporated into our coaches and
> sold by these larger vendors were, in fact, developed by "hobby shops". I
> understand the frustration of a business owner when someone announces in a
> public forum something that undercuts their pricing. Unfortunately,
> that's going to happen here and it will probably happen on a regular
> basis.
>
> I think this list has been a profitable experience for those vendors that
> participate. Sometimes you just have to take the good with the bad.
>
> Patrick
> --
> GMCnet Listmaster
> '73 CanyonLands
> Tyrone GA
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
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Les Burt
Montreal
1975 Eleganza 26ft
A work in Progress
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| Re: [GMCnet] Vendors [message #107758 is a reply to message #107730] |
Tue, 07 December 2010 01:12 |
980
Messages: 192
Registered: July 2010
Location: United States
Karma: -1
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Senior Member |
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I'd be interested to hear about specials from the vendors.
There are a lot of items on my list to be changed. They aren't in a particular order. Specials and promotion from any vendors would help me decide what to and when to do it. As long as they don't abuse the privilege, I'd welcome those messages here.
In fact, I'd even "opt-in" to a vendor's mailing list for this type of info if they offered it, but I don't know of any. (I otherwise generally opt-out as a rule but this would have value to me.)
Desmond
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