| There's no doubt about it guys, it's been a weird year for sales. Up and down would be an understatement!
Jools comments above are pretty much spot on! Butch also hit the nail on the head with his remarks about a recession!
It's totally agreed there have been some factors totally outside the control of the dealerships that have affected profitability and sales dramatically, we as dealers just have to try and deal with these factors and look to our customers for support to take us into the future!
I must be frank though, Bubbles comments above leave a bitter taste in my mouth. I am a Ducati Store owner. Luv my job, luv my bike and get a buzz out of my job every time I come to work. We have (in my biased opinion!) a stunning store with some of the most comfortable surroundings you will find in any dealership anywhere in the UK! Coffee area, plasma screen, playstation (MotoGp rocks!) Satellite TV music and just a generally chilled out welcoming environment (all supplied for the comfort of our customers!!)
However we aren't just interested in the dosh. Far from it. My blood is truly Ducati red. Ask anyone that knows or uses us. I've been riding for 20 years, been a customer and know exactly what it's like to get fecked around and treated like sh*t. We / I go out our way to welcome every new customer into this brand and make the whole experience as painless as possible. That's the main reason for opening the store......... to make a difference for the better.
I have to point out, we are a family owned and run independant business. Just like DLS and DLC. (Marcello's mother was a significant force in running their store) I have only 3 staff that work their backsides off trying to keep a truly varied customer base happy. My retired mother in her late 60's comes in to clean our place twice a week. We couldn't hardly be a smaller family run business!!!
We, like everyone else in the club love Ducati motorcycles. I loved them so much I put everything I owned into opening up a store so I could talk, work, and play with Ducati's every day for the rest of my working life. I wonder how many people in the club can admit to that??? My passion is prooved by my dedication!
I happen to know Marcello felt the same way. I think it's brutal that there are some posts here "glad" to see them close. Think about the amount of money they potentially could have lost!..... The time they dedicated to this most worthy cause! ......The great staff in there that are looking for a job 11 weeks before Christmas!!!! (thats rough!)
Fair enough, maybe they could have polished up there act! I don't know, I didn't ever deal with them that way. Take it from me, it is simply impossible to keep EVERYONE happy ALL of the time although we try!! But lets take our hats off to the fact they gave it a shot. I for one was gutted to see them go!
I'll get off my soapbox now!
Take it easy guys.  |