Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/10/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Dear Erwin, I truly admire the work that you do with lenses. You are one of the few, if not the formost authorities on Leica lens in the world. I came to that conclusion after reading you work and your posts to the LUG for years. You should be very proud of what you have done. I too am proud of what I do, and I would appreciate if you would judge my work in the same way I judge yours. The following is your post of 10 October. I will make my comments in the body of it: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> From: Erwin Puts <imxputs@knoware.nl> Someone (Bill Erfurth) noted in part: >I truly believe that it is time for Herr Cohn to quit >sitting on his hands (that is the nice way of putting >it) and get an M7 to market before the Konica people >do. Herr Cohn has no choice. If he lets the Japanese >get a foothold in the Range Finder market, they will >eat him alive. And someone (unknown) else noted, as a minuscule part of his postings: >All Leica needs to do is make money on its current products. If it does that, >it survives forever. Most of the time I were under the impression that the Leica list consisted of owners of Leica equipment, whose primary focus and expertise is the use of this photographic equipment for purposes of self-expression or reality-recording on film. Increasingly I have to assume this list is populated by management consultants, who as all consultants always do, will propose conflicting strategies and produce dense advisory reports of infinite wisdom, of naturally easy to implement for the poor management that cannot not see the truly obvious. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< As a Leica owner/user, private investor, and sometimes consultant, I feel qualified to comment on Leica's current problems...just as you are qualified to comment on Leica's lenses. I do short term consulting with the priimary purpose of "making things happen". I do not "propose conflicting strategies" nor do I write "dense advisory reports of infinite wisdom". If you want to hire someone to produce a 500 page report, you will have to go find someone else, I am not interested. If you want immediate results, I'm your man. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Erwin continure: Now a one-liner like: "All Leica needs to do is make money on its current products" is so obvious and true that I wonder why Mr Cohn never thought of that himself. Even the assembly of shareholders last week failed to see this brilliant strategy. The "Betriebsrat" (worker representative board) issued a long statement last week, how they see things working and developing. Again no one saw the obvious. How stupid of them. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Erwin, please note that the above is not my statement. And, I believe it is not accurate. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Erwin continues: Now for the other post. Is Mr Cohn sitting on his hands? Does he have no choice but to follow the advice, so astounding in its simplicity, to get an M7 on the market in three months time. And if he does not, then our guru predicts the loss of the rangefinder market to the Japanese. So let us combine both of these proposals. Bring out an M7 before the end of the year, make some money on it and you prosper forever. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Erwin, this is so uncharteristic of you. You have quoted me out of context, and added words that distory the meaning of what I wrote. I will stand totally by what I said! Herr Cohn is sitting on his hands (or some other part of his anatomy). Case in point: There have been NO NEW PRODUCTS brought to market since Herr Cohn has taken over. The only products that have come out are those that were "in the works" before Herr Cohn took over. After having researched the current situation at Leica, I believe that given the opportunity, I could have a new product on the dealer's shelves in 90 days. I know what the product is, how to produce it, and how it would be distributed. And, furthermore, if Herr cohn is willing to discuss it, I will put my money where my mouth is. If I can't have the product on the dealers shelves in 90 days, I don't get paid. Plus, I will only be paid on the basis of the number of units sold. (Make me prove it...they can't loose) And, as for the term "guru", I think that is totally uncalled for. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Erwin continues: The Japanese are beaten and they lived happily and had many children. (Sorry wrong line: this is the happy end of a fairy tale!) <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< I don't know where the hell you came up with the above. But here again it is not mine. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Erwin continues to rant: Then he goes on to note: "the lack of progress being made on sales, marketing and product development fronts". I assume Mr Erfurth has insider knowledge here. Again the shareholders did not comment on these issues. So the management board conceals vital info from the shareholders. Happily we have an outsider analist who knows it all. >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Erwin, let's take these things one at a time. Sales: R8 sales and to a lesser degree R lenses are in the dumper. Leica has big money tied up in dead inventory. That point is not argueable. M6TTL sales are far less then they had projected.(Do you wish to argue with that?) Marketing: Leica's marketing in general and in the US in particular is inexcuseably poor. Yes, there is somewhat of a marketing effort in Europe, but no where what it should be. They have a web site that they don't take advantage of, e-mail lists and postal mailing lists that they do not use. Product development: The lack of product development speeks for itself. Where is the new product for the Christmas season? Therefore, as I wrote, there is a "lack of progress" in all areas. This is not rocket science or insider information Erwin. Open your eyes and you mind and look at what is going on. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Erwin continues: The advice is again simple: >"The time has come for Leica's board of directors to hire someone who >make things happen." Well in three years time there is probably a vacancy, but then Leica is eaten, unless the advice is taken seriously. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Erwin, I stand by my statement. But, let me put it in a different way. You don't treat a hemorage with a bandaid. Herr Cohn has made the necessary cuts in the company's overhead. That was necessary. Now it is time (actually past time) for him to deal with the other side of the equation...Sales, Marketing, and Product Development. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> "Leica has the know-how and the technology to produce the product, the only thing they appear to be lacking is leadership". Again insider knowledge must be presumed here. But as the only thing needed is to produce an M7, why do we need leadership for? And now for the ominous future: "the Leica name <will be> bought by some large Japanese company who would prostitute the products, but that is exactly what is going to happen if Leica's board of directors does not that immediate and decisive action". Now this analist even knows what the malicious intentions are of that Japanese company. But we get more insightful advice >The wrtiting is on the wall. Leica must start immediately to make >more productive and efficient use >of their available resources, significantly increase their promotion >and sales, and get meaningful new >products to the market place. Leave out the name of Leica is this sentence and it applies to every company in the world and if a management consultant would produce a report with this type of absolutely meaningless stories, he might be sued for incompetence. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Erwin, I don't understand why you keep ranting and making the personal attacts. I don't expect you to understand what I do and how I do it, just as I do not understand the things you do. At no point in your post have you indicated anything that I have written was wrong and/or offered a constructive alternative. Talk is cheap. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Erwin continues: I would propose that anyone who thinks he can run the company better than Mr Cohn or has insider knowledge vital to the survival of the company contact Mr Friderichs, the chairman of the board. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Ok Erwin, it's time to put-up or shut-up. If you truly believe what you have written, why don't you e-mail or FAX a copy of my original post to Mr. Frederichs and a copy of what you have written above. I will stake my reputation on what I wrote...WILL YOU? If you don't still have a copy of my original post, please let me know and I will see that you get one. Kind regards, Bill Erfurth m6rf@yahoo.com __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? 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