Do Dealers Mention the Forum?

[Matthew Schenker]

Hello Everyone,
We've been discussing the role of Sales Agents in the forum.  Now I am wondering about the role of the forum for Sales Agents!

Especially new customers will feel more confident if they know there is an established, friendly online forum they can go to for ideas and information.  Do you find that this is true?

When you have contact with a customer, do you mention the Forum?  If so, how do you mention it?  Is there something that can be done to help you?

Very interested in hearing what everyone has to say.

Matthew

 

[Bob Marino]

  Hi Michael,

Yes, I mention this group to my customers, either via email or phone conversation. Absolutely essential that new customers avail themselves of the info here. I will place the link on my web-site too.

Bob

 

[Debra Crane]

I work for a Woodcraft store, which is how I learned about Festool. Needless to say, after reading the catalog through several times, visiting the users group and purchasing my first Festools, I have become a Festool-evangelist ... perhaps to my family's dismay. And I'm not even a cabinet maker or furniture maker. I'm a scrollsawyer and intarsia artisan.

For weeks now, I have been sharing info I've learned from this forum with my colleagues and the owners of the store. We now have a Festool demo area setup in the front of the store (right near the window for easy drooling) that includes a FAQs book with info I have gathered from the forum, Festool site, and product manuals. I've even helped solid-surface customers know that there are tools, blades and bits that are made specifically for their material. Now, I will pass along the good idea to give a business card with this Festool forum site on the back to new and renewing Festool customers.

PS - What I like most about Festool owners (especially the ones who post here) is that they are so clever when it comes to leveraging what I believe is Festool's crowning jewel ... the system itself, which is far better than the sum of its quality parts! And, perhaps, I relate to the tool addiction itself.

 

[Lou Miller]

PS - What I like most about Festool owners (especially the ones who post here) is that they are so clever

Obviously you weren't talking about me...

 

[Dan Clark]

PS - What I like most about Festool owners (especially the ones who post here) is that they are so clever when it comes to leveraging what I believe is Festool's crowning jewel ... the system itself, which is far better than the sum of its quality parts! And, perhaps, I relate to the tool addiction itself.

Debra,

It's amazing to me that many people miss what you came to understand quickly. There are many things that I like about Festool. But, as you say, the crowning jewel is the systemness. Festool engineers are constantly working to leverage the current components into an overall system. To me that's a great advantage.

For example, take the new Kapex miter saw...  Alone, it pegs my "drool-meter".  But look at this pic:

...

At first, all you see is the Kapex.  But then...  Notice what it's sitting on?  MFT800.  And the hose is connected to?  CT22.  Which is routed through?  Hose Garage.    And the board is supported by?  Table extensions.  Wait, what's the little silver gizmo at the end?  Stop flag!  Ah, but I have large crown moldings!  Maybe you want the "Crown molding stop" option?  But I just bought a brand new Boom Arm.  No problem; works nicely.  But I already have an MFT 1080!  No problem; slap 'er on top and clamp 'er on.   

Now take a look a this pic:

I took this for the Boom Arm, Hose Garage, and Depth Stop Chuck reviews.  But look at the MFT...  Good looking wood, right?  Nah, that's sheet rock.  I used my MFT and quick release clamps as a pretty good sheet rock cutting and routing station.  I bought the Depth Stop Chuck for my C12 because that made-for-sheetrockin' screw gun in the background was failing me in the corners.  And...

Did you know that RotoZip makes a dust catching attachment?  And did you know that the Rotozip dust catching attachment uses a standard 1" opening?  And, did you know that Woodcraft carries a Fein hose adaptor that fits PERFECTLY into the Rotozip dust catching attachment on one end and into the Festool D27 hose on the other end!?!  And that, therefore, the CT22 makes an AWESOME dust collector when Rotozipping holes into sheetrock!!!

Knee bone connected to the thighbone...  Systemness!  I love it!

Regards,

Dan.

 

[Tinker]

for several months I had been lamenting (to myself) that there was no forum directed specifically towards Festool owners.  i had run across the old site and found it so difficult (impossible for me) to get onto that I just quit trying.  my computer time is somewhat budgeted, as I do have to go out and earn a living so i can afford the frequent fixes of new toys now and then.  One day, as i was talking with Bob Marino, i happened to mention it was too bad there was not a readilly accessible info group on the web.  He immediately sent me an E-mail with this site mentioned.  i now check in every day. 
Actually, i think Bob was just getting tired of so many of my questions and this was a great way to get rid of me.  (THANKS BOB, I'M ONLY KIDDIN')  Now, I just sit back and wait for all the rest of you to ask my questions and wiat for the good answers.    And Bob even comes up with the answers i have not bothered to ask him directly.  now that the dealers are being ID'ed on here, i can see several others being very helpfull in a very unubstrusive way.  helpful but not pushy.  They are all doing a great job for all of us.  Thanks guys.  AND, BOB, don't think this gets you OFF the hook.  I'll still bother you now and then just to keep you on your toes.
Tinker

 

[Per Swenson]

Hello Every One,

A word here about my Festool Dealer, Bob Marino.

If it were not for his encouragement to visit and post

here and on SMC when I ordered my first Festool sander....

None of this would have ever happened.

Prior to his advice, the very idea of internet woodworking communication

was (for me) vague at best.

Who Knew?

And lets not forget Mr. Lucas and his encouragement although not a dealer.

Folks, this is just a amazing resource, I may not offer insight, questions or

answers to most posts, rest assured though, I suck up every word.

Matthew, Thanks.

Per

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Per,
Everything you wrote is great, and I agree completely.  But you don't have to thank me!  I'm just a customer, like everyone else here.

Like a lot of members, woodworking is a hobby for me.  It's a serious hobby, but still a hobby.  This forum is an extension of my woodworking hobby, which means that I enjoy creating it and seeing it help people.  I see the forum as a metaphor for a good woodworking project.  It needs a good design, a sense of proportion, proper materials, and solid joinery techniques.  To me, hobby woodworkers asking questions and posting unique observations represents the design and the materials.  But experts give the whole enterprise authority and depth, and that's where people like you come in to form the joinery of the forum!  You take the materials offered by others and make it into a project.

That's my story!

Stay in touch,
Matthew

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Debra,

For weeks now, I have been sharing info I've learned from this forum with my colleagues and the owners of the store. We now have a Festool demo area setup in the front of the store (right near the window for easy drooling) that includes a FAQs book with info I have gathered from the forum, Festool site, and product manuals. I've even helped solid-surface customers know that there are tools, blades and bits that are made specifically for their material. Now, I will pass along the good idea to give a business card with this Festool forum site on the back to new and renewing Festool customers.

This is exactly what I was trying to get at with this discussion.  It gets me thinking.  Would it be a good idea to ask Sales Agents to include the address of the forum on their business cards?  They could either jot it down by hand, or maybe I could get cards printed and sent out?  Or maybe there's some other way?  I'm just thinking out loud here.  But I need the perspective of Sales Agents to know what is feasible.

Stay in touch,
Matthew

 

[Bob Marino]

Debra,

For weeks now, I have been sharing info I've learned from this forum with my colleagues and the owners of the store. We now have a Festool demo area setup in the front of the store (right near the window for easy drooling) that includes a FAQs book with info I have gathered from the forum, Festool site, and product manuals. I've even helped solid-surface customers know that there are tools, blades and bits that are made specifically for their material. Now, I will pass along the good idea to give a business card with this Festool forum site on the back to new and renewing Festool customers.

This is exactly what I was trying to get at with this discussion.  It gets me thinking.  Would it be a good idea to ask Sales Agents to include the address of the forum on their business cards?  They could either jot it down by hand, or maybe I could get cards printed and sent out?  Or maybe there's some other way?  I'm just thinking out loud here.  But I need the perspective of Sales Agents to know what is feasible.

Stay in touch,
Matthew

Matt,

When I get my new cards printed, I can place this address on the card, no problem - good idea! I think I will modify my email signature to include it also.

Bob

 

[Dave Ronyak]

PS - What I like most about Festool owners (especially the ones who post here) is that they are so clever when it comes to leveraging what I believe is Festool's crowning jewel ... the system itself, which is far better than the sum of its quality parts! And, perhaps, I relate to the tool addiction itself.

Debra,

It's amazing to me that many people miss what you came to understand quickly. There are many things that I like about Festool. But, as you say, the crowning jewel is the systemness.

Awesome post, Dan.  The best system description and photos I have seen.  Now I can finally understand much of the enthusiasm about the "hose garage" and Kapex.  Keep 'em coming!

Debra, I hope the Woodcraft store at which you work and their customers some time soon realize what a service and benefit you have provided them.  The Woodcraft store in my area has a few Festool products on display, but generally, their staff know very little about them other than what a customer tells them and what they can try to look up in the catalogue.  For those reasons I do not go to Woodcraft for anything Festool.  Sadly, Woodcraft's website and telephone assistance is not much better when a prospective customer is seeking information to make an informed purchase.

Dave R.

 

[putttn]

Great idea to have the sales agents adopt this forum as a sales aid as well as a resource for customers.  What's so unique about Festool is that the whole system is so user friendly and well made.  This makes the forum a great arena for newbies like me who come in and see how things are done and what ideas/techniques work.  Many forums turn into a "bitch" session.  If I owned a tool store that sold Festool I would make it mandatory that my salespeople had this forum on their business card.  I would go a step further and make sure I had a computer hooked to the internet and this forum in my showroom.  As a former business owner I know the value of customer referrals and the power of how the customer perceives the product, both good and bad.  With a high entry price with these tools, there needs to be a justification for the purchase and this forum provides just that.  I just purchased a Shopsmith system because I got a good deal on a used one and now I see that this system will work much better for me and will purchase most of what Festool offers and sell the Shopsmith.  That decision was generated from posts on this website- I needed that justification.  So, if I was a sales agent I sure would do everything in my power to get a newbie to this site.  Matter of fact, I'd carry a computer with me wherever I was going to make my sales pitch.  Makes their job much easier and gives Festool a great sales resource--the customer.  

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Puttn,

So, if I was a sales agent I sure would do everything in my power to get a newbie to this site.  Matter of fact, I'd carry a computer with me wherever I was going to make my sales pitch.  Makes their job much easier and gives Festool a great sales resource--the customer. 

Thanks for that!  Of course, I agree.  I think it's a great idea for customers to see this group when they buy Festool tools.  They can see that with the tools comes a whole support and advice system.  Kind of analogous to the tools themselves!  Even more, the customers can see that they are free to contribute to that system and help it become even better.

Thanks again,
Matthew

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Here's an idea:
For those of you who have a computer right there when you meet customers, show them the forum, and help them create a user name and sign up.  Some people are still not comfortable with the technology issues involved in signing up for a group, or they are busy and don't get around to it.

But if the Sales Agent signs the customers up right there, when the customers get home they'll see the registration e-mail in their in box.  It's essentially done for them.  Since they pick a password after receiving the registration e-mail in the privacy of their own home, there is no security issue.

This would work nicely, because the customer will easily be signed up for the forum, and they will remember the Sales Agent as the one who helped them do it.

How does this sound?

Matthew

 

[Ned]

...Sales Agent signs the customers up right there, when the customers get home they'll see the registration e-mail in their in box.  ...and they will remember the Sales Agent as the one who helped them do it.

Especially if that sales agent sends a PM welcoming the customer.

 

[putttn]

I have two friends that are into woodworking big time.  One is a contractor another retired Army who has a very large workshop and has been woodworking for years.  Now remember I'm a green pea and know very little about woodworking so anything I tell these guys they look at me like I'm from Mars.  Especially when I start telling them about "Festool".  They poo-hoo everything I try to tell them so I finally pulled out my laptop, sat down and got on the internet and showed them the Festool site WITH THE VIDEOS.  Complete silence!  Then I showe them this site and the contractors/woodworkers who were using Festool.  Then I showed them links to woodworkers sites who showed exactly how Festools were being used.  Enthusiasm to the point of, "lets go to Woodcraft and see how it works" and "that's my next system, wonder what I can sell some of my tools for".  You talk about an easy introduction to a sale!  I'm not even a tool salesman and know very little about woodworking, so anyone selling Festool has three great resources, #1 the owners, #2 the company website with videos of how it operates and #3 this website as an extension of the "customers".  I find many salespeople don't really understand the are "salespeople".  Many are just enthusiasts and don't understand how to sell.  They understand how to disseminate the information and take the order but that's about it.  If I was one of these people I would sure want all the help I could get so use your resources.

 

[LaserGecko]

Especially new customers will feel more confident if they know there is an established, friendly online forum they can go to for ideas and information.  Do you find that this is true?

The Kamado Forum is a huge reason why many people decide to take the plunge and move up to the next level of outdoor cooking. It's nice to know that you can have almost instant support from knowledgable owners when you're investing in a product with unique characteristics that make it the best in its class.

Lots of people willingly buy $1,200 ceramic grills that weigh hundreds of pounds before they've actually seen one because of the incredible user based support. I see the same kind of support here by Festool fanatics.

If a customer says "I saw Festool on the 'net" and an ISA doesn't mention the FOG, they're missing a valuable opportunity.

 

[Ted Miller]

Per threatened me to come here or I would find a domino tenon is a bad place, lol. Just kidding Per mentioned this forum to me while I was over at SMC and I am glad he did that. If it wasn't for me using the Festools on a job site then reading what the good people here have said and how they use the tools I would not have made any purchase.

Plus Per mentioned Bob Marino was the guy to buy from and I trust Per even though he is from backeast I still trust him,lol. Bob has been great with info and quick shipping. Last night I shot of a few e-mails to him way past his bedtime and he still reponded twice, that is what I like for customer service...

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Hi Everyone,
It's been a little while, but this is an important subject.

A central mission of this forum is to be easily accessible and friendly to all customers, but especially new customers making their first venture into Festool territory.  Dealers are often the point of first contact with customers, so making sure Dealers mention the forum is essential to me.

Several new Dealers have joined the forum in recent months, so I want to open this discussion up again.

Dealers...

• Do you mention the forum when you sell Festool tools?
• If so, how do you mention the forum (word of mouth, something in writing)?
• What can be done to make it easier to direct customers to the forum?

Any ideas from other members?

Stay in touch,
Matthew

 

[Eli]

I actually met my dealer through another forum, now that I found where here is, I don't really go anywhere else. I agree with above, no-brainer sales tool. By the time I touched the actual tools in most cases I knew everything there was to know , and I'd bought them already.