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Specialized can go get bent

10K views 176 replies 44 participants last post by  Coolhand 
#1 ·
So I was down at Interbike yesterday and today, walking around and checking everything out. All the manufacturers booths were open to anyone who wanted to take a look, dealers or general attendies, except the Specialized booth. They would not allow anyone who was not a dealer into their precious booth. They had the whole thing roped off and had guards checking everyone to see if they were a dealer or not.

When I first went past the booth yesterday morning I thought that it must be certain time limit for dealers only, which makes complete sense. Allow those who are actually going to be buying and selling Specialized bikes a chance to have one on one contact with no interuptions. However, 5 hours later I returned to take a look again and was told it was still dealers only. Same thing this morning. I even had a SRAM exibiter badge, and no luck.

This type of behavior really turns me off of the Specialized brand. Not one other manufacturer acted in the same way. Manufacturers of much higher class bikes, such as Pinarello, Look, Colnago, etc, were happy to spend time with whoever showed interest in their products.

I guess Specialized feels it is too high and mighty to allow just anyone into their little club. I can say this, I dont plan recommending a Specialized to anyone any time soon, even if their bikes are of excellent quality.
 
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#2 ·
you personally may not like it, but I bet from a dealer's standpoint what specialized's doing is actually a very nice service for them

really, the dealer is specialized's customer not us (the public), a bike shop can decide to stock whatever product they like. if specialized shows better service to the dealer, maybe that dealer will decide to push specialized a little harder to the bike buying public

a dealer will buy many more bikes than you or I, so I certainly understand their decision
 
#3 ·
roscoe said:
you personally may not like it, but I bet from a dealer's standpoint what specialized's doing is actually a very nice service for them

really, the dealer is specialized's customer not us (the public), a bike shop can decide to stock whatever product they like. if specialized shows better service to the dealer, maybe that dealer will decide to push specialized a little harder to the bike buying public

a dealer will buy many more bikes than you or I, so I certainly understand their decision
Exactly.
 
#5 ·
I work in the footwear industry and this is the trend at our tradeshows. The shows have tight schedules, the sales reps are overbooked on appointments, and there are too many "foreign visitors" running around with cameras snapping pics of your stuff (and within a month the cheap knockoffs show up in the market). Booths that are closed to the public are more efficient for sales and help protect your intellectual property.

To pick up on Roscoe's point, the dealers generally get just 30-60 minutes with their rep to see, plan, and buy their next year's worth of business. They get really pissed off when that clock is getting burned up whilst some lookie-loo is monopolizing their rep asking a hundred dorky questions about everything in the line, schmoozing to score a pro deal, or angling for a job. Ever wonder why Trek just skips the show madness and invites their dealers to Trek World? Top quality experience and focus for their customers.

Were you there to open a dealer account? Commit to a big merchandise buy? Offer them a once-in-a-lifetime exclusive deal on SRAM parts? No? Then, in their estimation, you had no business reason to be in the booth.
 
#6 ·
roscoe said:
you personally may not like it, but I bet from a dealer's standpoint what specialized's doing is actually a very nice service for them

really, the dealer is specialized's customer not us (the public), a bike shop can decide to stock whatever product they like. if specialized shows better service to the dealer, maybe that dealer will decide to push specialized a little harder to the bike buying public

a dealer will buy many more bikes than you or I, so I certainly understand their decision

The dealers are the end users who are creating profits for the brand? No that's the customers or others in the industry who talk about how great Specialized is or how much they suck.

Specialized has apparently lost one potential end user in the bike biz who will relate his above story to his friends and on internet cycling boards.
 
#7 ·
What do I know? I've only done about two dozen international, domestic, and regional shows (including Interbike and Eurobike). I'm just pulling crap out of my backside. Anyone can just walk into one of these shows without credentials, get a free beer from a booth babe, and bend the ear of a sales rep, marketing VP, or R&D honcho for an hour because those guys have nothing better to do. :rolleyes:
 
#8 ·
we all just want to feel important so maybe you could of given him your number and cooked them a nice meal to seal the deal on a one bike sale. Come on who cares that you wont permitted entry they probally spent 70gs on the stand and want there moneys worth.

BTW did you order a new Pinarello, Look, Colnago, etc or did you just waste their time? Get what I am saying here?
 
#9 ·
ETWN Stu said:
we all just want to feel important so maybe you could of given him your number and cooked them a nice meal to seal the deal on a one bike sale. Come on who cares that you wont permitted entry they probally spent 70gs on the stand and want there moneys worth.

BTW did you order a new Pinarello, Look, Colnago, etc or did you just waste their time? Get what I am saying here?
My issue is not that I wanted any sort of special attention from the reps, in fact I didnt really want to talk to them at all. My issue is that Specialized was the ONLY dealer at the entire show that would even allow you a moment to look around their booth (which had a display showing 3 bikes from the TdF). All they had to do was say their reps were only available to talk to dealers. Then the public can take a look at the new products and Specialized isnt wasting time dealing with people who are not looking to buy or are looking to buy only one product. Every other dealer was happy to at least let you look at their gear.

Well, considering I will be paid to ride a Pinarello next year i though it was important to go visit my future sponsor and talk about their bikes.
 
#10 ·
Having "manned the booth" at many trade shows, albeit in a completely different industry (wine) I'd like to offer a different perspective. Trade shows aren't about present sales, nor are they simply about distributors.

One of the biggest reasons for attending a trade show and for having top level people at it is to sell the brand and particularly to make the brand a story.

Every contact is a potential brand ambassador: "I talked to the guy at X and he really knew his stuff and was able to explain why they're doing what they're doing, it's not just the usual marketing BS like (insert Huangism here)"
 
#12 ·
Mark Kelly said:
Every contact is a potential brand ambassador: "I talked to the guy at X and he really knew his stuff and was able to explain why they're doing what they're doing, it's not just the usual marketing BS like (insert Huangism here)"
Exactly! I think that sums up why I am so irritated with how Specialized treated people at the show. They may not need any more ambassadors, but it isnt good to get people pissed off at their brand either.
 
#14 ·
I think this is a general trend at most tradeshows. More and more distractions are present as industry outsiders get word that these events are happening and want to "crash". I've work several musical instrument tradeshows for a buddy who builds and his tiny booth got very crowded very quickly and made doing real business very difficult when actual buyers stopped by to talk and check out the gear. I'm not saying Spec's approach is right, but I think it is understandable. Just to throw it out there, it may also be somewhat motivated by the economy. There are limited/reduced resources out there and all the brands are fighting for a piece of that to keep themselves going. Maybe Spec is trying to be aggressive and gain some market share during some hard times, by focusing on their buyers.
 
#16 ·
buck-50 said:
Thing is, it's a trade show, not a convention for fans and enthusiasts.

Admission is already closed off to the general public. The point is, that Specialized is alienating people because, as one poster put it, they appear to be "looky loos" or "geeks."

What if one of those "geeks" they're giving the brush off to is worth hundreds of $M's?

It's bad business to be alienating potential customers period based on some perceived appearance.

What Specialized hasn't learned, as many haven't learned, is that you talk to everyone, whether he/she is POTUS or homeless, EXACTLY THE SAME WAY.:mad2:
 
#17 ·
ETWN Stu said:
we all just want to feel important so maybe you could of given him your number and cooked them a nice meal to seal the deal on a one bike sale. Come on who cares that you wont permitted entry they probally spent 70gs on the stand and want there moneys worth.

BTW did you order a new Pinarello, Look, Colnago, etc or did you just waste their time? Get what I am saying here?
Unfortuantely I completely get what you're saying. What you don't understand is that it's extremely bad business to foreclose on the possibilities of someone spending a lot of money. Often what appear to be very unlikely deals at the outset, turn out to be lucrative customers.

With the rude, brusque strategy, one will never realize this and won't be aware of the deals that didn't happen.

Jeez, Back in the 80's Mike Millken hired his waiter at his favorite restaurant to work for him, because the waiter knew how to talk to people. The guy went from being a waiter to a millionaire because he treated everyone with dignity.

PS, don't know if the waiter also went to prison.....:p
 
#19 ·
blackjack said:
What Specialized hasn't learned, as many haven't learned, is that you talk to everyone, whether he/she is POTUS or homeless, EXACTLY THE SAME WAY.:mad2:
Sure. And failing to learn that lesson has prevented them from becoming a huge company with international reach with bikes a top the tour de france podium. Oh, wait...

In other words, I think they've found what works for them.
 
#20 ·
pacificaslim said:
Sure. And failing to learn that lesson has prevented them from becoming a huge company with international reach with bikes a top the tour de france podium. Oh, wait...

In other words, I think they've found what works for them.

In sales the whole point is NOT to rest on one's laurels. In sales you're ALWAYS developing business.

The fact that someone else in the industry, who is also a sponsored rider, complained about feeling snubbed, isn't a good thing.

You keep on arguing that though.
 
#21 ·
The point isn't whether they should be developing sales or not. It's how they are developing those sales. They feel the best strategy is to concentrate on their dealers while at the industry trade show. You feel you understand the bike business better than they do and that they should open that up to the public. Well, go compete with them and teach them a lesson.
 
#22 ·
blackjack said:
In sales the whole point is NOT to rest on one's laurels. In sales you're ALWAYS developing business.

The fact that someone else in the industry, who is also a sponsored rider, complained about feeling snubbed, isn't a good thing.

You keep on arguing that though.
but what does the person who's been snubbed have to offer specialized?

are they going to start selling specialized at their bike store that currently does not sell specialized? (two blocks away from an existing specialized dealer)

do they even have a bike store?
 
#23 ·
If I were a Specialized dealer who had a limited amount of time (which you do) to talk to my rep, and I couldn't get into the booth because of all of the lookers, I'd probably move on to one of my other suppliers and place a bigger order with them.

Not only is there a space concern, but how in the hell is a dealer supposed to talk to his rep about wholesale, margin, etc when the general public is standing there listening to everything?

If it's just dealers, you don't have to worry about being overheard talking about your account, etc.

My opinion of Specialized has just gone up after hearing this. I might have to consider them in the future.
 
#24 ·
roscoe said:
but what does the person who's been snubbed have to offer specialized?

are they going to start selling specialized at their bike store that currently does not sell specialized? (two blocks away from an existing specialized dealer)

do they even have a bike store?
How does one know what a person has to offer, before they know the person?

If you think it's ok to turn potential customers off, what can I say?

Now if every manufacturer was doing the same thing as Specialized at Interbike, I'd agree with you.

Maybe a Trek World type thing would be a good idea for Specialized and their dealers.
 
#25 · (Edited)
pacificaslim said:
The point isn't whether they should be developing sales or not. It's how they are developing those sales. They feel the best strategy is to concentrate on their dealers while at the industry trade show. You feel you understand the bike business better than they do and that they should open that up to the public. Well, go compete with them and teach them a lesson.
I feel? How about the OP? He's a great ad for Specialized bikes, eh? He's in the industry as a sponsored rider and he'll be letting a decent number of people know his opinion

chase196126 said:
So I was down at Interbike yesterday and today, walking around and checking everything out. All the manufacturers booths were open to anyone who wanted to take a look, dealers or general attendies, except the Specialized booth. They would not allow anyone who was not a dealer into their precious booth. They had the whole thing roped off and had guards checking everyone to see if they were a dealer or not.

When I first went past the booth yesterday morning I thought that it must be certain time limit for dealers only, which makes complete sense. Allow those who are actually going to be buying and selling Specialized bikes a chance to have one on one contact with no interuptions. However, 5 hours later I returned to take a look again and was told it was still dealers only. Same thing this morning. I even had a SRAM exibiter badge, and no luck.

This type of behavior really turns me off of the Specialized brand. Not one other manufacturer acted in the same way. Manufacturers of much higher class bikes, such as Pinarello, Look, Colnago, etc, were happy to spend time with whoever showed interest in their products.

I guess Specialized feels it is too high and mighty to allow just anyone into their little club. I can say this, I dont plan recommending a Specialized to anyone any time soon, even if their bikes are of excellent quality.
How about this guy? .

Mark Kelly said:
Having "manned the booth" at many trade shows, albeit in a completely different industry (wine) I'd like to offer a different perspective. Trade shows aren't about present sales, nor are they simply about distributors.
One of the biggest reasons for attending a trade show and for having top level people at it is to sell the brand and particularly to make the brand a story.

Every contact is a potential brand ambassador: "I talked to the guy at X and he really knew his stuff and was able to explain why they're doing what they're doing, it's not just the usual marketing BS like (insert Huangism here)"
What is the Specialized brand story becoming on this thread?

How about Trek which goes about things differently with their dealers, or all the other manufacturers at Interbike who are welcoming people?

If YOU think it's ok for a company's sales strategy to alienate people, there is nothing I can say to you.

I and others believe it's bad PR which can adversely affect sales. Annoying potential customers fosters relationships?
 
#26 ·
How about we let Specialized run their business the way they want. They are the multimillion/billion? dollar company. Do any of you guys run one? own one? If not then you probably dont know what you're saying. I'm sure the people making the decisions behind specialized knows a little bit more about the company than you guys do.
 
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