FESLER, SEMA and making parts. Sorry for the long post - Lateral-g Forums

fesler · #1 11-13-2008, 05:17 AM

Sorry to all that FESLER has offended and for the long post.

I have heard a few rumors about how people were treated at SEMA and let me be the first to tell you that we in no way meant to offend anyone or treat anyone like they were not welcome in our booth. Please understand that when we are at a show for 7 days we get tired, people get cranky and it should never come off to anyone who steps in our booth at a show that we attend.

With that being said some people are stating that they have a problem with the way they were treated because they may not have had a buyer’s badge. Please understand that it was no way intended towards anyone person and it should not happen but if it does we apologize for it and would hope that you would tell the people in charge instead of running your mouth on a board to try and start stuff.

We had over 1000 dealer inquires and imagine how many people that is to try and talk to in 4 days at SEMA. Does it make it right absolutely not so again if anyone that was at SEMA or any other show for that matter feels that they were treated bad they should tell us so that we can fix that. I would also hope that people understand that we are very busy at shows working the booths, dealing with cars and running around taking care of things. We are people and we all have good and bad days.

SEMA cost a ton of money and we are there for one reason to get dealers and that’s it, everyone wants to take time up asking about this and that but at the end of the day SEMA is not the place for that its about getting new products out and getting dealers. To the guys that just want to shoot the S%$T we love to do that just not at the largest dealer show of the year. We have over $50,000 invested in just SEMA and that does not include the hotels for 7 guys for 7 days or for the cost of getting to the show. So as you can see we are all in a mind set to sell sell sell. Ask the others that attend Marquez, DSE or Airride and they will all tell you the same thing. If we can’t go to this show to get dealers there is no reason for us to be there it’s a waist of money.

So again we never meant to offend anyone at the show, if we did not give you the proper attention I AM SORRY and that should not happen. We try to spend as much time as we can with each person but when 50 people hit the booth at once and there is only 3 people working its impossible to help everyone in a short show. We try to do our best but obviously we did not at this show. If you would like to talk about a part or something we did my PM is open and I will personally respond to you.

I also know there are a few guys just trying to start some stuff with everything that went on at SEMA this year. So no matter what we do they will post what they want and we can’t stop that so keep in mind that everything you read on this site is not always true or to the point just people moving air around. Many of you know we have some people out there that don’t like us and there is not much we can do about that. What’s done is done but if there is anything we can do to fix something we will be man enough to try.

I would like to set the record straight on some things. We manufacture parts, we sell parts and we do a heck of a job marketing parts. Some of the competition just wants to say we steal everything out there well you guys can be the judge on that. No matter what I do some parts will cross over because you guys are asking me for them. If you cant get them from the currant manufactures and keep asking me to build something I am going to build it, we will redesign it and make it better. There are only so many ways you can build something and only one way all of these parts will fit the car so when someone out there says they took my part and copied it well think about this who did they copy it from. We are making cool parts that were designed 40-50 years ago and we are making them better. None of us designed the hood hinge, tail light, fender brace, door jam vent or striker they have all been done for years; we are just making them better with a cool design to them or different look to them.

If you guys were getting the parts you were asking for I would not be in the parts business because there would be no need for me to do it. We designed a few parts and went to the competition about some private label work and they were not interested because they stated that those cars will not sell, keep in mind we already had it designed and ready to make. So we started to make parts and as you can see we have more applications than all of them. I have tried over and over to work with the competition and they just push us away, I try to work with them so we don’t have the same stuff but they refuse us to carry their products or buy their products so that only leaves me one choice start building my own. Remember I build the part for a car in my shop before I ever think about selling it but now that I make parts I think of all the stuff that you guys need and want.

So we are building parts for all cars not just a few, I have so many designs on paper for all the cars in our shop and right now that is 18 cars so as you can see that is a lot of parts coming out. Someone else might be making them or trying to design them as well and that is good because some people like one part over another so competition is good, creativity is good and having stuff sitting on the shelve ready to ship out is great.

I am not going to stop making parts in fact we are gearing up to make more. We have two full time machines right now prototyping parts and we are just now buying another one to make more. Yes we do everything in house from design to manufacture its all under the FESLER name so I guess that means I make stuff in house and not sub it out to someone else to make. I don’t have to wait for the machine to make a part and if I think of something that would be cool its on the machine for prototype with in the week. That is how you see so many new parts coming out from us and as you can see the competition is no where near us on producing parts.

Sorry for the long post and if you actually read it thanks for taking the time. I hope this clears some things up and not causes more problems.

rwhite692 · #2 11-13-2008, 08:00 AM

Geez...As an outside observer, and taking no position on any side one way or the other...seems like you guys can't attend anything (Sema, SMOTY) without some kind of conflict, and all kinds of on-line image-repair work going on after the fact. Wonder why that is?

fesler · #3 11-13-2008, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwhite692

Geez...As an outside observer, and taking no position on any side one way or the other...seems like you guys can't attend anything (Sema, SMOTY) without some kind of conflict, and all kinds of on-line image-repair work going on after the fact. Wonder why that is?

So do I, it must be because we are a threat to the competition and they are worried about it. If you know us we dont look for anything and we dont talk crap but if someone has an issue we dont back down either. You can not survive in business if you do. Maybe one day people will get over it if not its not a big deal because the majority of people that start stuff with us wont sign their name to it. As you can see in all my post I put my name on anything I say not affraid for anyone to know whats going on.

sniper · #4 11-13-2008, 08:55 AM

Remember; it's not what people call you, it's what you answer to.

Having said that, it sounds like arrogance is starting to set in. You guys can be the best in the world at whatever you do, but if people can't stand you, how far do you think you'll go?

As far as the "buyers" badge, I'll tell you this, I was there and had an exhibitors badge but am a buyer. So why you would pigeon hole anyone by their badge is a little dense.

Lastly, you employees manning the booth are an extension of YOU. Sounds like you may need to gain some control of them, and stop worrying about what anyone is saying about your company.

JamesJ · #5 11-13-2008, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fesler

So do I, it must be because we are a threat to the competition and they are worried about it. If you know us we dont look for anything and we dont talk crap but if someone has an issue we dont back down either. You can not survive in business if you do. Maybe one day people will get over it if not its not a big deal because the majority of people that start stuff with us wont sign their name to it. As you can see in all my post I put my name on anything I say not affraid for anyone to know whats going on.

I dont think that is it. I may not be up to date but I, and the rest of the general public have no idea what you are talking about. So all I see is you starting a new thread about some issue that I dont know anything about.

And any normal person should know that SEMA is just what you said, its a place to get dealers, not sell parts to one person and if they get mad who cares there are the selfish ones. NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC for a reason and most people in the booths dont know much anyways!

mosconiac · #6 11-13-2008, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesJ

...I may not be up to date but I, and the rest of the general public have no idea what you are talking about. So all I see is you starting a new thread about some issue that I dont know anything about...

Part of learning how to do business is learning how to handle PR. That is why there are professional PR firms in every form of business. Rule#1 is that it's always a VERY bad idea to spread your dirty laundry in front of the masses. The vast majority of those that see the dirty laundry have no idea why they are seeing it. This makes them wonder what else is going on behind the scenes...your image is tarnished just that quickly. For a fledgling company, this is akin to cutting your own throat. The hope that an open appolgy makes you look honest/real/genuine is a fallacy.

My humble recommendation to the OP would be to delete this thread and try to do better next time when in the spotlight (SEMA). Those that were offended will probably never see this thread anyway...and apparently were not the intended target of the show.

Bowtieracing · #7 11-13-2008, 09:15 AM

I can see Chris point of sema clearly. While i am working i am not taking my friends phone calls at all. There is allway another time for BS with friends.

#8 11-13-2008, 09:43 AM

i dont get this whole "stealing of ideas" stuff people talk about, do these people not have toothbrushes, windows,door handles,electronics, toasters,light sockets, bulbs, aka everything they own is pretty much a "copy" of someones idea if you want to call it that, unless we want monopolies its called competition,and every other industry has it, the custom car market isnt any different.thats my opinion and im sorry if offends anyone.

rwhite692 · #9 11-13-2008, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fesler

So do I, it must be because we are a threat to the competition and they are worried about it. If you know us we dont look for anything and we dont talk crap but if someone has an issue we dont back down either. You can not survive in business if you do. Maybe one day people will get over it if not its not a big deal because the majority of people that start stuff with us wont sign their name to it. As you can see in all my post I put my name on anything I say not affraid for anyone to know whats going on.

I think that a common pair of characteristics that are shared by the companies/people who do the best job in the aftermarket, is

A) being humble and
B) what I'd call "let the product do <most of> the talking"

fesler · #10 11-13-2008, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwhite692

Geez...As an outside observer, and taking no position on any side one way or the other...seems like you guys can't attend anything (Sema, SMOTY) without some kind of conflict, and all kinds of on-line image-repair work going on after the fact. Wonder why that is?

Because people hate us and want to start things. I try to just stay out of it but can only do so much. I dont just sit back and let people rip me up.