Sportzone Suzuki - Christchurch?

[Hawk]

Businesses often use a different name on the companies register.

yep checked that register also they are registered as sportzone suzuki

[Elysium]

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?

Freedom Suzuki here in Palmy seem to have a keen interest in keeping their customers happy and up to date with things happening. For example they send out monthly emails to customers informing them on deals, events happening, demos etc.. They also offer good deals like $10 off ticket prices to the Wangauni races as another example.

[JimO]

well i have to say i have never had bad service in any of dunedins bike shops, all have friendly helpfull staff from what i have seen

[AxN]

Freedom Suzuki here in Palmy seem to have a keen interest in keeping their customers happy and up to date with things happening. For example they send out monthly emails to customers informing them on deals, events happening, demos etc.. They also offer good deals like $10 off ticket prices to the Wangauni races as another example.

Sportzone had in the past sent out email updates of their promotions, 'have a go day' and specials. They even had a bikini bike wash day late last year for goodness sake. I personally am sad to see them to go out of business (if this is not a vicious rumor of some sort) I purchased most of my kit from them.

[onearmedbandit]

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

No one said it was being liquidated or being put into receivership though. I'll end up with egg on my face if I was put wrong today, but I was told by someone that would know that they are indeed pulling out. Triumph are not moving into their old store until next week however so the doors at sportzone will still be open this week. Also was told a lot of their stock is on consignment.

Really sorry to see Tony close up shop.

[Hawk]

No one said it was being liquidated or being put into receivership though. I'll end up with egg on my face if I was put wrong today, but I was told by someone that would know that they are indeed pulling out.

Really sorry to see Tony close up shop.

Yep true but worth a metion
ill be sorry to see tony go as well

[SVboy]

IF it does happen, and I hope not, very sorry for Tony, who I gather has made big sacrifices to keep things afloat. Hope Deano stays in the industry, as he is a talented rider and great guy.

[shrub]

IF it does happen, and I hope not, very sorry for Tony, who I gather has made big sacrifices to keep things afloat. Hope Deano stays in the industry, as he is a talented rider and great guy.

Sounds like it's all over for Tony and the crew. For us, we just need to go somewhere else to get stuff, byt Tony has poured everything he has worked all his life for into that business and has lost the lot, and a heap of real decent people now don't have a job in a tough economic time. it's a sad day.

[imdying]

One of the workers said as much (they're closing) when I was in there on Saturday, so it does not appear to be a secret.

[onearmedbandit]

IF it does happen, and I hope not, very sorry for Tony, who I gather has made big sacrifices to keep things afloat. Hope Deano stays in the industry, as he is a talented rider and great guy.

Dean announced on FaceBook the other day that he was newly unemployed, about 2wks ago, so he's already gone.

[shrub]

Let's hope some of the other bike shops can find room for them. From what i've observed they're all bloody good at what they do, and the service I have received there has been awesome, something I have heard from more than one person, so they would be worth hiring.

Skill, attitude and experience are worth a lot of money to a smart employer.

[Hawk]

damn I I brought my 3mth old bike from there Damn Shame good blokes great service

[Muppet]

No one said it was being liquidated or being put into receivership though. I'll end up with egg on my face if I was put wrong today, but I was told by someone that would know that they are indeed pulling out. Triumph are not moving into their old store until next week however so the doors at sportzone will still be open this week. Also was told a lot of their stock is on consignment.

Really sorry to see Tony close up shop.

A friend (no it's wasn't me-I was working while the lazy bastard gawked at bikes all day!) went into Sportzone today. They told him they were closing. It is a bit sad, when I got back into biking after a 10 year break after a crash, I bought a mint Honda CBX550F from them. They were in that shop that Pit Lane now occupies and were called something else (the name escapes me, was it Best Motorcycles???) Tony's parents worked there with him and delivered the bike to my house on a trailer. Some years later I was walking the beat when I found their front door open at night. Being a nosey bastard, me and the girl I was working with (also a biker) walked into the shop and set off the alarm. Tony and his parents turned up and his dad had recently suffered a stroke. Naturally I was given assholes by my work colleagues for commiting a burglary just so I could check out the bikes. My two cents worth.

[jimichelle]

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.

rolling thunder does that already

[shrub]

rolling thunder does that already

I know. Chris Elles is a very smart businessman and there's a reason they're the most successful bike shop in ChCh. Admittedly they have the brand with arguably the greatest brand equity, but alongside that is the fact that Harleys are expensive compared to comparable (and in some cases better) bikes - compare an M109 or a Thunderbird to a Harley.

If Triumph got off their arses they could give Harley a run for their money in NZ because they have pretty ,much the same degree of brand cachet and in many ways triumph has a stronger legacy - how many of us had brothers, uncles and fathers who rode Triumphs compared to Harleys? It won't happen because Triumph NZ don't seem to be all that interested in marketing whereas Harley have a great marketing machine behind them, and dealers like Elles have the smarts to sink some cash into the business and run it properly.

Triumph really screwed up when they slashed prices on their bikes - they had a reputation for holding their value and when I sold new Trumpies I'd see 2 and 3 year old bikes go for only a couple of grand less than brand new, but slashing the prices did the brand a lot of harm. You don't sell a premium brand at a discount - EVER!