? about tige and their direction

[OldSkier]

I think we shoud recognize what kind of web-forum this is....it's a Tige web forum. Kind of like we've been invited to a party by Tige folks (not the company, but Tige folks none-the-less). That means we owe respect to our hosts.

That means that although we should be able to "discuss" many things, we should steer clear of anything that appears to "slam" Tige, their boats or their marketing/sales strategy. If we own other boats, that's fine, but this is not the place to pick apart Tige.

having said that, we CAN ask very probing questions. Ask for clarification on "strategic direction", designs, etc etc. Why....? Because, as skiers/boarders, we're ALWAYS looking at ski/board boats. ALWAYS considering our "next" boat. Who knows when that boat owner will change companies, and go MC or CC or Malibu or Tige or Moomba etc ....or any of the great tow-boats.

However, Tige owners (and/or the company) should also be "open" to challenging questions. Not "dig their heels" in because they made a Tige decisions.

It's this "open" questioning and responding that drives the manufacturers to recognize what's important to their customers. They are businesses. They HAVE to be market driven,or they perish.

Conclusion: Challenging questioning and answers are ok, but respect for our "hosts".

From.... just another member on this site.

[aneal000]

OldSkier, I hope you are not suggesting that I am bashing Tige? I am asking a challenging question that so many of the owners cannot accurately answer due to the emotional ties of ownership. I respect this and every other forum out there. It is a great place for a wealth of information. If fact one of my first posts was to thank Matt Garcia for putting together a great site. I can respect your attempt to keep this site a positive site, however every product has issues and having a place to discuss those issues is awesome. Have you visited any of the other boat sites? You think they are all sugar coated "my boat is the best, if you don't like it leave" sites? No, they aren't. They allow, discuss, argue, point out, bring emotion, logic, reality, and hard facts into each discussion. Some people get bent out of shape, some people leave with a better understanding. I hope the best for this site and Tige as a manufacture.

I ask a few questions that are so blaentely obvious it's not funny. So far the answers to my questions have been weak at best:

"Stuff failes, that's the whole point of life. Tige is trying something new, it's not working. Accept it."

Think about the people that support that type of thinking! Maybe Tige should use that as their company motto. Anyone ever heard the cliche, something like... failure to plan is planning to fail, switch that around and it still works... planning to fail is failure to plan. Yeah stuff fails, everyone knows that, but you should not have to accept it from any manufacture.

[Banks]

thanks old skier

I agree with you old skier, and i also think that we get enough flok from everyone else. I would hope that those on this site owning a Tige' would realize this is our one place where we are the top dogs and it's our boat that is the best. If you don't like Tige' and their ways don't support them and don't buy a boat. I love my Tige' and the company, and it's my dream boat and nothing will change that. So if all you want to do is bash Tige' you need to know exactly what you are talking about, it is very clear you that you base your arguments on no research. So get yourself a different kind of boat and go to a new website where that sort of thing is accepted, because the people there don't know anything about Tige' either. And, if it was such a terrible boat people wouldn't talk so much trash about it. People like to talk trash about things they uneducated about, or things that they are jealous of.
Take your pick.
http://hometown.aol.com/bankshf

[Banks]

comment on tige' failing

Obviously it is working and not failing since
"TIGÉ CONFIRMS 2003 ITS BEST RETAIL YEAR EVER"
read the article if you like
its also on Tige'.com at the website under news

"ABILENE, TEXAS-Oct. 2, 2003- Tigé Boats, Inc. has reported a three-percent increase in market share since last year, while sustaining a 10 percent increase in retail registration returns since 2000, when sales last set a Tigé record. Out of the seven top manufacturing watersport boat companies, Tigé has maintained the second largest market share gain of 2003.

"When we combine national retail registration numbers from all states, our export business and our Australian Manufacturing facility, Tigé's total annual sales for 2003 clearly put us in the top five watersport manufacturers," said Vice President of Sales and Marketing Brett Thurley. "We already know that 2003 is a record sales year from a retail standpoint and we are projecting $26 million in wholesale for this calendar year."

Since the 2004 Tigé line was launched in August, the Tigé dealer network has virtually no 2003 product remaining on dealers' lots. This is a direct reflection of retail sales being at an all-time high and an indication as to why Tigé was able to secure a record number of winter orders at the 2004 Tigé Dealer Meeting.

"The record retail sales plus our low field inventory means a very healthy dealer network across the board," Thurley explained. "Also, we are very excited about our new dealers who have been added to our network for 2004. They are all premium dealers,"

Tigé credits their success to the expansion of their dealer network, their LifePlus Warranty and the superior performance of their ConvexV continuous rocker hull which was introduced with their 2003 Tigé line. The revolutionary hull design is known for its watersport versatility, superior boarding and skiing wake characteristics and helping Tigé become the world's premier wakesurfing boat.

For 2004, Tigé has engineered all of their models with the ConvexV hull and TAPS² wake adjustment system, along with the breakthrough all-composite LifePlus Core construction process. In Addition, Tigé has introduced their value-driven Switch Series.

Since its conception in 1991, Tigé Boats, Inc. has revolutionized the family towboat industry and continues to be dedicated to engineering versatile watersport boats of the finest quality with a family-oriented design. Tigé strives to maximize inboard versatility, while using innovative technology to improve overall watersport performance. Tigé is headquartered in Abilene, Texas, and their website can be found at www.tige.com."

[jeffro]

aneal000

it seems like most of your questions have been answered, what is it that has not been answered? or that you feel has not been answered?

please explain, after re-reading your first post, i'm not really sure what you don't understand or did not get a logical answer to. I'd like to try and help out here.

[aneal000]

Calm down Banks... No one is saying Tige is not one of the top manufactures. No one is arguing that.

You also say that to come and bash Tige you better have your facts straight? Please show me where anyone is bashing the company or the boats? I have been asking about their stratagies? Questioning the logic of what they have put in print. No bashing, just questioning. I would think that a group of Tige owners would want to go out of their way to help explain to a new potential buyer what they are doing, or why they are doing something. Last time I checked a discussion board was just that, a board open for discussion. Why is it that anyone has to have their facts staright? I have come to you guys for the answers, not to put down the product!

[malibu3]

Aneal has some very valid points with the confusion in advertising from Tige. I like the ad they had with people fishing off the Tige, is it a fishing boat or a wakeboard boat. Next thing you know Bass Pro Shop will be dropping Tracker for the new improved Tige (WITH NO WOOD) HOORAY! I echo comments made by aneal and I believe he is trying to open discussion.

Last year at the boat show the Tige represenative told me how much wood was better than all fiberglass boats but guess what? They finally caught up. Bottom Line guys Tige does have a nice boat if competing with a Moomba but can not hold a candle to the BIG THREE. Malibu, Nautiqe and Mastercraft.

Just my .02, leave it lay if you must!

MALIBU3

[Banks]

.

look if you really want to know Tige' go to their site read all you can and call up a dealer and ask for a video on Tige' it will answer most questions.

[BC06]

a) on THIS site, has a malibu/CC/MC, criticizing Tige: insecure

b) on THIS site, doesn't own a boat, criticizing Tige: poser


both types: I would rather you go blurt your propaganda on another site, nobody here cares; we've already made our decision (note the address here). The other sheep are waiting for you at wakeworld.com. Have a nice day.

[Jeff]

aneal000, malibu3:

As I am sure Tige appreciates your insight on what in your opinion is bad marketing. I am sure that the both of you would not just post what you feel is bad with Tige’s marketing but both probably have college degrees in marketing, and were just getting around to suggesting how you would change it to make it easier for all to understand. Lets do be different and keep this a positive forum!! As a Tige dealer we feel that Tige’s marketing has come leaps and bounds from five years ago and are excited about what new things Tige has going on (Taps 2, convex V hull, Penske Extreme coring ). In regards to the kids fishing off the side of the boat, it was not the intent of Tige to market a boat for fishing, but Tige’s have always been a boat that is very appealing for the family, with wider boats and deeper boats, and as families sometimes have kids, and some of these kids are not always wanting to just wakeboard, ski or tube.

By the way it was kids fishing not Jimmy Houston in a Bass tournament.

Patiently awaiting your positive suggestions for future marketing.

Jeff

[malibu3]

I do not mean to make my comments negative and I did not say Tige made a bad boat. Here is what I am trying to imply:
You want people to see your boat as being a leader in the wakeboarding industry but ads with people fishing?
As a watersport enthusiast no matter what your discipline you want what the pros use, right? Example the incredible wakes of a tournament slalom boat, so you buy that boat to experience those incredible wakes that the pros are slicing through on the tournament on your TV.
With Wakeboarding it is much the same. You by a boat because that is what the pros ride behind Tige "Official TowBoat of the U.S. Open Wakeboard Championships". But in order to experience the wake that they are riding you have to add ballast, but the marketing says do not add ballast. Are you telling me your team riders are taking their tricks big without ballast? No of Course not. Why do I want a Pro Level Wakeboard boat? U guessed it because I want to take my tricks big!

I have no problem with the product but the marketing strategy is terrible. Do I have a degree as a marketing anaylyst? NO! But u know what I am, I am a consumer! I am the person the company has to convince. The people that are buying the boats!

Malibu3

[Banks]

Any good rider will tell you that no matter what the boat tricks can be done. I guess you have never seen the seadoo com where pros are thowing all their big tricks behind a jetski.
Heck man i can throw everything i have behind a jetski except a front flip. I learned how to do a backroll behind a jon boat. don't tell me crap like you have to have ballast to cut inverts, its not the truth and you know it. and wanna know what i throw check out my web site. and by the way all my pics are from riding behind a 1996 four winns before i got my Tige' this December, and there was not ballast in that boat or fat sacs, just plane boat. not to mention Tige' isn't only trying to sell to the wakeboard market. there is more money to be made selling to a larger part of the market than just a small part.
http://hometown.aol.com/bankshf

[aneal000]

Jeff, thanks for your somewhat sincere response. I can't speak for the malibu3 character but I can say that I do not hold a marketing degree. I am merely a watersports enthuisest that has been around the industry for years and have had the opportunity to use a lot of the products that have been put to market. I'm always willing to freely share my experiences with the industry on any internet site, so long as my input is appreciated. I felt strongly that Tige was confusing the customers with their marketing, saying one thing and then the opposite. It dosen't take a marketing major to see that. I came to this site to see if anyone esle shared the same feelings? But everyone here immediatly jumped on the defense and thought I was bashing the product. Put your defenses down for a second and see what they are doing. If any of you were to actually read what I am saying, it should be quite clear what my suggestions would be. I would think every owner would want their boat company to become stronger and gain an even larger market share, not just tell people off because they question something Tige has done.

[malibu3]

Banks,
I am not arguing with you on whether or not you "can" throw tricks. My point is that if I am dropping the cash for a "Pro" Level wakeboard boat i want it to throw out some big wakes. If I am only buying a Jon boat I do not expect big wakes, I expect to make the best of what I have.

You guys are a little to sensitive. This is a discussion forum and not everything about any company can be completely positive. I can find fault with any of the boat manufactures that you guys care to discuss!

Anyway, Congrats Tige on opening up a way to learn about what your consumers want. Unless everyone here just blows sunshine up your ___ all day!

Anyway
Nice to meet everyone, I am done ranting now!
Malibu3

[aneal000]

Hey banks, you are taking this awfuly personal. I don't think anyone cares about your personal level of wakeboarding in this thread? I'm not going around flaunting my abilities, other than to say I have been around. You stated in another thread on this site that you haven't even rode behind any other wakeboard boats. You lose a lot of credit right there in my mind as a "source of information". What are you making your comparisons to? A jet boat? A seedoo? A john boat? An old I/O? Sounds like what everyone is interested in, since that is right up there in the runnings for my next boat purchase! Sure, any good wakeboarder will say they don't NEED a big wake. But last time I checked everyone sure did WANT one!