VKB TECS: MODULARITY FULL AHEAD

[norlin]

By the way, if VKB does not want to give us any ETA promises, it's possible to just tell the current stage of the device - is it still in development? Testing? Production? Waiting for shipments from a factory?
That's just plain rude and disrespectful to customers to make us wait with no info at all.
To be honest, that's the first time I see such approach and see no reason for this at all... ETA will not give a mythical competitors any advantage, actually it's 100% opposite: right now with no info we have to lookk to a competitors, who does have information about their products.

[james340]

It's pretty simple. If this approach is frustrating you, find a supplier with something else on the market or more info on development, and buy that.

If you want the VKB TECS, wait until they release it, and buy it then.

You can either wait or you can't, and it's entirely your choice what you do.

[Zyll]

Our choice is to ask VKB for more information, so we can make an informed decision, or at least justify our decision whether we're going to continue to wait. This is not an unreasonable thing, and it would build good will between VKB and its consumers.

[Ron61]

All impatient questions - what do you think will be the answer to such questions about future products, if they are asked, for example, Thrustmasters or Logitech?

[TrueWeevie]

To be entirely fair to those that are pestering VKB for answers (Personally I'm not, VKB moves at it's own pace and the result is excellent kit. Besides, I really could do with VKB not releasing TECS until I've got a bit more space on my credit card! ) Logitech and TM don't announce a new throttle with exciting render pictures and then go silent for almost 4 years and then put up some even more exciting real life pictures and then go silent again!

If your customers are excited enough to be getting frustrated at the perceived delays to your launch, then it shows you chaps have impressed people in the past and want more of your kit. That's a good thing yeah?

Probably best for VKB staffers to either say nothing (something you guys have been very good at ), give friendly but non-committal answers (like Fallout does) or, when the information is finally available, give your customers what they want.

[bravoleader]

All impatient questions - what do you think will be the answer to such questions about future products, if they are asked, for example, Thrustmasters or Logitech?

Guys you have great products. I love them. Your support usually works pretty well too. I'm definitely an happy customer so really can't complain.
BUT
Some replies that I caught here and there tells me there is quite a lot to do on customer relationships. Chiming into a discussion with a question like this...What is that supposed to tell us? If you think those company won't say anything then try to be better than them. If you do not have anything to say, instead of saying nothing or a message like that just say "sorry no updates yet". it takes 10 seconds and it gives the feeling of not being left waiting forever.

Your customer base is usually pretty loyal. I'd rather wait 2 months for this TECS then wait 2 months to get a virpil throttle (as an example but I could have picked any other throttle, warthog or custom made). I would also wait a year knowing that it would happen in a year time. This sense of uncertainty is the one most of the people in this thread are trying to get fixed somehow.

With all of this said and done I hope you guys are all doing well and that you are all slowing coming back to your lives pre-covid
Kind regards.

F

[TrueWeevie]

Some replies that I caught here and there tells me there is quite a lot to do on customer relationships.

Man you should have been in r/hotas four years ago...then you would have seen something.

VKB these days is a big friendly giant compared with then!

Ultimately though most of the staffers you'll interact with are engineers first and PR people second (I'm a programmer myself by trade and kind of understand VKB; I'm one of the most 'social' of my colleagues but by 'normal' standards I'm a little on the...er...awkward side ) . Add to that the fact that many VKB staffers come from a communication culture very different to that which we have in the West (both cultures have their quirks, both positive and negative) and you're going to see some...um...brusque...replies.

Honestly, I get why people are pestering VKB but after a while one really has to ask oneself:

"They were silent for nearly four years and batted away every request for more information, no matter how persistent. They then had a bit of a communication splurge and now have gone silent again. Am I going to achieve anything but irritate VKB staff members to no effect by repeatedly asking the same question?"

I think we know the answer to that question.

[bravoleader]

Absolutely Agree with knowing the answer to the question However I'm struggling to understand the irritation. you can either ignore the messages or reply properly. Getting sarcastic does not bring you anywhere apart from angering the customers. In this I bring my experience as PO dealing with CS a lot

F

[TrueWeevie]

Ah well, that's the bit I was referring to earlier in my reply

Very little is more annoying to an engineer than a question that has been answered already, even if the answer was "stop asking" (maybe apart from inconsistent results when you swear to God you've controlled for all the other factors! ).

Expressing irritation to your customers is probably not the most constructive thing to do to but frankly, this is something like page 16 of the thread and pretty much only the first page is anything other than "Is it ready yet?" ; frankly I suspect I'd be getting a bit cranky by now

[miniDev]

All impatient questions - what do you think will be the answer to such questions about future products, if they are asked, for example, Thrustmasters or Logitech?

Damn ... I really thought VKB was different than Logitech, Thrustmaster.
Sorry, my bad

[EnderR2]

The flip side to all of this waiting, is with the market right now, its pretty easy to order one of the inferior backordered throttles and if you can get close to MSRP, then even opened box used market is going for close to, if not more than MSRP. Not that I would promote buying another companies product, just saying that demand for this type of kit is not expected to decline for the rest of the year, and some computer components (like video cards) are projecting shortages will into 2022. Lots of weird bottle necks in many procurement pipelines right now.

I'm curious if chipset shortages are impacting the release of this product, or otherwise hampering prototyping. In any case, I'm sure they will have the linear actuation down to a science by the time the pipelines return to something resembling 2019 levels.

O7

[dburne]

I am anxiously awaiting the throttle offering from VKB as well.
But I got tired of my old Warthog throttle and invested in the new Virpil CM3 throttle when it was released and am happy I did.
Now I am a bit of a flight sim hardware junkie, so I am sure I will also order the new TECS unit from VKB when the model I want is released. These flight sim products hold their value quite well these days so I have no qualms having two throttle units and selling one of them when I decide which one is best for me.

Both VKB and Virpil provide very good products for the flight sim industry and I am happy to support both where I can.
Currently I am so loving both my VKB Gunfighter Pro Mk III L with Ultimate Grip, and Virpil CM3 throttle along with MFG Crosswind Pedals w/ Damper Kit mod. IMHO that VKB Ultimate Grip is a crowning achievement for VKB. I would not take anything for it.
I have a feeling their new throttle offering will be as well, whenever they do get to a release point.

[Masque]

For users who have the luxury of a working throttle now, I don’t understand the impatience. You’re fine.

For users, however, who currently lack a solution in that area, I think it’s perfectly reasonable for them to be asking for even a wide timeframe. For those folks, knowing it’ll be for sure more than two months out (as an example) would be a massive decision-making help.

Folks don’t want to get CM3d, y’know?

[lt_vados]

Highly requested update from VKB in regards to TECS found today on reddit.

https://www.reddit.com/r/hotas/comments/nhr66g/tecs_news_from_the_distillery/

Working on TECS never stops. Not for one single day, weekends included. It has the highest priority, and gets attention first. Same way, there has not been one single day that we were not asked, sometimes in a pretty pushy way, about TECS.

There is little I can say in addition to what had been said already, but I do wish to send a message of understanding and support to you people who keep encouraging us to "just work, no matter, we can wait": thank you I know that in fact it means "move you lazybones!!!" Now, here is what I can share.

China is still sealed up. Which means, our engineering team has to work remotely. Normally at these stages of production all tech guys would be physically here, but now it is all a different story. CAD drafting can be made anywhere, and discussed online. Not the production engineering routine: assemble-test-take apart-amend-assemble-test, etc., circle after circle. This is what we now do daily, non stop, and this is what has to be done, no compromises, no shortcuts.

We can't disclose any further information about tech specs of the TECS, simply because our ideas are hunted after. Putting a tap on all tech information until the stock is ready to be shipped out is something we had to, rather than wanted to do.

Alcohol boils at 78.4 centigrade.

Whatever runs prior to this, may cause tragic consequences. Or, at very least, a hangover to remember.

We are preparing the TECS to make sure it comes out no less than perfect. Clean, strong, full-bodied, yet safe.

This being said, Alcohol boils at 78.4 centigrade.

Whatever runs after this, smells and tastes bad, and results in an apocalyptic hangover.

This is why we're going to cut right on time.

We will not hide anything one day, or one minute, longer than necessary.

After all, our products are made for enjoyment, and we most sincerely wish to serve this enjoyment to you as soon as possible.

[TrueWeevie]

All impatient questions - what do you think will be the answer to such questions about future products, if they are asked, for example, Thrustmasters or Logitech?

Damn ... I really thought VKB was different than Logitech, Thrustmaster.
Sorry, my bad

Oooh...did the nasty engineering man who makes excellent products hurt your feelings?

Poor baby

Frankly if you think excellent engineers who IMHO, are the best at what they do, working under particularly trying conditions getting a bit cranky due to impatient children constantly asking "are we there yet?" makes them like Logitech and TM, I hope you won't wait for TECS. I wouldn't want anyone thinking that you and I have anything in common.