An Issue with SpeedElement
 

In my pursuit to find the best distributor for a number of goals I have for my car, I started checking out some of the more credible distributors and local shops. SpeedElement is one of the local shops that has a garage here in Northern California and I decided to check out their website. Unfortunately what I found on their "Company Policy" page was discouraging.

(Full Disclosure - I have had very limited correspondence with SpeedElement and they have been helpful and generally responsive. I have not made a purchase from them. I am not affiliated with any other distributors and this post is from a completely consumer perspective)

I've included a screenshot of the Company Policy page on the SE website. When I first clicked through to this page I was expecting to see a page which would be full of great reviews and company policies which are used to give the consumer confidence and trust in doing business with SE. Instead, I found the page section titled with "The ways of being a 'successful' customer". Intrigued at that tone of the title, I continued reading. (Cont. below image)

http://i42.tinypic.com/161baz4.gif

Ignoring the fact that this is clearly not a company policy but is instead a wish list of what their perfect customer is; some of their points are completely justified. Yes, business make mistakes, although successful ones minimize them. Also, customer orders do take time, especially since I imagine distributors like SE are better off with less inventory sitting around. Finally, I would completely agree that the internet is a cesspool of information, and sorting through the opinion for fact is a critical step in making a purchase.

Besides this, I've highlighted some points that definitely put me off from a consumer perspective. For instance, the very first item on their customer wish list tells the world to not be an asshole. When I first read this item, I immediately thought of those paper signs you see at old burger and shake drive ins that read something like "We reserve the right to refuse service". SE as a business is completely within their rights to refuse to transact with anyone who they deem an asshole. Unfortunately, putting this on their website seems adolescent and may be more damaging than it is beneficial.

About the second item, "Price matching", I totally agree that there is definitely a right way and a rude way to go about haggling on price. To SE's credit, they were completely open to exploring the price they could offer when I talked to them about a competing offer. Unfortunately they we're unable to give the best price so I decided to purchase from another supplier. Again, I believe this statement is not completely representative of their intentions.

The third point about Loyalty somewhat ties into the last point about profit. Loyalty is earned by a business. Either by consistently providing a better service or by always having the best price/quality ratio for products they sell. I would argue that there is a symbiotic relationship between SE and their customers. If SE can earn loyal customers through their service and prices, I believe they will be successful in their operations.


I am surprised the SpeedElement would have this kind of page on their website where potential customers might be put-off by the strong attitude of their "Company Policy". In fact I believe their intentions are actually quite the opposite. As I mentioned before, I don't think SE means to come across to the customer this way. I understand the pressures of starting a successful business in the competitive automotive aftermarket but this is not the right way to address this pressure.


Maybe if they switch it out with something like this it might help...

http://i44.tinypic.com/2yxgrbb.jpg

Since they are local, I've still got high hopes that they can provide great service to potential customers like me and I look forward to the chance I can do business with them.

i dont see any issue here

different companies have different style and "policies"

to me SE's style is very firm and direct. NO BS!

im a local vendor too and iv dealt with @Speed Element in the past. excellent company to work with!

they are even a sponsor to the big events i host here in NorCal

I see this as a filter -- if you don't want to deal with that, they are big enough to say that they don't want to deal with you.

To be honest, i'm all for @Speed Element 's Policy. Filter's are always good!

Looks fine to me. In fact I admire what they've done.
:burnrubber:

Independent business owners are assholes.

If they aren't they won't be business owners for much longer.

I agree the list is in poor taste and prefer your second one, but it's a dog eat dog world, good for them for being upfront. I wouldn't shop there as a first choice.

Hmmmm, I was at N1 Concepts in Hayward recently and they have that exact same "how to be a good customer" spiel posted in their office. Maybe it's an industry thing. :|

Was happy with their work though, definitely going back in a few weeks to get some more stuff done. :)

I actaully completely agree with the OP.

I'm a sales professional. If I acted like that I wouldn't have any customers. I'm not successful becuase I make my customers conform to me.

I love it when my clients ask my to price match. It gives me a better understanding of what the "market price" is and if my features/advantages/benefits are worth the extra cost. And if they are (like being local in SE case) I'll still get the sale. Good customer serivce and sales skills can defeat any angry customer almost every time. Not a policy that says "we don't deal with assholes."

BUT I also agree it's their business and it's complete their prerogative how they run it, just like me as a consumer/consumer it's my prerogative to give my business to whom I choose.

I agree with you OP - both from a customer or sales rep POV. As a customer, I give respect, loyalty, recommendations, etc. to a shop that treats me well - sounds like Speed Element expects the roles between sales/customer to be reversed. From the other side of the sales - even if I think a customer is an asshole, pushy, whatever, one should never say it out loud. Just say sorry, you can't do the service at that price, or whatever and move on - no need to be unprofessional about it.

EDIT - It is their business and their policy at the end of the day and that's cool - they can run it however they like.

it's definitely a rough-and-tumble world out there in the automotive/tuning industry. A lot of these business owners and employees are coming from humble and underprivileged backgrounds, and they are successful or still in business by either of two ways: either they operate in a cutthroat manner, or they operate by the golden rule. Pretty sure most of these shops don't have MBAs or business whizzes running the show so they have figured things out by themselves. A lot of personalities and egos in this business too. People can be very blunt and direct; not saying it's great for the customer but that's the way it can be. Thankfully there are choices out there and you just have to be diligent in doing your research, or go off of others recommendations that you trust. Find the shop that is right for you and your style.

Thanks guys for the comments and opinions! Our reason for posting this guideline is to provide a sense of humor in the after market automotive industry. We value every customer / car and try to provide the best customer service to each and every one.

In terms of providing price matching we try our best to match or beat any competitor pricing. There are occasions that we might not beat or even match a competitor pricing but again like @BlaineWasHere has said we take it as another way to find out how we can be competitive the next time.

I really feel like this could have been taken up via PM first just to clarify thoughts/feelings on policies posted before publicly calling out a company you've not dealt with in person. Everyone gets a clean slate until proven otherwise through first hand interactions with me, and it's how I would have handled it. Just my 2 cents on this entire thread.

I disagree, this is public, anybody doing their research can click on it and view it. It'd be another thing if after performing work the shop handed a disgruntled customer this list or have it posted up in the break room or next to the cash register. As it stands this shop (and many others) publicly say this is how they plan to operate, it is open for discussion, I suppose it would have been in better taste to not connect it to a particular shop and just link the list from it's parent site (sourced in the OP's picture) but saying this topic is inappropriate just reeks of appeasing people you shouldn't have to appease.

Edit: looks like the source link doesn't work and "Logan at A-spec products" doesn't have it easily accessible on his site so this may only exist for people who wish to keep it alive without a true "source"

Chill out. Its funny while true at the same time.Its the internet and car forums. Have you not seen what kind of people are around? Lol. SE is not a bunch a ****s but guys that have been supporting this community from its start and the Subie community for many years. If you don't like it take you business elsewhere instead of trying to put a company on blast that you have not personally dealt with. FWIW like others have said this isnt something they came up with but something that has floating around different private shops for some time.

I guess I operate differently. Everyone is an idiot until they prove me otherwise!

I didn't find it either of those things.

Welcome to the internet, where anything goes!

http://i.qkme.me/3qlam7.jpg

WHAT THE EFF IS GOING ON HERE!?! I CAME EXPECTING THIS:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOhIMh4aoh0"]Tim Duncan Realizing He Has Arms - YouTube[/ame]

AND GOT THIS:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmmlpRN_VbE"]My Little Pony Friendship is Magic - The Many Songs of Pinkie Pie (Revised Edition) - YouTube[/ame]

;)I like the no BS method too many clowns in this world and I personally like dealing with honest no guff people so ya... I don't see an issue here.

The vendor makes quite valid points on all the points the OP boxed. It might not be worded in the best way, but they're all valid.

I feel like for #1 it starts from a misconception that "since a lot of people working in the industry are ass holes (most times the car dealers), I need to be one to get leverage" which is unfortunate because there's a lot of good vendors out there who have great character. In fact all the vendors I've dealt with on this forum have been great so far.

I need to put you in a room with people like this:

"Underglllooowwww +15 hp
19x11 chrome wheels +25lbs per wheel
Argues that your stance ain't shit, and that he can take you any day."

I eat people like that for breakfast.

We need to film this and put it on TV as Reality programming.

I think the Speed channel tried that... they don't exist anymore.

I've been a customer to Speed Element since 2007 when I had my Evo IX and had nothing but excellent customer service and competitive pricing. They have been supporting the Subie and Evo world for a number of years and haven't seen one negative post about them. I would agree with their no BS policy because most of it is true in the aftermarket automotive industry. I have been a loyal customer and will continue to be a loyal customer as long as I am a car enthusiast.

Speed Element are good people. The list is on point, but I would agree that it belongs more on a company blog (Habits of Our Best Customers) than the policy page.

You're getting it all wrong here. The impact of the photons comprising the light generated by underglow produces an opposite reaction acting upon the car (Newton's Third Law of Motion: When one body exerts a force on a second body, the second body simultaneously exerts a force equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to that of the first body). This reactional force creates a lift effect upon the car, reducing its downward mass pressure and generating effective horsepower. To amplify this effect and generate further effective horsepower, one can either use brighter undercarriage lights (to create more photons and drive them with additional force) or multi-colored undercarriage lights (as everyone knows photons created by neon lights are heavier than those of plain lights, and thus generate more of reaction).

In fact, a rotating array of lights of shifting coloration allows for the most effective driving experience, as the longitudinal asymptomatic effect of the pseudo-flux capacitor assists in the control of body roll and overall stability.

Science!

Source: I'm a doctor

But photons have zero mass, thus the effect is greatly reduced, if existent at all in a Newtonian reference frame (i.e.: P=m*v and F=m*a, if m=0, then momentum and force are zero.)

However in the quantum mech/string theory model, there is a world where Underglow produces unicorn farts and happiness AND the stock FR-S is 350hp. ANNNNNNND, in that dimension, all people are idiots (including my dimensional twin), even when people 'prove me otherwise' ;)

Source: paying attention in public school (granted it wasn't a CA school)...

Eric G

I like the people at SE. Had a good interaction with them at the Livermore BBQ meet, and a few days later at their shop. And I agree with their policy. I tried being polite to them, asking specific questions in order to make sure that I was ordering the correct product, and I never questioned their pricing in an effort to help build that (hopefully) long term relationship since they're local. However, in trying to place an order, I called and left 5 messages, with zero response. I'm not sure if they didn't want my business, but I took the hint. I do wish them all the luck in the world, they just won't have me as a customer anymore.

Look, I appreciate your public school education for what it's worth, but it takes an advanced doctorate in gender studies (that only scientific geniuses like myself have) to comprehend the effect of ectoplasmic energy on the relational mass of photons.

Einstein might claim that photons have no mass, but Einstein's ghost trapped in a pseudo-containment array (that also changes colors at different music volumes) is giving my car +15 HP! Checkmate, atheists.

Hey Ian,

Sorry, I don't recall on getting any messages from you. but i send you a PM and i'll get this taken care of. I've email you a while back about the brakes that you ask for before. Let me know

Thanks
Devin

Pure comedy gold :lol: you guys should form a duo

Damn it, your a doctor not a physicist! You dont know what your talking about.

I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

get these two guys together over a bbq grill... I bet the food would taste phenomenal. One seasoning, the other shining specialized photons on it... :lol:

Hahaha....keep going please.

This thread made my day.:D

hahahaha....Excellent!...the best part was by Blaine: "I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night."