Hey folks, hope all are well this fine evening . I’m new to the board. The shop I work for has taken on a line of youth ATVs, and ever since, I’ve been hammered with work on all brands. What we expected to subsidize the power equipment business, is quickly (God I love it) taking over. At this point, I’m the only shop in town (rural area of SW FL) that offers parts and accessories for ATVs. I’m looking for input on the shops you deal with directly. What you like or dislike about them. What they could do to improve service. The closest OEM will not work on anything over 5 years old, and all I hear is horror stories about them. I don’t want to wind up in the same boat as them.
Any comments are welcome.
Thanks

Pete AKA cream puff warrior

 

I guess I could probably sum it up in one statement... "People don't care how much you know until the know how much you care". Just treat the customer right, be fair and honest, Treat the customer like they are intelligent.
I guess the last one is the fact that some mechanics try to make the customer feel stupid and that they don't know anything. These guys I turn and walk away from.
just my two cents

 

Don't jack up your prices because your the only shop in town because people will start looking for other places to go, be it the web or mail order. Also, if or when a new shop opens up you will have NO customer loyalty. Another thing that would help would to be involved in the sport in some aspect, be it some sort of sponsership or just making the rounds. This way you would be able to have knowlegde of what your talking about and some customer respect.

 

Ah....a subject near and dear to my heart. I have a friend who just opened up a shop like you. He has also taken on a line of kids quads to kind of get things rolling. He is a service oriented shop with machining capabilities.

I love playing "armchair quarterback". This is what I told him, and I truly believe these things make a difference.

First off, to give you my perspective,....I used to work in customer related fields. Both service and sales. I am an avid ATVer and like the average ATVer, I want the most for my hard earned dollar. But, price isn't everything.

Communicate thoroughly with the customer. Keep in mind that when a service customer comes in to your shop, they are not necessarily in the good spirits that a person looking to buy a new quad would be in. They need something serviced or fixed.

Be very upfront about how long it will take to turn there unit around. Also, establish a spending limit not to be exceeded without thier consent. If there unit ends up in your shop for awhile, make sure you call them up and let them know the status. Even if it is not at the level of completion that it should be at.

Never let them get sticker shock when picking up a unit. Always tell them ahead of time what the cost will be.

Don't downgrade the competition. If the customer does it, be proffesional and do not follow suit. Even if it's true.

Do not take in more service work than you can handle. It's far better to say no up front, than to lose a customer by taking too long to fix his quad.

Remember, A satisfied customer will tell a few people about your place. A dissatisfied customer will tell EVERYBODY about your place.

Treat every customer with respect. Don't just cater to the guy that looks like he has money. Many long time customers have been developed by the shop that took the time to wait on the kid that didn't have an endless money supply at the time.

Also, stay informed. Read the magazines. Surf the websites. Read this forumn often. The vast amount of knowledge offered by ATVers across the country is endless. Several shops in my area have employees that are not that knowledgable on the latest and greatest in the ATV world. I pretty much have had to know up front exactly what I wanted before I went in the store to buy. If you are a source of knowledge, you can be the source for all thier ATV needs.

Good luck with your shop. I wish you all the best.

 

First off, I thank the three of you for giving a little of your time.
I pretty much have covered the points touched on by all. I have been in coustomer service my entire working life, running shops, or spinning wrenches. I have the lowest prices in county on my parts and accessories. My labor rate is at least $10 lower then anyother shop. My customers figure out quick I do actually care, and I'm no expert at ATV's. I'v been wrenching on bikes for a sideline for 16 years, specializing in antique restorations.I'v made my main living in the auto industry. I was last into off-road in the 70s, so like I say, I'm no expert.

TTaylor, might you be the TT from Excelsior ?

 

One other thing that hasn't been mentioned.

When kids come in to look at things be nice. This doesn't mean let them crawl on things and break them, but be courteous. It goes a LONG way with their parents. Additionally, as the kids age and need larger toys, guess where they're going to buy?

From a personal perspective, when I got my son a small dirt bike a few years ago, we went to the local Honda dealer. One of the salesmen there was very rude to my son until he saw me there and then began to play nice. But he still didn't take me seriously and seemed rather condescending.

I left, stopped by my house to get my trailer, drove more than 40 miles and bought TWO bikes at one time from another dealer. I did receive a call from the first sales guy a day or two later and took great pleasure telling him my son didn't want to buy from him and we got the same two bikes we were looking at from his competitor. I never once went back in that guy’s store.

 

Thanks RichardB. You know, it's kind a funny. All my units in stock have some scuffs on them from kids climbing on them. Even folks that haven't a clue about ATVs, know that there gonna get beat up, so nobody has said a thing on delivery. I think a person should have the chance to ride what their about to spend a good deal of money on. I tell every parent to bring their kids in for a test ride. I'll even lend them a helmet if they don't have any. I have enough land at the shop, and offer to spend an hour or so with any kid, to give them at least a safe start into the sport with a little instruction. Between ATVs and commercial mowers, it's like a jungle jim, kids have fun when they come to my place.

 

That's an excellent attitude! You're making the buying experience that much more enjoyable and truly a family experience. Being a parent that just purchased two quads (one for my son and one for me) I can very much appreciate your approach and wish my dealer did the same.

One thing you can do to avoid the scuff marks (if you want) is to get some sheets of plastic and cover the fenders/areas being scuffed with it. Use the same plastic that the little oil change reminder "stickers" are made of. This stuff will stick, form fit, pulls off easy for use on the next quad and still lets the color and shine come through. I've seen it used on motorcycle tanks in dealer showrooms.

Richard

 

Great idea Richard. I know the plastic you speak of, now all I have to do is find it in big sheets.
Thanks


Pete

 

Just wanted to throw in my two cents worth. I bought a 2000 Suzuki in November. It was my first and I had no idea what I needed to look for. We have 3 shops in town and they all had nice looking Quads, but when it came down to taking time with me and not making me feel stupid about them, one was way above the other two. I am the kind that when someone treates me right then I will continue future business with them. And as someone else mentioned, the kids are going to keep coming back for many years, they are the future. Good luck with the business...