[TenTec] LAST WORD ON ORLANDO HAMFEST

[Gene Story]

Dave -
Did you call Jim?

Hi Dave -
My apologies if I got this wrong but I think a non Ten-Tec employee provided a conduit to an appropriate person at Ten-Tec to address your question directly?  If so, I believe the opportunity  to talk to Jim directly on the subject matter is a terrific offer.

About six years ago, I stopped budgeting for trade shows for a US branch of a company I was controlling with the blessing of the home office overseas.  Instead we sent a rep to "walk the floors" of a select few shows to maintain and make new contacts.  We rented a suite a couple of times to discuss contracts and do a few demos but otherwise, completely slashed the expense of shows.  And most magazine ads were cut too.  Focused marketing campaigns via the Internet paid off far better.  Unlike trade shows, we could quantify the effort/expense and profit results.  Rather than bleed money and time with key employees at trade shows, we took advantage of the Internet.

None of us knows why T-T has changed their marketing efforts for shows and hard print ads.  They are a privately held company and they (frankly) don't have to tell us.   While the current T-T Net on 40 and 20 meters is just a sliver of all users worldwide, this and other personal on the air contacts I have made and the Internet suggests to me the enthusiasm for the T-T product is alive and well.  I know I love my 565 Orion and accessories.  I am betting most of us will continue to support their efforts.

Heck, take this offline and give Jim a call.  I would have jumped at an invite like that.  The rest of us may puzzle a bit but I do not think most of us can afford to make it to shows anymore.   Not 100% of us use the Internet either but it is where most of the marketing effort is directed these days.  

Gene. /. K7TXO



Sent from my iPad

On Feb 15, 2013, at 7:59 PM, David and Dianne on Comcast <dhhdeh at comcast.net> wrote:

> "But, it sure is an odd way of doing business." -- Ya think??
> 
> Coupled with the fact that TT has not advertised in QST for the past two months and has had no product advertising (except for promoting its own web site) in QST since last August, it all does not inspire much confidence with customers (of who I am one since 1996) about the current condition or future viability of the company.
> 
> How can anyone be expected to try their products if there are no dealers, no print advertising, IMO, a less than optimum web site and they don't appear at all but the one big show. I don't take much comfort in their committing to Dayton. Would you expect less? They need to assure us that they will be there? Wow.
> 
> Elecraft, a similar sized company, seems to understand that the shows, big and small, a voluminous, technically oriented web site, Dxpedition sponsoring and word of mouth satisfaction are all their significant source of sales leads and they do not offer a 30 day trial. As for "no questions" on the TT 30 day trial returns ...not exactly true.... as I can attest from the past. Lots of questions as to why. The refund was made, but IMO begrudgingly. I would not want to try it again.
> 
> This mystery surrounding the need for their customers to e-mail Jim Wharton about their recent decision, IMO its simply no way to treat customers who have growing legitimate concerns based on TT's very public, recent corporate decisions. Having run a successful business for 34 years, I can attest that it is not the customer's privilege to do business with the company but rather the other way around.
> 
> I bought an Omni VII last year and do like and enjoy it very much, along with my K3. But I will have had hard time convincing others to give it a try in light of these recent peculiar corporate marketing decisions, the questions they imply and TT chooses to leave unanswered, evoking legitimate concerns .
> 
> 73 de N1LQ-Dave
> 
> 
> 
> 
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