I want to second Rhonda's comments at the top of this discussion. The reason for this meeting was that Godfrey, the new ParkLiner owner, wanted to gather some feedback on owner experiences with the product. Tom Bass, who is running the shop on a day-to-day basis, invited those of us who live within easy driving distance to attend. The meeting started on time (!) with about 10% of all ParkLiner owners in attendance.
We toured the new factory which is clean, orderly and nicely laid out. Those of you who have been to the original Gibsonville factory will not recognize this place. Also, if you thought Gibsonville was out-of-the-way and remote, Clapp Mill Road is strictly rural. Don't leave home without your GPS.
The meeting was a free-flowing but skillfully guided discussion that included what we particularly liked about our units, what we would like to see improved, various issues and problems we have had, and suggestions for improvement. Godfrey took copious notes and simply allowed our conversation to take place. Tom recorded our comments on a flip chart.
As the meeting wound to a close, we heard about plans for ParkLiner's future. In the short-run there is a strong emphasis on customer services and meeting promised delivery dates. Some of us shared our customer service war-stories and there was lots of mention of posts on this FiberglassRV forum. I heard a strong commitment from Tom and Godfrey that the days of unanswered e-mails and phone calls are over. Another new strong emphasis in the manufacturing process is introduction of a formal quality control process. All good news for we who love our ParkLiners.
One of the best parts of this meeting was the opportunity to visit with other owners and see what they had done with their units. I came away with several project ideas and a real family feeling among the group--including, of course, Tom and Godfrey.
To summarize, (and to fearlessly speak for the other owners) we felt that Chandler's brilliant design is in very good hands. Tom Bass is a seasoned and capable general manager and Godfrey struck us as an involved owner who has the will and means to make the investments necessary to take ParkLiner to the next level. At the end of the day we were "happy campers."
I've tried to add a picture of the participants of the meeting inside the new factory. Hope it works!