patriot
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
|
 p.8 #3 · Nikon D800 & D800E Pre-order! | |
Just to help Henry out, seems he forgot to post the reply to the dp review comment from a former Nikon rep. Net-net, b&h and any other retailer that took pre orders far in excess of their allocations, even taking into consideration that allocations fluctuate, is at least equally responsible for earning their customer's frustrations. I would say more so. And retailers are 100% responsible for communicating with those customers whom they have taken per-orders from, providing updates, and managing expectations. I'm sure, even if Henry can't acknowledge this publicly, that b&h is learning from this. At the very least, if what Henry claims is true, to not accept being treated like a mushroom by a supplier, because, try as they may to divert the blame, all the customer knows to blame us the retailer. Henry, don't let Nikon give b&h a black eye again.
Well, since you worked for Nikon in Sales, then I'll have to defer to your inside knowledge and accept that as fact.
At the same time, picture me scratching my head (sorry), in total disbelief that any major manufacturing corporation in the 90's, let alone today, could operate so inefficiently and get away with it.
I work for a fortune 50 company that manufacturers and sells consumer products in dozens of categories that I'll bet you have in your home right now. We launch dozens of new or upgraded products each year, several of which are major launches that are equally as exciting to consumers as the D800 is to those of us on this forum, and have the same problems and challenges Nikon is dealing with right now. I have been in various roles in these situations, including sales and marketing, at a variety of levels.
You might say I don't understand Nikon, and I don't. But key competitors in several of the categories we compete in are Japanese companies, some of which are part of bigger companies that are also in the camera business and compete with Nikon. I know these companies operate the much the same way we do in terns if processes and business practices. Know your competitor, as they say.
But I'll take your word for it that Nikon is not like any of those peer Japanese companies.
We begin launch planning 12 months out, and would not be able to proceed unless we could could show the corporation solid details, including production forecasts, supply chain details, costs, contingencies, market size, demand plans, etc.
Our sales teams begins working with their key customers 12 months out as well, with NDA's, to preview the products and develop launch plans. This includes advertising, merchandising, promotions, and (gulp) forecasting.
Since we are talking about forecasting, that is all rolled up and compared to production planning. This is the subject of weekly meetings that include sales, and topics include changes to production that will effect supply. There is always allocations and changes to allocations. There can be delays, even launch delays.
But always there is good, frequent, and collaborative communication. Sure, things can get hot. Retailers want what they want, and often we can't deliver it all. I've had to deliver bad news, and eat humble pie.... or worse. Nikon is not the only company that gets hit with supply shortages, distribution disruptions, bad parts, recalls prior to launch. I've had to recall product on the way to retailers just days prior to a billion dollar launch.
But it would be unthinkable not to communicate quickly and accurately. Unacceptable ... either party.
No retailer I know of would ever accept the conditions you describe as routine for Nikon. And my products are category leaders, "must have" items for retailers, who fight each other to be first to market and out-do each other.
The behavior you describe would lead to CEO to CEO discussions and major defections. We would be told to go pound sand.
I can't think if any retailer, large small, that would not drop even the most lucrative launch plan if they were kept in the dark even a few months prior to the launch, let alone the day the truck is ... hopefully ... going to arrive.
Again, I'm sure you are right. But what you're describing is sounds more like how business was conducted in the 1700's, when you ordered something from overseas, and had no idea what would arrive, or when, in what condition ... or if the ship would be lost at sea.
|
