Some parts are just not available "elsewhere". If TRF goes down, they may not be
available at all.
Bob Danielson wrote:
> I've spent the past 3 years reading the semi annual TRF bashing around
> poor/no delivery and slow credits on credit card orders. I know list members
> who swear by them and others who swear at them. As a result I've elected to
> NOT purchase from them. There's an old Marketing expression that says for
> every person who publicly complains, there's 10 (?) who don't. It doesn't
> matter how good the price is, if the product isn't delivered when you need
> it. For all the people who are loyal to TRF, would you accept this level of
> (non) service from the companies you deal with on a day to day basis i.e.
> heating oil company, cable company, Internet Service Provider, phone
> company, computer store, etc. I think there's a loyalty from long time
> Triumph owners because TRF was there many years ago when parts weren't so
> readily available. The problem is that there are many new owners joining the
> list every day.............. remember Melanie who bought a TR6 as a
> Christmas present for her husband ........... if he's new to the list do you
> think he'll buy from TRF after reading these posts? I think not. I've spent
> the past 30 years in Marketing/Customer Service related areas and I would
> have been fired 29 years ago if I delivered the "quality" of service that
> TRF does. Whenever this semi annual (sometimes quarterly) TRF bashing rears
> its ugly head I keep hoping the Charles will show up and defend/explain his
> business philosophy to the list. I'm sorry TRF, but based on all the
> negative posts about the quality of your service I'll be spending my money
> elsewhere.
> Bob Danielson
> 75 TR6 - status at
> http://pages.cthome.net/BobD
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-triumphs@autox.team.net
> [mailto:owner-triumphs@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Bob Kramer
> Sent: Wednesday, December 29, 1999 6:58 PM
> To: triumphs@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: The Roadster Factory demise
>
> IMHO
> There was once a time when Triumph people were receptive to Charlie's
> enthusiast's approach to running his company. That time has past, we now
> expect to be able to order over the web, and have our parts Next Day Air. I
> for one will continue to cut him slack, and I appreciate that he is finally
> taking the advice many have given him. I understand while others won't. He
> should run TRF like a business. Anyone who has managed an inventory knows
> what inventory turns and carrying cost are. If one looks closely at this
> most recent flyer, it is painfully obvious that he has run his company like
> a hobbyist, not a business. He hoards products on his shelves the same way
> I won't part with my spare trailing arms, overdrive trannies and gauges.
> Unfortunately, the costs of carrying all those spare blocks and
> manufacturing 2500 of this and 1000 of that far outweigh the business
> benefits. Charles is proud of his green hoses the same way we are proud of
> the dash we refinished and show off. Personally, I'm tired of hearing about
> TRF's problems and peoples problems with TRF. If a business is failing to
> give credits that are due (a sign of crumbling cash flow) then the purchaser
> should file with the credit card company. The credit card company will take
> the cash away, and the business will be forced to sell off inventory to
> regain cash flow, re-trench, and rebuild. Sounds just like what Charles is
> doing. I wish him well, and hope they can get it straightened out and run it
> in a business-like manner. The banks will come around when the books
> straighten up. BTW, over-expanding, whether it be inventory excesses, adding
> product lines (MGB) or another business completely (The Inn), is the oldest
> business story around, and the cause of a large proportion of business
> failures.
> Meanwhile, if you have a TR6/250, there are some pretty good buys in the
> flyer.
>
> Bob Kramer
> 8006 Bernard Street
> Leander, TX 78641
> rgk@flash.net
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <dstauffa@csc.com>
> To: <twakeman@cruzers.com>
> Cc: <triumphs@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 29, 1999 4:02 PM
> Subject: The Roadster Factory demise
>
> >
> >
> >
> > I'm not one prone to bash TRF as they have provided me with lots of
> quality
> > parts for my TRs over the years. However, since July of this year I have
> been
> > waiting for TRF to apply a refund for returned goods to my credit card. I
> last
> > talked to them a week ago and all I could get from them was that they have
> not
> > processed it yet and could not give me any estimate when they will.
> However
> > after reading the TRF flyer, I couldn't agree more with the below
> comments. I'm
> > so glad to see that someone else has enough business savvy to observe a
> business
> > without sound financial and capital investment. I would like to see
> Runyan turn
> > this around but if he continues to invest in gas masks, university school
> desks,
> > a pub, etc. instead of TR inventory, retooling, etc. the following
> comments are
> > prophetic. Maybe Charles forgot that the focus of our hobby is the CAR!
> "It's
> > the car, stupid!". I wager that the only fantasy most of us share is
> having our
> > TR's back on the road and cruising down the highway with the top down.
> >
> > At least we still have Moss and VB.
> >
> > Dave Stauffacher
> > Ramona, California
> > 1970 TR6 PI CP51649
> >
> > If you read the recent intro to the TRF
> > TR6-250 parts flyer.... you can see that Charles Runyan is in way
> > over his head with debt and doesn't have the money to buy
> > inventory for the popular fast moving stuff.
> >
> > Unfortunately this is exactly what I expected when I learned that the
> > owner of a low margin mail order parts house was going to put the company
> > profits into building an English style pub instead of reinvesting it in
> > inventory.
> >
> > I hope Charles is enjoying his fantasy of being a WWII English pub owner.
> > And I hope it is self supporting when his parts business folds.
> >
> > It's sad to see the best TR parts house in the US scuttled by its owner.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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