Ducati John Is Now Know As " Cellier B V T Workshop"

With all this corporate bollocks looming perhaps we should just buy Hondas as - apparently - they don't go wrong and we wouldn't need a forum affiliated to any particular manufacturer to fix common issues.....

 

I think you'll find it's quite tame by some standards

 

Except that it's not "corporate bollocks" as I've been trying to explain; it's brand protection.
You don't get to be one of the top brands in the world by letting people trash your brand image.

 

Agree, I'm just being facetious in a bah-humbug sort of way. Be a shame if the forum was forced to change title but I'm sure we'd come up with something suitable - tame arsehole forum perhaps?

 

Yes, that's what I meant

 

'LorV Twin Tech Independant (but not Guzzi or Harley or KTM)'

 

Forums are a bit like feedback on Amazon and ebay. As a business you can have 1m happy customers but just one who trashes you all over the internet.

 

and ain't that just the way for human nature, life in general Paddy?

 

I had a guy in spain after a new ECU unit for his monster on ebay.
sent him the new one, he sent back the old broken one claiming it was the one i sent him.
I was forced by ebay to refund him and i lost my new ECU unit.
I have never sold anything on ebay since and i got negative feedback for that. It did however make me start my own website where i have control of my business unlike handing control to Ebay, so some good came of it

 

Quite true, there is a "premium brand " image to uphold and maintain but in what way has John put this at risk?
By providing a virtually unbeatable level of workshop service to hundreds of Ducati owners and in so doing has without doubt maintained the brand loyalty of a great number of those owners.
Of course he may have caused some embarrassment to the odd official workshop over the years who have not performed to the same high standards. Never used him myself as he is a longggggg way away from me but I do regard him as an important part of the Ducati community along with companies like Louigi Moto, without them many people would be on other brands of bikes and Ducati would be losing out.
As a last thought, is there not some obscure piece of European legislation which entitles a person to earn a living by legitimate means? Sure somebody on here will know the answer to that question.

 

As an alternative question, why is he not an official service centre?

(note: this is not calling into question the ability or service of anyone, just engaging in debate...)

 

Yes there is, and we have the EU to thank for the right to use an independent workshop and yet still keep a valid warranty on a vehicle.

BUT

The question of using another company's Intellectual Property from which to make money falls under copyright.
In this specific case, "Ducati John" is still able to work and earn a living in exactly the same way regardless of his business name, therefore it would not have any legitimacy as a claim.
The use of the word "Ducati" implies some kind of official connection, of which there is none.

 

Showroom costs would bankrupt him

 

Agreed, but the Germans (VAG) have a habit of requiring service personnel/centres to have showrooms and stock before endorsing the centre - this is the case with white goods (for instance) and the likes of Siemens v's Italian owned brands who are happier to endorse lone 'engineers'
I'm sure there would be a way around it to be officially endorsed but it would likely involve some amount of investment which may not be suitable or available to the service formerly known as Ducati John - as well as checking the area isn't too populated with existing service centres

 

Thank you, EU! Givin' us stuff!

 

I thought Ducati were not having any more Service Centres - only dealers, so that would stop him but I would imagine you know that

 

Yes, we can't do stuff without them as we need their guidance as they are super

 

*swoon*

And all out of the goodness of their hearts! No ulterior motives or nuffin'!