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Buellerthanyou
| | Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 03:22 pm: | 
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Here's something from a different H-DNet memo that might address some of your ideas:
Area: Buell: Buell Champion
Description: Each Buell dealership should designate a Buell Sales Champion. Create a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to train the sales and other functional teams on available Buell resources, motivate the team, and foster growth of the Buell brand in the dealership. This will help create an inviting selling culture and pleasant ownership experience for the existing and prospective Buell dreamers and customers.
This will require dealerships to:
• designate a Buell champion with proper authority
• allocate resources and establish a budget as needed to train and motivate staff
• create “New Customer” service programs focusing on improving the customer experience
• require all staff to be educated on Buell products
• develop a proper incentive plan focused on customer experience scores
Area: Buell: Demo Program
Description: Each Buell dealership should conduct demos on a daily basis as requested by the customer to demonstrate the product’s attributes and shorten the time during the buying decision process.
This will require dealerships to:
• Prepare and plan marketing events, advertising, and tracking mechanisms for measurement of return on investment (ROI). The dealership must also prepare the staff for event logistics and sales goals
• Dedicate at least one bike as a demo and/or have all bikes in prepped condition for demo rides
• Create a prearranged route for customer
• Require dealer staff to lead demo
• Have extra riding gear available for customer and sales team
Of course the dealers have to actually implement these things to make a difference to the customer. H-D/Buell has quite a bit of contractual say in how dealerships are run, but they can't, and don't want to, control everything (otherwise there would be Harley/Buell stores, rather than dealerships).
Anyway, it's clear that there are at least some folks at the corporate level that "get it" and are trying to spread the good word. Maybe we can help by going to a dealership's bike night now and again and asking dealership personnel about their Buell Champion or their Buell marketing plans. Less threatening to them and more neutral ground for us. Just an idea...
HBJ
"Champions aren´t made in the dealerships. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a wheelie!"
--Muhammad Buellali |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 03:31 pm: |
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Thanks Jay, that is some exciting stuff. SMEs are a great idea.
I would be happy with someone that can find their ass with both hands. I may take your advice and go to a bike night. I never went because they were not Buell specific and more cruisers than sportbikes were showing up. Nothing like a S1W to mix up the crowd a bit and maybe it will help. Hell, I would piss on a sparkplug if I thought it would do any good. |
Spiderman
| | Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 03:39 pm: |
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Hmmm maybe I'll be in demand again in the local Buell dealers LOL
Ohhhh
Maybe Battletrax will make a comeback too!! |
Davegess
| | Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 04:28 pm: |
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But if it's mandated evern more dealers will be dropping the Buell brand
In my mind that would be a positive not a negative. Right now there are two many dealers chasing too few sales. Buell continues to grow and a rapid pace, even this year, but it will a long time before they are at BMW levels. How many BMW dealers do you all have nearby? A lot less that Buell dealers.
If we have less dealers it would increase the changes that Buell would be important to a dealer's bottom line. This is the only way to really tunr the dealers around. Give the good guys a big enough sales territory that they can actaully make some nice money from selling Buells and you will see the dealers change.
Chellem, I like the on line order deal, Court and wrote up something quite like that 15 years ago; too bad HD has now and Buell does not.
I would think it would be pretty easy to put the two together. I suspect something in the way the parts database is set up is making it hard to prevent non-Buell dealers from getting orders for Buell parts. You wouldn't want to lose what little parts sales you do have to a guy who is not eve a dealer would you? |
Court
| | Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 04:46 pm: |
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The ideas exist.
I have the material that Dave and I did years ago. How would "build your own" or "check dealer inventory" have hit you circa 1997?
HD hit the frickin' ceiling . . . declaring . . "what, let customers know where our inventory is?".
The fear is that Tom would want a yellow Buell, Dick the dealer would tell him "sorry, we don't have yellow, you'll have to settle for blue" while Harry 24 miles away had the very thing that Tom wanted.
Dealers advanced fears about monitoring each others sales and inventory . . . ridiculous stuff.
The idea of the "Buell Champion" was one of the tenants when the TEAM BUELL concept was composed. I still have the book.
How cool would it be if each local dealer had an SME and a Buell Customer Advocate. The country gets divided into 7 areas, each gets a Team Buell Captain. Every year Captains go to East Troy for 2 days of product familiarization, seminars and technical and product updates and a track day with Buell test engineers to really understand the bike.
Say Froggy is the guy in this area. He gets a snappy jacket for himself and 10 spares. He also gets 500 t-shirts and a supply of posters.
Froggy goes and gets someone, let's say Steve in NJ, and DucXL in MA and Tramp in NY and they are area folks. Each of them gets one of the jackets and they have something like 5 or 6 dealers that they keep an eye on and that can call on them to come meet with prospective customers.
Liberty HD has customer interested in a Uly, Steve stops in on Saturday, takes the guy for a demo ride, lays some Buell goodies on him and gives him his Badweb access key to the Buell FAQ's area where he can get all the information he wants.
There are 40 pages of details but you get the idea. The "network" helps dealers plan and coordinate events (they key word is "helps", they do not interfere or coerce.)
There is a bunch more including the online Buell Customer Concern process where an owner may elevate a concern that is not being addressed or appeal a warranty decision to a group of 3 Buell advocates and 2 factory folks who meet twice a year.
There is also a wonderful way (I think things have evolved far enough) to make a huge improvement in Buell parts delivery. Buell is doing the best they ever have but I order 7 or 8 things a week online and there is no reason that any customer should have to wait more than 48 hours for anything.
The times offer tremendous opportunity. I'm busy writing a business plan . . . times are good!
 |
2008xb12scg
| | Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 04:51 pm: |
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I think part of the problem is that most of the Harley folks have been against sport bikes for so long, and they've been selling cruisers for so long that they aren't to keen on the Buells and it shows. Therefore have a hard time selling with the enthusiasm they have for H.D.s. I walked into a dealer and asked him to see the 2007 xb12ss they had in the ad. Next thing I know he's trying to sell me a nightster. Nice bike, but I already knew what I wanted. All he had to do was show it to me and not piss me off. He lost an easy sale. I would love to see Buell grow. But they will have to improve there customer care/service and sales aproach. BTW I think they will and are. |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 08:42 pm: |
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Court, I order a lot of parts as well but mostly for older Buells, I do not see any improvement so far and think Harley owners go through the same frustration with one exception, they have a hugh after market parts base to order from.
I have had an interesting experience with ordering parts. I go to the local HD place and oder parts (clutch cable, gaskets, primary shoe, etc) as well as a timing cover for a S2. I get everything in about two weeks save the timing cover. A month and a half later I stop in and after some time on the computer they tell me it is obsolete. They are able to get it from a store they trade with or something like that. Fine, not Buells fault by any means.
I order from another dealership for some more parts and while I am doing it I figured the new Buell watch is pretty cool so I order that as well. Everything comes in except the watch, almost two months later.... I canx the order on the watch just so I can get my order.
I really don't understand that one. I saw the watch on the Buell site and figured that was the one thing I would not have to wait on.
Anyway, I will be happy when I can get ALL parts in 2 weeks time. I think to wish for anything else is dreaming.
I was kind to the HD employees each time because I think a lot of Buell owners, after putting up with this BS get real vocal, we are our own worse enemy sometimes. Not that it is not deserved but it just does not accomplish anything.
I do agree with Mr Gess in that less good dealers is better then more poor dealers.
The Buell SME idea is great. I hope our local dealer will embrace but I do not have high hopes.
Just my 2 cents as an average owner, I love the brand and the people that ride Buells. It is uncommon to see another Bueller at a gas station and not strike up a conversation. Much like riding was in the 70s. The fact that Buell is doing this tells me that they are listening and understand the issues.
Frank |
Brinnutz
| | Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 08:59 pm: |
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I'd give my right you know what to work for Buell, not for a dealer, no joke there.
Too bad my degree won't take me anywhere with them. Trust me, I keep an eye on their employment page. So, unless they can use a Criminal Justice major, that's a negative! |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 09:05 pm: |
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I am with you on that one Brin... I have no marketable skills.... |
Court
| | Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 09:08 pm: |
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Frank:
Thanks for solid information and I share your skepticism.
There is going to have to be a sea change within the HD/Buell structure to make things work in the way I have in my mind.
I don't expect Buell parts to take any longer than a book from Amazon and I expect to be kept equally well informed.
I ordered a new laptop last week, a Lenovo from China. I had it highly customized and have been kept informed daily of the status and the estimated (it's changed forward and backward a bit) shipping date. The information already lives somewhere and the technology now exists to make it a "live process".
Buell has the people who can do this and they are damn good at it.
There are not enough Buell dealers to allow proper stocking. As an example, if every Buell dealer, given the current numbers, stocked what I consider a satisfactory range of shirts it would require 20 times as many shirts as Buell owners to fill the system. Not gonna happen.
What CAN happen is that dealers can have a "representative" stock sample and a way cool (the new display area would be the perfect place for a mega "Buell Plasma Screen Catalog" where a customer could walk up, "shop" via the online catalog, do some clicking (you'd already have your payment stuff entered when you joined the "Buell Inside Line" group and the part, piece, accessory, shirt or jacket would arrive at your house the next day or so, your dealer would get credit and the package would have that way cool pre-printed "if for any reason on God's earth this ain't right, toss this box outside with the pre-paid label and send it back".
Pair this with the TEAM BUELL concept and you have a company that would be the envy of the motor-sports business. This would be the 2-wheeled equivalent of what Ford did on the GT-40 suspension recall.
Buell knows how to do this.
Harley-Davidson would struggle with it.
But . . that's an oversimplified excuse for not doing it and I confess perhaps a bit too damning to HD.
Buell has some folks who I am dealing with who are incredible. At present they are somewhat restrained. I see great potential for great things. Buell has tremendous human capital. . . they are in possession of the hardest part of the mix to obtain.
I ordered today a handful of "old" parts to see how the system is working and I truly appreciate concise factual information like you have provided.
I remain amazed that so many on both sides of the commercial equation, manufacturer and consumer, are so committed to Buell doing great things.
Thank you.
Court |
Court
| | Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 09:10 pm: |
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By the way . . . anyone ever read "Miller's Bolt", "Organizing Genius" (one of the one's along with stuff like "Up The Organization" that never leave my desk) or any Aubrey Daniels books? |
Buellgrrrl
| | Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 09:28 pm: |
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Dave and Court, today I find myself agreeing with you. Buell could do all of the great things you have suggested and more. But will Buell, and would HOG let them? |
Glitch
| | Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 10:32 pm: |
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Is there any positivity in your life?
Such negativity, and sourness, it's really sad.
(Message edited by glitch on October 31, 2008) |
Froggy
| | Posted on Saturday, November 01, 2008 - 04:36 am: |
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Court, I would be honored to be the rep! Thanks for using me in the example. I have already sold 2 Buell (not mine). My cousin was sold after a ride on my SS, he went out and got an S, then I did the hard part for a customer at Danbury and talked about the bikes, pros/cons, differences with the models and junk, pointed him here too. I heard he bought a bike, don't know for sure.
Oh well, its nice wishing for it |
Gentleman_jon
| | Posted on Saturday, November 01, 2008 - 06:13 am: |
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Hey Court,
I didn't know you were so smart!!
All your ideas in your Friday, October 31, 2008 - 04:46 pm post are spot on, doable, inexpensive, and would prove to be very effective in my mind.
Actually, I get all the Buell parts I need in 48 hours already, so I know it is doable, it just needs to be made available to all owners. |
Court
| | Posted on Saturday, November 01, 2008 - 10:32 am: |
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The world is changing and I'm proud to say that Erik Buell is WAY ahead of the curve. Some of you are familiar with his 200 year plan. When he sent me to the gig at M.I.T. some of the ideas seemed preposterous at the time. There are some folks at HD who are still pissed that I retained copies of all the files and the video that was made. Buell was light years ahead of anybody in the area of e-commerce. The rocket never got launched but it was successfully designed.
The fun part of that gig was flying to San Fran, riding the S1 onto the stage at the Cow Palace and speaking about Buell and technology right before Bill Gates spoke to the group. When they introduced us backstage (his handlers had a private back stage tent set up for him like a suite) I asked him "I'm with Buell, who do you work for?". He does have a sense of humor.
I also have the piece that Dave Gess wrote about Buell parts. Buell has the capability to do things no motorcycle or car manufacturer has ever done. HD controls only the pace and Buell, for the first time, has the leadership in place to make this happen. |
Buellgrrrl
| | Posted on Saturday, November 01, 2008 - 12:37 pm: |
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But again the discussion is back to square one- Buell is a very innovative 21st century enterprise with a great future, but sadly stuck in the shadows of HOG(NYSE). |
Davegess
| | Posted on Saturday, November 01, 2008 - 01:22 pm: |
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Being part of H-D is truly the sword of Damocles; being part of H-D cause Buell many problems; not being part of H-D they would not have gotten to this point and may very well cease to exist at this point in their growth.
If they keep hitting their numbers everything will continue to get better.
If you doubt that they have gotten better answer this question; If I asked you in 2003 "when if ever will Buell feature a state of the art engine not assembled by H-D?" what would you have answered? |
Milar
| | Posted on Sunday, November 02, 2008 - 10:22 pm: |
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"Description: Each Buell dealership should conduct demos on a daily basis as requested by the customer"
My buddy has the ok from his wife for a new bike. He has the cash in the bank. He's ready to buy.
We attend this weekends Intl. Motorcycle Show in Phoenix. He really likes the XT. It fits him perfectly, his wife loves the pillion. He's sold on the product because he knows I've had Buells and like 'em.
How about a test ride to seal the deal?
No problem I say, dealers are generous with test rides. We head down to Chandler Buell. He loves the XT on the floor. Sorry, even though you are a 60 year old adult male, ready to buy, no test rides.
"Let's go check out that Tri. Tiger" he says.
M |
Trojan
| | Posted on Monday, November 03, 2008 - 04:36 am: |
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"Buell Motorcycles’ goal is to be the fastest growing motorcycle brand over the next five years; growing quickly, profitably, and worldwide.
It is great to see that Buell are determined to grow, and I hope that this enthusiasm makes the leap across the pond into some of the UK dealerships at last.
Becoming the fastest growing motorcycle brand is no easy task. The current incumbent of that honour is Triumph, who are growing at a rate of 17% and who will build (and sell) over 50,000 units in 2009. To put this into perspective, this is more than Triumph sold in their heyday during the 1960's.
This from a company that started from nothing in 1990. |
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