Modern Vespa

Hi all,

Our local Vespa dealer (now called Scoot ABQ) has been under a couple of different owners in the past 3 years and has more recently undergone what I would call a complete employee turnover (I have no idea who the mechanics or sales people are anymore). They also sell some Piaggio, Sym, other brands as well. Traditionally they appear to be set up as a bit of a 'boutique' but have a regrettable 'new car dealership' kind of a feel (and a scarily obvious lack of foot traffic through the door...).

I have a meeting set up with one of the owners (they are a large car dealership family in New Mexico) next week to introduce them to the world of Modern Vespa, which they know nothing about; and to encourage them to become a welcoming member of their local scootering community.

Therefore, I would like to direct this owner towards this particular thread to be shown examples of great dealerships that you have personally dealt with (anywhere in the world) and if possible a link (or contact info) to those dealerships. Please also include (briefly) examples of what those dealerships do to be great...

I know there are scattered threads on this subject (and I will try to direct him to those as well) but I thought a recent and concise thread would be the best way to introduce the owner to a number of great ideas all at once. I would ideally like to keep this a 'reality' thread as opposed to a 'wish list' kind of thread just so he can see what is working in today's world...

Last, PLEASE don't make this a 'my dealer is better than your dealer' kind of thread or anything like that. I am strictly looking for basic business info that this dealer may be able to use in improving their business model in our local scootering community.

Thanks,

Desi B.

I would like to recommend Ron Daley's scooters in Barnsley. They are not the nearest to where I live but had heard very good reports about their after sales service which should be one of the main prioritieds when buying a new scooter.
I phoned around a few to get the cheapest deal and they were the cheapest, since then it's been in for two services and an exhaust gasket. Each time they gave me an appointment time and when I arrived told me when it would be ready by and to within 30 mins it was. The staff are very freindly helpful and knowledgeable.
Unfortuunately nowadays dealers just seem to want to take your money and let you fend for yourself.

Scooter Centrale/Vespa of Hartford seems to have lots of happy customers from what I've seen. They do lots of organized events - including weekly group rides, wine and cheese "get to know your scooter" (i.e. how to change the oil) nights, new rider safety clinics (conducted by someone who is a MSF instructor), etc. They make it a very "social" place where customers stop by all the time just to hang out. They have a facebook page that they keep updated with all the events and news.

There are plenty of dealerships that sell scooters around here - but Scooter Centrale was the onely one I found that focused on the social aspect/culture. That's why I bought from them instead of the other dealerships.

http://www.scootercentrale.com/
(that's my BV500 in the lower right corner of the picture on their home page)

They have a good amount of parts in stock, nice selection of gear (Corazzo and other brands) and "know" their customers. Everyone that works there remembered our names after the first visit (no pressure sales - just showed us a bunch of things on a Sunday) and said our names when we came in after that (before deciding what to buy). They let us test ride anything we wanted. Some dealerships get picky about trying lots of different scoots. The overall vibe was laid back, no sales pressure, friendly and helpful and just plain fun.

That perhaps is the one single 'key' that all the raved-about dealerships have in common. The dealer-customer relationship is not just a business relationship, but a mutual friendship with riding a PTW as the seed to that.

Open days, BBQs, free coffee, discounts to loyal customers, all count. A good dealer doesn't have to do much selling himself, often his customers will do it for him. This *has* to be backed up by reliable service, normal consumables always in stock, and a 'swings and roundabouts' approach to fault-finding costs.

In a word - Integrity.

Plus - share information on the 'net - recalls, updates, whatever.

I haven't seen this done yet, but a really great dealership would stock parts.

werd.

???? What is weird (if that is what you meant, who knows) about stocking all normal consumables? It might come to GBP20,000 - but if not borrowed money it remains money in the bank and a very good reputation for getting people back on the road within minutes - hugely important especially in larger conurbations.

I think elvispa meant "werd" as in "word."

As in, "word, dawg!  I feel ya!"  As in, "preach it brutha!!!"

But I could be wrong.

Sorry, that's a "whoosh" to me.

It's one o' dem dang 'merican thangs...!

Thanks for the replies so far - This is exactly what I am talking about in terms of having my dealer be able to look at some good scooter shops and their policies...

Keep it coming!

Desi B.

http://www.motoworkschicago.com/

Motoworks in Chicago really shines as a dealer. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I've never experienced any better customer service from any dealer - whether it be auto, motorcycle or scooter. What's really impressive is that they don't just have one or two good people, it seems like their entire staff is awesome. Everyone there take a genuine interest in making sure you are taken care of and that your scoot is in top shape.

I bought at A&S in Roseville, I would not say they were a "bad" shop, but they are a BMW and Ducati (more Italian steel... *drool*) dealer. The scoot side seems to be just a side show. They took care of me, but there was no "vibe" there.

The Scoot Shop has become my favorite dealer/repair shop. Run by a husband/wife team they are just good folk.

Theron and Rebekah go out of their way to make you feel at home (they seem to know everyone by name!) and make me feel a little less guilty about dropping some cash on my scoot knowing I am supporting a good business.

And, if you don't feel like hangin' around the shop while the scoot is being serviced, there are great places like Sandra Dee's and Zen Sushi right around the corner. Drop the scoot off, shuck the gear in the office, go get some righteous fried chicken and waffles with sweet tea.

They do shop rides, 20+ riders at the last one, and they did a scooter movie night, which I missed, but it sounded fun!

And to me, that is the key: make it a community, not just a place to buy a scoot.

Scoot Richmond: http://www.scootrichmond.com/

Kissell Motorsports in State College PA

They are not scooters only. But the scooters are not just an afterthought. They carry piaggio and genuine, and the owner likes and rides them all. And, if you bought your bike there, they give loaners if yours is in the shop. Saved my hide.

Motorsport in San Diego is excellent when it comes to customer service/relationships! They're a sponsor on this site, are currently at Amerivespa, and have a pretty loyal following across the US based on how often they are mentioned in posts on MV.

I've been to several "events" that they have put on and the crowds are very good - easily 70+ scooters show up. Any time I drop by there for any reason, there are customers hanging out and talking about their projects, etc... with the staff. Everyone is greeted and made to feel quite welcome there.

I agree with Jim's comments and point to Motorsport as a great example

I have to give another "hats off" to my dealership, BMW/Vespa Louisville. They do strive to give top service all the time. Yesterday I was on my way to work and punched a nail into my rear tire. I already had an appointment to replace tires next week but I was in a bind so I called them to see if they could help. They were booked up but said to bring it on over and they would do the tires a few days early. It just happened that the person they were waiting on was running late so they started on my scooter as soon as I arrived.

Besides service, it is a place to hang out and talk to other riders. They have weekly rider stop in's every Saturday with free coffee and doughnuts. Oh and this week that was held yesterday as they are closed today. Every September they have a big cookout and customer appreciation day (open to anyone who rides or not). I also found out they do a thing called the lap of Kentucky that is a charity benefit ride.

Anyone want to try to guess where I will be going when I decide to get me a BV500?

Hey Desi B. Well ... of the four dealers I have dealt with and purchased from, the best (so far) have been those who were responsive to my needs, polite, didn't overcharge me and took care of my orders in a timely fashion.

But perhaps more significantly, I think it is important for any new dealer to understand just how badly (and irrevocably) a client can be turned off by poor/bad service. My dealer in St. Maarten (from whom I bought my 2008 LX125) was sooooo bad that I refuse to give him even one more penny of my money. I went to great lengths to contact Piaggio USA because of him and as a result, ended up buying my newest scooter from a dealer in Italy. My new scooter should be here by the end of the month and the dealer couldn't have been more helpful. Oddly enough, even with shipping the scooter from overseas, I paid less for my 2009 scooter (with all the bells and whistles) than I did for my 2008! Funny that!

Anyway, I think any good business person knows what a dealer needs to do to stay in business. They are consumers too! Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. If a dealer (or any business person) follows that rule, they will be successful. Mutual respect, responsiveness and a good grasp of the concept of fairness mean everything!

My dealership is ScootOver in Tucson, AZ. They sell Genuine, Kymco and SYM, and service every reputable make of scooter. At a recent open house, I test-rode out the new Symba and several new 4-strokes, and pigged out on hotdogs and cookies. They even make house calls for service! ScootOver has a sizeable inventory of spare parts, accessories, protective gear and scooter lifestyle items, and their prices and service charges are more than fair.

Thanks again for all of your input! It's cool to hear some of the good things your dealers are doing for you and their other customers.

Any other little things? ...or big ones? that make your dealer great...

I have great hopes that this thread and of course Modern Vespa in general has the potential to guide our Dealer towards awesomeness!

Desi B.

I deal with Capital City Scooters in Columbus OH and The Athens Scooter Company in Athens OH. Both great shops. They are both really new but know their scooter stuff.

CCS puts on lots of events for the local scooter community. Caitlin has ordered some special scooter stuff for me and her service is top notch.

The Athens shop is just starting to get involved with the local scooter community and their people in the shop are great !

It's all about the people. They are not only dealers but they are also friends.

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"also friends" - that's the key. My old dealer (now out of the business) and his ex-customers (inc. me!) are still in a close social network. Ride-outs, parties, whatever.

My favorite dealer is Il Motorino / Vespa Santa Cruz CA. Jim is the kind of guy that will do damn near anything to keep you happy as a customer. On the ride from Portland to Amerivespa last week, my wife's GTS was getting threadbare on the back tire. I called Jim at 3:30 from San Francisco and told him my problem and that the first Amerivespa event would start the first thing the next day. He stayed open late just to make sure we'd be riding on safe rubber. Hats off to Vespa Santa Cruz and Jim. He is a long ways from Portland...but my favorite dealer by far.

-Arjen

I admire your effort here. At the risk of sounding negative, their problems are more fundamental. They would be best served by completely handing over the reins to someone that loves scooters, knows how to work on them and interacts with the community. If they fully supported this kind of team, they would do very well. With this kind of management change, I would consider going back. They previously had someone there that gave that vibe, but once gone, the car dealership atmosphere and basic practices overwhelms. This was my experience and it kept me from buying a new bike there. Also, talking to the coffee lady about knocking down part of the wall between them so one can stroll in there and hang out as well might be good (this one is just a thought). In the meantime, I will be going to PJ's, the old Vespa place, for any maintenance now and elsewhere for new bikes. Good luck.

Oh, I hear what you are saying... I am a bit of an outsider to the scooter scene due to a lack of time to socialize with them here in 'Burque but am fairly aware of much of what has happened with the business side of things in town at several current and former scooter dealers.

My goal is simply to try to preserve (or maybe inspire the creation of...) a descent scooter shop in town that can meet my needs as a consumer and MV owner. If it doesn't work, I can always ride Hwy 14 up to Santa Fe where there is a pretty decent shop. That certainly isn't a bad thing in my book 8) .

I'm always an optimist until people prove me wrong .

Desi B.

My favorite dealership without a doubt is Vespa House in Collingwood, Melbourne. Since 1956 they have been selling and repairing Vespas, I grew up drooling over their displays. They let me test drive anything I want and make me feel like a part of the fun.

http://www.vespa-house.com.au/

I gotta say though, they did some major repairs for me last year (was hit by a car) and it took them four months to complete it!!! Still I had lots of great chats about Vespas whilest I waited.

+1

So, I met with the owner/manager of Scoot ABQ and had a really good conversation with him. He introduced me to his entirely new staff who seem to be getting their feet wet in the Vespa world pretty fast and seemed open to many of the ideas I discussed with him.

Following is a summary of what I shared with him (all could be useful if any of you have a similar interaction with a dealer looking for some help...)



These are specific threads dealing with good dealerships and ideas for design, repair practices, sales, etc. here on MV:

Examples of Great Dealerships... - This thread that you are reading now...

If you owned a scooter shop..... - A similar thread started by someone else (a little more focused on clothing...)

Why did you buy a Modern Vespa? - 'Why did you buy a Vespa' - informative thread...

Generic Vespa Scooter Upgrades List - List of potential upgrades compiled from MANY observations and threads... Could be useful to determine potential aftermarket parts sales.

Your Dream Vespa Showroom - Phase 3/3 Complete - A design competition for a Vespa Showroom - lots of great ideas...

MV Maintenance Clinic, SF, 2007 - First Day notes - Example of how to do a maintenance clinic at your shop...

Do you check out Vespa dealers when traveling? - Vespa stores people like to go to when they travel...

Visiting Los Angeles. Cool Scooter Shops and things to See? - Good scooter shops in LA...

Dealer Status Due to Current/Future Economy - Dealership status report due to economy...

When Vespa came back to the USA. A great history lesson - Good set of articles about return of modern Vespa to the U.S.

With a bit of effort - there are probably 100+ more decent threads here on Modern Vespa that contain useful information for any scooter shop - design ideas, mechanic help, accessory ideas, etc, etc.... I would suspect that anyone with a bit of gumption could run a successful scooter dealership based exclusively off of recommendations made on this site -even if they have NO scooter experience at all.

I will say that a number of the GOOD dealers in the U.S. pop in from time to time on MV, and even more independent Vespa mechanics and experienced riders make it an invaluable resource for everyone. I would go as far as to say that if Piaggio actually paid attention to the site, it would become a better company as well (at least in terms of its U.S. operations). A scooter shop's sales people and mechanics can take advantage of this database of knowledge, and they should encourage their customers to do the same as well...

Here are my own thoughts of what would make a great scooter shop in Albuquerque and other places (based on a synthesis of what I have read and experienced over the past few years):

- GOOD Mechanics who know their shit when it comes to a Modern Vespa. No amount of money or time should be spared to ensure you have the right people in place in terms of this element of your business. Ideally, they should all be scooter riders as well but that might be a bit much to ask for...

- Parts, parts, and yes, parts... There aren't that many on a modern vespa that need regularly replacing, and yes, you should carry them all...

- Scheduled appointments in advance for extensive mechanic work (for many people, scooters are an essential part of their transportation and they can't be without them for long).

- Emergency 'quick fix' availability for repairs. Any repair that takes less than 20 minutes or so should be able to be done on the spot at all times unless you are swamped at the time. I have worked in bicycle shops before where this model of doing repairs worked extremely well with as few as 2 mechanics in house at all times.

- Loaner scooters for long term fixes. I am sure this can cost a bit for insurance or whatever, but most customers would be willing to pitch in for such costs to simply be able to stay mobile while their scooter is being serviced. Many other shops offer this around the world... It wouldn't take to much to find out how it works...

- The availability of used parts... I have to disagree with many in the 'boutique' world on this one. Virtually ANYONE who needs a part for their scooter would be willing to either buy a used one or have a used part put on temporarily while a new one is ordered. Again, having a liability waiver, charging for the installation of the part, etc is a more than worthwhile thing to request of your customers in exchange for keeping them on the road. It would cost a shop virtually nothing to have a couple of salvaged GTS/LXs laying around to rob stuff off of... I know this is different from the 'New Car' business, but my opinion is it may be essential for a scooter shop to be successful in a limited market like Albuquerque (or other places).

- The scooter scene doesn't necessarily lend itself to the 'clean showroom' kind of a feel in my mind. Put a couple of couches in a corner, have some scooter magazines to look at, put in a coffee machine or free sodas, have a TV playing scootering videos, etc. Have a couple of old classic scooters laying around, even if you don't want to sell or work on them. Free up a little floor space so people can 'walk around' a scooter instead of looking at it in a row of other scooters. Buy a broken 'Vietbodge scooter' to show people what NOT to buy...

- Every spare second your employees have they should be educating themselves about the scooter world, whether it is on MV, or Modern Buddy, or on the Stella sites, or on the Kymco sites, or wherever. There is no reason at all that a lay person who hangs out on Modern Vespa to avoid doing real work (like me - smile) who has extremely limited experience in the scootering world should know more than a scooter shop's employees do about fixing his/her scooter.

- Develop a detailed list of EVERY customer you have ever had and send out a mass mailing to have them join a Facebook page or something that your shop creates. Then offer them all weekly or monthly group rides from your shop (try to find a designated ride leader). Do a monthly (or so) workshop on how to do various kinds of mechanical or maintenance work on their scooters (Oil changes, variator replacement, belt replacement, brake maintenance, tire changes, etc) - you could charge money for such things. Do a 'Stebel Horn' or 'Headlight Modulator' installation workshop and sell everyone the parts to do so... There is no end of things you could do to enhance this part of your business. How about a 2 hour long 'accessories' event that showcased a dozen new products that people could buy... These would all probably work better in the winter than summer.

- Set up a 'designated scooter parking' area in front of a scooter shop - what scooter store would NOT have such a thing?

- I can understand the difficulties of mixing modern scooters with the classic scooter scene - it is a universal dilemma all over the place. I would however suggest not ignoring it either. One certainly don't have to sell or even work on classic scooters, but your employees should know something about them at the very least. Can they spot a 'Vietbodge'? Do they know the difference between a Vintage VLB and a VBB? Can they name 6 non-vespa brand classic scooters? Do they know that Sears and Cushman used to sell Vespa scooters? Develop a relationship with a local mechanic or two who DOES work on such scooters and recommend them to customers who are interested in them, as opposed to sending them out your front door with no help...

- Have a bulletin board by the front door (or wherever) for people to post info on rides, parts wanted, scooters for sale, etc... Every bit you help the community can come back and help your shop, making all of us happy and putting even more scooters out there on the road for all to see.

(End of info shared with my dealer)



The cool thing is that most of the ideas everyone has assembled from others above are actually pretty cheap to implement - especially in the long run, and ultimately they could all lead to increased scooter and parts sales if done right.

Feel free to keep adding to this thread if you have any more ideas for creating a great environment at a scooter dealership or in their community. I will keep everyone posted on how things evolve here in Albuquerque...

Desi B.

Wow ... you should either get a job working for that guy, or open your own place.

I don't know why a dealer would want to teach customers how to do their own maintenance, as maintenance seems to be a big part of their livelihood. I imagine liability issues would probably keep most customers out of the service area.

Piaggio/Vespa needs to have a parts warehouse located in the US. That "waiting for your part to arrive from Italy by boat" crap is completely lame.

i've had really good luck with http://www.vespaalamoheights.com/

they've treated me very well and gave me some pretty good deals.

Another, very simple thing, is to make the customers feel welcome, even if they bought their bike elsewhere.

Sportique Boulder treats me extremely well, even though I haven't bought a lot of stuff from them, and didn't even get my GTV there. I have actually come to regret not buying my bike from them, because they treat me so much better than the dealer I did buy from.

My next scooter will definately come from Sportique, because I know they'll take care of me there. I don't care if it takes a tad bit longer to order from them, or that they have less financing options than the other places. They're actually happy to see me come in the door, even if it's just to look around and chit-chat. And that makes me a very happy customer.

There's also a motorcycle dealer, closer to me than Sportique, that I have bought most of my riding gear at. They don't even sell Vespas there (just Schwinn and Kawasaki), but again, they make me feel welcome as a customer. I now recommend them to people too, even if they aren't getting a scooter or motorcycle there.

If my local shops can get the item, part or job done, I go there first. If they can't help me out, I go call up Motorsport Scooters in San Diego.

My business goes to the guys that can help me get stuff or get stuff fixed. I have a customer relationship with several shops and dealerships in the area, since they are all experts at different stuff. However, I feel welcome and valued at each one (and at Motorsport, even over the phone) and that is important.

Sometimes dealing with them is a pain, but sometimes dealing with me is a pain, too. If I could get one to do everything, I would be in heaven, but I'm happy with the current situation.

Has anyone had any experience with the Vespa dealership in San Francisco?

Thanks for the compliment, but I already work the equivalent of 3-4 full time jobs, none of which pay much money... I just want to be able to go to a shop that offers just a few of these kinds of things, I certainly wouldn't expect anyone to do all of them.

I actually think a dealer would come out money ahead by offering classes on how to do maintenance work and such. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but by encouraging a customer to learn more about their own scooter, you are giving them a 'positive' dealer experience and encouraging the scene as a whole, which means in the long term, more scooter sales and probably higher sales of accessories as folks become comfortable installing such items. Plus you have to remember it will be a small minority of customers who take advantage of such classes, but by simply hearing about them, other customers will also get a good feeling about the dealership as they drop off their bikes for service.

Speaking from bicycle shop experience, I KNOW we sold more stuff and did more service on peoples bikes after we went out of our way to show customers how to do basic maintenance on them... and we did that kind of thing for free, which I am not suggesting a scooter shop would do. They should offer the classes at a reasonable fee for folks to take.

Oh yeah, I agree with the parts warehouse thing... How much could it possibly cost a multi-million dollar company to warehouse the equivalent of 20 or so scooters worth of spare parts?

Thanks for your feedback,

Desi B.