Is Markham still in business

[IslandTractor]

I'm not a business man/woman but it seems strange that they would not want to use this forum to generate business. As I recall they generated quite a lot intrest in their products in here.

I don't know much about Markham Welding but I do know they are a small family business. Presumably they have not yet got their business plan developed to permit investment for the advertizing fees charged by TBN. Melissa used to communicate openly with potential customers via posts on TBN but was clearly told by TBN to cease and desist. There are ways that they can do that but they must fork over some cash to TBN first.

I've been a Markham customer and I like their products but I do think it is only fair that if they use TBN for commercial purposes that they pay their fair share. WRLong and ATI are both direct competitors and they both pay advertizing fees to TBN. At least one TBN active dealer (Rick Wallace) seems to have worked out some arrangement with TBN so that he is free to communicate with potential customers without incuring the wrath of Muhammad so there are ways to do it. Melissa has a TBN account so presumably she can PM members too.

I think realistically we are seeing the interface of a small family run business with a bunch of internet users on TBN who are used to instantanious responses. Not answering phone calls promptly is of course annoying but hardly evidence that someone is going out of business. Melissa may fall behind but at least she is not a computer generated voicemail system and she is very efficient when you do reach her.

I think this is a bit of a tempest in a teapot myself as Markham has always come through. They are a small custom/semicustom welding outfit not Amazon after all. However, it certainly would only benefit their business if they invested in advertizing here and took full direct advantage of this site. They have benefited greatly from word of mouth on TBN (or is it word of "post") but it does seem time for them to kick it up a notch.

 

[EddieWalker]

One of the problems with advertising is keeping up with demand. I looked at their grapples and thought they were very well built. I spoke to Melissa to see about buying one that me my needs, but she wasn't able to say if or when they could build what I wanted. No worries, I appreciated her honesty and found what I wanted at USA Attachments.

My impression what that Markham is just about at capacity and struggling to keep up with demand. More work always sounds good, but if you can't handle it, then you get angry customers who start to complain. One complaint will undo years of good service. Several complaints can be devastating.

I quit advertising for my business a few years ago. I'm booked up into July right now and have more bids going out. If I advertised, I'd be in over my head and not able to keep my clients happy. They are what keeps me in business and keeping them happy is more important then anything else. If things slow down, advertising is fairly cheap, easy and effective. It's also something that can work too good.

With all the free blogs out there, like google, it is curious that she doesn't start a daily update on everyones orders on one of those like she was doing for awhile here. I was very impressed with her updates and shipping information. It was why I contacted her about buying a grapple.

Eddie

 

[jmc]

At first, I thought that since TBN seems to be a goldmine for Markham, they were losing out by not advertising here. My current view is that they are meeting customers' needs so well that there is a constant buzz in the threads here, which is better than any advertisement, even if the ad were free. Their competitors must be envious. Anyone that comes here looking for grapple opinions is going to find their name with a unbiased recommendation to boot. Google makes it easy to track them down- no need for an ad just for that. Still, it does seem a little opportunistic of them. It's in all our interests that TBN prospers.

John

 

[Secret Squirrel]

At first, I thought that since TBN seems to be a goldmine for Markham, they were losing out by not advertising here. My current view is that they are meeting customers' needs so well that there is a constant buzz in the threads here, which is better than any advertisement, even if the ad were free. Their competitors must be envious. Anyone that comes here looking for grapple opinions is going to find their name with a unbiased recommendation to boot. Google makes it easy to track them down- no need for an ad just for that. Still, it does seem a little opportunistic of them. It's in all our interests that TBN prospers.

John

I own Markham products and would buy them again. I am very satisfied. Yes, they are a small family-owned business and probably can't afford expensive advertising or a whole bank of phone operators to take calls. But I have never had problems getting in touch with them when I needed to and I am amused that others have had so many problems that they feel compelled to complain about it on online and scare folks into thinking that they are a fly by night.

Then again, perhaps I have just been really, really lucky!

Rusty

 

[Snickers]

Good news today, I received my grappler today and as everyone has said, it is very well built. I look forward to using it and I am glad Markham is in business and building strong equipment. Markham just needs to keep on top of their communications with their customers to negate miscommunications.

 

[jgrreed]

Why would they PAY for advertising when we're all doing it for them!!! (and rightly so!!). Sometimes in this world things go as they should, and "what goes around comes around" actually happens. In this case:

Excellent product with Excellent service = Excellent Word of Mouth advertising!!

-Jer.

 

[Doug in NNY]

I bought a new BX2350 June 2008. I shopped around for a tooth bar and settled on Markham, buying one in October. This thing is vastly overbuilt for my tractor, and I'm happy to say so. Melissa told me that they experienced some delay in getting teeth, so that was one holdup. Her husband had been working long days with three or four other welders to keep up. It was well worth the wait. I'd buy from them again in a heartbeat.

I think word-of-mouth brings their shop all the work they can handle. Every kind of advertising (TV, newspapers, Internet, radio) is merely a substitute for word-of-mouth. I don't care if they advertise on TBN. I know where they are and I know what I think of their work. And everyone who reads these words now knows what I know, too.

Doug

---------------

BX2350 w/rear hydraulics, FEL w/Markham tooth bar, 54" MMM, BushHog 48" tiller, Kodiak 5' landscape rake, Loftness 48" 3PH snow thrower, Redlandhills HandiHitch. Coming soon: Kubota bagger, Curtis cab.

 

[klk651]

I think I might be in trouble. I ordered a light duty grapple the 3rd week of April. Melissa took my order and said a week. I called and e mailed, Melissa said she had no record of my order. I reordered the grapple. No email response, voice mail is full and they have charged my credit card twice...$1023 on 4/28 and $900 on5/11. If this thing shows up with JD QA and Pioneer couplers I'll be amazed. This is no way to run a business. Ken

 

[dangerdoc]

I think I might be in trouble. I ordered a light duty grapple the 3rd week of April. Melissa took my order and said a week. I called and e mailed, Melissa said she had no record of my order. I reordered the grapple. No email response, voice mail is full and they have charged my credit card twice...$1023 on 4/28 and $900 on5/11. If this thing shows up with JD QA and Pioneer couplers I'll be amazed. This is no way to run a business. Ken

I ordered there recently. Melissa is definately distracted but they did get my order right including the pioneer couplers.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Let's all please remember that Melissa is no longer permitted to give any updates here to let us know what's going on with Markham. Seems this has helped to create a lot of confusion, dissatisfaction and rumors and that is pretty sad 'cause this is a fine company with fine products that we are talking about here. I don't think that anyone is intentionally bashing Markham when they are down and unable to respond, but some posts are starting to come awfully close.

Rusty