PSP - Fairlines 'Closed Door' policy - Very upset!

[Richie]

I was thinking it was going to be hassle but ended up having a look round the Fairline's no problem, but we didn't stop at the little reception stand to ask permission first - they didn't seem to mind us having a wander about on our own.
Only dissapointment was the new Targa 38 GT - after having come straight from the Sealine SC35 I know where my money would be going.
The guys from Prosser Marine at the Sealine stand were first class too. Nothing too much trouble, happy to open up / demonstrate anything we asked and left us to have a good mooch around on our own too.

 

[ari]

So you went to the show on the busiest day and to one of the busiest stands and you're complaining that you couldn't walk straight on and that they were controlling numbers!?

No doubt if they had been letting everyone straight on you'd have been moaning that you couldn't move for the other fifty people on the boat and why couldn't they control the numbers better?

Obvious thing to do is avoid the weekend, it's always a bunfight, especially the last one. Failing that, just make an appointment.

If you really are serious surely you want to talk to a proper salesman and have the numbers restricted?

 

[MapisM]

Huh? The OP wasn't complaining about all exhibitors, as I understand - just one of them.
Why shouldn't your comments affect also the rest?
Mind, I can neither confirm nor deny what the OP is saying, but I can't understand your logic...

 

[henryf]

I'm in the process of compiling a little review of the show having been there Saturday and Sunday. I'll post it up soon but for now can I say that on both days I simply walked past the girls in the central hub and onto a boat. No problems at all. In fact I ended up speaking to James because he obviously saw I knew what I was after and so wanted to see if I needed any further help.

On Saturday I almost felt as though they knew who I was from my previous post about getting the third degree and purposely let me through. They didn't, it was the same for everyone.

I just wanted to even the score up a bit. Keep an eye out for my review

Henry

 

[MY littlebirchwoo]

So you went to the show on the busiest day and to one of the busiest stands and you're complaining that you couldn't walk straight on and that they were controlling numbers!?

No doubt if they had been letting everyone straight on you'd have been moaning that you couldn't move for the other fifty people on the boat and why couldn't they control the numbers better?

Obvious thing to do is avoid the weekend, it's always a bunfight, especially the last one. Failing that, just make an appointment.

If you really are serious surely you want to talk to a proper salesman and have the numbers restricted?

No I went to the show on the only day I had available where I could visit with my partner as we both work and both have a valid say in where out money goes! Yes maybe I should have walked straight passed, however, even if this was the 'busiest' day fairline were definitely bot the busiest stand and absolutely no one else was as inaccessible!

On a note about the Ancasta guys and the Prestige 500 all I can day is that the brand is in safe hands and we too were made very welcome on that boat too - and what a boat!

 

[MY littlebirchwoo]

Ps excuse previous post grammar. Bloomin iPhone seems to think the words 'not' and 'say' should not be used in sentences!

 

[Elessar]

We went to the show as a guest of another manufacturer and currently own a 37 foot motor cruiser. Our aim to look ad three boats in the mid-40 foot category. Firstly let me say how welcoming Sealine were at the show, having a completely open door policy - I can certainly see why they are selling so many boats at the moment as all of their dealers on the stand had a can-do attitude. However it was the Targa 44 from Fairline that we specifically wished to look at and despite visiting their stand four times during the day at different times, and despite the very nice girl on the 'reception' desk on two occasions, and the suggestion, "Why don't you have a cup of tea and come back later", we were unable to get anywhere near the boat as they wished to operate a strict 'one on and one off' policy and didn't seem to have enough dealers to allow people to just look around.

I can certainly understand this policy with the much larger vessels, however, for what are now 'normal sized' boats I cannot think anything other than this will severely put people off the brand.

I WASNT the only one to say this either!!!

Sadly I know an Essex based dealer very well and know their policy wasn't that which was demonstrated at the show and although he was present, we didn't see him and it was almost as if we had been 'vetted' and not allowed to look.

Truly disgusting - very bad for the brand and not good at all for a boat show.!

Absolutely NOTHING can be said to defend this policy at a public boat show

with a new employee and I wanted to show her round some of the bigger boats for interest. No problem at all viewing the fairlines after a chat which included telling them I couldn't afford one. It is off putting though I agree.

 

[rosssavage]

I'm 36, Swmbo is 26. I usually dress in shabby jeans and a t-shirt. I don't look like a 'real' customer. I own a 38' princess and a rib. Princess know this as when they welcomed us aboard the p67 (I think) and gave us a personal tour, we chatted and I told the very genial rep. If I'm in the position to upgrade in the future, I will remember this. Sealine too were very friendly.
Fairline, however, took one look at my age and dress sense and immediately had me down as a wannabe, and we were treated as such. Swmbo has now dictated that we shall never buy a fairline based on that experience - shame, I quite like their boats.

Think I'll stick to princess - their technical phone line chap (miles) is tremendously helpful and friendly, and he knows I'm not a multi millionaire. Thing is, one day I might be...

 

[Imperial One]

Interesting thread this one. Although it is a shame to see it again.
Sadly we did not do the SIBS this year but we ALWAYS have an open boat policy. True, if we are overrun with visitors we might say, do you mind sitting on the aft deck until three or four folk have left. But, as others have said, it is a SHOW - and we try to show our boats to anyone. We understand that not all people think our boats are lovely to look at but without taking a look inside as well as the outside, we cannot change that opinion, you never know who is who, what they can or might spend, either today or next year and in my mind the show is about meeting new faces and talking to existing clients as well.
I always find the shows are a good starting point for ongoing negotiations.
Our sport is fuelled by a love of the sea of new horizons and getting away from daily life - why not help fuel those aspirations by letting anyone look over? I simply cannot understand the attitude of some of our colleagues.
Open boat policy works for me - see you all at the next SIBS show, or if you cannot wait until next September, then at Dusseldorf when we will have something very different to show you - no, I will not be at LIBS.
By the way, now the SIBS is finished, I hear tell that Summer is due this week!!

 

[ari]

No I went to the show on the only day I had available where I could visit with my partner as we both work and both have a valid say in where out money goes!

Indeed. Unfortunately the last Saturday also seems to be everyone else's "only day available". So it's really busy so you have to accept that, with an obviously limited number of boats and staff, the more popular stands are going to struggle to keep up with demand.

I very much doubt you'd have walked straight onto a Sunseeker either (I had to queue for a mid range boat, and that was on a weekday, so I dread to think what the middle of the last Saturday was like. Didn't see it as a problem though).

So you have a choice, throw a huff because you're not allowed straight on, or wait, or make an appointment and come back.

I'm afraid your post comes across a little bit "don't they know who I am!?"

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

So you went to the show on the busiest day and to one of the busiest stands and you're complaining that you couldn't walk straight on and that they were controlling numbers!?

No doubt if they had been letting everyone straight on you'd have been moaning that you couldn't move for the other fifty people on the boat and why couldn't they control the numbers better?

Obvious thing to do is avoid the weekend, it's always a bunfight, especially the last one. Failing that, just make an appointment.

If you really are serious surely you want to talk to a proper salesman and have the numbers restricted?

ari, sorry but Fairline have operated a different policy to other brands at boat shows for years. It is always easier to get on to see other manufacturers boats than Fairline's because of the gatekeeper policy that Fairline operate. Yes their gatekeeper policy is designed to ensure that genuine sales prospects are properly looked after but it just doesn't work well IMHO. First off, we have made appointments in the past at boat shows ourselves but when we've returned to the Fairline stand at the appointed time, more often than not, 'our' salesman is not available and we have been told to come back later, which is very irritating. Secondly, there are some people like me who simply don't like being shadowed by a salesman; I know what I'm looking at and I prefer to nose around on my own. Thirdly, this policy puts off the casual visitor who might well turn into a sales prospect in a few years time and their opinion of the Fairline brand will be coloured by the perceived arrogance of the way Fairline manage their show stands.
This policy might have worked when the industry was booming but its inappropriate at a time when the boat industry is under pressure and the builders need to sell every boat they can

 

[[2068]]

I was there on the Sunday, and had no problems getting aboard all sorts of boats I couldn't afford. Broom 455, Hardy 42 (very friendly and knowledgable young lady), Princess V42, SS Predator 60, many Sealines, and the Fairline T38. Even the Oyster lady was allocating "slots" of only a few minutes in the future.

The Fairline process worked okay for me: I asked at the desk, and they asked me if I wanted to be accompanied or not.

 

[Lozzer]

It would be interesting to get an opinion from the show organisers on this.

Surely if you have paid for your ticket to enter a boat show all areas (public of course) should be open to you. This includes ALL boats from ALL manufacturers.

I note an earlier post suggesting that many people turn up with cheque books and make their decision there and then. How often does this really happen? Admittedly it did happen to me once at a LIBS show. In my experience most of the leg work has been done prior to the show and this just formality.

I once worked for a major brand and the policy was 100% open door. We were actively encouraged to show people the boats, in fact we were proud to show our boats off.

Having been to many shows I can honestly say I have NEVER been on the Fairline stand, it is in my opinion designed to manage the crowds and put people off. This is a shame as they produce some nice kit which the factory boys should be proud of. JFM will testify to that.

 

[[2068]]

But, at the upper end of the market, some people will have travelled a long way to make what could be quite large investment. Manufacturers don't want to upset them by denying them the chance to see the boat properly because it's overrun by the unwashed. If your brand is obscure, and visitor demand is low, you can afford to be "friendly", but if you're Sunseeker, then some sort of prioritisation / organisation is needed.

On the other hand, it would nice if Sunseeker allowed access to ONE of their very large yachts.

 

[AdeOlly]

ari, sorry but Fairline have operated a different policy to other brands at boat shows for years. It is always easier to get on to see other manufacturers boats than Fairline's because of the gatekeeper policy that Fairline operate. Yes their gatekeeper policy is designed to ensure that genuine sales prospects are properly looked after but it just doesn't work well IMHO. First off, we have made appointments in the past at boat shows ourselves but when we've returned to the Fairline stand at the appointed time, more often than not, 'our' salesman is not available and we have been told to come back later, which is very irritating. Secondly, there are some people like me who simply don't like being shadowed by a salesman; I know what I'm looking at and I prefer to nose around on my own. Thirdly, this policy puts off the casual visitor who might well turn into a sales prospect in a few years time and their opinion of the Fairline brand will be coloured by the perceived arrogance of the way Fairline manage their show stands.
This policy might have worked when the industry was booming but its inappropriate at a time when the boat industry is under pressure and the builders need to sell every boat they can

Agree 100% Mike. Whilst we aren't in the market for a new Fairline, we have just changed boats, we will no doubt change again in a few years. Will it be a Fairline next time? At present, it's unlikely because SWMBO thinks they're arrogant, and this is based solely on their boat show policy. When we got to Fairline on Saturday she refused point blank to even approach the desk to ask to view So, we saw Sealine, Princess, Broom, Jeanneau and a four and half million quid Sunseeker, and others, all of whom seem to manage their visitors without resorting crowd control barriers. The cash we spend on boating is joint cash, and right now Fairline don't exist as far as SWMBO is concerned, so not much chance of them seeing our money.

 

[Nick_H]

Pretty much all of the larger boats on display are either borrowed back from recent purchasers, or due to go the new purchaser after the show. Very few, if any, are unsold stock boats nowadays.

It must therefore be really hard to persuade buyers to let their boats be exhibited at a boat show knowing that hundreds of people are going to trample all over it, and a buyer who agrees to let their boat be shown might reasonably expect that the manufacturer has a method for controlling the crowds, and filtering out undesirables.

I very much doubt that Fairline are trying to second guess who can afford to buy one of their boats, because its almost impossible to do these days, but rather are trying to take better care of their show boats than their competitors, as a form of customer service?

 

[oceanfroggie]

It's just a basic sales skill, being able to manage the difference between "tyre kickers" and potential customers. The difference nowadays with revolving door sales staff is the duration of the word "potential". Short term v playing the long game.

 

[MY littlebirchwoo]

Indeed. Unfortunately the last Saturday also seems to be everyone else's "only day available". So it's really busy so you have to accept that, with an obviously limited number of boats and staff, the more popular stands are going to struggle to keep up with demand.

I very much doubt you'd have walked straight onto a Sunseeker either (I had to queue for a mid range boat, and that was on a weekday, so I dread to think what the middle of the last Saturday was like. Didn't see it as a problem though).

So you have a choice, throw a huff because you're not allowed straight on, or wait, or make an appointment and come back.

I'm afraid your post comes across a little bit "don't they know who I am!?"

When I first read this I thought you were just out to wind something up but let me set the record straight. Firstly I did walk straight onto a sunseeker, however many other boats had people abourd and on many occasions was asked if we minded just waiting until the people inboard had left - no problem there. With the fairline stand what upset me is that I was advised 'why not have a cup of tea and come back later' actually the boat we wished to see had bo one inboard at all! This isn't a knocking of the dealers and nor is it a 'Do you know who I am' as that has already been answered, no you don't and nor did they and neither did they know who most of the other 8000 or so of Saturday's visitors were and that is why no one should ever be prejudged in any sales situation

If I was offered the chance for an appointment I would have accepted that. We visited 4 times, once in the morning when they had a group presentation, the second time I was advised that our local broker was busy but could I come back later (we didn't ask for him specifically) the third time go and have a cup of tea, the last time at 6.15 sorry too late so we went and chatted with Broom opposite instead!

Oddly reading this thread I wasn't the only one who felt this

For the record I think Fairline have a fantastic product, the concern was over their policy at the show as we had no problems on any other stand and as I said earlier, were invited, whilst viewing one boat on the sunseeker stand, to view stuff that was wildly out of our budget, but they were very much working on the principal of 'who knows where your boating will go in the future

Good luck with your attempt to start a row on the forum Your views are your views and you have a right to view them, but, especially as we have had such super service from a Faitline dealer, as mentioned, in the past, this is not and never has been a dig at the brand only a criticism of the way they conducted themselves at the show. For the record, no one was rude or inconsiderate, just unaccomodating and off putting!

 

[Moody]

My perception of Fairline at boats shows is also poor. We were at the show on preview day and leant on their barrier looking at the T38, talking about the layout etc. (hopefully with quite a bit of knowledge). Just inside the barrier was a salesman who was obviously earwigging, and I would have expected him to say ''are you interested or would you like to have a look''. But no he proceeded to stand right in front of us, take out his camera, and started snapping the cockpit of the T38.

We moved on!!

Neil

 

[MY littlebirchwoo]

It's just a basic sales skill, being able to manage the difference between "tyre kickers" and potential customers. The difference nowadays with revolving door sales staff is the duration of the word "potential". Short term v playing the long game.

By the way. Can you really tell? I've sold high value goods in the past and often found those looking the most affluentto be the biggest tyres kickers!