I wanted to read this LinkedIn blog post from my friend Jeffrey. 

It hits home for me and I'm sure it will hit "home" for you... wherever you find yourself. 

Buy his book on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Retail-Manual-Strategies-Retailers/dp/1732565414

Jeffrey P. McNulty can be found on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypmcnulty/

The actual LinkedIn post can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/leadership-axioms-ensure-my-intentions-honorable-true/

Thank you for listening to the Dealership fiXit podcast.

The Dealership fiXit podcast exists to tap dealers into high performance ideas!

I recently read Kurt von Ahnen's book "Service Writing in Black & White" written in 2007 and - I can tell you that if you have any interaction with a dealership service department - you need to get it and read it right away! In fact, Kurt has opened up to pre-order the follow up to the first book, which will be named "Service Writing in the Grey"  

I wrote service as my very first job in this business and I can tell you that I did not have proper training so anything I got accomplished was with hard work and/or pure luck! LOL. Don't let your team LUCK AROUND, get them dialed in with proper training and turn on the cash machine that is your service department.

Find his books here: http://www.servicewriterbook.com/

He announced to me when were recording the podcast - the next 30 days - he is running a smoking hot promotion to get you & your people trained for optimization to maximize profits. Here is the video about that:  Manana No Mas Training Announced

If you are on Linkedin, find Kurt here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurtvonahnen/

Thanks Kurt for taking the time to share your concepts with the dealership fiXit audience!

The dealership fiXit podcast exists to tap dealers into high performance ideas!

Have an idea to share? Please contact me directly right now!

Brian Croft

[email protected] 

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/dealershipfixit/

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dealershipfixitgroup/

Welcome back!  Here we are already a couple weeks into 2020!  How did that happen?

Episode 53 and tonight we got to chat with Jason Gearld about his "baby" Phoenix Handlebars as well as some other stuff.

Jason started in the powersports biz working at a shop in rural Indiana where he says it all started for him in 1985, when his mom brought home the June copy of Dirt Bike magazine from the grocery store and his obsession began.  He got his first dirt bike - a legit 1985 Honda XR80 which he says he would ride until it ran out of gas. 

Excellent!

Check out the website here: https://www.phoenixhandlebars.com/

Jason is setting a great example for young, upwardly inclined powersports people, in my opinion. 

He was hot for all things dirt bike and even with apprehension and uncertainty, picked up his life (a KX125 and an S-10 pickup) and moved to parts unknown to be or do more in the moto biz! I applaud him. He actually made step one and two and three, ultimately making it to the "moto-mecca" of SoCal where he resides today.  He stepped up into the big show - which you can see in his resume - and now he is making products for guys like his younger self. In my opinion, he's a working class guy and if that is you, you should support him by spending you money with him. It doesn't happen overnight but if you put one foot in front of the other like Jason has, you can make moves, friends and a fun living in this business.

As mentioned in the episode, he also works with Alex at MotorcycleIndustryJobs.com in a business development role. He is not a recruiter, but he is a great guy to know as he is a connector by nature.

Find Jason on LinkedIn

Thanks for supporting Jason and thanks for sharing this episode!

The dealership fiXit podcast exists to tap dealers into high performance ideas!

Got an Idea to share or story to tell? Contact me here: [email protected]

Thanks!

Brian Croft

Did you know that I was inspired to do this podcast by an old friend? As we all know too well this time of year, sometimes inspiration falls flat before the perspiration part even gets started, if we haven't put ourselves around the right kind of people - people who will nudge us in the direction of completing the things we said we wanted to. My old buddy Craig Johnson from Wild Ass Seats is that guy. Ever since I've known him he has been a guy like that. 

I talked with Craig this time one year ago as I was thinking that a podcast about dealership issues, including the real conversations that do occur or maybe more importantly need to occur in and around those dealerships. He said "YOU SHOULD!" to which I probably replied something like "Well I didn't mean that I should do it!" - but the words spoken cannot be taken back. Here I am with 6600 plus listens by folks like you and growing every month. Craig held me accountable much the same way I now do to folks responding to episodes or ideas for future episode topics when I say "maybe you and I should just discuss that on an episode" - Thanks Craig for setting an example. Those willing to speak out loud the ideas they are passionate about are the ones who will be given to opportunity to be held accountable. That's a great thing!

Craig's business at Wild Ass Seats is finding a way to make customers comfortable - but I realize even more now that he many times has to do that when they don't realize that being uncomfortable for a moment (introspection, analysis, planning to remedy) can lead to better things and more fulfillment in the long term. 

I'm very fortunate to have friends like Craig and I'd encourage anyone who reads this to take this new year threshold to move yourself in the direction of friends who will make you better and you can commit the same to them. You didn't have to do it on New Year's Eve, New Years Day or anything like that - just make the change, do better, as soon as you know better. 

(That's NOW, if you are keeping track!)

Check them out: 

Wild Ass Seats website here.

Wild Ass Seats Facebook here. 

Wild Ass Seats Instagram here.

And - The real fun side of Craig on his TikTok page here.

***************************************************************

As always I'd like to say how much I appreciate ever listen I get to this podcast. Thank you for listening, sharing and rating the show!

Feel free to email me directly at: [email protected] 

The dealership fiXit podcast exists to tap dealers into high performance ideas!

I couldn't wait to talk with her and get her take on how we are doing in this business, from a woman's perspective. This being my first chat with a woman in motorcycle business, on this podcast. She was a pleasure to talk with and I know you'll love the listen. Buckle up!

You know Teri has to be tough since she attained the rank of Staff Sergeant in the Marine Corps before coming into the motorcycle biz. So why the hell would a dealership say he wouldn't sell her a sportbike?? Listen to the episode for that story.

So are we moving beyond that sort of stereotype in this male dominated place? She can elaborate on that...

I can tell you she has great ideas on how we can better move our minds and retail stores to better resonate with what consumers now expect from us and have a better opportunity at them spending their hard earned money in this home we call the powersports business. 

Connect with Teri here: Teri Lynn on Linkedin

Check out what Teri does all day at Triumph North America here: Triumph North America 

See what all the fuss is about this Triumph tour we chatted about here: Triumph On Tour

About the Dealership fiXit podcast:

If you are so inclined that you want to support me having these sort of interviews directly, you can do so here: https://anchor.fm/dealershipfixit/support

If not, please help me grow listenership in our powersports community by sharing the hell out of this podcast  :)  that way I can get the opportunity to get more listeners and more engagement in their ideas, in our space.  A sincere thank you in advance for whichever you are able to do!

The Dealership fiXit podcast exists to tap dealers into high performance ideas!

Josh Barton with Trail Tech talks with me about Connected Riders & Trail Tech GPS products - Episode 50

Josh was willing to be my CLOSEST proximity guest to date - and doing a phone podcast interview form just across the river in Washington state!

If you understand that one of the most important things a company can do these days is offer a way to help a human CONNECT to other people, you'll see the value in their new product line - centered around Connected Riders!

I have been on offroad (adventure bike) rides that end in a fun time but could have been better if someone hadn't gotten lost and people had to double back to find them, etc. It makes for a long day when the fun of blazing trail with your pals isn't what occupies the majority of the time, but locating a lost pack member is - enter the Trail Tech Connected Rider GPS system. 

From their website:

You may know Trail Tech as a company that designs and manufactures industry leading GPS systems, digital gauges, fan kits, high output stators, kickstands, and a variety of electrical accessories for motorcycles, snowmobiles, ATVs, and UTVs. There is more to know about them and I would encourage you to click over and see their product offering at: WWW.TRAILTECH.NET

Trail Tech joined the Apex Product Group in 2017, to better serve their customers growing needs. Trail Tech continues to invent and develop cutting edge, quality products for the benefit of the Powersport community.

VISIT them at:  WWW.TRAILTECH.NET

About the Dealership fiXit podcast:

If you are so inclined that you want to support me having these sort of interviews directly, you can do so here: https://anchor.fm/dealershipfixit/support 

If not, please help me grow listenership in our powersports community by sharing the hell out of this podcast :)  that way I can get the opportunity to get more listeners and more engagement in their ideas, in our space.  A sincere thank you in advance for whichever you are able to do!

The Dealership fiXit podcast exists to tap dealers into high performance ideas!

Steve Dodds of Garage Composites joined me tonight to discuss dealer comp plan philosophies. A topic I have been asked for at least twice this year - so I hope this brief episode will do it justice, as a start. Steve has offered to come back on in the near future to expand on this and possibly address other topics as well.

get your pen and paper ready!  :)

Find Garage Composites here:  https://garagecomposites.com/

Connect with Steve Dodds here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-dodds-ii-6274752b/

Please support the Dealership fiXit podcast by sharing this and other episodes with anyone you know in the business that should hear it.

The Dealership fiXit podcast exists to tap dealers into high performance ideas!

Thanks for listening!

Phantom of the Shopera, a Christmas Story with Michael Jones!  

It's the Christmas season and for the motorcycle business, a time to reflect and evaluate how to move forward with the perspective of another year under our belt!

Michael, a 30 year service department veteran and master technician joined me tonight to review what he has seen in powersports dealerships in his career, from a back of house service department perspective.

Some of the topics include:

Some steps / solutions: 

Find Michael here: Michael on LinkedIn

The Dealership fiXit podcast exists to help dealers tap into high performance ideas!

Please rate and share this podcast!

Thanks in advance!

Find me here: Dealership fiXit on Facebook

Contact me here: [email protected]

You know that snow sports must be a great hook when someone from Texas decides not just to get into them, but to get into the actual industry while living in Texas! My old buddy Aaron Remkus from the great state of Texas joined me today to elaborate on the who/what/where and WHY he got into Ski Biking and opened a company named Texas Ski Bikes.

Now, if you've ever been to Texas (or heard about it, seen pics, etc LOL) you know that Texas isn't known as any epicenter of snow or snow activities. In fact when I lived there, it was because it had a distinct LACK of snow 99% of the time. Having moved to Texas, from Upstate NY to remove myself from the snow that had wedged itself in between me and my motorcycle for many months at a time, I was glad it didn't have snow. Now, after hearing from this old friend about how I should check out a thing he called a "SKI BYK," I let him tell me about it...

Aaron has taken a bit of a self-appointed ambassadorship role for this Ski Bike sport he fell in love with, specifically the brand he says fits his bicycle and motorcycle riding style, to a tee. Enter... the SKI BYK.

He told me about his introduction to it when the idea of snow sports didn't quite marry up to the actual experience for him. Specifically, he said the activity of skiing or snowboarding sounded like a great escape from the heat of the south but skiing and snowboarding were not what he wanted to do on the snowy mountain, even after trying them. Other than riding a snowmobile or track equipped dirtbike on the mountain side, what option does a powersports person have to bring the "behind bars" experience to the mountain?

Yes, I am checking these rigs out. Funny because, until now, I figured my days of finding anything that could coax me back to a cold, snowy mountain were long behind me. Funny how a fresh take on a product category can do that.

Please check them out and thank you in advance for sharing this episode with anyone you know that should hear it!

The Dealership fiXit podcast exists to tap dealers into high performance ideas!

Contact me at: [email protected]

Find us on all your favorite podcast platforms

Apple Podcasts here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dealership-fixit/id1449367603

Joining me today was Larry Little. You may not know who he is, but Larry is one of many people working behind the scenes to keep the doors of your dealership swinging. I think it's important for dealership folks to understand that they do have a network of people working on their behalf to help their business stay healthy.

How? Larry is with the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) - who works on things that those of us working IN the powersports retail side of the business don't always have time to do, like ... determine what motorcycle consumers want from us as well as what consumers that didn't know they want to be a motorcyclist; want. Yes, new MIC research has determined that there is a certain culture code that can be used to find people with a propensity to become motorcyclists. He admits this is a long term play but the insights in that are huge starting with you reading this, TODAY. 

There is a lot more to come as I got Larry on to talk about this early in their roll out. Heck, they haven't even named the initiative yet. So please be sure you watch www.mic.org for updates on that.

What can you do today? Well, maybe re-examine how well you are tapping into your local area/regional culture of not just current customers - but WOULD-BE customers. Remember, we now know that as many as 8% of U.S. households have a motorcycle in their garage. Are you seeing that percentage of your local population in your store? Is your location sitting in the middle of a certain subset of the population that you don't include in your message? If so, they are probably having a hard time seeing themselves within your message and that could be setting a hurdle that you hadn't anticipated. As a realtor prepares a house for sale so that the vision is easier for the prospective buyer to see the result of their problem being solved - a "staged" house shown is a home that is ready to live in. If you have - as Larry mentions - just old white guys like him or I in your messaging, it may be harder for all the NON-old white guys to easily see themselves a part of it.  I am not saying to pander, I'd never recommend that as it is immediately and obviously disingenuous and will work against you in the fastest way. What I am saying is that you need to look at who your current and prospective customers are and be sure your messaging speaks to them as a LIFEstyle they can see fitting into their LIFE.

This is a much deeper conversation but I'm honored that Larry took some time to share the scratched surface with me. 

My call to action for all my listeners is to: 

1) follow the MIC now and be informed about coming initiatives like the one mentioned above

2) email them your insights or feedback at: [email protected]

3) look at your current messaging to your local population to see if it fits to them

Lastly, share this message and podcast episode. The podcast continues to grow and I'm so thankful to all of you who have shared it. It is a labor of love for me that I only do in my off work hours. I have spent no money promoting the podcast so it's a slow road and that is ok by me. I'm here for the long run. 

The Dealership fiXit podcast exists to tap dealers into high performance ideas!

Contact me here: [email protected]