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Some days things don't do right

Well, it was in Polk Co. after all!!!:D Kinda like what happens in McDonalds when you give the cashier change after they tell you your total:newsmile082:
 
hammerhead pat said:
Well, it was in Polk Co. after all!!!:D Kinda like what happens in McDonalds when you give the cashier change after they tell you your total:newsmile082:
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I love it when you go to order at the drive thru, and then you add something on the end of the order, and they come back " what you said "
 
I'm troubled when I read things like this. In my heart I want Harleys, the people who ride them, and even their shops to be better than some cookie-cutter metric dealer.

Granted, my shop is a great place--that's why I go there. But even now I see displays and even custom catalogs that simply exist as new "revenue streams." I even get bashed by other Harley owners when I complain about hype.

Sadly, most of the T-shirts at my dealer also have the location's logo printed on the back. I think you're tapping into something that's more than an order of a certain size. I think your experience is just the way business is now done in America.

BTW, if I want a custom catalog, which probably cost more to produce than the shirt, anyone at the dealership will hand me one for free. It has their business card stapled to the front cover.
 
Well I'm probably going to get some flac for this but here goes anyway. It seems that while we all like to get a freeby (who doesn't) and I do think what happened to RWB was poor business practice, we cannot lose site of why the Dealers are in business. By offering more types of products the dealers are just trying to increase thier market share. We gripe when something we want has to be ordered but we forget that if the dealer keeps it on a shelf they have to pay fed tax as it is deemed an asset even before it sells. We search the Web for the cheapest price after we go in and try something on to see what size we take. Don't get me wrong I want a bargin as much as the next guy, but I understand that if I don't support my local dealer I'll be riding another 100 miles when he closes his doors. If your dealer or their staff isn't treating you the way you want write a letter to the dealer offering ways to improve customer relations.
 
HDDon said:
Well I'm probably going to get some flac for this but here goes anyway.
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Well, you're not going to get flak from me, I own my own business.

However, besides turning a profit, I'm in a service business, and you have to provide "real customer service." Not just a stupid smile and free gimmee hat, but you have to do quality work and fix problems.

Granted, you might not make a whole lot of profit on a deal gone bad, but you also have to think of the future. My very best client only shops from me--and at a higher price--because I Q/C every order, and disassemble, inspect and polish every item before it's shipped to him.

This is extremely important. Look at the OP's overall theme. He buys a 20K to 30K piece of machinery and then gets poked in the eye over a shirt that cost pennies to produce. So, in the future, if he wants a new custom engine costing +6k, will he buy it there, or order one from S&S?
 
As a business owner it looks like you get the part about customer service. I don't know how large your business is but it would appear that you are still involved with all aspects and are not afraid to get your hands dirty. The way the MOCO has demanded that dealerships get larger and more product oriented has left some dealers with large staff and little time for being involved with the day to day workings of their business, and this has caused more than one customer to walk away grumbling. That is why I suggested a letter with a solution or at least a recomendation for better customer service. If you can, ask for an appointment with the owner try not to go in mad but concerned that if the current type of customer service continues you will be riding to the next dealer that hasn't closed their doors yet.
 
Dr. Dolittle said:
Am I missing something - I thought that was kind of the point of collecting the T shirts.
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That's always been my take on it Doc. But I think the thought was by denying RWB a free Tshirt the dealership was also denying itself free advertisement.:cheers
 
I agree Tank, but for too many managers it is about power and not empowering employees. Once you get an employee to buy into the organization and not just a paycheck you have a win-win situation.
 
What do you say RWB? Sounds like a solution that the dealer/owner needs to hear.
 
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