Guys come on.......
This makes no sense, first off how can you compare a surface on one pole with one no seen as its been rejected? How do you know it's even any where near the same, as the poles are made in completely different places with different technologies.
Secondly, SLX's are notorious for pole wear! The instructions even acknowledge this along with all with the 'black hands' users get. So you guys are saying one method was rejected to be replaced with something that is even worse?
Spruce you seem an intelligent guy with a lot of real world experience, can you explain the logic behind this?
What Alex has said about the construction method changing to produce a better pole have been born out by our experience over time. Don't get me wrong, I like your clamps, but I'm not convinced about the rest of it, really put off by the slagging off on this and other forums. I notice that Gold has corrected your conversion from metric to imperial which you had wrong on Gardiner poles.
Unfortunately, getting your facts right is so important. If you can't get that right, then what else didn't you get right I ask myself. Doubts are a very difficult to dispell once formed.
Spruce, just to nit pic and point out - I think that it's the other way round, I have had to correct Gold on his conversion, he assumed I've used metric and imperial in the same measurement, which kind of doesn't make sense. Hopefully I can dispel some of your doubts, as I've said, you seem to have had a very interesting life and a lot of experience. i bet your quite an interesting guy to have a beer with.
I had the utmost respect for our MD, but I'm getting the same feeling about your company. You and Mike are on here pushing and marketing your product in the best way you believe, but you haven't convienced me that your know too much about the technical aspects of your product or the technicalities of how its made.
Sorry if I'm wrong.
Have you had a chance to look at the video? I would love to hear any thoughts you have concerning it.
Hi Stephen,
I have. I think that as a world supplier, I would remove it to be honest. Whilst it may satisfy a few, I personally think it demeans the stature of your company TBH. I have not seen 'homemade self help' videos on youtube from many bluechip companies, have you? Even in this day and age, they use the internet to promote product with a professional video along the lines of an advert.
How can you compare a well worn Gardiner SLX pole with a brand new Phoenix and expect to get away with it? That SLX looks like our SLX25 with 3 years of hard work by a son who didn't pay for it. Even if you believe in your heart of hearts that Gardiner poles are your only competition, you have to focus and promote the positives of your product and be shown to ignore theirs. This way you raise yourselves above the rest, rather than pushing the others down to get above them.
In South Africa we weren't allowed comparitive advertising and that's the world I grew up in. The UK does allow limited comparitive advertising. In the motor industry motor manufacturers are allowed to compare the size of the Volvo S40's boot with the boot of a Ford Focus. But they wouldn't get away with comparing a Vauxhall Vectra's boot with a C1's boot as they aren't the same class of car. In America, you are allowed to form your advertising around slagging off the competition - the Coke and Pepsi adverts are the best example of this.
Despite the backlash by a large portion of us on this site, you have certainly got the message out there, albeit not the way you hadn't envisaged. But then marketing one's product is a strange old game.
Tesco Direct advertised IPads for a low price of £49.99 due to a 'pricing glitch' and then refused to honour that price. Disgusting - to me yes, but through negative publicity most now know that Tesco sells IPads. Did this so called pricing glitch work for them? I think so because now, anybody looking for an IPad will check the Tesco website as well.
Negatives can become positives although they can also destroy one's reputation for good.
Its how that full carbon fibre pole stands up in the long run that will make or break it. The way I see it is the moment someone says that the Phoenix pole that they bought 6 months ago is now giving them black hands that's it. Your video says that they wouldn't have black hands because of your special coating. As your pole wears the carbon has got to come off and will leave a dust residue on their hands. Gardiners on the other hand have stated that this is a fact of life - if you don't want black hands, then wear gloves. Sometimes, in the heat of a new product release, things can be easily over exaggerated which can backfire later down the line.
I again reiterate,
this isn't a personal swipe at you, so please don't take it personally; these are the expression of my personal feelings. And yes, if we do met somewhere along the line, I would love to have a beer with you.
