[Blue Frog Systems]

Had a look on gardiners site and can't find the sl-x 22ft or anything around that size.

Have they stopped selling them altogether or is it just temp till they get new stock in that it isn't listed on their site ?

[matt]

Had a look on gardiners site and can't find the sl-x 22ft or anything around that size.

Have they stopped selling them altogether or is it just temp till they get new stock in that it isn't listed on their site ?

i think they have stopped taking orders on them, thats all

expected to have some in stock end of feb / early march

[ftp]

They are changing manufacturers again and as Matt said are expecting a new delivery.

[TC1]

spoke to them yesterday, and they said they were getting ready to launch a "re vamped" slx range! But did not have a set date for this!

Tony

[dai]

They are changing manufacturers again and as Matt said are expecting a new delivery.

That's interesting, so maybe there were production issues, lets hope the new makers are working within something better than a 20% tolerance on wall thickness.

[ftp]

Don't know. They were very cagey." Prices might go up or they might go down" I asked if the carbon would be any tougher - they don't know 'till they get them. 
I know what Alex would be saying. The girl was well trained and wouldn't be drawn into anything.

[Clive McDonald]

Sorry if i'm dragging this off again...
But i don't think he fully realises the part that 'we' played in the launch and word of mouth publicity and marketing of this product without any conventional advertising whatsoever. He has a stark strategy choice, between getting back on here, going the conventional route of advertising and exhibitions, or thirdly watching his products remain sitting on the shelves and bomb.

The financial imperative must be that a return is immenent.

[ftp]

I am an unpaid Gardiners rep. I think I should demand a company car.

[Clive McDonald]

Exactly so.

Without us he's got to spend a lot of money for the same result.

[ftp]

I have been very slow on this subject and always thought you had a dislike for Alex.
But I find it quite amusing now and can see where you are coming from now Slumps.
Yes I doubt there was much spent on advertising in the last three years 
Very smart move - I wonder if it was deliberate? Who knows.
I have seen a lot of posts popping up from fans of other manufacturers on here lately so I wonder if Alex will have to return and get the fan base back on track. 

[ftp]

Only trouble is he will be back to: FAO Alex - my pole has jammed please take it back and fix it!
Probably cheaper to stay away.

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

I don’t dislike Alex contrary to what some may think, I do admire the way Alex sold his poles on CIU, what I don’t agree with at all is the unethical aspect to his R&D regarding his poles using the members on CIU to pay for the poles development, that aspect and it’s cost should always lie with the manufacturer.

In my opinion he has had three attempts so far in less than 2 years with the sl-x, now according to this thread this will be his mark 4 pole attempt, at getting the sl-x right.

It won’t be at my expense.

Or is he is just going round buying cheap CF from where he can to make the next batch up.

 : : : : :

[Clive McDonald]

Nothing but admiration from me, don't mix me up with ewan.To become an industry expert is textbook marketing but very hard to do. He did it. On technical issues every one deferred to him, and i can not recall his giving wrong or bad advice once.

He stayed out of arguments brilliantly.Only at the end did he appear to show frustration with us.

To get the same results as he achieved with industry magazine advertising, manned exhibition stands and mass mailing would be over fifty and towards one hundred thousand pounds as a annual marketing budget.

Although exports may remain strong, penetration of our market (or us) will soon and probably already has declined.Continual positive exposure is always needed just to stand still.

My opinion is- and i have just read ewan- that the issue was stress of repeated petty arguments that weary the soul. However, for financial reasons coming back is a no brainer and the vast majority would love to see his expertise back on the forum.

[matt]

Sorry if i'm dragging this off again...
But i don't think he fully realises the part that 'we' played in the launch and word of mouth publicity and marketing of this product without any conventional advertising whatsoever. He has a stark strategy choice, between getting back on here, going the conventional route of advertising and exhibitions, or thirdly watching his products remain sitting on the shelves and bomb.

The financial imperative must be that a return is immenent.

in this instance, i disagree

the work has been done, the SLX is a window cleaners pole of choice, people will buy it now till something better comes along, and it hasnt yet

[Clive McDonald]

The figures will have dropped off a cliff.

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

I think the custom gained from CIU is a tiny minority of gardiners overall business!

He did right to leave this forum, it's got idiots like EWAN who believe their own oral garbage!

Gardiners export all over the world, bet Alex is sat weeing himself that slumpbuster thinks CIU is his biggest retail outlet & best marketing asset!

Man, you couldn't write this stuff

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

I don’t dislike Alex contrary to what some may think, I do admire the way Alex sold his poles on CIU, what I don’t agree with at all is the unethical aspect to his R&D regarding his poles using the members on CIU to pay for the poles development, that aspect and it’s cost should always lie with the manufacturer.

In my opinion he has had three attempts so far in less than 2 years with the sl-x, now according to this thread this will be his mark 4 pole attempt, at getting the sl-x right.

It won’t be at my expense.

Or is he is just going round buying cheap CF from where he can to make the next batch up.

 : : : : :

Just airing my opinion, you spend your money where you want to.

I bought the sl-x, I prefer to use it over my facelift pole which many say is the industry standard for quality, fact is though the facelift poles are a bit of a dinosaur even when just comparing it to the sl-x and its two only attributes the sl-x pole has, but the sl-x isn’t a quality pole and it has been developed at the same time it’s being sold to members on here.

Rolling you eyes is no help; at least I can praise the sl-x good points as well as mention the bad points.   

So what about all the other manufacturers/suppliers, are they still selling the same poles that they were when they started their business? Ionics, brodex etc.etc.? Have they not developed new versions of their products?

[Clive McDonald]

Not peeing himself too much, from what i could see ciu was his only marketing tool.

His product launches were masterpeices of anticipation, not even bettered by such launches as the ninetendo wii.Dates were continually put back, preorders kept growing,and in turn we became desperate to own what promised to be the best bit of kit in the business.

Word of mouth will retain some of the momentum, and exports will be unaffected, but we are the core.

.... in my opinion......

[Clive McDonald]

Craig being driven off was before my time on here, but i suspect he really was big enough not to need us.Glynn seemed to get sucked into arguments or be targeted. Alex was different because we both needed each other.

Just my thoughts,

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

I don’t dislike Alex contrary to what some may think, I do admire the way Alex sold his poles on CIU, what I don’t agree with at all is the unethical aspect to his R&D regarding his poles using the members on CIU to pay for the poles development, that aspect and it’s cost should always lie with the manufacturer.

In my opinion he has had three attempts so far in less than 2 years with the sl-x, now according to this thread this will be his mark 4 pole attempt, at getting the sl-x right.

It won’t be at my expense.

Or is he is just going round buying cheap CF from where he can to make the next batch up.

 : : : : :

Just airing my opinion, you spend your money where you want to.

I bought the sl-x, I prefer to use it over my facelift pole which many say is the industry standard for quality, fact is though the facelift poles are a bit of a dinosaur even when just comparing it to the sl-x and its two only attributes the sl-x pole has, but the sl-x isn’t a quality pole and it has been developed at the same time it’s being sold to members on here.

Rolling you eyes is no help; at least I can praise the sl-x good points as well as mention the bad points.   

So what about all the other manufacturers/suppliers, are they still selling the same poles that they were when they started their business? Ionics, brodex etc.etc.? Have they not developed new versions of their products?

LOL, there’s a big difference between a “New Pole” and a make over, you obviously can’t tell the difference between the two but your not alone most wouldn’t

Haven’t Excel recently bought out a ‘New pole’? I don’t think so myself but many would. Maybe if you call a pole Glyder or fusion add some colour change the price hey presto you have a new pole.

Just to clarify a new pole would mean it didn’t exist before or at least most of the parts are new and not just some bits of it, especially if it’s only cosmetic changes. 

 

You numpty!