dealers?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,523
Likes: 1
From: South Florida
RE: dealers?
Very well stated tony, the break even point in my dealer is $800k dollars monthly anything over that is net profit. In my dealer customer satisfaction is #1, every single one of my employees has the authority to spend up to $200.00 to make a customer happy no questions asked. I mean any employee from a porter to a salesperson. We offer a great customer service, we charge fair prices and we make sure that our technicians do everything they are supposed to do in a vehicle and then some, it is part of the condition of employment. My top managers make well over 150k a year they get paid very wellbut I expect perfection with a zero tolerance for stupidity. Anyone can make a mistake but it has to be corrected and take action so it will not happen again.
We are in business to make a profit and we are entitle to do so, either my employees take care of my customers or someone else will. There are customers that are just not ever satisfied we try hard and when we have to we will say "NO" and it is ok to say no it is just how you say it.
If I go into a place of businnes and I am not taken cared of correctly I will make sure that I address the proper person and I will make sure that everyone of my colleagues or friends know about it,,, word of mouth still the best advertising!!!!!!
We are in business to make a profit and we are entitle to do so, either my employees take care of my customers or someone else will. There are customers that are just not ever satisfied we try hard and when we have to we will say "NO" and it is ok to say no it is just how you say it.
If I go into a place of businnes and I am not taken cared of correctly I will make sure that I address the proper person and I will make sure that everyone of my colleagues or friends know about it,,, word of mouth still the best advertising!!!!!!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,140
Likes: 17
From: Wisconsin
RE: dealers?
ORIGINAL: big_al
Very well stated tony, the break even point in my dealer is $800k dollars monthly anything over that is net profit. In my dealer customer satisfaction is #1, every single one of my employees has the authority to spend up to $200.00 to make a customer happy no questions asked. I mean any employee from a porter to a salesperson. We offer a great customer service, we charge fair prices and we make sure that our technicians do everything they are supposed to do in a vehicle and then some, it is part of the condition of employment. My top managers make well over 150k a year they get paid very wellbut I expect perfection with a zero tolerance for stupidity. Anyone can make a mistake but it has to be corrected and take action so it will not happen again.
We are in business to make a profit and we are entitle to do so, either my employees take care of my customers or someone else will. There are customers that are just not ever satisfied we try hard and when we have to we will say "NO" and it is ok to say no it is just how you say it.
If I go into a place of businnes and I am not taken cared of correctly I will make sure that I address the proper person and I will make sure that everyone of my colleagues or friends know about it,,, word of mouth still the best advertising!!!!!!
Very well stated tony, the break even point in my dealer is $800k dollars monthly anything over that is net profit. In my dealer customer satisfaction is #1, every single one of my employees has the authority to spend up to $200.00 to make a customer happy no questions asked. I mean any employee from a porter to a salesperson. We offer a great customer service, we charge fair prices and we make sure that our technicians do everything they are supposed to do in a vehicle and then some, it is part of the condition of employment. My top managers make well over 150k a year they get paid very wellbut I expect perfection with a zero tolerance for stupidity. Anyone can make a mistake but it has to be corrected and take action so it will not happen again.
We are in business to make a profit and we are entitle to do so, either my employees take care of my customers or someone else will. There are customers that are just not ever satisfied we try hard and when we have to we will say "NO" and it is ok to say no it is just how you say it.
If I go into a place of businnes and I am not taken cared of correctly I will make sure that I address the proper person and I will make sure that everyone of my colleagues or friends know about it,,, word of mouth still the best advertising!!!!!!
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
From: Elizabeth
RE: dealers?
ORIGINAL: big_al
Very well stated tony, the break even point in my dealer is $800k dollars monthly anything over that is net profit. In my dealer customer satisfaction is #1, every single one of my employees has the authority to spend up to $200.00 to make a customer happy no questions asked. I mean any employee from a porter to a salesperson. We offer a great customer service, we charge fair prices and we make sure that our technicians do everything they are supposed to do in a vehicle and then some, it is part of the condition of employment. My top managers make well over 150k a year they get paid very wellbut I expect perfection with a zero tolerance for stupidity. Anyone can make a mistake but it has to be corrected and take action so it will not happen again.
We are in business to make a profit and we are entitle to do so, either my employees take care of my customers or someone else will. There are customers that are just not ever satisfied we try hard and when we have to we will say "NO" and it is ok to say no it is just how you say it.
If I go into a place of businnes and I am not taken cared of correctly I will make sure that I address the proper person and I will make sure that everyone of my colleagues or friends know about it,,, word of mouth still the best advertising!!!!!!
Very well stated tony, the break even point in my dealer is $800k dollars monthly anything over that is net profit. In my dealer customer satisfaction is #1, every single one of my employees has the authority to spend up to $200.00 to make a customer happy no questions asked. I mean any employee from a porter to a salesperson. We offer a great customer service, we charge fair prices and we make sure that our technicians do everything they are supposed to do in a vehicle and then some, it is part of the condition of employment. My top managers make well over 150k a year they get paid very wellbut I expect perfection with a zero tolerance for stupidity. Anyone can make a mistake but it has to be corrected and take action so it will not happen again.
We are in business to make a profit and we are entitle to do so, either my employees take care of my customers or someone else will. There are customers that are just not ever satisfied we try hard and when we have to we will say "NO" and it is ok to say no it is just how you say it.
If I go into a place of businnes and I am not taken cared of correctly I will make sure that I address the proper person and I will make sure that everyone of my colleagues or friends know about it,,, word of mouth still the best advertising!!!!!!
Intermediate
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: Shemya and Anchorage, AK
RE: dealers?
Wish Big AL was closer to me, I don't mind paying for decent service, but when you are left with the imperession the "dealer" could give a crap about what they actually do, well then.....
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,371
Likes: 11
From:
RE: dealers?
There is nothing wrong with charging a high price for a preium product. Benz, BMW do it all the time. However the term stealership has been earned over the years for some dealer being underhanded. Lieing or bending the truth to make sales to mislead people. I once heard a HD saleman telling a custom that new Softails are very rare and he would chargehim over msrp for it. We all know, harleys are a dime a dozen now. It is not just Harley dealers, car dealers and the worst Used car dealers all seem to have earned a bad rap over the years. In some cases in is very just, in others it is not deservered.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,271
Likes: 29
From: Green Country,Oklahoma
RE: dealers?
ORIGINAL: big_al
Very well stated tony, the break even point in my dealer is $800k dollars monthly anything over that is net profit. In my dealer customer satisfaction is #1, every single one of my employees has the authority to spend up to $200.00 to make a customer happy no questions asked. I mean any employee from a porter to a salesperson. We offer a great customer service, we charge fair prices and we make sure that our technicians do everything they are supposed to do in a vehicle and then some, it is part of the condition of employment. My top managers make well over 150k a year they get paid very wellbut I expect perfection with a zero tolerance for stupidity. Anyone can make a mistake but it has to be corrected and take action so it will not happen again.
We are in business to make a profit and we are entitle to do so, either my employees take care of my customers or someone else will. There are customers that are just not ever satisfied we try hard and when we have to we will say "NO" and it is ok to say no it is just how you say it.
If I go into a place of businnes and I am not taken cared of correctly I will make sure that I address the proper person and I will make sure that everyone of my colleagues or friends know about it,,, word of mouth still the best advertising!!!!!!
Very well stated tony, the break even point in my dealer is $800k dollars monthly anything over that is net profit. In my dealer customer satisfaction is #1, every single one of my employees has the authority to spend up to $200.00 to make a customer happy no questions asked. I mean any employee from a porter to a salesperson. We offer a great customer service, we charge fair prices and we make sure that our technicians do everything they are supposed to do in a vehicle and then some, it is part of the condition of employment. My top managers make well over 150k a year they get paid very wellbut I expect perfection with a zero tolerance for stupidity. Anyone can make a mistake but it has to be corrected and take action so it will not happen again.
We are in business to make a profit and we are entitle to do so, either my employees take care of my customers or someone else will. There are customers that are just not ever satisfied we try hard and when we have to we will say "NO" and it is ok to say no it is just how you say it.
If I go into a place of businnes and I am not taken cared of correctly I will make sure that I address the proper person and I will make sure that everyone of my colleagues or friends know about it,,, word of mouth still the best advertising!!!!!!
Dang dude,which dealership is this,sounds like you run a tight ship !!!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,140
Likes: 17
From: Wisconsin
RE: dealers?
ORIGINAL: wbogley
There is nothing wrong with charging a high price for a preium product. Benz, BMW do it all the time. However the term stealership has been earned over the years for some dealer being underhanded. Lieing or bending the truth to make sales to mislead people. I once heard a HD saleman telling a custom that new Softails are very rare and he would chargehim over msrp for it. We all know, harleys are a dime a dozen now. It is not just Harley dealers, car dealers and the worst Used car dealers all seem to have earned a bad rap over the years. In some cases in is very just, in others it is not deservered.
There is nothing wrong with charging a high price for a preium product. Benz, BMW do it all the time. However the term stealership has been earned over the years for some dealer being underhanded. Lieing or bending the truth to make sales to mislead people. I once heard a HD saleman telling a custom that new Softails are very rare and he would chargehim over msrp for it. We all know, harleys are a dime a dozen now. It is not just Harley dealers, car dealers and the worst Used car dealers all seem to have earned a bad rap over the years. In some cases in is very just, in others it is not deservered.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 602
Likes: 2
From: Lakewood, N.J.
RE: dealers?
ORIGINAL: vindyl
I agree in most ways. Everytime I needed a part thay have it. Try that with honda or others. The dealers I deal with have very knowlageable staff. Always happy to help or just answer my quiestions. In the past month I have had lots of work done and added lots of things on the bike and have been very happy with there help in getting my parts had to order nothing had it all.
I agree in most ways. Everytime I needed a part thay have it. Try that with honda or others. The dealers I deal with have very knowlageable staff. Always happy to help or just answer my quiestions. In the past month I have had lots of work done and added lots of things on the bike and have been very happy with there help in getting my parts had to order nothing had it all.
So really my only beef is "I Want It Now"
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Advanced
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
From:
RE: dealers?
I'll accept that the dealerships are there to make a profit, just like any other business. I just had a post the other day about going to my local dealer for something (ext. warranty) and he wanted to charge $700 more and coverage for a year less than another dealer. 2100/4 vs. 1400/5. Just out of line. I have had work done, and because they are the closest, it is where I have ended up for warranty work. One recent example.. needed a new motor mount. Called ahead to make sure they had the part. Told me to come in the next morning and I would be out in an hour. After 4 hours they said they just got the part in and would start working on the bike. another two hours go by before it gets done. They have dealerships all over the place, and when I needed a light bulb for a tourpak, they said they had to order it and it would be a few days. Come on. Make your money, but treat people like you would want to be treated, not like crap because you are the big H.D. dealer in town.
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,314
Likes: 5
RE: dealers?
I just got my 08 Ultra out of the shop yesterday afternoon....had the 2500 service done and had them install the tourpak spoiler...decided I was too chicken to do the drilling myself. Yesterday morning while at work the service writer called me to make sure I wanted him to continue....I have the premium tourpak luggage rack on and it causes the spoiler to be positioned just slightly further back, which results in it sticking out just a little from the end of the tourpak lid....I already knew this would be the case, so gave them the ok. Picked up the bike and the service writer and one of the techs commented how good the spoiler looks....I agreed. The bike was clean and shinny (not that it wasn't when I took it in), but the fact that it came back to me in as good shape as when it went in impresses me every time because I'm not used to that....years ago I used to ride a Yamaha Royal Star....I hated taking it into the shop because it always came back to me so dirty and greasy.
Another point here....this dealership is one of the ones the ChooChoo has repeatedly had issues with....so could it be that their additude only reflexs yours? I chose to develop a friendly relationship with everyone at my dealership and they have never done wrong by me. Have they ever screwed something up? Yes they have, but in that rare event they always made it right as quick as possible and to my total satisfaction. I know there are some bad dealerships out there, but I believe there are a whole lot more "bad *** butt-hole" owners who don't give the dealership a chance befiore reaming them up one side and down the other in front of other customers.
My point is that a "bad" dealership in one person's eyes might be a good one to someone else.
Another point here....this dealership is one of the ones the ChooChoo has repeatedly had issues with....so could it be that their additude only reflexs yours? I chose to develop a friendly relationship with everyone at my dealership and they have never done wrong by me. Have they ever screwed something up? Yes they have, but in that rare event they always made it right as quick as possible and to my total satisfaction. I know there are some bad dealerships out there, but I believe there are a whole lot more "bad *** butt-hole" owners who don't give the dealership a chance befiore reaming them up one side and down the other in front of other customers.
My point is that a "bad" dealership in one person's eyes might be a good one to someone else.