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  #51  
Old 08-04-2013, 05:47 PM
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Jamie Jamie is offline
 
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I'll choose rock-solid engineering and honest business sense over flash and glossy literature any day. The vast majority of people that would take on such a project are naturally pragmatic and Van's 'marketing' strategy seems to suit the market well.

I sort of find it charming that in spite of Van's Aircraft relatively huge success they haven't changed their core principles.

Plus, why would Van change a darn thing about his business approach? He's the market leader by a long shot.
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  #52  
Old 08-04-2013, 06:12 PM
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roadrunner20 roadrunner20 is offline
 
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DuckGuy, You want to sell the idea to your fiancee?

Have her watch the TeamAeroDynamics air show.

Then, tell her you want to build one of those airplanes.
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  #53  
Old 08-04-2013, 06:34 PM
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rvbuilder2002 rvbuilder2002 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by duckguy View Post
1. The standoffishness and inability to grab someones attention. This was mentioned by many others in this thread so obviously others are feeling a little lack of love here. It does not have to be Icon or Cirrus but a warm reception is nice. I also am very interested in building a legend cub kit and the booth they had was 2 planes, (current, clean, and well presented) and two very friendly people on folding chairs, one of whom was the owner that welcomed us, answered questions, invited us to the factory and spoke at very long length about it all with us and remembered our names in later days as we stopped back.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Thomas View Post
I stopped by thier booth at Sun'n'Fun. Standoff-ish, not quite rude but not welcoming by any measure. Good thing they sell a good product.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ccsmith51 View Post
I was not going to contribute to this post, but that is exactly the impression I got when I was in the SnF booth this year. I have an RV-4 and was interested in talking to someone about upgrades (prop, fairings, etc.) but could not get someone to notice me. I have to admit it WAS busy at the booth, but there was no one that seemed to have the responsibility of greeting people. I stood waiting for about 10 minutes then left....
I would imagine this is the reason for a lot of the "didn't feel welcome" comments...

If you are the type that expects a "Welcome to Moes" type of reception when you enter the tent, you will probably always feel this way when visiting the Van's display at OSH or S&F (entirely not the case at smaller fly-ins or when visiting the factory). It is extremely common ro have a crowd of people standing shoulder to shoulder along the full length of the counter (sometimes two deep) for extended periods during the day. If you are not the assertive type, that get up to the counter and jumps in before the people behind the counter loose there voice (this actually happens), you are not likely to get noticed in the way you may like.
This is a lot of the reason for different experiences with other kit companies... they just don't have the same volume/people load to serve, that is common throughout a lot of the day at Van's tent.
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  #54  
Old 08-04-2013, 06:51 PM
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ccsmith51 ccsmith51 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rvbuilder2002 View Post
"Welcome to Moes" type of reception
Since you quoted my post, I will respond.

I take exception to that comment. I have manned booths at trade shows for the last 30 years, at times with companies of revenues that I expect are less than those of Van's. We tried to never have a customer feel slighted or ignored. We always had a system that would recognize someone coming in our booth, even if there were only two of us manning the booth. We never required a potential customer to be "assertive" else he be ignored.

Because of this background my expectations were perhaps higher than reasonable at SnF this year. But in my mind that does not warrant the derogatory "Welcome to Moes" comment...

Respectfully,
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  #55  
Old 08-04-2013, 06:53 PM
rockwoodrv9 rockwoodrv9 is offline
 
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I didn't go to AV because of my experience at SNF with the vendors. At SNF, I tried three times in two days to get a chance to ask the Vans guys a few questions about the 9A I am building. I wasn't treated rude, but I wasn't welcomed either. I was a bit put off by the lack of interest I was shown by the Vans people. I understand they are busy and get the same questions asked over and over but at least a smile and a thanks for buying their product would be nice.

When I went to the Vans factory last year, it was exactly the opposite treatment. People were friendly taking my son and I on a tour by ourselves because we had missed the last one. When I asked a question one didn't know, he got a guy that left work already on the phone to answer it for me. I got free posters and an offer for a ride the next day.

The way I see it, the shows are for me to see the different planes, avionics, and tools. I just understand I will not get the time or attention I feel I deserve when I am writing huge checks.

The exception was with the AFS and the Vertical Power guys. They were very friendly and spent as much time as I needed to understand their products. They won a customer.
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  #56  
Old 08-04-2013, 07:28 PM
TangoBravo TangoBravo is offline
 
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Default Trade show tents booth persons in booth

For the many of you who have only attended a trade show ( and that is exactly what Airventure is) you don't have even a clue. Do you know what a booth space cost no.... Try thousands...what housing food costs are no? more thousands...transportation of booth and product...no try tens of thousands. The endurance it takes to put up with the crowds who are tire kickers and nay sayers. Try infinite patience especially for a week.

You all should have to work that tent 10 hours a day for 5 days. and have to pay the costs of displaying. Busy trade shows are fun to work and time goes by fast and when you have a GREAT product you can endue all of the above.

The Van's product fulfills ever promise, every design criteria, and is built with integrity. All you spam can and plastic airplane buffs can see what happens after [racist comments deleted; S. Buchanan] get through with those fancy airplanes. Wait tip you walk into the Cirrus booth and ask a question [Another deletion...comments like this won't cut it here, read the forum rules; S. Buchanan].

Right ON ....Van..... keep doing it the effective way...

Tyler

Last edited by DeltaRomeo : 08-04-2013 at 08:26 PM.
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  #57  
Old 08-04-2013, 07:30 PM
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Jaypratt Jaypratt is offline
 
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Default marketing!

I saw about 400 Van's sales people all around the Oshkosh airport this past week. I think I sold several myself! There were more sales folks at the Beer Fairy's Social, Home built Dinner, and other places. I talked RVs on the tram, in War Birds, even in the South 40.
People that come to me when I am around the 'Borrowed Horse' RV8, usually get a tour And a sales pitch.
RV's are infectious, I have owned more than one several times.
I think the company guys and girls are great!
If you don't have a RV ,,, Get one!!


PS,, I have a exp 180 hp Super cub too, it first flew April 2004, flown it to Idaho 7 times from Texas. I call it 'Shooter'
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Last edited by Jaypratt : 08-05-2013 at 03:46 PM.
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  #58  
Old 08-04-2013, 07:30 PM
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LettersFromFlyoverCountry LettersFromFlyoverCountry is offline
 
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Let's get back to the real problem here. Your fiancee doesn't yet share your dream. That's not something that a better display is going to fix. This is a big committment of time and money and a big sales job might have an effect for a week.

You need to investigate this problem further. Do you expect her to help build? You shouldn't. Do you expect her to share your passion? You shouldn't. She's got her own and are you as excited for them or just willing to give her the freedom to chase hers? That is what anybody can reasonably expect of a spouse.

I've seen this hobby chew up marriages. If you guys aren't on the same page, you've got some talking to do. It's not reasonable to expect the Van's people to do it.

As for people who are building not getting questions answered at the tent, I'm curious why you waited until their busiest week of the year to ask it? Why not just pick up the phone before?

I rarely visited the Van's tent in 12 years and on the rare time I did, I didn't find a really "hey how are you? Great to see you" greeting but I didn't need one. Someone told me once it's a laid-back Oregon thing. Don't know. Don't care.

I %be made more friends building an RV-7A than any other endeavor I've ever undertaken. I've got them AND now I've got a great airplane too. What more do you want for your money?
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Last edited by LettersFromFlyoverCountry : 08-04-2013 at 08:06 PM.
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  #59  
Old 08-04-2013, 08:17 PM
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rvbuilder2002 rvbuilder2002 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ccsmith51 View Post
But in my mind that does not warrant the derogatory "Welcome to Moes" comment...
Sorry Chris,
Not meant offensive or derogatory at all, but a bad choice of words I guess (I failed to realize that not everyone would understand the context)...
Moe's is a nationally franchised Mex. food restaurant, where standard operating procedure is that all employees within eye sight of the front door yell "welcome to Moe's" when a customer comes in the door.
My attempt at a small amount of humor (something I should avoid I guess) was obviously lost in the passion of the subject.
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Opinions, information and comments are my own unless stated otherwise. They do not necessarily represent the direction/opinions of my employer.

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  #60  
Old 08-04-2013, 08:19 PM
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LettersFromFlyoverCountry LettersFromFlyoverCountry is offline
 
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Since your fiance isn't on VAF and it doesn't sound like either of you has gone out of your way to participate in the community too much , you missed the very opportunity to attain what you claim your fiance wanted: something to light a fire under her to build an RV.

That one's on you guys.

If you need glitzy suites at the Hilton , free flowing booze and a display that's more Cirrus-like, you're probably not going to be able to build an RV.

Anybody CAN build an RV. But not everyone has what it takes to build an RV. There's no shame in looking for something different somewhere else.

With all the options for getting a fire lit under you for RVs that was available to you at Oshkosh, if you didn't come away saying "I've GOT to do this!" ,you should probably look somewhere else.
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