Having stopped to visit the Vicky Brit showroom in person just a couple of weeks
ago, I can say this attitude still exits. Vicky Brit is my last resort when it
comes to parts. Unless you know what you want, the (never seen a british car)
order taker on the other end is absolutely no help at all. I have also been to
the TRf showroom....what a pleasant experience! I am happy to spend a few $$
more for the excellent service and tech support I get from TRF.
If Leo would get his s**t together, Vicky Brit could be a powerhouse but as they
say, attitude is everything.
Regards,
Chad
Kai Radicke wrote:
> 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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