Together, spouses handle it all at Panama City dealership

When asked what she enjoys most about her job, Jennifer Moore of Indian Motorcycle of Panama City Beach says, “Motorcycle performance, for sure. That gets me excited.”

Moore started riding dirt bikes as a teenager with her friends and has ridden every chance she can since. She bought her first bike in 2008, “so nobody could tell me when I could or couldn’t ride,” she says. “I got a lot more than I thought I was getting that day.”

Moore bought her bike at Harley-Davidson of Ocala from salesman Randy Moore, who is now her husband. “I purchased my motorcycle from him, and I guess they say the rest is history. I then became a motorcycle instructor working at the same dealership where he was a salesman. I ran that and was a coach,” she says. In 2015, the couple moved to Panama City Beach, continuing to work under Derek Kelley’s ownership at Indian Motorcycle of Panama City Beach.

Randy Moore is the general manager and Jennifer Moore is the service and parts manager and runs other departments as well. Between the two of them, they manage it all. Randy has worked under Derek Kelley’s ownership for 17 years, and Jennifer has worked under his ownership for 15 years. They were both customers at his dealership first.

Working with a spouse creates a strong bond for the couple and within the dealership, according to Jennifer Moore. “We’re on the same page,” she says. And customers see a strong leadership front. “I think they like that, but I think they also want to know how we stay married being around each other so much,” she laughs. “We’ve just always enjoyed being together all the time.”

A team of family

The dealership employs an average of 10 to 12 employees within a 10,000 square foot facility. Staffing is currently a non-issue and Moore says that she has phenomenal technicians that work together well. “I would say compared to other places we’re doing great. Would I be comfortable if I could add one or two more [employees]? I certainly would, and I’m sure I could fill up their time, but I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth with what I’ve got,” she says. “We’re a really good working team.”

She says employees have respect for each other and the family-like dynamic within the team makes the dealership stronger. “When you have mutual respect and care, it makes everyone want to perform better for each other,” she says.

Thunder Beach Bike Rally

The dealership hosts the Thunder Beach Bike Rally twice a year, and the next rally will be held in May. “When we’re doing our bike rally, it’s like we’re having a big open house or party for our family. We bring in music and vendors, and just really try to have a family party. We like to create a lot of new family members during that time and get a lot of bikes sold.

“Our first goal with our customers is to always make them feel like they are family,” she explains. “You don’t just come here to buy a motorcycle, you come here to be a part of our family.”

Adding Vespa

And new to the dealership family and on the showroom floor are Vespa scooters. “It’s really neat and unique for the area. Vacationers and the beach homeowners don’t necessarily want to be on a motorcycle all the time, but they want to be able to get around on the beach roads,” Moore says. “It’s a different avenue for people to be able to get on the roads. There was a need and Randy, being brilliant, recognized that need and got them in. We already sold two out of the gate the minute we had them. It’s a whole new learning curve.”

She shares that, as a team of self-starters, employees are working to learn as much information about the new line as quickly as they can. “Right now, it seems to be a fairly seamless transition,” she says. “But we’re still learning the scooters and the parts. I have to learn all aspects of it; all the computer work, the parts work, how to look them up, how to look up manuals. It’s a whole new line to learn and I have to learn everything about them.”

Randy Moore shares that Vespa will allow the dealership to expand its market and reach new customers in the surrounding beach towns.

Marketing and marketing F&I

The dealership receives the most interaction on its Facebook and Instagram platforms, which are run by two marketing team members. F&I is also promoted via social media, which the dealership uses to advertise its financing rates. Randy Moore gives his team refreshers on the F&I department and sales process if not daily, multiple times a week as an additional way to increase success within the department.

“He’s always boosting [employee confidence] to make it easier for them to talk to people, whether that’s by giving them ideas of what to say or making sure that they’re current on rates,” Moore says. “I think he makes them feel more comfortable talking to customers about it.”

Managing the service department

Moore shares that being organized, knowing the strengths of her team and scheduling jobs to those best suited is critical as a service manager and boosts efficiency within the department. She recognizes her team by regularly giving “kudos” where they belong and thanking employees at the end of every day for a great day. “I think it’s very important that they know how fortunate I am to have them. I can’t do what I do without them.”

At the start of the new year, her focus is on “continued growth as a whole. Without one of our limbs, we’re not good. It really has to do with sales on the front end, sales on the back end and then performance; making sure everyone is happy with what they’re getting and what they’re doing.

“Whether working for us or buying from us, our goal is to make a bigger family,” she shares.