Features

Jan. 20, 2003 – Bob Tracys World of Cycles

Contact
604 Narrows Run Rd.
Moon Township, Pa. 15108-1118
800/860-0686
www.worldofcycles.com

The Store
Suzuki’s Top Parts Dealer in 2002, World of Cycles has been in business for 49 years and carries Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki and KTM.

Parts Manager
Ed Litman

Parts Manager Background
Litman has 20 years experience in retail sales, 12 years of riding experience, and four years of experience in the powersports parts/accessories business. He started at WOC as a parts counter attendant. In that role, he said, he “learned many of the dealership’s practices first-hand.”

The Department
WOC has 10 phone reps and a team of four working the counter.

The Job
“I’m in charge of all of the parts and accessories inventory,” Litman says. “Everything from ordering and purchasing to handling returns and doing things like phasing out obsolete parts.” Litman also handles the department’s scheduling duties and customer service issues.

The Purchasing Process
“Every morning, Monday through Friday, I print purchase orders for individual suppliers, and place special and stock orders electronically and by phone,” Litman says. WOC receives product shipments every day.

Dealing with Distributors
In addition to working with OE product, WOC deals with large distributors like Parts Unlimited and Tucker Rocky, as well as specialty manufacturers like Troy Lee and Fieldsheer.
“The large distribution houses provide us with one source for a large selection of products, and the manufacturers give us the items many of our customers are often looking for,” Litman told Powersports Business. “The OE manufacturers give the customer one thing no one else can: original equipment parts and genuine accessories.” Although Litman says he is happy with the service he receives from his distributor reps, he says he does have one complaint: “In a word? Returns.”

What’s Hot
WOC is doing big business with four-stroke vehicles and dirt products. “We’re seeing more and more dirt gear, from hard parts to riding gear,” Litman said, “and cruisers also are a solid market for accessories. Basically, more new bikes from the manufacturers means more new hot accessories and equipment going out our door.”

Layout
The parts counter is in the rear of WOC’s retail location. The front door opens to a corridor of accessory displays which leads to a larger area in the rear, which opens to tire racks, the parts counter, and an upper level. “Walking past all of our products gives customers plenty of opportunity to see the new product up close and maybe spur some impulse buying,” Litman says. “All of the department’s employees get involved in the merchandising and displays, and the counter staff handles most of the stocking. Many of our unique display racks are custom-built in-house.”

Management
“My focus falls mainly on inventory and customer issues — the two biggest aspects of my job,” Litman says. “Because I have such a great staff, my time can be focused on product rather than on personnel.”

Biggest Challenge
Litman says his biggest challenge is satisfying the customer. “No one other thing will make your day better than knowing you took care of your customers and made them happy,” he said.

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