Sportzone Suzuki - Christchurch?

[Yow Ling]

Shouldnt we wait till the patient passes away before choosing what clothes we will wear to the funeral ?

[Peach]

Will all of their stuff just move over to Avon City?

[scott411]

or at the very least struggle. The problem is that few of them much of an understanding of modern business practices. I got bored a while ago and spent some time looking at how a few bike shops run their marketing, and all but one seemed to think marketing was running a few ads on the radio station with the hottest sales rep or cutting prices. None of them have a strategy to engage in customer relationship marketing, none of them have stuff like service guarantees, none of them had done any market research at all and only one bike shop had a business plan.

Bike shops seem to almost universally operate on the principle that the public will overcome any obstacle for the privelege of dealing with them and will automatically be completely loyal to the dealer who carries their brand of choice. And I doubt dealers or distributors realise that motorcycles are a luxury/status item and they compete with travel, jet skis, boats, hot cars, home theatre systems etc; all of which are marketed much more effectively than poor old bikes.

this is true to some degree, but unfortuntly taring every one with the same brush does not always work, but is a staple of kiwibiker

[shrub]

this is true to some degree, but unfortuntly taring every one with the same brush does not always work, but is a staple of kiwibiker

It would seem that regardless of what you or I want, the majority of bike shops operate pretty much the same way - can you think of any that don't follow the pattern i described?

[Shaun]

It would seem that regardless of what you or I want, the majority of bike shops operate pretty much the same way - can you think of any that don't follow the pattern i described?

Give me a roll as marketing sales manager of a proffessional bike shop, and I will have people flying into the town to deal with us

[scott411]

It would seem that regardless of what you or I want, the majority of bike shops operate pretty much the same way - can you think of any that don't follow the pattern i described?

mine doesnt

[Pussy]

mine doesnt

Yours might not, Scott.... and the same with Sportzone...

But there are a few shops out there with narcissistic attitudes, that seem to think their customers should feel privileged to shop with them

[scott411]

But there are a few shops out there with narcissistic attitudes, that seem to think their customers should feel privileged to shop with them

don't disagree with you at all on that, and i bang that into my staff as well, i think customer service is still the number one thing you have to concentrate on, getting people in the door once is hard enough, do not screw it up

[Pussy]

don't disagree with you at all on that, and i bang that into my staff as well, i think customer service is still the number one thing you have to concentrate on, getting people in the door once is hard enough, do not screw it up

The couple of dealings I've had with you I have been impressed with.
Even though I haven't bought from you......

yet.

[shrub]

don't disagree with you at all on that, and i bang that into my staff as well, i think customer service is still the number one thing you have to concentrate on, getting people in the door once is hard enough, do not screw it up

That's very important. It costs 5-7 times as much to get a new customer as to keep an existing customer, yet it would seem from my (admittedly limited) observation that most bike shops have very poor follow-up and certainly don't have systems and processes in place to capture customers and keep said customers. Last year I did some work for a European car franchise on developing a customer relationship marketing programme which will be launched in April. The dealers will supply customers with a card that will be used every time they contact the company or deal with them. They accrue points (like flybuys) that they can redeem against services and products from the dealers and from a selection of other businesses (at this stage mostly lifestyle and travel based businesses).

The most important part is that the dealer will be able to track the customer's buying patterns, vehicle use etc which is allowing them to target market specific products and services. That means they can have an excuse to make contact with their customers to offer them stuff, invite them to events etc, and keep that customer coming in for servicing and new cars. There is a lot of effort going into training staff to ensure that every touchpoint the customer has reflects defined brand values and leaves the customer hungry for more.

I can imagine that it would work even better for a bike shop because a bike shop sells a much wider range of goods and has a higher level of customer intimacy than a car dealer and I've toyed with the idea of selling it to a franchise. Be interesting to see what response I'd get.

[Stylo]

That's very important. It costs 5-7 times as much to get a new customer as to keep an existing customer, yet it would seem from my (admittedly limited) observation that most bike shops have very poor follow-up and certainly don't have systems and processes in place to capture customers and keep said customers. Last year I did some work for a European car franchise on developing a customer relationship marketing programme which will be launched in April. The dealers will supply customers with a card that will be used every time they contact the company or deal with them. They accrue points (like flybuys) that they can redeem against services and products from the dealers and from a selection of other businesses (at this stage mostly lifestyle and travel based businesses).

The most important part is that the dealer will be able to track the customer's buying patterns, vehicle use etc which is allowing them to target market specific products and services. That means they can have an excuse to make contact with their customers to offer them stuff, invite them to events etc, and keep that customer coming in for servicing and new cars. There is a lot of effort going into training staff to ensure that every touchpoint the customer has reflects defined brand values and leaves the customer hungry for more.

I can imagine that it would work even better for a bike shop because a bike shop sells a much wider range of goods and has a higher level of customer intimacy than a car dealer and I've toyed with the idea of selling it to a franchise. Be interesting to see what response I'd get.

Rumour has it the auction will be next week , evidently it's all done and dusted ...Sportzone are history ...not gonna sleep tonight, damn

[shrub]

Rumour has it the auction will be next week , evidently it's all done and dusted ...Sportzone are history ...not gonna sleep tonight, damn

That's very sad. Good people have lost a lot.

[monkeymcbean]

Thats a shame "Sports Zone" is closing I found it a great looking shop, I never bought anything from there as I guess I think I had everything I needed for riding a bike. The staff seemed very friendly and willing to help, I hope they all get placed somewhere else in employment.
When I first went into bikeshops to get some basic gear I did find it all a bit intimidating and was astounded at how many ignored customers were in the shop whilst shop assistants pissed around behind the counter. But maybe I am being a bit critical, it was at the time when everyone seemed to have the money to throw around at bikes and with it you get complacency.
But man I would be out on that floor shaking that money out of there pockets whilst they were standing there.

[Hawk]

I would nt line those chickens up yet.

Has anyone checked the notices on the liquidators/receivers web site, I did and Sport-zone don't make the list.

so maybe this all just as it seems RUMOR

[Katman]

I would nt line those chickens up yet.

Has anyone checked the notices on the liquidators/receivers web site, I did and Sport-zone don't make the list.

so maybe this all just as it seems RUMOR

Businesses often use a different name on the companies register.