Press

Not only is there variation in UTV sales behaviors, but for some brands it can be difficult for customers to find online product information or even accurate dealership location information. “It’s not always easy to be a UTV customer today,” said Fran O’Hagan, president and CEO of Pied Piper. “Because the UTV market is still young, strong dealerships with skilled salespeople are an important competitive advantage for UTV manufacturers.”

In correspondence with Outdoor Power Equipment magazine, O’Hagan added that, “Some of the behaviors of the OPE dealers come from their commitment to long-term relationships with their customers. They expect to sell many products to the same customer over the years, and expect to provide service work for the customer’s products. The Powersports industry has tended more toward thinking of each sale as its own transaction, regardless of customer.

“Plus, OPE dealers accept that their typical customers need their products for work; with as little downtime as possible,” O’Hagan stated. “In contrast, Powersports dealers assume that most of their customers use their products for leisure, and if a product is in the shop for days – or if dropping the product off at the dealership is inconvenient for a customer – so what.”