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Most dealership owners have figured out that they need to sell their dealership to customers and not just sell the products carried by their dealership. On the other hand, the facts say that most salespeople are focused solely on selling a product and not the dealership. In fact, when we recently measured nationwide how often a motorcycle salesperson gave compelling reasons to buy from their dealership, we found that it happened only 34% of the time. Two times out of three there was no mention of why buying from this dealership was a better idea than buying somewhere else. The focus was solely on product.

Visit the most successful motorcycle dealerships and in nearly every one you will find an F & I manager. For good reason too given the incremental profitability an F & I manager generates. Some dealerships with F & I managers take it a step further and forbid their salespeople from making any mention of financing. After all, the possibility of mistakes and litigation today makes it dangerous for anyone other than the experts to talk about financing.

Really? Is that the best approach?

Up to customer service, for showing us that dealers care in the Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index (PSI) U.S. Motorcycle Industry Study. The independent study sent more than 2000 anonymous “mystery shoppers” into motorcycle dealerships across the U.S. to observe and determine how customers are treated when shopping for a motorcycle. “For the motorcycle industry as a whole, the 2009 PSI results showed widespread improvement in the way salespeople interact with motorcycle buyers,” Pied Piper President Fran O'Hagan said. For 2009, Ducati dealerships topped the list, with Harley-Davidson (number one in 2007 and 2008) ranked second.

A motorcycle buyer arrives at a dealership interested in buying a certain motorcycle, but when he speaks with a salesperson, the salesperson mentions advantages of another brand instead, in the end convincing the shopper to buy a different motorcycle. How often does this scenario happen? How often does a shopper asking about a Honda CBR ride off the lot on a GSXR, or vice versa?

The facts say that industry-wide, salespeople try to push 13 motorcycle shoppers out of every 100 to a brand different from the one they requested. For some brands it happens as much as 45% of the time (Aprilia), while for others it happens less than 5% of the time (Ducati, Harley-Davidson).

Fact one: Today when a motorcycle shopper walks through the door of a dealership, 77% of the time there will be no mention at all of the possibility of a test ride.

Fact two: Motorcycle dealerships which offer test rides to prospects at least three-quarters of the time retail on average 43% more motorcycles than those who do not.

Few dispute the fact that test rides sell motorcycles, so why do so few dealerships figure out how to offer test rides? Offering test rides is not a simple process, and developing a well thought-out dealership test ride process is not straight-forward and easy. Give any of us fifteen minutes and we could come up with a dozen strong reasons why offering motorcycle test rides is complicated, maybe dangerous and clearly difficult.

New Dealership Openings and Highest Ranking in Prospect Satisfaction Index(R) Contribute to Company Success Nationwide

Cupertino, Calif. (May 20, 2009) – Ducati North America is delighted to announce a significant boost in market share across the United States for the first quarter of 2009. Despite adverse market conditions and a drying up of consumer credit, Ducati is attracting a bigger share of the market than ever before.

"Ducati has come a long way in the last couple of years,” said Michael Lock CEO of Ducati North America. “We have introduced business improvements, developed market leading bikes, dominated international road racing and are very focused on the needs of our growing customer base. All of these factors have greatly contributed to our growing sales and market share success across the U.S."

Ducati's commitment to exceptional customer service is evidenced by Ducati's dealer network nabbing the top spot in the 2009 Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index(R) (PSI) U.S. Motorcycle Industry Study. Over the last three years, Ducati dealers consistently improved their customer interaction and dealership experience and now lead all brands in overall satisfaction.

Ducati has been the fastest-growing motorcycle brand in the United States for the past five years, but it was by no means an immediate success. The company changed almost everything about itself, from the models it imports to the distribution of dealerships. It focused more on boutique, specialized dealerships and removed itself from the big multibrand dealerships that sell product, but don't sell brand.
Because Ducati is a niche product, Lock said, it is crucial that each dealer makes a personal connection with customers. Ducati does not have any company-owned stores in the United States, but works closely with its franchise owners to create an environment that focuses on the strengths of its dealers and the product.

This year, Ducati was ranked first among all motorcycle brands sold in the United States in customer satisfaction, according to the Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index. The independent study uses 2,100 anonymous “mystery shoppers,” who rate the customer experience at dealerships. Ducati beat out such brands as Harley-Davidson, which ranked first the previous two years, and BMW.

A recent study gave Ducati dealers the highest ranking among U.S. dealerships for how they treat their customers.

Compared to last year, the motorcycle sales department staff is more likely to introduce themselves to clients and ask follow-up questions, not to mention encourage consumers to sit on a bike.

However, they are less likely to inform the consumer about financing options, discuss the bike's unique features and how those compare to the competition, and less likely to provide visual aids, like brochures.

Those are some of the key findings from a national study that examines the effectiveness of the motorcycle industry's retail sales force. The study, called the Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index (PSI), not only examines dozens of retail sales practices, but also identifies how specific brands are performing compared to their competitors.

Ducati dealerships ranked highest in the newly released 2009 Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index U.S. Motorcycle Industry Study, which measures how consumers are treated when shopping for a new motorcycle.