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rickandsandi · 01-31-2007, 11:06 AM

OK, so their web site stinks and I understand everyones concerns and comments, but do you think AS monitors the forum, probably not. If it is a real problem has anyone called CS to ask why?

CanoeStream · 01-31-2007, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doorgunner

hey folks, we have a new member Stuart Hicks. He's a marketing director for AS in England, according to his profile. Maybe he will chime in as he is the Marketing Director of Airstream Europe.

Good pickup there, Tim. In addition to Stuart joining this morning we have had their Sales Director, Michael Hold, onboard for a month (see post 20 here).

It's interesting overhearing comments near Airstreams at camping & RV shows -- quite evident that Airstreams are of interest only to a few. Yes, it is a pinnacle product and certain individuals will gravitate that direction whether or not the sales brochures and website are current. I would argue that an effective website will yield the healthiest number of orders on the books. Keeping Airstream healthy? GOOD!

Silvertwinkie · 01-31-2007, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickandsandi

but do you think AS monitors the forum?

Without question....yes, at many different levels within the company.

davidz71 · 01-31-2007, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomW

Airstream was not represented at all this year in North Alabama's RV show.

Tom

Tom,
I missed the RV show in Huntsville this year but did make it to the show in Nashville Jan 19-21. Middle TN. Airstream out of Cookeville was there with 3 trailers and was there last year. They had a bunch of 2007 catalogs for the Airstream line. Maybe there is hope yet!

Silvertwinkie · 01-31-2007, 08:04 PM

There are two shows here in the Chicago area. This past one had a dealer at the show, but the list of folks at the 2nd show here next month, has no Airstream dealers listed as being there.....

Kevbo10 · 01-31-2007, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silvertwinkie

There are two shows here in the Chicago area. This past one had a dealer at the show, but the list of folks at the 2nd show here next month, has no Airstream dealers listed as being there.....

i don't get out much, it's true. i spend all my time on this forum posting my little bauxite bum off...

however, if i was smart, i'd probably spend my dollars going to say arizona, where half the US snow birds in RV's are tanning this time of year, and shill my RV product there...

just me,

kevbo

BIGED52 · 02-05-2007, 12:16 PM

This is to let you all know about my recent experience with the Airstream web site and the on-line store there. I will also post some of this on the thread about screen door guards so that as many people as possible can gain from my recent experience.

On 1/28/2007 I went to the Airstream web site to their on-line store to order the screen door guard that they have listed there. I placed my order for the screen door guard that contained the second script line... Jackson Center Ohio and issued a comment on the order that if the screen guard didn't contain this line as the current one from David Winicks' site only says The Airstream Co. that I would not be interested in placing the order. I received the screen guard on 1/31/2007 which I thought was great service from the store. However on opening the carton I was somewhat upset to find the 75th Anniversary screen guard from David Winick enclosed instead of the one shown on the web store page under interior parts. I did not want this one even if was priced (on David Winicks' site) $10.00 more than the one I wanted/ordered from the Airstream on-lne store. I then sent the following e-mail to the on-line store:
I am sending this e-mail in hopes that someone there really cares about customer service and can help resolve my issue with a recent purchase. I placed an order for the screen door guard as pictured under the interior tab for the on-line store on 1/28/2007. The order ID: 15887 was for the screen door guard that is the first item pictured on the web site under interior items. It shows the screen guard that says "The Airstream Company Jackson Center, Ohio. This is what it looks like (below) on the on-line store page: This is not the item I received yesterday on 1/31/2007. The screen door I received looks like the second picture (below)taken from the David Winick web site. If I had wanted that one that is the one I would have ordered. There was even a comments block on the web page for ordering that I put in the comment "that if the screen guard did not have the second line of Jackson Center, Ohio that I didn't want the order placed." I hope someone there can tell me, how then, I ended up with the screen guard in the second picture below being shipped to me? Don't you read the order forms comment section before you ship out the item? Please tell me how we can work this error out to my satisfaction. You can call me at: 309-787-8323 anytime after 8 A.M. Central time or e-mail me at: caredcarver@aol.com. Thank you and I will be waiting to hear from you soon. Ralph Carver

BIGED52 · 02-05-2007, 12:32 PM

I placed that e-mail very early in the morning 1:35 A.M. on 2/1/2007 and went to bed. The next morning I checked my e-mail around 10:00 A.M. to find the following e-mail from Jean at Airstream.com:
Ralph,
Please except our apologies you are absolutely right .The shipping department received the wrong ones and thanks to your email we have discovered the error. We will ship the correct one out to you today and issue a call tag to pick-up the incorrect one so we can exchange David Winick for the 75th anniversary ones. We are sending a free gift to you for your inconvenience.
Sincerely, Jean
Today 2/5/2007 !:00 P.M. UPS delivered the correct screen guard to me! I am very satisfied with the service, speed of delivery, and the excellent customer service they provided me. This is what I expect from a good company and the professional way they handled an in house mistake speaks volumes about how they want to treat their customers. It also reflects very well upon Jean at Airstream.com. I just wanted to share this with everyone here on the forums. I hope the folks from Airstream who frequent this site get to read this! Thanks for reading, Ed

Jim Clark · 02-05-2007, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIGED52

I placed that e-mail very early in the morning 1:35 A.M. on 2/1/2007 and went to bed. The next morning I checked my e-mail around 10:00 A.M. to find the following e-mail from Jean at Airstream.com:
Ralph,
Please except our apologies you are absolutely right .The shipping department received the wrong ones and thanks to your email we have discovered the error. We will ship the correct one out to you today and issue a call tag to pick-up the incorrect one so we can exchange David Winick for the 75th anniversary ones. We are sending a free gift to you for your inconvenience.
Sincerely, Jean
Today 2/5/2007 !:00 P.M. UPS delivered the correct screen guard to me! I am very satisfied with the service, speed of delivery, and the excellent customer service they provided me. This is what I expect from a good company and the professional way they handled an in house mistake speaks volumes about how they want to treat their customers. It also reflects very well upon Jean at Airstream.com. I just wanted to share this with everyone here on the forums. I hope the folks from Airstream who frequent this site get to read this! Thanks for reading, Ed

Ed, I don't know why you don't just send them an email thanking them for the good customer service. I would not take it for granted that they will read you message posted here. But I am glad you did let the the forum know how the problem was solved.

Thanks Jim

BIGED52 · 02-05-2007, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Clark

Ed, I don't know why you don't just send them an email thanking them for the good customer service. I would not take it for granted that they will read you message posted here. But I am glad you did let the the forum know how the problem was solved.

Thanks Jim

Jim, I did send an e-mail to the company praising their employee. I just thought the folks here would like to hear about a good experience for a change. They also sent me a free gift (Airstream Keychain) to make up for the error (which they certainly didn't have to do). I think that speaks well of them too! Ed

Jim Clark · 02-05-2007, 01:10 PM

Sorry, I read it wrong. I will now turn my glasses over.

Thanks Jim

Condoluminum · 02-05-2007, 01:14 PM

In response to Cammur's message, Manteca Trailer is still an Airstream dealer.. They have separate website for Airstream (manteca.airstream.com), but relatively few units in inventory. New mega-facility better suited to motor homes and motor home service bays, and toy-hauler trailers selling well... May be de-emphasizing in face of new competition from East Bay RV, and need to sell a lot of high-end units to cover overheads.. Hard to pay rent selling new Airstream trailers alone...

Flew over new facility under construction for Toscano's in Los Banos yesterday (east edge of town on Hwy 152) and it is impressive, with 4 times area, huge new building and service shop, multiple full-hookup customer sites, etc.

Otters · 02-05-2007, 02:19 PM

I am sympathetic. A visit to a dealer can leave you with unanswered questions about new trailer designs that aren't on the AS website.

The last time we went to a dealer to view and ask about new 2007 trailers we were given a 2006 AS brochure.

The last time I looked at the AS website there were no details about the new International colors, but someone from Colonial did a great service and posted pix of units in stock (but not yet on the website).

An example of a great website is the Ford Motor Company. Not only does it have substantial details about its models, but you can search dealer inventories all over the US for a particular model with the equipment you want. You can pull up a pdf of the window sticker on each vehicle and check out the prices and accessories. Now, that's the way to do business with a website.

kneller · 06-26-2007, 05:09 PM

The biggest problem is that Bob W and other high ups don't see the the need for a website. They're old-school guys, and internet marketing is weird to them. They also aren't able to stay focused, and that side tracks a lot of projects.

Goin camping · 06-26-2007, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kneller

The biggest problem is that Bob W and other high ups don't see the the need for a website. They're old-school guys, and internet marketing is weird to them. They also aren't able to stay focused, and that side tracks a lot of projects.

Well they better get bright. These days even old guys like me shop the internet first to learn about a product. Then if I'm still interested I go look at the product. After that if I still want to buy I shop the internet to buy.

Airhog1 · 06-26-2007, 05:21 PM

The new Website is suppose to be up and running by mid-July...I was in meetings for a few days with BobW and the higher ups...they are getting it
and making some great strides to prove it...

They are coming out with a more interactive website from what we have been told...

Let's hope they do...I think it is a great move for everyone involved...from the Consumer...to the Dealer...to the Mothership!

G

craftsman · 06-26-2007, 05:38 PM

Excellent news! You know when the dealers have better websites than the manufacturer something's wrong. Don't say "pictures coming" when you know you have no intention of posting new photo's, as Airstream does for most models on their website... and whats with photo's that are three years old? They're great people at Airstream, they just have to catch up to their market.

2airishuman · 06-26-2007, 05:54 PM

Quote:

The biggest problem is that Bob W and other high ups don't see the the need for a website. They're old-school guys, and internet marketing is weird to them. They also aren't able to stay focused, and that side tracks a lot of projects.

please folks don't feed the trolls...

reads like we've got one.

my understanding is the current/past software and website designer a/s used...

required payment for ANY changes, however small in content.

and a/s didn't have direct access to their own site for inhouse updates....

everything had to go through the site developer...duh!

THE NEW setup will allow for easy, regular content updates...

by each department that provides content to the corporate site...

sales, service, tech support, marketing, the store and so on...

they were using an early, now obsolete method of web development but no more.

trolls it seems haven't changed much.

cheers
2air'

mojo · 06-26-2007, 06:10 PM

[quote=Kevbo10]how many people here ordered there $60k trailer through the official airstream website, and had it delivered by UPS?

the dealer network seems well thought out and expanding.

Well I disagree. The website is limited for updated and complete information. And I don't know where you live, but my experience getting AS information from a salesmen, who is far more interested in selling a $250K+ Class A coach, has been pathetic.

Goin camping · 06-26-2007, 06:32 PM

[quote=mojo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevbo10

how many people here ordered there $60k trailer through the official airstream website, and had it delivered by UPS?

the dealer network seems well thought out and expanding.

Well I disagree. The website is limited for updated and complete information. And I don't know where you live, but my experience getting AS information from a salesmen, who is far more interested in selling a $250K+ Class A coach, has been pathetic.

Agree and disagree. I would hope the factories webpage would show me all the models and options there are along with the specifications. Its a bit optimistic to expect every dealership to have every model and option on the showroom floor.

It is a sad state of affairs when you have to search various dealer websites to see what is availible from the factory.

So while its true I did'nt order my Airstream UPS I did need factory and dealer websites to choose and find the model I wanted.

Sadly because there are not as many dealerships as we'd like you sometimes get stuck with a dud salesman. Fortunately the Saleslady where we bought ours was everything one could hope for.