| Author | Message | ||
     Skifastbadly |
Guy walks into a HD dealership with a Ulysses. Dealer says "What is this, some kind of joke?" Anyway, last Friday I took my Uly to the Salt Lake City HD shop. They don't sell Buells there, but their sister shop (same owners) do, and they told me that they did indeed service Buells, and that the mechanic raced them. I was treated with dignity and respect, and two hours later they rolled my Uly out...with the wrong tire on it. They had put a dunlop on the back, whereas I have an 07 which has a Pirelli on the front. Well, two hours later, after fetching the right tire and swapping it out, they rolled it out to me, and did a quick U-turn and took it back, because while I had requested synthetic oil they had put regular in. Another half hour wait..So now I'm in the shop from 9am to 1:30 pm. Result? The service manager came over, apologized, gave me all the fluids for free, and discounted the labor. Feces occurs, it's how it's handled that matters. Good job boys. | ||
| Buellshyter |
By that I mean, rather that generate profit you look to create it internally by shedding certain costs. I think that's part of the problem with American corporations or corporations in general. Most don't take a long term view like a family owned and ran business would. Everything is done to satisfy the ever growing demands of the shareholders. This is great if you happen to be one of them but I think it stifles creativity and risk taking. The corporations that tend to do best are those with a CEO that is more then just a stock holder. Either they were the founder of the company or worked their way up the ladder. The CEO's that jump from company to company tend to increase profits by taking measures that give short term profitability but ultimately are short-sighted in the long term. | ||
| Wile_ecoyote |
Buellshyter, direct hit! I work in the steel industry and have seen many ceo's come and go. All promising a better future only to leave with a big bonus, lotsa stock options and golden parachutes for themselves and family. | ||
| Court |
Parallels between the steel industry and Harley-Davidson are without merit. Harley-Davidson has had CEO's who were legendary. Take a read on this and you'll understand. One of my most memorable moments with Teerlink is when I was standing with him at an event in Denver and an assembly worker from the factory tapped me on the shoulder and said "they pay him over $2,000,000 a year and we, in the union, agree he's underpaid". Teerlink, in addition to being a genuinely nice fellow, is razor sharp, focused and evokes the best from people. He trusts those who worked for him and expected the best. He got it. My concern is that the current crop of HD execs had no such "near death experience" . . they were insulated several layers below, doing fine jobs, but having never faced the fire they are now, I fear, more likely to try to maintain the status quo rather than study, learn, plan and respond to the changing market. For an example of how far HD likes to go "outside the box" see the former BRAG and the publications that flowed there from . . . Nice people, firmly set in HD career development paths, sent to Buell for 18 months. Their collective goal was not to "do something innovative" but to return to HD, at the end of their tenure, unscathed and with no "failures" on their review. People, in order to carpe the coming Diem, need to be in a genuinely creative and innovative environment. There is much, to this end, presently occurring at Buell. The TT was, in addition to being a neat model, an exercise in allowing a talent young engineer to work a project S-F and learn the process to groom him for some coming surprises. Another element of the challenge is that at the same time you are doing all this innovative stuff you need someone watching the corporate North Star . . to adhere to your values and heritage. Bob Lutz, in his famous book GUTZ, describes the sort of "change agent" I'm talking about. I'm a pretty good example . . . There are a dozen folks at HD who would love to attend my funeral . . . like early next week. But at the same time there are a core group of folks who make sure I meet from time to time with key players and am included in certain things . . even when my opinion ain't that popular. Erik vacillates back and forth between the groups. The good news is that there are some incredibly talented people at Buell and at Harley-Davidson. Buell, predictably, has lured some of the most talented folks I have ever met from jobs that paid much more and offered much easier living . . . you can't do what Buell is doing without passion and commitment. . . it's in every part of the motorcycle. Court | ||
| Naustin |
Its hard to be patient. | ||
| Court |
Revel in the now . . . celebrate the present and brim with enthusiasm over the brilliance of the future . . . . no one is ever "there". | ||
| Wile_ecoyote |
My apologies, I agree with your counterpoint. I was agreeing with BuellShyter's point that the ceos that jump ship to go to another simply care about themselves not the workers or the big picture. They are in my opinion hired wh---'s who live to suck the life out of one company or another. I believe Erik and company have a true passion for what they do. Iam not sure about some of the local dealers. Yes you get in it to make money. After awhile it seems, they get greedy and tend to forget the little guy. The ones who either cant afford a HD or dont want to ride a hippo. They want performance and a style all they're own. IE a Buell. I havent met Mr Buell yet but hope to in the future. I believe him to be an icon that all ceo's and owners to emulate. He was and is a hard working man from the very beginning As for the HD ceo's , I am uneducated on them and that subject and remain silent, so I can sit back and listen. Thanks for alittle bit of that education Court. | ||
| Court |
I'd say, for the next 10 days, he's the living definition of hard working . . may have to initiate a game of "Where's Erik"? I can sum, with regard to Erik, this discussion up easily. . . if they quit paying him tomorrow . . he'd keep right on doing it. I knew him when he had no (actually negative is more like it) money . . and was fiddling with how to boil dandelions from the field to feed two kids (don't think I'm kidding). Financially, he's in better shape now. If finances were the carrot, the horse would be the aerospace firm he was interviewing with the day the call came from HD. He'd be retired now . . . He's working just as hard (actually harder. . it's a long story) this week. You'll enjoy meeting him and feel like you've known him forever . . in a way you have. Court | ||
| Ratbuell |
I can second the hardworking nature of Erik. I met him (sorta) in Daytona in '02 at the XB debut. A buddy and I had ridden our tubers down to check out the new stuff. My M2 was fine, but Mike's X1 had an attitude and a check engine light. We were told to "bring it around" and someone would look at it while we were on the demo ride (where we were told "don't pass the engineers". Hell, we couldn't even *see* the engineers, they were a vapor trail, LOL!). We get back from the test race...er, ride, and there's this odd little guy with a scan tool playing with the bike under the shade of one of the tents, with a bunch of techs standing around watching. Guess who? That did it for me, and I wasn't working in motorcycles yet. The guy's name is on the bikes, the tents, and the company. He's at a major event debuting a completely new generation of product (can you say PRESSURE?). So what does he do when he hears there's a bike out there with a problem? He doesn't call a tech, doesn't send us to a dealer, doesn't sign a t-shirt and tell us to "buck up"..he grabs a tool and fixes it himself. And if I recall correctly, it actually *was* fixed - no other problems for the rest of the trip. If things are happening too slowly for your tastes with regards to improvements in product or the Dealer Experience, just remember this is the guy who's in charge. My only regret is I didn't have a chance to actually sit and talk with him for a couple minutes... | ||
| Court |
>>>>My only regret is I didn't have a chance to actually sit and talk with him for a couple minutes... You will. Be sure to be at Daytona next year. | ||
| Ratbuell |
My only issue with Daytona is summed up by the sticker on my helmet: "Never Underestimate The Power Of Stupid People In Large Groups". Of course, that's just about any "bike week" event anymore. But I could probably be persuaded...my folks live less than an hour away in St Augustine and they say we never see each other enough, LOL. We need to get Erik hogtied or otherwise stowed away on the demo truck while it's out on tour this season. THAT would be fun!!! Oh, wait...that's right, he has a company to run.  | ||
| Court |
Ain't gonna happen this year. . . but fortunately the Buell Team has plenty of depth. If you are anywhere in the area of a Buell demo do NOT miss the chance to meet Gary and Lois. These are two of the finest folks you'll ever hope to meet. In addition, Gary is one seriously good motorcycle rider. Listen closely to him and you can learn a great deal. Court  | ||
| Ratbuell |
I presume the photo to be Gary? We've got the truck coming in a week to our shop...I'll definitely say hi! | ||
| Court |
Gads. . If I didn't have to go to a wedding I'd ride down. Don't miss the chance to meet Gary . . . an AMAZING guy. By the way . . . wander into the truck and tell Lois that Court and Vickie send our best. Gary keeps his best half hidden inside working. Both of them the best ambassadors Buell could have. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Well, if it's not *your* wedding, LOL.... I'll be sure to say hi, assuming I don't drown that particular brain cell between now and then  | ||
| Court |
Hey. . . don't rule it out . . . I cut my teeth showing up amazing distances from home unexpectedly on a Buell.  The only problem is . . . I have no Buell. Suppose they'd let me in if I rode a BMW? | ||
| Ratbuell |
...I thought that's why we had the Demo Fleet - to "convert" the guys who show up on "other" bikes, LOL. Hell, I'll probably be running the course on my FLHP again (don't care if I drop that one, it's got crash bars!) - c'mon down! | ||
| Buellshyter |
The only problem is . . . I have no Buell. Whaaaattttt? No Buell?? What happened to it? | ||
| Steve_mackay |
Me, and a group of other Buellers ride in to what used to be one of the best Buell dealerships in the country. Ukes HD/Buell in Kenosha, WI. A *LONG TIME* dealership. We went in to do some test rides, to score some of those nifty bags. Talked to one of the salesmen, who said they "Only do test rides BY appointment". We replied, okay, we'll be in at 11:00AM next Saturday. Nope, wasn't good enough for him. He needed our names, and phone #s. And when requested to ride a firebolt, they said they had none for demos. When in fact, we were standing right next to one. When questioned about the firebolt that was right outside this "salesman's" office, he replied, "The only one that is going to test ride that one, is taking it home". Okay... The guy's tone with us was just nothing short of rude. So we left.... Well, it would have been great if he looked out the door when we were leaving, and saw the bright yellow firebolt with the manufacturers license plate on the back. The look on his face would have been priceless. The gentleman riding the yellow firebolt made sure and reported his dissatisfaction with Erik himself Monday morning. I just couldn't believe we were treated in such a manor. I'm used to dealerships such as Hals and Appleton, who treat us Buellers with nothing but respect. | ||
| Lorazepam |
I have found a dealer that has impressed me with their willingness to work with the customer. It is Lake Erie Harley/Buell in Avon, OH. From parts to service, they are committed to making The Buell dealer experience as good as riding one of these fantastic bikes. I think Erik would be very pleased with their attitude of doing what it takes to make things right. I have over 100,000 miles on BMW motorcycles, and the level of service I have received from Lake Erie HD has exceeded any I have gotten from any BMW dealership anywhere in the country. I think part of the problem with Buell being tied to HD dealerships is most Buell owners dont spend thousands right after buying the bike, putting shiny geegaws and doodads on to impress their buddies. "Chrome consultants" make a lot of money for the dealers. Not having that opportunity to make money after the bike sale relegates a Buell owner to a lower status. Hopefully in the future, all dealers will be as good as Lake Erie HD/Buell. | ||
| Naustin |
The gentleman riding the yellow firebolt made sure and reported his dissatisfaction with Erik himself Monday morning. What difference will it make? If Erik had the power to fix the attitude problem at the dealerships, he would have done it a long time ago. (Message edited by naustin on May 02, 2007) | ||
| Court |
I certainly hope that someone spoke to Keith Ulicki. One of the elements to effective problem solving is to create the shortest distance between the problem and the solution. Attitude is everything. Threatening folks is slow, cumbersome and ineffective. The dealer challenge is one of the two greatest problems facing Buell and Harley Davidson. There are very smart hard working and dedicated folks who I am willing to bet on . . . I wish the process was faster. We make the greatest contribution by sharing the most factual recounting we can of our encounters. Court | ||
| Naustin |
Threatening folks is slow, cumbersome and ineffective. Exactly, so skip the threat and go straight to the ass-whooping. Even a dog can learn not to shit in the kitchen if you smear his face in it a couple of times.} | ||
| Steve_mackay |
Naustin, Keith Ulicki sits on the "Buell advisory" board. And is long time friends with Erik IIRC. I'd hope that Keith wouldn't appreciate his salesmen alienating potential customers, and have a chat with the ass hat that spoke to us in a not so pleasing manor. | ||
| Naustin |
The "salesmen" should be suspended without pay for a period of time that is appropriate such that the next time a potential customer comes in, his pockets aren't so full as to allow him to chase that customer away just because his potential cut isn't quite as big. I hope Keith does have a chat with the guy, but just talk isn't going to get though to a "salesman". They only thing they understand or care about is their own paycheck. Only if you affect his income you will effect change. The same is true for dealerships in general, and infact the same reason that they themselves give for not having more Buells and Buell stuff. Its a double edged sword, but Buell and HD corporate seem unwilling to sharpen their side of it. | ||
| Naustin |
There are only 3 options to make Buells relatively more profitable and thus create change. 1.) Make them cost less, and sell for more. 2.) Subsidize Buell sales with incentives to the dealerships. 3.) Introduce stiff fees for noncompliance that impact the dealers bottom line. In my opinion, #1 is out of the question. Cost of production and the retail price point are fixed for all intents and purposes by outside factors. #2.) Won't work, because the size of the incentives necessary would probably be more than HD's total profit on the Buell business. We're talking an incentive that is equal to the difference between the cost of a firebolt and a softtail, plus the average profit on all the chrome do-dads and napkins, and foot powder. Until demand for HDs traditional products falters, this option will not work - and that could be decades, or maybe never. #3 is the answer, IMHO. Introduce a fee for NOT carrying Buell. Any dealer that doesn't want buell can buy themselves out of the obligation for an annual fee, based on their total sales the prior year. I suggest $25,000 for a very small dealer, and go from there. The dealer would still be required to service buells, and there could be additional fees for refusing to service a Buell, or for poor service. sorry, end rant... (Message edited by naustin on May 02, 2007) | ||
| Court |
>>>There are only 3 options to make Buells relatively more profitable and thus create change That's inaccurate. You have named 3. Each of which I think would prove fatal. Think solutions. I guess being in New York City, being in union construction, an ex-Marine and other things in my life have led me away from threatening folks. I have two sons as well. I never told them what would happen if they didn't clean their rooms. Part of the behavioural science of carrot dangling is to get it at the right end of the steed. If you'd like to practice . . . come to NYC and I'll let you threaten my Iron Workers if they don't top out by the 18th. It'll be a painful lesson, but valuable in your future dealings with human beings. One thing is true. . . the Elves at East Troy, the Iron Workers in New York City and Harley-Davidson dealers behave in much the same way. Pavlov. . .that name ring a bell? Court P.S. - if you need some "real world", Try one of Aubrey C. Daniels books. I know I am always a slave to my library but I'd suggest "Bringing out the Best in People". One of the elements in whatever Buell does is that it must be sustainable. | ||
| Naustin |
People are more complex than Pavlov's pigeons. The Pigeons didn't have an emotional hatred for the container holding the food he was rewarding them with. What do you do, Court, with a steel worker that will not be a team player, and consistently undermines his co-workers, does not do competent work, or refuses to see the “big picture”. Do you fire him or threaten to fire him? Or, do you put him in counseling and ask everyone else on the job to deal with it? Every steel worker knows that if they don’t do their job and play by the rules, they have the threat of losing their job hanging over them. Buell has been around for what, 24 years? The XB platform has been around for 4 years. How much longer is it going to take? You are banking on a huge increase in volume to change the economics behind the problem, possibly even resulting in stand alone dealerships. Great Dream; but how much longer is it going to take? Decades most likely. And until then, what?? Buell owners should wear our struggles and disappoints with the dealer network as badges of honor - testaments to our commitment to a unique bike; Proof that we are a rare fanatic enough to tolerate it? That's a horse apple of a business plan. (Message edited by naustin on May 02, 2007) PS- If I wanted them to top out by a specific date, I'd offer a big bonus for getting it done. NOT Paying a bonus, is no different than imposing a fine - equal to what the bonus would have been - you're taking something away they might otherwise have had.. That's what I'm suggesting HD must do with the dealers. Impact their bottom line. If you want to put a positive spin on it - fine. Spin away. Money is Money whether you call it a withholding a Bonus or a paying a Fine. (Message edited by naustin on May 02, 2007) | ||
| Court |
Nah . . . we'd be mistaken for BMW owners trying to get out EFI to quit surging. We'll have to do better. | ||
| Court |
>>>>People are more complex than Pavlov's pigeons. Actually . . that's not true. People, oddly enough, are one of the most predictable of the creatures stirring dust on the Mothership. Most folks have opinions based on personal experience. Don't ignore some of the wealth in the existing BOK. Companies courses are charted on verifiable and documented facts. . . peppered with a bit of intuition. Court  By the way . . . I do fairly well with NYC Iron Workers. Good folks. |
