Patron God of Pirates
03-12-2003, 12:37 PM
The lead singer of some punk band, maybe it was the sex pistols, said once that people to don't buy what they like, they like what they buy. I'm paraphrasing, but it is an interesting point. I was reading Toms post in the "Why can't AGD make things faster" thread and it got me thinking:
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TOM: "Lets talk about the SLUGOS specifically. YOU made it a BIG point that the body had to cover the valve. YEP got to have that! Wasn't good enough the way it was so we listened. We redesigned it, requoted it, it was MUCH more expensive, we had to meet with the machine shop on how to reduce the cost, they had to order new tooling (took weeks), then they had to reprogram it for the new tooling.
If you wonder why stuff takes so long ask yourself why you have to have it your way.
AGD"[
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AGD has done the hard research to provide some of the most complete products in paintball. Tom has gone far out of his way to make sure that that information is out there. Because of that we here at AO understand the truth about range, accuracy, low pressure, closed bolt, and other myths.
AGD, consults with this owners group when designing new products and keeps us involved in design. Tom uses us as a focus group to try and provide the products we want, and hopefully, ones that will appeal to the larger paintball world.
So AGD customers get what they want.
On the other hand, a company like Smart Parts says "our guns are the most accurate", backs it up with nothing, asks for zero feedback, has terrible service, and the lemmings line up around the corner.
Not to imply that Shocker and Impy users are Lemmings. Those guns do shoot paintballs, and it is all about how it feels in your hands. But if you bought it for the range and accuracy, maybe you are a lemming.
Then it's "Hey Smart Parts, what makes your guns so accurate"... SP: "Closed bolts, low pressure, spiral porting". The next logical question of course is how does that effect accuracy. But no, the next thought is "High pressure, open bolted guns with no porting suck".
So Smart Parts customers want what they get.
Not to pick on Smart Parts over other companies who use similar marketing techniques, they just make a convenient example.
The question is, do you need to build a better mouse trap? Or tell a better lie? It reminds me of a storied conversation between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates:
Steve: "Our stuff is better.... We've got better stuff"
Bill: "You don't get it. That doesn't matter"
I admire Tom for taking what I consider to be the high road. I hope that in the end it proves to be the most profitable road as well.
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TOM: "Lets talk about the SLUGOS specifically. YOU made it a BIG point that the body had to cover the valve. YEP got to have that! Wasn't good enough the way it was so we listened. We redesigned it, requoted it, it was MUCH more expensive, we had to meet with the machine shop on how to reduce the cost, they had to order new tooling (took weeks), then they had to reprogram it for the new tooling.
If you wonder why stuff takes so long ask yourself why you have to have it your way.
AGD"[
----------------
AGD has done the hard research to provide some of the most complete products in paintball. Tom has gone far out of his way to make sure that that information is out there. Because of that we here at AO understand the truth about range, accuracy, low pressure, closed bolt, and other myths.
AGD, consults with this owners group when designing new products and keeps us involved in design. Tom uses us as a focus group to try and provide the products we want, and hopefully, ones that will appeal to the larger paintball world.
So AGD customers get what they want.
On the other hand, a company like Smart Parts says "our guns are the most accurate", backs it up with nothing, asks for zero feedback, has terrible service, and the lemmings line up around the corner.
Not to imply that Shocker and Impy users are Lemmings. Those guns do shoot paintballs, and it is all about how it feels in your hands. But if you bought it for the range and accuracy, maybe you are a lemming.
Then it's "Hey Smart Parts, what makes your guns so accurate"... SP: "Closed bolts, low pressure, spiral porting". The next logical question of course is how does that effect accuracy. But no, the next thought is "High pressure, open bolted guns with no porting suck".
So Smart Parts customers want what they get.
Not to pick on Smart Parts over other companies who use similar marketing techniques, they just make a convenient example.
The question is, do you need to build a better mouse trap? Or tell a better lie? It reminds me of a storied conversation between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates:
Steve: "Our stuff is better.... We've got better stuff"
Bill: "You don't get it. That doesn't matter"
I admire Tom for taking what I consider to be the high road. I hope that in the end it proves to be the most profitable road as well.