Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/360137
AFTERMARKET Product providing profits dealership-wide BY DAVE McMAHON EDITOR IN CHIEF GPS tracking systems once came with a reputa- tion that left many assuming their uses were limited to theft recovery. Kryptonite is making headway in shaking off that persona with the company's Real Time 2.0 GPS Based Security and Locating System, launched earlier this year. Tony Tarell, national sales man- ager for Kryptonite's powers- ports division, has been making the rounds at dealerships and indus- try events for four years, and is seeing the dividends. "Dealers are really getting on board with s e l l i n g G P S a s a n add-on," Tarell said. "When I first started selling, there was a heavy educational element to get deal- ers interested in our product. Now I find that our product is in the top four on their menu of items that they're tacking on to the back end of deals. With the margins they can make, they see that they're making more money off of GPS than they are off of GAP or certain warranties." And many dealers are recognizing the prod- uct as much more than a device to prevent theft. In fact, it can bring peace of mind to parents who are co-signing on a bike purchase with their child. "There's a lady who bought her son a Ninja 300, and she got a GPS put on it," Tarell said. "She's got a geofence set around school, home and I'm guessing the kid's friend's house. Every time he enters the school parking lot, she gets a text that says he's entered the school park- ing lot; same thing when he leaves the lot. He breaks 55 mph on the way home, and she gets a text message. It allows her to see how things are going with the bike and make sure he's OK. It's so much more than a theft recovery tool. Once the dealers understand it, they can pitch it better to the customers. It's a no-brainer for the customers." Many V-twin riders appreciate its ability to map rides. "Riders are getting ready for Sturgis. They log into the mobile site, and it tracks the ride for, say, every three minutes," Tarell said. "You're gone for seven days, and it pings the vehicle every three minutes. When you return home, it shows you a map lay- out of where you went, a n d w h e n y o u r u n your mouse across it, it shows the road you were on, how fast you were going, and what direction. So it's also a map-my-ride tool. "Or the rider's wife wants to make sure her husband is OK on his trip, so he sends her periodic geofences on the way up. He adds her cell phone number for the text list, and she's able to see that he just got to the Texas-Okla- homa border as he's crossing." Beyond that, the dealership can benefit from customers who might not be precise with their maintenance schedule. "The guy rides in and doesn't keep up with his service dates well. He gets his oil changed, and plugs in that he wants a notification in 5,000 miles that it's time for an oil change. Five thousand miles later he gets the text message and knows he needs to come spend cash at your dealership," he said. The Kryptonite GPS also tracks engine hours. Motion sensors can be activated once a bike comes off the kickstand. Because the entire dealership can generate revenue from the sale of the product, Tarell is seeing growing interest in the product. "I'd go to certain cities and get one or two dealers to sign on," he said. "Then down the road other dealers find out he's moving six or eight a month and he's making big-time profit, plus service and parts are driving revenue — that gets dealers interested," he said. One recent month saw Kryptonite 2.0 more than double the number of devices registered, compared to the year-ago month. "It's really been considerable growth," Tarell said. "And we'll have a rollout to Canada coming later this year, which will be big step for us. There's no competition there, and we're looking forward to helping dealers there add to their F&I profits." Kryptonite sets itself apart by offering locate and airtime packages for a reasonable rate. "There are some competitors that charge $199 and $159 a year, and we're at $59," Tarell said. "We're allowing dealers to prepay for two years of airtime coverage, and that's helped them make even more money. It's about how much you're able to work and how good the F&I guy is." PSB Kryptonite finding F&I home with GPS dealers 35 • August 11, 2014 • Powersports Business www.PowersportsBusiness.com Kryptonite Real Time 2.0 GPS provides both mapping technology, and peace of mind functions. ager for Kryptonite's powers- ports division, has been log into the mobile site, and The Kryptonite Real Time 2.0 GPS Based Security and Locating System can be profitable addition to F&I menus.