Tuesday, Jun 03, 2008 at 10:06
Cameron.
Unlike you I am not afraid to put my name up on this site. I don't usually bother with these types of sites which for the greater part are great for the travelling public. But when someone starts to personally attack the integrity of Boroma and more importantly my own integrity and morals then I become somewhat annoyed. What is more annoying is that when you have spoken to me personally none of these issues have been raised, you seem to find it much safer to go behind my back.
Enough said on that. The next issue is making sure your facts are correct otherwise things can come very close to slander.
1. Boroma is owned totally by myself (Peter Russell) and Judie Groves. There is no silent partner as you seem to believe. Furthermore we have both been with the company for quite a few years. I started on the 9th April 2001 as Production Manager then moved to sales and design manager in July 2002 and General manager in June 2004. Judie and I purchased the company shortly afterwards. Why did we purchase it? I'll tell you why, It certainly wasn't for the money nor any misconceived prestige. My personal reason for purchasing the company was loyalty. Loyalty to a great product, Loyalty to the staff members who worked with me at the time and still do, and thirdly loyalty to our valued customers in order to provide a continuity of service.
2. The hole 300 x 300mm hole in the roof you have referred to has been somewhat exaggerated as it was approximately 80 x 80.
Yes someone on our staff cut a hole in the wrong place, taped it up with masking tape and flow coated over the top of it. A totally unacceptable situation and repair job, However the person that did this shoddy job I suspect is someone that left shortly afterwards. I can assure you if I found out who actually did do it and they were still in our employment, they would be instantly dismissed.
Attached below is the email we received from your parents, the actual owners of this caravan. Not quite the same picture that you have painted..
(Dear Peter & Judi
As you are aware we have been travelling in our van since the 1st April 2008 and arrived
home last Thursday 29th May 2008.
We wish to thank both you and Peter for arranging a plumber to inspect the water leak whilst at Mt Isa. You are no doubt aware that this is the second time the van has been flooded due to pipes not being correctly connected in the vanity recess.
During our trip other problems appeared which require attention in addition to having the vanity resealed correctly. I am aware that the
Brisbane caravan show starts in the next few days and no doubt you are busy preparing for same and will not have the time to attend to our problems until after the show which is OK by us.
We are leaving for an overseas holiday on the 10th July 2008 and returning on the 9th August 2008 and would like to have the following matters attended to during that period.
1 Remove vanity bowl and repair fibre glass at right hand corner.
2
Toilet suite coming away from wall.
3 Table has come away from wall including cleats.
4 Grout fallen out of bottom of tiles around sink area.
5 Front fibre glass panel has several unsightly cracks.
We would like to drop the van to you for inspection with either yourself or Peter at least a week prior to leaving for overseas so as there is no misunderstanding as to what requires attention. This will give you five clear weeks to fix same.
We look forward to your reply on advising a date for such an inspection.
Signed: )
Finally Cameron, If Boroma, our staff or myself are found to come up short from time to time we will accept that on the chin. What I won't accept is underhand tactics intent on undermining our Business. I challenge you to find another caravan manufacturer that will go to the same extent to custom build that does not have similar minor problems, especially with the product we fit rather than product. Then there is the extent that we will go to to satisfy our customers, Sometimes
well above the call of duty.
Next time you have a beef or gripe with us, have the common courtesy to at least discuss it with us first then if you don't get a satisfactory answer, then by all means go on record on a site like this with my blessing however if you do, make sure you get your facts 100% correct.
Should you wish to contact me regarding this please do so after the 11th as we have the caravan show to contend with and I will be totally committed to that.
Yours faithfully
Peter Russell
Boroma Pty Ltd.
AnswerID:
307476
Follow Up By: Member -Dodger - Tuesday, Jun 03, 2008 at 17:36
Tuesday, Jun 03, 2008 at 17:36
At least the obviously faulty product will now be fixed.
FollowupID:
573387
Follow Up By:- Tuesday, Jun 03, 2008 at 18:32
Tuesday, Jun 03, 2008 at 18:32
Peter,
Your campany has placed themselves in a position where unhappy customers are on occasion, going to be very vocal.
If you are attracting customers to caravans costing over $100K, and in some cases $140K, then surely they deserve yourself and your employees full attention.
Yes, mistakes / problems happen, but rather than wait for customers to find them, you should be completing in-process checks along the way, and providing written proof of these.
If you do really value your reputatiomay I suggest you take a leaf out of the books of the better industrial companies and improve the entire process.
It will save you money and angst,
Regards
Rolande
FollowupID:
573398
Follow Up By: Boobook2 - Friday, Jun 06, 2008 at 14:01
Friday, Jun 06, 2008 at 14:01
Peter,
It is your business and you can run it how you like, but if you refer back to camwil69's original post, he was asking if what his parents had experienced was a one off or general issue. There were follow up posts both good and bad as usual on forums. IMHO this is a totally justifiable thing to do.
While you have a good point that issues have possibly been raised that you are not fully aware of yet, I think your response is totaly inappropriate and extremely poor business practice.
Firstly you argue details on one issue in a public
forum with someone you say is not even the owner. Your justification for the fault is that a poor employee who may or may not still be there did it. SO WHAT!! IT IS YOUR COMPANY ISN'T IT?
Secondly you disclosed a users name, it is not your position to do so on this
forum. Bad enough, but nothing compared with.....
Thirdly you published PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE from someone not even on this
forum - your real customer according to you. You even published their name and dates when they are overseas.
Heaven help you if they get burgled in that period.
EVER HEARD OF THE PRIVACY ACT?
If you felt that you were hard done by, a simple post from you asking that the person contact you as you feel that the issues were being addressed would have kept you company reputation intact.
As a result of your reply you have tried to keep your cpmpany's reputation intact at the expense of your customers rights and privacy.
You failed dismally.
FollowupID:
573942