KRModels announce a GT3 Model

[Bucoops]

3 minutes ago, Obsidian Quarry said:

Also by doing proper research.

Also by taking on board feedback, suggestions and constructive criticism without making out the community is attacking you.

Also by concentrating on the models that will sell and not fall into the fictional livery trap that ends with dead stock.

Also by actually communicating like Accurascale, Rapido, Revolution, etc do and not treating the community like the enemy but a resource.

 

And not sending bizarre rant-style marketing emails.

[Fair Oak Junction]

Ultimately no one wants a company to fail.

What we want are companies that care enough to take the time and effort to get things right in the first place and listen when help/constructive criticism is offered.

So far KR have been incredibly hit and miss on these points, for no discernibly good reason.

 

It also helps to have the humility as a company to put your hands up and say "Yes, we messed up. We'll rectify the problem and do better next time."

To their credit KR did this with a number of problems the first batch GT3 had, but then they just go and keep making glaring errors in other upcoming products.

Then when people point out those problems so they can be fixed before tooling starts, they block you from their social media.

 

I hope their upcoming products are good and do well. But it's hard to have confidence in them as a company.

Edited May 19, 2023 by Obsidian Quarry

[jjb1970]

Communication is one of those things where you need to do it right or keep it down, as doing it badly can cause all sorts of problems.

 

Looking at KR's style of communicating my advice would be to invest in a good website and limit e-mails and other interaction to calling attention to news on the website. Their communication skills are dire and are damaging their reputation.

 

Personally I don't like Rapido's style which I find a bit asinine, but they do what they do with communication extremely well whatever I think, and do have a connection and rapport with their customers. Personally I liked the Dennis Lovett style but that's just me.

 

KR reminds me of DJM, whenever he said anything my response was usually 'ffs, shut up, stop making yourself look a complete idiot and get something worth buying onto the shelves'.

[Legend]

I think J Spencer probably got it right in that this type of marketing approach maybe more US in style and suitable for them , rather than their UK customers . Again that just points to inexperience in dealing with this market.

 

It would be a shame if all this furore and poking of fun , which I have taken part in, puts them off the UK market entirely . I wouldn't think so because there is still money to be made here . As I've said before I blow hot and cold on KR Models . They haven't yet made anything I'm interested in , but that's not to say they might not in the future . I think rather than all this negativity  they need to be encouraged  . I look at the Shay, for instance , and think wow - none of the mainstream producers has made that , even though I personally don't want one  .Producing models like that's why they deserve to be cut a bit of slack . Yes they've shot themselves in the foot with this campaign - but haven't most of us also done something similarly embarrassing  when we look back? They are bringing to market items no one has previously done . I think the Fell may be a bit of an outlier or them , but the original GT3 was pretty well regarded -didn't it win model of the year? 

 

I know there are issues . People say they don't listen . On the other hand there are a few on here who are very vocal and do seem to get bogged down in dogma . All I'm saying is there are two sides to this . 

 

On what to make , their niche is somewhat unusual prototypes but which are attractive to enthusiasts . Not that I would call Leader or Fell at all attractive , but you know what I mean . Its a bit of the market they are exploiting . With the 4DD they are venturing into multiple units  and I do wonder if KR might be the best possibility for a Glasgow Blue Train . Pretty niche , obviously geographically limited , but an attractive unit in the same way as GT3, Leader and Fell were succesful in sales . And frankly as long as it looks like an AM3 Blue train I'd be happy even if they missed some detail - its still better than I could ever do  , so KR may be my best bet - which again I think is the reason to cut them a bit of slack .

 

This thread does seem to be developing into a bit of a Witch hunt 

Edited May 19, 2023 by Legend
repitition

[jjb1970]

I'm not sure I'd call their style American. I work for an American organization and interact with American organizations on a regular basis and find their communication skills to be very good, very professional. Even in the model space, I'm interested in North American models and while press releases and communications probably are more informal and familiar than we might find in Britain they're usually well done. As I say, personally I'm not a fan of the Rapido style but I respect them for their skill and the fact they do what they do very well with communications. 

[Roy Langridge]

3 hours ago, Obsidian Quarry said:

 

By actually communicating like Accurascale, Rapido, Revolution, etc do and not treating the community like the enemy but a resource.

 

And here the old adage of "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" comes to mind.

 

KR don't even need to go on an expensive marketing course, they just need to look at what their respected contemporaries are doing and mimic it. If I were KR, I would be looking at how Accurascale interact. Sure they have made mistakes, but they always recover the situation well and treat us valued customers / potential customers.

 

Roy

[The Stationmaster]

3 hours ago, Legend said:

They haven't yet made anything I'm interested in , but that's not to say they might not in the future . I think rather than all this negativity  they need to be encouraged  . I look at the Shay, for instance , and think wow - none of the mainstream producers has made that , even though I personally don't want one  .

I think Bachmann count as 'mainstream' - and they have doen a 3 truck Shay in HO in the past apart from their larger scale 2 truck model.  Producing an r-t-r Shay is nothing new it's just that they have never made much of their presence felt in the UK market.  Rivarossi have done another geared drive engine with drive shafts to the trucks  - their 2 truck Heisler,of and on for years although on the Heisler the cylinders are arranged in vee formation instead onf inline as they are in the Shay.

 

So Ho scale geared drive steam engines are nothing new from Mainstream manufacturers (plus of course numerous brass models and some kits over teh years in the USA.

[Michael Hodgson]

1 hour ago, The Stationmaster said:

Producing an r-t-r Shay is nothing new it's just that they have never made much of their presence felt in the UK market. 

 

Probably because there weren't many of the prototype that were used over here; same goes for Heisler and Climax locos

 

Roundhouse produced a HO Shay in kit form in 2- and 3-truck versions.  The drive was to the bogies, but there was a back-drive from the bogies to the cylinders.

 

I think Shays have been produced in a number of other scales but OO would be inapropriate other than for one that came to the UK

 

 

 

[MattR]

5 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

I'm not sure I'd call their style American. I work for an American organization and interact with American organizations on a regular basis and find their communication skills to be very good, very professional. 

 

As a real-live American with many years of work experience in communications, I heartily agree. These emails are total cringe and would be laughed at the same here as the U.K. The only American form of advertising it resembles are the old "$19.95!" TV ads that were cheesy back then and have always been seen so.

https://youtu.be/fcu3Eqr697A

[Barry O]

The GT3 was easy to do.. the data pack they received was very comprehensive. The bit that went pear shaped is the lights (and no one is even sure they were used that often ) BUT this need a bit of proper research.. which along with communications is a major problem for KR Models

 

The Hunslet BO BO should be Ok as, again they have had a lot of drawings etc made available.. so hopefully they get that right...

 

but that has gone quiet again...

 

The current email is of concern to those who may have paid deposits (or even full payments) for future models....

 

Baz

Edited May 22, 2023 by Barry O

[gpplumy]

2 hours ago, Barry O said:

The GT3was easy to do.. the data pack they received was very comprehensive. The bit that went pear shaped is the lights (and no one is even sure they were used that often  BUT this need a bit of proper research.. which along with communications is a major problem for KR Models

 

The Hunslet BO BO should be Ok as, again they have had a lot of drawings etc made available.. so hopefully they get that right...

 

but that has gone quiet again...

 

The current email is of concern to those who may have paid deposits (or even full payments) for future models....

 

Baz

The bo bo is delayed but im assured its on track, we have been involved with the design and livery work, and have been listened to on our input, of course something could always go wrong , but we have tried to keep them on  the right path

[Fair Oak Junction]

The whiff of desperation is becoming an overpowering stench!

 

[nightstar.train]

I wonder why on Earth they thought a bundle was the way to sell these? Obviously they have a couple of hundred in the fictional liveries to get rid of. But why bundle them instead of just a normal sale? I can’t imagine someone wanting both fictions liveries. And you’re not even getting a particular good discount with the bundles either, only 10%. To me it smacks of them having a looming bill they can’t pay so they’re desperately trying to shift some stock,  but can’t afford to discount it too heavily. I hope I’m wrong on that, but that’s how I see it. 

[big jim]

Hang on, it now say “in this livery” the previous email said they aren’t producing anymore GT3s?

After much consideration, we have made the difficult decision to conclude the production of our beloved GT3 model.

 

 

[JSpencer]

Fortunately this is the best of the 3 mails, so it seems they are improving 🙃.

 

14 minutes ago, big jim said:

Hang on, it now say “in this livery” the previous email said they aren’t producing anymore GT3s?

After much consideration, we have made the difficult decision to conclude the production of our beloved GT3 model.

 

 

 

Yeah, I've grown used to these sort of inconsistences. Taking it with a pinch of salt, I suspect it will be a while before demand builds up for another run and feel reasonably confident we will not see another run ever again. But never say never I suppose... 

[Bluebell Model Railway]

It certainly comes across as desperate, 3 emails, pushing, trying to throw in a good cause to make people part with cash... nice try, personally I would just like to see an update on a project I have money invested in.

[spamcan61]

I thought there was a seperate thread for " KR run their business all wrong" rather than use a thread that supposed to be about a specific model.... just sayin'

[cctransuk]

1 minute ago, spamcan61 said:

I thought there was a seperate thread for " KR run their business all wrong" rather than use a thread that supposed to be about a specific model.... just sayin'

 

This thread is about the KRM GT3 - recent posts have been about an 'over the top' sales campaign for that model; I fail to see how that is OT.

 

CJI.

[spamcan61]

16 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

This thread is about the KRM GT3 - recent posts have been about an 'over the top' sales campaign for that model; I fail to see how that is OT.

 

CJI.

Because it's about the OTT sales campaign and not the model.

[DavidH]

On 19/05/2023 at 08:52, JSpencer said:

Also are we now to be divided into believers and non-believers? Us vs Them?

 

It's been happening for years, and mostly with the willing connivance of the customer. And not just in model railways.

[cctransuk]

51 minutes ago, spamcan61 said:

Because it's about the OTT sales campaign and not the model.

 

But surely some out-of-touch modellers may have decided that they want the KRM GT3 - and would need to read this GT3 thread in order to learn of the OTT 'bargain' offer?

 

CJI.

[adb968008]

Did everyone who paid for the Fell get one in the end ?

[Colin_McLeod]

9 hours ago, adb968008 said:

Did everyone who paid for the Fell get one in the end ?

 

I can't speak for 'everyone' but I got the one I ordered.

[No Decorum]

1 hour ago, Colin_McLeod said:

 

I can't speak for 'everyone' but I got the one I ordered.

So did I but it’s a poor runner, poorly detailed and the lights are a mess. It’s the only model of the Fell I’m likely to be able to get but it is a disappointing model; much worse than the GT3.

[Watto1990]

Got mine, and it tore itself to pieces on the third time out of the box. Currently with KR for repair or replacement, but after those emails I have started to get the fear for it. Along with the 4DD and Leader I decided to pre-order.