The reference to unbiased reporting was made to promote the forum as a free site; by free I mean that we are not beholden to any site sponsors.
RR I would like to know - have you had any problems with Milltek exhausts? I know that you have done development work for Milltek.
I do find that your enthusiasm for various garages/tuners/manufacturers can sometimes over shadow the experiences that others have had.
I and others have had several problems with VWR and other tuners, given them chance to rectify, which they have done, but I will still report the facts. I have found that cust service once engaged, is usually good, but why is it needed at all?
I believe that your relationship with Milltek needs publicising to promote the unbiased nature of the forum.
....To answer your questions, Dave, and for anyone else who is interested:
Firstly, I am not beholden to anybody, be they company or forum or individual, and I am totally independent.
MILLTEK:
Yes, I have had problems with Milltek exhaust products. In fact, it's how I had first direct contact with them and how my excellent relationship with them started several years ago. I have already publicly reported problems.
Yes, I have also done product testing for Milltek and various other car industry companies as well. As in all
pre public release testing I consider I have a primary duty to report back to manufacturer/company and not to the public until a product is launched. This is done informally and as a matter of trust. Confidentiality can often be important where there is commercial competition - In the case of Adobe, for example, I have signed a 6-page non-disclosure document.
I am not the only member of this forum to do pre public release testing and it's to everyone's benefit as a result.
My excellent relationship with Milltek, and other companies/tuners etc, continues. As an enthusiast who knows a lot of people and who consequently has a lot of contacts, I am able to network and help
both people who are customers/end-users and manufacturers/resellers.
As someone whose working life experience has been decades of relationships with the 'top honchos' of companies from international conglomerates to one-man bands, I am not phased and I understand the value of personal relationships and friendships. As a consequence of my friendship with Phil Millington, Milltek MD, and my friendships and acquaintances with forum members, I can often see both sides of a problem and can sometimes be a help to both parties. This thread is an appreciative thankyou for my recent efforts. I cannot control the outcome but it is surely better than leaving someone to whinge without solving their problem.
RELATIONSHIPS:
Again as a result of my life experience, I am a 'people' person: I believe that any organisation, be it user forum or commercial company, is chiefly what it is as a result of the people and individuals who form that organisation. Consequently my relationships with those I get on with in companies are no different than those I get on with here on a user forum. I am a man of peace (who often has to fight verbal battles to keep the peace!) and if I can help people by networking to solve problems etc then I think that's good.
Just as I have experienced and continue to experience excellent relationships with some companies, I also have had bad experiences with others and in the interests of balance I am happy to list them, though I don't see what good that would do in this context.
I can't help the expectations and prejudices that others might have - That's for them to resolve.
RR's ENTHUSIASM:
You say that you find that my enthusiasm for various garages/tuners/manufacturers can sometimes overshadow the experiences that others have had. You have already answered this yourself: People here are intelligent enough to make up their own minds about what they read about various products/services etc.
It's surely inevitable that different individuals will have different and opposite experiences and report them accordingly. It's important to realise that
some of the opinions about poor customer service that people have may be brought on by their own expectations and attitudes.
I make no apology for being an enthusiastic and positive-thinking person - In fact I feel blessed that I am.
You ask why is customer service needed at all? - Simply because we are human. Need I say more?
Can I go now, please? I need to have breakfast and clean my car's arse in readiness for VC's Fast sticker.
