A man visits a Midwest dealership looking for a cruiser class motorcycle. The salesperson asks about his favorite local places to ride and learns he is new to the area, having moved for his new job. The man has done his research, decided on a bike, and the bike is in stock.

What is it that customers like about department stores like Wal-Mart and Target? What drives consumers there week after week? The most obvious reason is department stores are a one-stop shop.

As gas prices continue to rise, we all prepare for what we hope will be a better sales year. Your dealership is looking great, and you feel confident that your customer service is going to generate new sales and repeat business for years to come.

Escalating bad debts and loan delinquencies. Decreasing retail-lending approval percentages. The former usually leads to the latter, which is what we encountered in 2009 and, to a lesser extent, in parts of last year.

In visiting with many dealerships over the past several months, I’ve interrupted my fair share of card games, ”Just killing time until the season breaks,” I’m told. So, why not put the cards down and create a new opportunity for your dealership in time for riding season?

In this tumultuous economy, paying more attention to the personal lines insurance needs of your riders at your dealership may provide you with a plethora of benefits.

Many dealerships have downsized their personnel to the point of not having a dedicated F&I manager. Is that department just as profitable without the dedicated person focused on the task each day?