Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/711372
SOLUTIONS 40 • August 15, 2016 • Powersports Business www.PowersportsBusiness.com Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "The first wealth is health." A public service message from the Powersports Indus- try Surgeon Gen- eral: Be aware of the symptoms of dealeritis. Signs may include, but are not limited to, accountability dysfunction and profitability paralysis. Anxieties, lack of focus or inattention to necessary actions are also signs that can be present. There are mild to severe conditions that require attention. If you or anyone you know exhibits any of these signs, consult a doctor immediately. This has been a public service message from the Power- sports Industry Surgeon General. How's your business feeling right about now? Having a great year? Or is your business feeling a bit sluggish, out of sorts, a little achy? Have you checked on its health? Are you tak- ing care of what you know needs taking care of? Is dealeritis a concern? What if it was Dr. Powersports who dis- pensed advice and professional care to deal- ers, and who told you all what to do to keep your powersports businesses healthy? Who diagnosed and advised, who wrote the pre- scriptions, who gave you the meds to fix those business ills, when your business wasn't feel- ing well? The only side effects would be the probability of having a more robust profitable business and the certainty of your nervous twitch going away. Would ya listen, if it was a doctor telling you for your own good business health, that these are the things you need to do if you want to stay around? And if you didn't, the consequences could be life-threatening? Might be time to go see ol' Doc Powers- ports, the purveyor of wisdom, healer of deal- ership ills and all around good guy. Imagine walking into Doc Powersports' office for the big check-up. Ahhhh, "snap" go the gloves (feeling better already, I bet!) as the probing questions begin. … "So Mr. Principal, how's the business feel- ing? Looks like you haven't had a checkup in a while. Tell ol' Doc Powersports the reason for the visit." "Well Doc, I've been having these feelings of loss, not realizing what I should do. Overall business is feeling sluggish, down; it's an achy feeling that just won't go away. Whaddaya think, Doc?" Well, ol' Doc Powersports has seen many a dealership owner over the years, Mr. Principal. Ol' Doc delivered a lot of them when they were just beginning. What I've found is that when you sit down and go over the cause for most dealer ills, you all actually have a pretty good idea of what your needs are. That's one of the prime signs of dealeritis: not addressing what you know needs taking care of. And that has a lot to do with the feelings of loss you're experi- encing at the moment. Taking care of what ails you starts at the top — with you, Mr. Principal. That diagno- sis is one that's easy to make, but sometimes hard for the patient to accept. But without it, Doc Powersports can't cure what ails you. If you don't take care of your business health, who will? If you won't take care of your business body, how can you expect anyone else to do it? Folks model their leaders' tendencies, good and bad. Habits are learned and copied. Are your practices ones that you would want oth- ers to exhibit, Mr. Principal? Are your prac- tices what you would, in turn, want and expect from your employees? If the answer is no, then you've got some business health issues that in all probability need attention. Accountability dysfunction (AD) is another sign of dealeritis. AD can be one of the most debilitating issues associated with dealeritis. Businesses that suffer from AD generally have uneven employee performance and exhibit a lack of customer retention skills. Lack of follow-through is present; the phrase "back ordered" is used frequently; finger-pointing is in evidence. If you see or hear signs of incon- sistent productivity and focus, AD is probably present. And if AD is present, profitability paralysis is right on its heels. Doc Powersports has always said, "There are always signs of unhealthy actions," but you have to pay attention to the signs, if you are to cure them. If a cough persists, there's a reason for it. If you don't take care of the reason for the cough, it may get worse. If it gets worse, it's harder to treat. The harder it is to treat, the longer it takes for you to get healthy, and sometimes you just don't have the luxury of time. If your business hasn't been feeling quite up to par lately, maybe it's time to take care of its health by not putting off what needs to be done and not waiting for things to get better on their own. You know what ails you. Will you cure it, is the question. … Would you, if your doctor told you? PSB Mark Mooney is the principal of Mark Mooney Powersports Consulting, a Santa Cruz, Calif.-based company that works with OEMs and powersports dealers to strengthen dealership performance. A former dealer principal, Mooney has 35 years of industry experience. Contact him at mooneypowersportsconsulting@gmail.com. Would you, if your doctor told you? THINK ABOUT THIS… MARK MOONEY