Hello Everyone - I just had the opportunity to view the SR-20 the other day at a local San Francisco airport. I agree, the aircraft is great. I was taken back by the Regional Sales Manager attitude telling me that he was too buisy to meet with me. I am a CFI at one of the local clubs, have a student who is quite wealthy and wanted to take a real hard look at the a/c. My student was very excited and wanted my opinion. I called the District Rep and using his words, “I don’t mean to blow you off but I really buisy.” This was after I informed him that I was a CFI. Not an impressive representive of Cirrus. Mr. CEO, your Regional Sales Manager just “blew off” two aircraft sales. Sometimes CFI’s can pay cash also. May I suggest that with a waiting list of 500 aircraft has made your sales staff just a little snooty.
Sincerely yours
Charles Bubniak
I called the District Rep and using his words, “I don’t mean to blow you off but I really buisy.” This was after I informed him that I was a CFI. Not an impressive representive of Cirrus. Mr. CEO, your Regional Sales Manager just “blew off” two aircraft sales. Sometimes CFI’s can pay cash also. May I suggest that with a waiting list of 500 aircraft has made your sales staff just a little snooty.
This may seem a little harsh, and I understand your frustration. However, Cirrus is inundated with more requests for flights and information than they can process. People who have put down hard cash ($15,000) over two years ago are still waiting for demo flights.
With limited resources of time and airplanes, Cirrus is being put in the difficult position of seperating the people who are serious to the kick the tire types. (I think their called “Be-Backs” as in, I’ll ‘be back’ with a check yet never show…)
Unfortunately there is no scientific way to do this and the risk is that Cirrus will offend some potential buyers. However, its been my experience that the ones who protest too much weren’t really serious to begin with.
So put up your $15,000 and arrange for a test flight. You can make your decision dependant on that flight and if you are not happy (an unlikely occurance), then you will get your $15,000 back cheerfully.
So until you put your money down, don’t whine about unfair tratment by Cirrus. There are 500 serious people ahead of you that are getting, and rightly so, Cirrus’ attention.
Mark
Charles,
I was very interested in the but really wanted a ride before plunking down the $15K. Couldn’t schedule a demo for love nor money. Even visited Duluth and couldn’t get a demo ride.
At Oshkosh '98 I hung around at the Appleton airport until dusk, and as Bruce Gunther came back in from his last demo ride of the day, exhausted and starved, I managed to coax him into the air one more time. Put down my deposit one week later.
If you and your student are really interested, keep after it and thicken up your skin a bit. It is not personal. Good luck…
No one (especially in sales) should ever use that kind of language. However I had a very different experience. In early June I called the factory in Duluth and asked for a tour on a week’s notice. I said that I was interested but not an immediate prospect, and I didn’t need a demo flight. They happily gave me a hour’s tour, answered many questions, and gave me a demo flight anyway. They won me over, and I made my deposit (#674). So I hope you don’t let one bad experience sour you on an lot of very considerate people. If you possibly can, hitch a ride to Duluth and tour the factory. It’s a good investment.
Hello Everyone - I just had the opportunity to view the SR-20 the other day at a local San Francisco airport. I agree, the aircraft is great. I was taken back by the Regional Sales Manager attitude telling me that he was too buisy to meet with me. I am a CFI at one of the local clubs, have a student who is quite wealthy and wanted to take a real hard look at the a/c. My student was very excited and wanted my opinion. I called the District Rep and using his words, “I don’t mean to blow you off but I really buisy.” This was after I informed him that I was a CFI. Not an impressive representive of Cirrus. Mr. CEO, your Regional Sales Manager just “blew off” two aircraft sales. Sometimes CFI’s can pay cash also. May I suggest that with a waiting list of 500 aircraft has made your sales staff just a little snooty.
Sincerely yours
Charles Bubniak
Dear Charles,
Here is a suggestion – Post a message on this board saying where you are and that you would love a chance to arrange a demo flight with AN ALREADY HAPPY OWNER. This may be out of line for me, a non-owner, to suggest but my experience so far with pilots who have a cirrus is that there are several of them who, when the opportunity presents itself, are happy to take someone up for a quick spin. And what better way to get a real evaluation?!
While I understand this is not a direct answer to what happened to you, it is a solution, and based on the enthusiasm of the pilots on this board, one that I think might catch on.
It would certainly be a great way to build up the SR-20 Owners society…
Respectfully,
Dean G
I don’t think quote “This may seem a little harsh”
In the business of customer service you have to service the customer. We are never too busy… You may have to get in line but you should have been greeted with a smile and courtesy. I am an investor and future owner. The company will have to take care of everyone like there are the only customer, it is not an easy thing to do especially when you have a hot product. I thank you for bringing this up to someones attention and hope that you and your student will call back.
This is a great airplane, great people but we all have our bad days, I hope this is what happen to your sales rep. Bruce Gunter will soon be in charge of all reps and thinks will get much better. Have a great Cirrus day.
Woor
I called the District Rep and using his words, “I don’t mean to blow you off but I really buisy.” This was after I informed him that I was a CFI. Not an impressive representive of Cirrus. Mr. CEO, your Regional Sales Manager just “blew off” two aircraft sales. Sometimes CFI’s can pay cash also. May I suggest that with a waiting list of 500 aircraft has made your sales staff just a little snooty.
This may seem a little harsh, and I understand your frustration. However, Cirrus is inundated with more requests for flights and information than they can process. People who have put down hard cash ($15,000) over two years ago are still waiting for demo flights.
With limited resources of time and airplanes, Cirrus is being put in the difficult position of seperating the people who are serious to the kick the tire types. (I think their called “Be-Backs” as in, I’ll ‘be back’ with a check yet never show…)
Unfortunately there is no scientific way to do this and the risk is that Cirrus will offend some potential buyers. However, its been my experience that the ones who protest too much weren’t really serious to begin with.
So put up your $15,000 and arrange for a test flight. You can make your decision dependant on that flight and if you are not happy (an unlikely occurance), then you will get your $15,000 back cheerfully.
So until you put your money down, don’t whine about unfair tratment by Cirrus. There are 500 serious people ahead of you that are getting, and rightly so, Cirrus’ attention.
Mark