Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/730410
60 • October 3, 2016 • Powersports Business ATV/UTV www.PowersportsBusiness.com X2, Dominator X4 and Raider 800cc side-by- sides. Because all models with the LCD display have a steering and dash configuration, the LCD cannot be added on to models that don't come with it pre-installed. ODES MOVES TO DALLAS ODES staff was happy to host their dealers in the Dallas area, which is home to the com- pany's newest facility. ODES is in the process of moving into and opening its new Dallas location. Dallas will serve as the new headquarters and assembly facility for ODES. The 80,000-square-foot building will house an assembly line with state-of-the-art equip- ment, improving the ODES assembly process. It'll also include a sample showroom space and a parts warehouse. "With an assembly line, we're going to be able to produce units out the door almost 10 times faster, and that's going to be a big deal for our dealers because they're going to want to be able to call in and get that unit on the car carrier within a couple days, not in a couple weeks," Smith said. The new process will allow for better quality control, as tools will be set to specific settings at each step of the line. And instead of one tech completing one full machine, as has been done in the past, now each tech will be in charge of his or her own specific task on each vehicle. "We want to have the tools in place that increase the quality control because if you have the right tools, you can do the right job," Smith said. New assembly staff was being trained throughout September, as the new equipment was also being installed. ODES planned to have assembly up by Oct. 1, with units head- ing out to dealerships as soon as they were complete. All dealers should be fully stocked with their initial 2017 orders by late October or mid-November. Dealers like Lem Rachels of Lem's Auto Sales and Motor Sports in Shelby, North Caro- lina, are excited for the new assembly line, as it will mean getting ATVs and side-by-sides from ODES more quickly. Smith admits that the old process often put production behind by three to four weeks, but the new assembly line will speed up that process. "I feel like this year is going to be a much better year for getting it done. I feel like they're heading in the right direction to get it done," Rachels, a longtime ODES dealer, said. Though most of ODES' key staff are moving to Dallas, ODES is keeping its Riverside, Cali- fornia, facility. That location will warehouse crated units brought in from nearby ports, and dealers who still prefer receiving crated units will receive them from that location. "We'll keep a lot of the crate stuff there because it doesn't make sense logistics-wise to move it, and we still have a lot of good guys there that we want to hang on to, and right now, we need space," Smith said. Parts will be stored at both locations as well. DEALER EDUCATION Though the 2017 model unveil was the main purpose of the dealer meeting, education was also a key piece. On Sunday, Sept. 11, dealers were treated to a day-long training event. Speakers touched on warranty paperwork, wholesale and retail financing, accessories, advertising and more. With this education and more one-on-one sessions planned for dealers throughout the next year, Smith said ODES wants to triple the business of each current dealer. "We need to dial our dealers in, and the dealers want us to dial them in. We've done surveys with all the dealers, and they always say, 'I want to sell more units. How do I sell more units?' We want to put them through an education process," Smith said. To that end, ODES recently hired market- ing director Sally Smith, who will work with dealers to help them market themselves. "Not only that, but we're sending our on- road guys to assist with the hands-on training of what they develop. So we want to make sure that we don't just send an email that says, 'Try this.' We want to send a guy there that says, 'Here's what we sent you; now here's how you implement it,'" Mike Smith explained. ODES has also partnered with a number of industry companies that are expected to help dealers succeed. On wholesale financ- ing, ODES is working with Wells Fargo CDF, TCF and Northpoint. First Community Bank's Dealer Direct is the preferred retail financ- ing company for ODES, with Roadrunner Financial covering sub-prime customers. LotVantage and ATV Trader also educated dealers about their respective services. On the P&A side, ODES is working with Two Brothers Racing, Royal Purple, Side X Side Enclosures and Super ATV. Interstate Batteries is also com- ing on board and will be the stock battery on ODES UTVS — with a 12-month warranty — beginning in November. "The partnerships are important because our brand helps their brand; their brand helps our brand," Smith said. DEALERS HONORED The dealer meeting also served as an opportu- nity to recognize dealers for their sales efforts over the past year. Northern Powersports of Mio, in Mio, Michigan, was named the No. 1 volume dealer for the fourth year in a row. Odyssey Sports NorthWest of Hayden, Idaho, was second in that category, while Custom Stripes of Bis- marck, North Dakota, was third. Custom Stripes was also named the Fast- est Growing Dealer, as the dealer that has carried the line for less than a year with the most success. Orion Powersports of Joshua, Texas, was named ODES' Top Service Provider. Play N Around Motorsports of Conroe, Texas, was second, and Kerlin Trailers & Motorsports of Warsaw, Indiana, was third. Brucher, of Northern Powersports of Mio, has been an ODES dealer for five years and is happy with the brand. "We love ODES; it's our favorite brand. They're our number one seller, by far," he said. Rachels, who has carried the brand since it launched, told Powersports Business, "For value for dollar, there's nothing on the market that can compete with it because it's all inclusive." PSB ODES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 56 Dealers demoed ODES side-by-sides and ATVs at Texas MasterCraft's private lake facility in Fort Worth, Texas.