Crusader sails - there is no such thing as bad press

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Makes interesting reading.

Next time I need new sails I shall certainly call them.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Gerald Ratner. Northern Rock.

 

[Koeketiene]

FWIW, I think BlowingOldBoots made a valid point.

 

[photodog]

I think that Crusader should have come onto the thread to put the situation right....

If they had come on and said...

"Sorry about the misunderstanding, as you will see in our email to you of xzy we are of course happy to refund your deposit if thats what you now would like... we went ahead and cut a sail for you as we were concerned about your delivery date, but in no way should you feel obliged!"

"Please accept my invitation to come down to the factory and see what we are doing, ( and I will forward to train tickets to you to do so, we do a mean lunch!) and talk about how you would like your sails finished!"

"Of course we understand if circumstances have changed and you no longer wish to proceed, but we would not have liked to have left you in the lurch!"

"Ta, Crusader!"

Everyone would have stood up and applauded. OTOH having IPC step in to defend a customer looks a bit dubious.

If the OP is gonna slag em off in public... then they should not feel remiss about acting in their own interests in a simular way!

Its what social media is all about...

 

[armchairsailor]

Maybe the person concerned is after a discount?! :-D

 

[Morven]

Taking all bets..............how long until this thread is locked as well!

 

[bigwow]

Maybe the person concerned is after a discount?! :-D

It looks as if they may have had one already

 

[sailorman]

I think that Crusader should have come onto the thread to put the situation right....

If they had come on and said...

"Sorry about the misunderstanding, as you will see in our email to you of xzy we are of course happy to refund your deposit if thats what you now would like... we went ahead and cut a sail for you as we were concerned about your delivery date, but in no way should you feel obliged!"

"Please accept my invitation to come down to the factory and see what we are doing, ( and I will forward to train tickets to you to do so, we do a mean lunch!) and talk about how you would like your sails finished!"

"Of course we understand if circumstances have changed and you no longer wish to proceed, but we would not have liked to have left you in the lurch!"

"Ta, Crusader!"

Everyone would have stood up and applauded. OTOH having IPC step in to defend a customer looks a bit dubious.

If the OP is gonna slag em off in public... then they should not feel remiss about acting in their own interests in a simular way!

Its what social media is all about...

Hear hear

 

[Robin]

I typed a reply and the previous thread was closed before I could get mine added.

I have known Crusader as a customer for nearly 40 years, over which time they have made me four full suits of white sails and two spinnakers. On our last boat they made our Hydranet high tech cloth sails in tri-radial cut for both the roller genoa and the fully battened main. They did a complete re-rig of all the standing rigging, serviced the mast and rebuilt the roller gear. They then replaced all the running rigging and revamped our deck layout so that all three slab reefs could all be put in from the safety of the cockpit, including supplying and fitting new turning blocks, organisers and all new clutches. They have also made covers and canvas for us over the years and a set of cockpit cushions made 24 years ago by Paul Lees Dad were still in use (and looked good) when they went to the new owner.

All their sails are made in house, in the UK, from design via cutting to completion, not many left like that.

I have no contact with Crusader other than as a very satisfied customer over many years. All the lads there are local sailors and take a huge pride in their work, highly professional, extremely knowledgeable and just all round nice guys. I do not recognise them from the other post that was locked.

Mind you if they just didn't belong to a rival Poole club they might even be perfect..

 

[FullCircle]

Maybe the person concerned is after a discount?! :-D

Don't think so, he had a set of sails from this just this year.

It is rare to find a business with true integrity. Crusader is exactly that.

When I bought my Magic Furl, I had some early difficulty with its operation. The first response was that I could have my money back in full, and offered to drive up to East Coast that day to look at issue.
That is not the action of shady charlatans.

I have informed Crusader of posts on here before myself.
Just because snooks intervened (a hint of slightly unwise in that) does not make it machinations of the Evil Empire.

Observant folk may note that I was seen eating drinking and making merry with snooks only last Thursday.
You may infer anything you like from that.

 

[photodog]

What we are seeing emerging is a whole new way of marketing... and most companies still havent caught onto it.... for sailmakers long term relationship marketing is crucial I would have thought.... so getting involved in the social media is a absolute nessecity... The social media is rapidly making traditional media and PR obsolete.... its interesting times..

 

[lustyd]

OTOH having IPC step in to defend a customer looks a bit dubious.

IPC did not step in. Snooks has made it clear in every Crusader thread for a year (at least) that he is a very happy customer. I saw his involvement as purely defending a company he'd done business with just like the rest of us on that thread. The fact that he was contacted by the owner is neither here nor there, it just meant he was a little more involved but I certainly didn't think his comments were on behalf of IPC.

 

[photodog]

Observant folk may note that I was seen eating drinking and making merry with snooks only last Thursday.
You may infer anything you like from that.

Lets not go there....... we will just pretend your mates for now...

 

[photodog]

IPC did not step in. Snooks has made it clear in every Crusader thread for a year (at least) that he is a very happy customer. I saw his involvement as purely defending a company he'd done business with just like the rest of us on that thread. The fact that he was contacted by the owner is neither here nor there, it just meant he was a little more involved but I certainly didn't think his comments were on behalf of IPC.

He is one of the main IPC reps here, and is a full time employee.... its clear that Crusader contacted him before he intervened...

The truth may lie somewere in the middle... but its perception that counts.

How do we know when he is acting as a individual, or when he is acting on behalf of IPC??? There needs to be clear ground between a professional role and a personal one... and part of that is recognising when a conflict of interests either will occur or may be percieved to be occuring.

I have no axe to grind BTW...

 

[snooks]

I think that Crusader should have come onto the thread to put the situation right....

Paul Lees isn't a member on here, he believes the forum is for his customers, past, present and future, not "the industry".

He phoned me up and asked me to put his side of the story across.

The fact he's an advertiser had nothing to do with it, and until it was mentioned it hadn't crossed my mind.

I chose and bought - yes with my (wife's) money - our sails from Crusader, and I like others have found their service great, so I was more than happy to stick up for Paul and Crusader.

What I didn't like was for Crusader to be hauled over a barrel, be accused of stealing and lying when Paul has proof this wasn't the case, and a full refund was offered.

I would stick up for anyone, company or not, advertiser or not, the users here deserve to hear both sides of the story.

 

[snooks]

He is one of the main IPC reps here, and is a full time employee.... its clear that Crusader contacted him before he intervened...

Actually I was in the middle of typing a reply when I got the phone call from Paul (14:25)...Of course there is no way of proving this is the case, you'll just have to take my word on it.

I edited the reply I was typing, and again once when he forwarded me the chain of Emails.

 

[lustyd]

How do we know when he is acting as a individual, or when he is acting on behalf of IPC???

I believe his signature usually changes when it's on behalf of the company, same with the other staff

 

[Rigger Mortice]

Well said Snookie. You've done the right thing.

 

[rotrax]

He is one of the main IPC reps here, and is a full time employee.... its clear that Crusader contacted him before he intervened...

The truth may lie somewere in the middle... but its perception that counts.

How do we know when he is acting as a individual, or when he is acting on behalf of IPC??? There needs to be clear ground between a professional role and a personal one... and part of that is recognising when a conflict of interests either will occur or may be percieved to be occuring.

I have no axe to grind BTW...

FWIW I believe Snooks balances a tricky job with integrity. Bottom line is he is a snapper. In my many years dealing with snappers in the motorcycle industry and trade I never found them high enough up the corporate tree to involve themselves with heavy duty policy decisions. They were usualy taking 'photos, laying out copy or down the pub.

 

[photodog]

All admirable... and of course its the journalists job to attempt to provide balance in coverage of a issue.... But I think that this goes to some wider issues that need addressing.... I am sure that you acted as a honest broker... but as I said... perception is the key, and openness is crucial in the social media to ensure this... I think you should have encouraged him to have engaged personally with his customers.... after all isnt that what a good business should do??

Not engaging with social media sites like facebook, twitter, and this place, is a mistake. Customers expect to have open communications with a company. I got our broadband fixed by engaging with BT on twitter....

Hiding behind a fan is not good practice....