Due to numerous discussions on Victoria British's service, or extreme lack
of, and their poor quality, misjudged shipping dates, erroroneous billing
precedures and the rest of their "charms" - I have decided to distribute an
exerpt of this Thoroughbred & Classic Cars article which summarizes VB
attitude and business focus very well.
Background on the article: two GB based BMH Specialists decided to take a
cross country tour of the United States' British car specialists, along
tagged with them a journalist from T&CC.
Thoroughbred & Classic Cars
February 1990
B-ing There 2 ; pgs 71-75
< begin exerpt >
Leo Long, owner o Victoria British, (aka Long Motor Co) the Heritage
specialist in Kansas, was dismayed to see our conveoy pull into his car
park! We were early and he'd bet $20 that we'd be late... We unloaded the
shell, polished up the MGB and yet again erected the portable British Motor
Heritage display boards. Meanwhile, spurred on by the high temperatures and
brilliant sunshine, the parking lot was filling with British cars, old and
new, for an informal concours and free hospitality. Leo was opening his new
spares shop this very day and was offering every visitor a healthy
introductory discount plus free lunch...
The new shop is an impressive modern facility, fronting an equally
impressive and massive 60,000sq ft warehouse and 15,000sq ft office complex
behind. Leo was quick to explain that only a tiny percentage of his
business is over-the-counter. Mail order is the key to his reputed
$20,000,000 (and rising) turnover. MG and Triumph parts predominate on the
shelves of his spacious warehouse, although Jaguar, Austin-Healey, and
Datsun Z items are carried too among the 17,000-plus lines. Much is
imported from Britian but there are locally produced iteams as well. "We
make most o our money on 'soft' items," says Leo candidly, meaning hoods,t
rim and the like. "But we do try to keep a full range of 'heavy' items on
the shelves," he said, indicating half-a-dozen bins of Armstrong lever arm
dampers.
In a warehouse where some staff ride around on electric trolleys, the
packaging and despatch bays are key areas and these are about to be equipped
with a robot-arm automated system that can handle more than 2,000 items per
day. All orders are taken on toll-free lines by up to 15 operators working
shifts that make allowances or USA time zones. "I don't employ 'gear heads'
(car enthusiasts) on the phone lines," says Leo. "If they like cars they
talk about them to the customers and we lose time." A hard attitude,
certianly, but one that gives a simple, efficient service to people who want
parts quickly. Delivery typically takes a couple of days, but a guarnanteed
next-day service is available anywhere in the States.
(skip filler about Leo's un-British car collection)
Our dinner with Leo and his company vice-presidents gave us more insight
into the operation of Victoria British. Why Victoria? "It sounded good and
British," reflected Leo, demolishing his massive Kansas steak, before going
on to tell us about his favourite film, Wall Street.
< end exerpt >
So this is a man that deliberately hires people that dislike / don't care
about the cars and what they sell (actually they are Lexana KS area school
girls); whom also appears to be a greedy person - not unlike a stereotypical
midwestern oil tycoon.
Keep in mind that the large monetary sum quoted above is for the entire Long
Motor Corp, which encompases all divisions of it from VickyB to LMC Trucks
(Truck parts for all pre 1980 Detriot trucks).
Meanwhile, the same article, raves about Charles Runyan's The Roadster
Factory. And, believe me, TRF is a total contrast from VickyB (in all
respects!).
Anyhow, please support businesses that have an equal enthusiasm for our
vehicles and do not look JUST to profit from them.
chocks away,
--
Kai M. Radicke -- kmr@pil.net
IRC: irc.ais.net ; #inet-access
1966 MGB -- 1974 Triumph TR6
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