Yes, this is true, authentic customer service. In my experience, that has
been a constant since I have been a Rivendell customer. And it is in fact
the most important aspect of the business model with a small company making
very niche products.
Side by side with that, you have the evolution of the principal designer,
and his concept of highly useful and enjoyable bicycle design. For those
customers--and I wonder what the actual percentage is--say people on
RBW--it becomes a kind of cult of personality.
This has a pejorative connotation, but I use the term cult in an earlier
sense. Anyway, I mean it positively. I can think of few examples of an
industrial designer that has stuck with a single product (and some of its
components) for basically their entire work life. You might mention Jobs,
but more than one product. Same with someone like Elon Musk. I am not fans
of either, in any case; to me they are more huckster and marketer than
visionary or designer. So I can't think of an equivalent in another field.
Or in bicycles, for that matter.
I would guess this RBW membership is a really nice base to have, and yeah,
the changes and new models, they are in many ways sold to us the same way
as most other things we buy--through a desire. For most of us, it is almost
always not a need for a bicycle. How much different will my Susie be from
my El Clem? But as BBDD points out, for me, at this brief moment in time
anyway, it is an indulgence I am willing to indulge. I just hope I have
time to ride my fleet of Rivendells in the coming times....
On Thursday, July 23, 2020 at 1:24:49 AM UTC-4, Corwin wrote:
>
> Hi Michael -
>
> I mean no disrespect.
>
> Here's my take on the RBW Business Model:
>
> In 2004, when I came to try and buy one of the original [Coleman green]
> Quickbeams, Mark said: "We'll treat you right". And everyone at Rivendell
> always has treated me right ever since. Miesha, Sterling, Rich, Will,
> Keven, Vince, Roman, Dave, John, Robert, Jenny, Harry, Corey, Spencer, Mark
> and Grant (measured my PBH himself) have always put my interests ahead of
> their own. In my opinion, that is the VERY BEST BUSINESS MODEL possible. I
> have studied many, many businesses. The single unifying characteristic of a
> great business is a genuine, concerted focus on customer satisfaction.
>
> In my opinion, there is no need to go anywhere else.
>
> Namaste,
>
>
> Corwin
>
> On Tuesday, July 21, 2020 at 10:38:11 AM UTC-7, Michael Hechmer wrote:
>>
>> There is a major flaw in the RBW Business Model. They forgot to include
>> planned obselence. Really, how can you expect to grow a business when your
>> products not only don't wear out they don't even loose their sex appeal?
>> Certainly Trek didn't make that mistake and see how they have grown since
>> 1983 when I bought a 620.
>>
>> Take my Saluki for example. Serial # SA 00011. I am more in love with
>> it today than when I first got it. Why would I want to buy a new bike?
>> Bicycle Quarterly comes in and I look at the reviews of all the hot new
>> bikes and quickly realize I wouldn't trade em straight up for my Saluki.
>>
>> OK, it now has a lot of touch up paint and I would probably get it powder
>> coated if I could get my hands on some original decals, but the ride is
>> just as joyful, no even better than new, and she still looks pretty good to
>> me. Instead of buying a new bike I can spend my money on fancy brakes,
>> levers, tires from Compass, and TA Rings ("Well honey the rings were worn
>> out and that's just what new rings cost.")
>>
>> So Rivendell, instead of pushing a needed replacement or a new improved
>> model, is stuck with the job of convincing people that they need more
>> bikes. Then you have to listen to your spouse - how you gonna pay for it,
>> where you gonna store it, how many bikes can you ride? It never ends.
>>
>> Unfortunately for Rivendell, my wife is still in love with her Betty Foy,
>> so no bike sale this year.
>>
>> Michael
>>
>>
>>
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