Well, as anyone who has followed along may know, I have given Harman and their new parent company the benefit of the doubt up until now.
But the news from MANY directions indicates a systemic problem....not just one of production....but one of just plain old not caring.
Dealers are being left to fend for themselves - given no information or bad information. This includes dealers whose entire livelihood is based on the Harman brand. Many of these dealers will be in danger of going out of business based on the lack of product from Harman.
Harmans attitude is that they don't want to talk to dealers or the press. Lawsuits and attorney general actions have been threatened against Harman...or are in progress. There is absolutely no communication from the factory except edicts. No back and forth.
Yes, the BIG meeting with a bunch of dealers is today, but meetings don't make stoves nor do they change corporate attitudes. From afar - or even from close in - we have no idea of what is going on in the corporate suite. It might be to bury Harman in favor of Quadrafire....switch over the dealers......sure, I pulled that out of thin air, but this situation is 100% in the hands of corporate bean-counters who would not know how to chop a piece of wood if you gave them a maul and a round.
Sad to say, this looks like another corporate take-over where the "soul" of a company is gutted and the brand is milked or whatever fits the corporate planners. Keep in mind that even the "big" Harman business is a fraction of what the same company does selling gas fireplaces, office furniture, etc.
At this point I would not suggest that any customer buy a Harman stove that is not in stock - and if you do put a deposit down, put it on credit card so you can dispute the charge if the stove does not come.
Sad to say, we have come to a real case of "buyer beware". Who is going to be there to service the stoves when the Harman dealers closes because they have no revenue (no stoves)? Who is going to answer the phone at the factory about service or parts?
Watch your money, folks......
But the news from MANY directions indicates a systemic problem....not just one of production....but one of just plain old not caring.
Dealers are being left to fend for themselves - given no information or bad information. This includes dealers whose entire livelihood is based on the Harman brand. Many of these dealers will be in danger of going out of business based on the lack of product from Harman.
Harmans attitude is that they don't want to talk to dealers or the press. Lawsuits and attorney general actions have been threatened against Harman...or are in progress. There is absolutely no communication from the factory except edicts. No back and forth.
Yes, the BIG meeting with a bunch of dealers is today, but meetings don't make stoves nor do they change corporate attitudes. From afar - or even from close in - we have no idea of what is going on in the corporate suite. It might be to bury Harman in favor of Quadrafire....switch over the dealers......sure, I pulled that out of thin air, but this situation is 100% in the hands of corporate bean-counters who would not know how to chop a piece of wood if you gave them a maul and a round.
Sad to say, this looks like another corporate take-over where the "soul" of a company is gutted and the brand is milked or whatever fits the corporate planners. Keep in mind that even the "big" Harman business is a fraction of what the same company does selling gas fireplaces, office furniture, etc.
At this point I would not suggest that any customer buy a Harman stove that is not in stock - and if you do put a deposit down, put it on credit card so you can dispute the charge if the stove does not come.
Sad to say, we have come to a real case of "buyer beware". Who is going to be there to service the stoves when the Harman dealers closes because they have no revenue (no stoves)? Who is going to answer the phone at the factory about service or parts?
Watch your money, folks......
