Posted by Wayne on August 13, 2002 at 07:32:43:
In Reply to: So, match it posted by Eins on August 12, 2002 at 12:12:09:
we have also kept our prices. The plan is to cater to the more sophisticated customer base. The main competitor seemed to be goign this path also, but have recently introduced a new low cost unit. So they will attempt to segregate their product line and I am sure they will be stuck providing good service wiht the lower cost unit.
We want to hang on to the good old days when service, support, full training, refresher training, access to experts was part of the industry. It is probably a losing battle for us -- just like the scuba industry. Selling our products as a commodity over the internet would allow us to cut out overhead and selling costs dramatically. But the customer loses when he thinks he wins. The custoemer loses access to experience and information. That can be far more valuable than the few dollars in price difference. In the long run it can be devestating to the industry.
In diving it shifts the newer divers to a generation of resort qualified divers, who rarely develope the love of the sea that their predicessors had. In our industry, we see tools being placed inthehands of the unskilled, unknowledgeable workers and the quality that once was the hallmark of our work has suffered. But since the basic skills to manually do the work have been lost on this generation of workers, nobody seems to notice. Just a bunch of old guys lamenting the good old days.
Wayne