[Elecraft] GENERAL COMMENTS FROM WB8IDY

[k6rb at baymoon.com]

I don't disagree with Brian's plaudits for Elecraft's focus on customer
service but that wasn't the primary reason that the companies he sited
went out of business. In a book entitled "The Innovator's Dilemma," the
author showed that large companies get caught when technologies change.
Heath, Drake, Collins and others were leaders before solid-state
technology advanced. They were simply not quick enough on their feet to
make the switch to solid state that allowed Yaesu, Icom and Kenwood to eat
their lunch. And, now, that software-defined radio has moved from
edge-of-the-art to state-of-the-art, those companies are being surpassed
as leaders by companies like Elecraft. Historically, leaders in one
technology are not able to make the leap as quickly as new innovators who
don't have the legacy baggage to drag behind them. IBM led in mainframes,
but DEC and HP led in minicomputers, and so on. Nokia led in cell phones,
but is having its lunch eaten by Apple, HTC, LG and Samsung in
smartphones. Customer service is just one part of the complex reasons why
new leaders emerge.

Rob K6RB

> I usually don’t comment on these types of forums, and invariably someone
> will find fault with your comments and take you to task. However; in spite
> of that I feel burden to share the following perspectives with this group.
>
> I have had 69 years of experience, many levels of electronic maintenance,
> from vacuum type electronics, in the 1950 through large scale integration
> using computers and digital logic. Through this time the following has
> happened to me.
>
> 1. I have seen the following go out of business – Heathkit, Collins,
> Drake,
> and many others. As companies grew larger, they forgot their roots and
> those
> things which made their product so great.
>
> 2. I have IC 821 that was a great radio. Company after 6    years has
> decided not to support the radio can’t get parts. Solution: Throw it way
> and
> buy another radio. The same manufacture has decided not to sell another
> produce last year because they new they had a lot of field problems
> because
> of the complaints of the customer. Their solution was to not support the
> radio any more. I ask you is that  customer service ? We all now the
> answer.
>
> 3. Some manufactures have proprietary hardware chips and software.  When
> you
> have problems and they have chosen at the corporate  level not to support
> or
> move support services overseas to off shore companies, what happens. We
> have
> all had this happen to us with some computer companies. It is
> ex-asperating.
>
>
> I could go on, on and on, so here is my point.  Elecraft Company is doing
> it
> right. Bring jobs back from over seas back to USA. Designing a great
> product.  It appears they won’t leave you in the dark. Your support and
> further purchases depend on your satisfaction. So lets continue to help
> support in all ways to make this company stay in business.
>
> Brian Mc Inerney
> WB8IDY
> CF 989-859-9374
>
>
> --
> Brian McInerney WB8IDY
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