BAJ issue 50 6.indd - Malcolm Steward

NEWS
8
non-enthusiast’s wish lists that it might as well not
exist. Back then, our industry’s only real competition
was the house and the car. Now it is everything from
foreign holidays to iPods and cappuccino machines.
What have we done in the past to keep hi-fi high on
the list? Nothing. What are we doing now? Nothing.
All we have done is to treat each other in the
industry as a competitor and the ‘enemy’ instead of
working together to overcome the industry’s real
competitors. Are we all completely stupid or what?
As an industry we do nothing to promote it, and
individually, we do everything to undermine it. As
manufacturers, we promote price and functionality
over performance. As retailers, we give cash
discounts instead of good service, hold little stock
and treat customers with contempt and arrogance.
As magazines we talk exclusive jargon and give only
comparative reviews with no reference standard. We
run small, annoyingly competitive exhibitions with low
attendances when we should have one, all-industry big
blockbuster show at the NEC. We have allowed hi-fi to
become just another commodity.
What kind of shambles are we? No wonder we
are now a ridiculed minority; a niche, hobbyist and
snobbish elite. Are we completely stupid or what? Do
we have a death wish? With the sales of hi-fi separates
down 50 per cent in the last two years, the writing is
no longer ‘on the wall’, it’s on our P45s. Are we going
to wake up to anything, never mind the coffee? Are we
going to wake up?
Chris Tuck Joins Eclipse
ECLIPSE UK HAS ANNOUNCED THE APPOINTMENT
OF CHRIS TUCK AS UK SALES MANAGER FOR THE
ECLIPSE TIME DOMAIN RANGE OF LOUDSPEAKERS AND
AMPLIFIED DESKTOP SYSTEMS.
I’m not ranting. I’m sending out an SOS. Is there
anybody out there listening? I hope so because this is
our Last Chance Texaco.
Can we stop fighting each other long enough to
see the outside threat and do something about it? Can
we work together towards a common objective? Can
we see that we are in the same boat and need to row
together?
On a positive note, we’ve taken the first step. We’ve
noticed that sales are down and we’re standing around
moaning about it at every hi-fi get-together, on the
phone and in e-mails. Excellent!
The next step is to put our house in order. Let’s deal
with all the failings I have identified:
• Deliver on the promise: improve the sound of
everything we make; improve the sound of every
demonstration we do.
• Improve the service we deliver at every opportunity.
Be professional in every aspect of our businesses.
Stop talking down to our customers.
• Write about hi-fi in language that non-buffs can
understand. Write honest, meaningful reviews and
rate performance to references.
Then we can market the industry effectively and turn
this impending shipwreck around. Can we do it alone
or do we need The Man with the Star* to make it
happen? (*You do remember Rickie Lee Jones?)
Russ Andrews
Tuck, who has spearheaded the KEF Reference
operation for the last three years, is widely
respected as probably the best high-end
loudspeaker salesman in the UK industry and is one of
the few who has a comprehensive knowledge of both
the field and of the product he sells. He also has wide
expertise in the custom install market and has set up a
number of successful product training programmes.
Before joining KEF, Tuck worked in senior positions
in retail and was part of the Management team in the
Bristol Habitat store.
Hideto Watanabe, the General Manager at Eclipse
UK commented: “We’ve had great sales success in
some channels, but the UK specialist retailer is hard
to crack, even with Five Star reviews and attractive
unique products. With Chris’ help we plan wider but
tightly controlled distribution in the UK and an increase
in our overall sales.” Tuck observed: “Eclipse products
are like no other and should be looked at by retailers
as additional business, not just another speaker. I am
certain that once I convince the UK’s better dealers and
installers to listen and then look at the business model,
they will bite.”
The BAJ ISSUE 50 | 2008