So that there are no misunderstandings - I no longer own
Vortex or the patent - so this is an entirely hypothetical scenario. Skagit Northwest Holdings owns everything
Vortex now.
I would hire Evan Twede Advertising Agency to do all the advertising again
I would hire Adam to run the entire
Vortex sales division. I would pay him more than he could ever make otherwise and he could work from home and hire one other salesman of his choice. Who would that be Adam?
I would hire Jim Martin full time for tech support - and let him work from home - I would pay him more than he could ever make otherwise. I would allow him to hire one guy for back-up on a part time basis. Who would that be Jim?
I would hire Shawn Forsythe full time for manufacturing, design and engineering - and let him work from home - I would pay him more than he could ever make otherwise
I would hire Jim and Gary Bethel as consultants and pay them whatever the hell they asked for
I would relaunch the
Vortex online communication center and track every screw that comes loose and pay V owners for suggestion box contributions that were used - and quantify that information and make it available to the focus group for the semi-annual Costa Rica trips
I would form a focus group of 5
Vortex superstars and hire them on a consulting basis for a week every six months in Costa Rica. We would discuss every screw that came loose and review the
Vortex owner suggestion box. They could buy and sell V's just like a dealer at a huge discount. Howard Stern would not be on the list because he's inept at understanding technology.
I would launch the
Vortex 4000si - (It was supposed to be released in November of 2007 - I don't know what happened either.)
I would dismiss all the dealers and start over... Hiring them one at a time after they know how to sell and work on a V. They would have to pass a very difficult online testing procedure to get a V dealership. When all was said and done there would be less than 10 dealers nationwide and they would be the best dealers in the country
I would maintain control of the final decisions on engineering and design and not hand it off to anyone else. Ever again. I would have a contract manufacturing relationship - where the manufacturer was paid to build the machine to my specifications
I would stop advertising a carpet cleaning machine in carpet cleaning rags - and start selling complete turn-key business packages in Entrepreneur Mag
I would keep the price around $85k (if I can). Every V would be delivered to the custy's doorstep with 8 hours of SOMTT training and a guarantee that if we can't fix it via phone that we will put someone on a plane within 48 hours. There would be no shipping costs for any parts during the first year - with a 3 year "bumper to blower warranty". That's original material. Don't even try to copy it.
I would give any
Vortex owner their money back after 60 days if they feel is wasn't worth it
I would keep the 8000Q very close to it's current design except I would change the layout a little bit and the aesthetics - and I would re-route the Xentherm system to the blower exhaust instead of water. I would change the fans on the blower box to 5 times the current size. I LOVE the 8000Q.
The phones will always be answered live - never an answering machine
I have some ideas at who I will pay to sleep the floors at night but I'll keep them to myself for now - and I'm sure I'll be adding to the list. I know I've forgotten something.
