From: "Grant, Michael" <mgrant@mossmotors.com>
To: "'Barney Gaylord'" <barneymg@mgaguru.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 07:09:37 -0700
Kelvin Dodd is our British Marketing Manager, and he is also responsible for show & club support. Kelvin & I work together on areas of new product development & quality issues where his experience is invaluable.
The Product Management Department was created last March [2001]. I've been here 17 years, and as the owner of an MGA, MGB GT, and a Healey (BJ8) I have had way too many problems with parts I buy from Moss. In every case, we have take steps to solve the problem, but I have been fairly vocal about the need for Moss to deal with issues of originality and quality in a more organized fashion. Given the chance to head up a department responsible for this, I could not very well refuse. Given the loss of the Tier one suppliers (Lucas, Girling, Lockheed, etc) the need for a the function is more important today that it was 15 years ago.
My premise is simple.
We need to make sure a customer has enough information to make an intelligent buying decision.
 -Is it original in design, appearance, fit & function (most things are not)
-Is the item of good quality?
-Do we provide instructions/tip on use or installation?
-Are there alternatives?
-What brand is it, if brand is important?
If we can offer two versions of an item, generally cost and brand/quality are the differentiating factors. We have done this for years with Lucas/aftermarket ignition/electrical bits, BMH & Tasker body panels, etc. Everything we sell must be functional. We have never consciously sold a part that was incapable of doing what it was sold to do. We have sold way too many parts that were not up to our customers expectations. We must either improve the parts, discontinue them, or make sure the customer knows what he is going to receive. Too many people have decided that Moss knows when it sells a bad part, and that we are doing it on purpose to screw some poor customer. I find this attitude- which causes people to flame us about a problem without talking to us- infuriating.
One thing I must accomplish is to change the perception of Moss as the company that does not care about quality. We have managed to build this image over years of supplying rubber that rotted in 18 months and chrome that rusted or peeled off in the first wash. It will take a lifetime to repair the damage. If I believed Moss were not committed to improving the quality of and the information about our products, I would have left long ago.
To answer your question, send the email to both of us. I cannot promise everything will be resolved the way you want, but every suggestion/complaint/observation will be filed by part number. Please be as specific as you can, and feed me one problem per email, and I guarantee that I will hear you.
Michael Grant
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Addendum, Feb 12, 2019: Michael Grant has recently retired. Please send these notes directly to Kelvin Dodd until further notice.
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Send Moss Motors Ltd product problem reports
To: "Grant, Michael" <mgrant@mossmotors.com>
Cc: "Dodd, Kelvin" <doddk@mossmotors.com>
Subject: part number - part name
Describe the problem clearly and include all pertinent details. Be as specific as you can. Attach a digital picture if it helps. Note when the part was purchased, and where the part was procured if it came through a Moss distributor. Allow a reasonable time for a response. They WILL get back to you, and they WILL give your problem due consideration.
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One last word from your MGA guru: When you are satisfied with the results of the investigation and the response from Moss Motors, don't be afraid to put in a good word for them. They do put forth good faith and good effort to satisfy the customers.
Best regards,
Barney Gaylord
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