Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/636351
4 • February 15, 2016 • Powersports Business NEWS www.PowersportsBusiness.com www.powersportsbusiness.com Editorial and Sales: 763.383.4400 Subscriber Service: 847.763.9565 EDITOR IN CHIEF: Dave McMahon 763/383-4411 (dmcmahon@powersportsbusiness.com) MANAGING EDITOR: Liz Keener 763/383-4413 (lkeener@powersportsbusiness.com) ASSISTANT EDITOR: Kate Swanson 763/383-4412 (kswanson@powersportsbusiness.com) DIGITAL MARKETING COORDINATOR: Shauna Spencer MANAGING ART DIRECTOR: Dodi Vessels ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR: Nicole Siewert PRODUCTION ARTIST: Kelsey Houle PRODUCTION MANAGER: Angela Schmieg PRODUCTION DIRECTOR: Cherri Perschmann NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Allison Gruhn 763/383-4467 (agruhn@powersportsbusiness.com) NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Mark Rosacker 763/383-4433 (mrosacker@snowgoer.com) NATIONAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE Michael Kula 763/383-4440 (mkula@ridermagazine.com) CEO: Marion Minor SR. VICE PRESIDENT/FINANCE & OPERATIONS: Gerald Winkel SR. VICE PRESIDENT/MARKET DEVELOPMENT: Joanne Juda-Prainito GROUP PUBLISHER/MOTORCYCLE, POWERSPORTS: David J. Voll AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Tim Morgan SALES OPERATIONS MANAGER: Bernadette Wohlman CONTRIBUTORS: COLUMNISTS: Tommy Ady, Paula Crosbie, Steve Jones CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Lisa Pelissier DEALER ADVISORY BOARD: Hooksett Kawasaki-Polaris, Jim Whalley; Hacker's Yamaha & Honda, Rick Hacker; Honda/Polaris of Lubbock, Morris Baker; All Action Water Sports, Ray Leps POWERSPORTS BUSINESS (ISSN #1522-7944) is published 15 times per year – monthly except twice in May and December, the Market Data Book in September – by EPG Media/Specialty Information Media, 10405 6th Avenue North, Suite 210 Minneapolis, MN 55441. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, MN and additional mailing offices. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: Free to qualified members of the motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle, snowmobile and personal watercraft industries. Annual subscription rate is $56 per year for U.S residents, $76 for Canadian residents and $96 for residents in other countries. All paid subscriptions must be paid in advance and in U.S. funds only. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Powersports Business, P.O. Box 2123, Skokie, IL 60076-7823. CUSTOMER SERVICE: Visit www.PowersportsBusiness.com, email customerservice@specialtyim.com, call (845) 856-2229, fax (847) 763-9569 or write to Powersports Business, PO Box 2123, Skokie, IL 60076-7823. CANADIAN RETURN ADDRESS: EPG Media & Specialty Information, 4960-2 Walker Road, Windsor, Ontario N9A 6J3. Publication Sales Agreement #40012332. EDITORIAL: All manuscripts, materials, photographs and artwork submitted are at mailer's risk and must include self-addressed envelope with sufficient postage for return. Send editorial materials to EPG Media/Specialty Information Media, 10405 6th Avenue North, Suite 210 Minneapolis, MN 55441, 763/383-4400. No responsibility will be assumed for unsolicited materials. Powersports Business is a registered trademark of EPG Media & Specialty Information. Copyright 2015 by EPG Media & Specialty Information. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited unless expressly authorized by publisher. REPRINTS: For more information on e-prints or reprints from Powersports Business, contact Robin Cooper, 763/383-4400 ext. 4491. Printed in U.S.A. Sales process enhancement geared at driving profitability CyclePro has taken another giant leap forward by partnering with powersports industry leader National Powersport Auctions (NPA). NPA is no stranger to the crucial role software plays in a dealership and feels CyclePro's technol- ogy will revolutionize the way powersports dealers manage their dealerships. CyclePro first launched its equity mining and sales man- agement processes at AIMExpo this past fall. CyclePro is the brainchild of NextGen Dealer Solutions, a company with a history of success- ful dealership software. "Ever since we debuted CyclePro at AIMExpo, we have had great response from the dealer base," explained Kartik Kakarala founder and CEO of CyclePro. "When NPA came knocking, we knew we had something special. It's not every day such a well-respected industry veteran like NPA offers up its exper- tise and resources." National Powersport Auctions shared adjoining booth space with CyclePro at AIMExpo, and NPA's COO Jim Woodruff came away from Orlando impressed with what he saw. "CyclePro's solution is groundbreaking for the powersports industry," he said. "Ulti- mately it will make your dealership processes more effective, increase your closing rate and make any dealership more profitable." CyclePro's Session Management feature gives managers the insight necessary to effec- tively monitor and mentor the sales team in real time. Cycle Center of Denton is a perfect example of the impact CyclePro has on a sales team. "CyclePro has changed the way we run our sales department," said Chris Hawkins from Cycle Center of Denton. "From captur- ing a lead to closing the deal, CyclePro's soft- ware plays an integral part in our inventory and sales processes. With CyclePro's mobile footprint, real-time dashboard and custom reports, our managers have saved hours of work each week — giving them more time to focus on selling." CyclePro's equity mining feature is another industry first. CyclePro automatically sorts and rates previous customers based off their current vehicle's estimated value and loan balance to identify customers that are prime for a new motorcycle purchase. CyclePro can also filter by vehicle type, transaction value, estimated equity, timeframe and APR rates. "There are no better leads than your current customers," said Kakarala. Compatible with iPhone, Android and desktop devices, as well as the industry's top DMS, CRM and website software solutions, CyclePro is already in use by innovative dealers across the country. The NextGen development team is continuously work- ing on powerful new features for the com- ing years as the powersports industry itself evolves. Said Kakarala, "By working together with industry partners such as NPA and our family of customers, the ways the CyclePro platform can benefit powersports dealers are virtually limitless." PSB CyclePro partners with NPA on dealer technology (From left) National Powersport Auctions COO Jim Woodruff, CEO Cliff Clifford and CyclePro founder and CEO Kartik Kakarala inked their partnership. MIC CONTINUED FROM COVER Districts through its total membership. So far, the addition of dealers has allowed for the MIC to cover 60 percent of the districts. "I knew it would help the MIC if they could say to the Washington elite that we have mem- bers in every single Congressional District," said Bob Althoff, principal of A.D. Farrow Co. Harley-Davidson in Ohio. "It helps them and the work that they do, and in that regard, it helps us." A.D. Farrow joined the MIC as soon as deal- ership membership was opened, and shortly after Althoff became a member of the Dealer Advisory Council. He was among the early adopters because he thought it was important to add dealers to the organization that had been missing the dealer perspective. "I think when our industry has the oppor- tunity to come together that it's important to try to do that," he said. "Ninety-five percent of the issues that concern OEMs and dealers and the aftermarket, everyone in the industry, we're all on the same page. There's always going to be a few issues that we don't see eye-to-eye on, but the vast majority of the issues, well over 90 percent of them, we will." Having constituents throughout the coun- try as members of the MIC gives the organiza- tion clout when they're fighting for or against legislation on Capitol Hill. Kim Harrison, general manager of MIC member Coleman PowerSports in Virginia, has also been on the Dealer Advisory Council since the early stages of the program, and she has learned during her tenure that the MIC works hard behind the scenes to prevent legislation that negatively affects the industry. "I think the MIC does a really good job at getting ahead of issues before they even affect the dealer," she said. JOINING THE MIC Dealers who join the MIC not only have the opportunity to get involved with the MIC's leg- islative efforts, but a slew of amenities are also afforded to them. MIC dealer members can receive the MIC Executive Brief e-newsletter, along with access to MIC.org. On the website, they can find the MIC member directory, government relations and technical bulletins and MIC research and statistics, including the Statistical Annual, the Retail Sales Report, the MC/ATV Owner Survey and much more. The members also have access to the invite- only AIMExpo Top Dealer Lounge, along with other top performing dealers. As the MIC dealer membership is increasing, AIMExpo plans to expand the Top Dealer Lounge for 2016. MIC dealer members are also encouraged to attend the annual Communications Sympo- sium, which occurs in California each fall, and the annual Washington, D.C., fly-in, which is scheduled for each May. The D.C. fly-in is in its third year in 2016, and is set for May 25-26, with more dealers joining the event each year. Harrison has gone to the fly-in each of the first two years. The first year she observed and didn't meet with any representatives from her area, but in 2015 she set meetings to speak with her local legislators in person. "They really do seem to take an interest," she said of the legislators whom she met. "I had some really good meetings, and I think it brings awareness that it affects real busi- nesses and real people." Tuzee added, "[Dealers] have a different perspective, so when we sit in a room — in a Senator's office or a Representative's office — and we not only have OE representation, aftermarket representation, but also dealer representation there, it really strengthens our See MIC, Page 5 Participants of the Motorcycle Industry Council's annual D.C. fly-in have included representatives from manufac- turers, distributors, dealers and retailers, allied trades and others with a commercial interest in the industry.