Harry Krause wrote:
On Fri, 31 Oct 2003 19:28:34 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:


Gould 0738 wrote:

So, Gould, are you suggesting Yamaha, and Mercury didn't pay for inclusion in
the survey? How about the others? Think they didn't pay to play?


The survey company doesn't just wake up some morning, yawn and stretch, and
say,
"I think it's time to do outboard motors!"

What happens in these situations is that the survey company has salespeople who
are continuously pitching prospective clients about the incredible value that
the marketing research will bring to the company's business. In fact, the
survey company will be glad to conduct a survey in the prospect's industry for
the small sum of just $XXXXXX.XX.

The surveys are performed for individual, corporate, clients. The questions can
easily be shaped so that the answers are predictable.

Suppose that Anchor Company A agreed to have J.D. Pourboy Surveys do a survey
among boaters to determine what sort of ground tackle people prefer. J.D.
Pourboy Surveys will charge Anchor Company A a $10,000 retainer, $10 apiece for
mailing 4,000 surveys, and another $10k to tabulate the results. (The whole
project can be completed by two part time employees in about a month).

Now, when JD Pourboy shows up at the Anchor CO office wth survey in hand and
says, "Well, we ran the survey. Everybody says your gear is crap and they'd
rather use a concrete block on a kite string than
one of your anchors and rode"..........you suppose the Anchor Co is going to be
happy to write that check for the final $50k? No, no, no.

So, how does J.D. Pourboy make sure that Anchor Co come out mile ahead of the
competition? Anchor Co is the only maker of anchors that includes a buoy and a
release line as standard equipment. Questions are designed that get
affirmations from surfey takers that ease of release and the ability to know
the anchor's actual position are critically important and make a product
better.

Another technique is the not-so-blind mailing list. Anchor Co A has the names
and addresses of several thousand people who have bought a single Anchor Co A
hook, and even the names of several hundred people who have purchased two or
three over the years. (satisfied customers)
Using the mailing list provided by the Anchor Company itself as a major portion
of the survey mailing is a sure way to get a high percentage of favorable
responses.

When Consumer Reports does a study, you need to buy the magazine to get the
information. That's how they make their money. Every pay anything to see the
results of a JD Powers Survey? Ask yourself; "How do they make any money?"



I participated in a Powers survey on my Yamahfa F225. It was
straightforward and met generally accepted, legit survey standards.

There were several ways to respond to different parts of the survey, on
a 1-20 scale and on an excellent to poor scale.

I see a lot of these kind of surveys and I even write some from time to
time. You're way over the top on this Chuck.



Make that a 1-10 scale, not a 1-20 scale. Sheesh.

And thanks to all!!! so just to keep the record straight; again
Billgran has been caught spamming this NG with deceptive Ficht BS, as he
has from the beginning of this consumer funded disaster.

Don't buy Ficht no matter what new name they put on it!! from anyone,
not ever!!!!


K

"K Smith" wrote in message
...
snip

And thanks to all!!! so just to keep the record straight; again
Billgran has been caught spamming this NG with deceptive Ficht BS, as
he
has from the beginning of this consumer funded disaster.

Don't buy Ficht no matter what new name they put on it!! from anyone,
not ever!!!!


K

I always wondered if these surveys were like getting "voted Motor Trend
Car of the Year". :-)

Anyway they don't really address the issue with the DFI motors,
reliability. This is more an initial quality thing. And it shows that
most boat buyers are sort of clueless. The DFI motors have a lot of
very nice performance attributes. Lower gas and oil consumption,
although did merc ever figure out why some Optimaxes were sucking oil?
No smoke, nice smooth idle, start right up without having to know the
magic spell. The only negative aspect was weight to some extent, and
medium to long term reliability. Yes I know Ficht had a bad early life
failure rate, but incompetent management could screw up a concrete
block.

In a few years we will know if the Bombardier Ficht and ETech motors are
in fact reliable in normal service. Of course I wonder if there will
ever be 20 year old Fichts and Optimaxes buzzing around minnesota lakes
like there are 20 year old carb'd motors.

Or will 2 stroke outboards go the way of 2 stroke motorcycles. Killed
by zealous bureaucrats in the name of Sacred Gaia.

We shall see what we shall see.

del cecchi