Technical superiority is another thing.
It takes a lot effort (and money) to make the best stuff. Sometimes external vendors have to be eliminated due to poor QA, the inability to supply product on time, resistance to advancement or refusal to accept responsibility for errors. Sometimes internal personnel have to be shifted out of the picture due to integrity violations, poor work ethic, undependability, etc. Every product or personnel change KORE has made has cost money and reduced profit margins. But the benefit goes to the consumer because the product just gets better and better. KORE has six new products that will be released after the first of the year. None of them are even remotely similar to anything else ever offered for Dodge trucks. This is relentless loyalty to the product – relentless innovation, and relentless pursuit of perfection.
As I see the battlefield unfolding, it’s amusing for me to watch “camps” forming and alliances being established. It’s very predictable seeing which person (or personality type) goes where or says what. It’s also interesting to read claims of whose intellectual property belongs to whom. Who was the originator? Who deserves what and why? What’s fair and what’s unfair? People may express a lot of opinions, but the proof is in the performance – performance that can be measured empirically by sales, customer satisfaction, growth etc. The fact is that bad stuff, sold by bad people won’t sell for long.
Just a moment ago I received a call from the owner of Lowrenz Industries. He says straight up, “Thanks for creating a high-performance suspension market for Dodge Ram trucks. I want you to know I will soon be introducing a Dodge suspension system. I’m going to use Sway Away shocks. My shock mount is made from steel. I looked at your patent and it doesn’t seem to infringe. What do you think?” I get on the net and take a look – yep – it’s different. I guess it does different things. So I tell him, “You’re good to go. There’s plenty of market. Let’s work together to help educate others about the benefits of advanced suspension. I wish you great success. ” The point is – that’s straight up man talk - dignified, courageous and noble – good show of character. Seems like the kind of guy you could get into some air combat with, run out of ammo, exchange salutes and fly back to your respective country. Like me, he’s a TDR member. We made a pact never to get into arguments and to try to prevent immature or undignified discussion from our clients/customers. We used the “transmission wars” as an example of what we should never allow to happen. He’s seems like a solid guy. Expect to hear more from him in the future.
Currently, for various reasons, all competing products serve as tools to drive knowledgeable, discerning customers right to KORE. Since KORE is technology-driven, not price-point driven, the only way anyone can compete with us is by either selling an inferior product, i. e. parts cost less = lower quality/performance or limited infrastructure = poor customer service, no growth, low inventory, no new parts, no advertising.
We encourage independent competition - besides being fun, it helps educate people. KORE also respects our competitors because they increase awareness of principles we’re trying to perpetuate – such as “long travel” is better than “high lift” and reservoir shocks are better than twin-tube shocks. These are important concepts. As more companies adopt this thinking the larger the illuminated market will become. Then it’s just a question of which suspension system fulfills performance or budget requirements.
Imagine the first TDR off-road rally. A good-natured event that could happen a couple of years from now where go-fast off-road guys can get together and do just that – go fast off-road – all with different suspension systems from different companies. Could be really fun. After some hard-core off-road we could have a big barbeque and geek out about nitrogen pressure, droop travel and flutter-stack valving.
Within the next 18 months two large lift kit companies will introduce Dodge suspension systems that will target the market KORE developed. They will distribute suspension systems that will look similar and make big performance claims. They’ll cost less and they’ll probably work pretty well – or at least well enough. Their leaf springs will be made in India and their shocks will have remote reservoirs. They will make claims of “long travel” etc. A lot of people will buy this stuff. But those people weren’t going to buy KORE anyway, so we don’t care. Rolex doesn’t target the guy with Timex performance requirements. Both watches tell time, and to some that’s all that matters -but one will continue to do so when it’s -30 F at 23,000 feet on a mountain in Nepal or 120 feet below the surface of South China Sea, you’re in a cave, and navigating by the second hand and fin-count (I know this because my watch has been on my wrist in both places). In both situations you’re either hypoxic or narced – you can’t exactly think straight and correct timing can make the difference between living and dying. The Timex won’t perform in these situations and there will be consequences – but it will tell you with nearly 100% accuracy when the next episode of “Friends” comes on or when it’s time to take your frozen burrito out of the oven. One timepiece you hand down to your son (or is given to him by a chaplain after you buy the farm) the other you throw away because it’s inconvenient to change the battery (or it melts around your wrist in the JP-5 fireball and becomes part of your closed-casket ceremony).
Just depends on what your performance requirements are.
So, as I wipe a tear from my eye for any KORE installers/dealers who make the mistake of showing disloyalty, I also shout out encouragement to any and all who want to compete independently. Bring it on.
Just don’t do it from inside my camp.
If you do, the Rules of Engagement instantly change. You are not a competitor; you fall into another category – and you will be dealt with as such – harshly, swiftly and from many angles – not because you or your products are a threat, but because you are a bad example of the species.
Competition breeds strength. I firmly believe that the strongest, smartest, most passionate and most loyal always dominate and thrive while the weak, greedy and morally corrupt slowly crawl back into their holes.
I'm old fashioned; I believe that the good guys always win.
Time will tell who the good guys really are.
Best Regards,
Kent Kroeker
Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
