by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager
I was in a large sporting goods store last night to look for some lacrosse sticks for my son and I to play with. I had some time and wondered over to the bike section to check out what was going on and gather some intel.
While I was doing this, I overheard a sales person pitching a customer on a kids' bike. Well, it really wasn't a pitch, it was more like a verbal warning not to buy that bike - at least to me it was.
The customer was asking a few good questions about shifting and breaking to get an understanding of how it works. The salesman began to demonstrate how these components work and as he tried to do this they did not work in the same manner in which he was explaining it. Then sales person proceeded to explain to the customer that the bike was improperly put together and proceeded to give him a crash course on how to fix it.
As I looked over at the customer, he began to get this glazed look as he tried to keep pace with the sales person's instructions and then he broke. In a short verbal burst he asked the sales person if he could do it. The sale person's response was "I'm pretty sure I can, we have a shop in the back".
I thought to myself , why would you allow or even want a person who said "I'm pretty sure I can" to work on your son's or daughter's new bike? Why would you want to buy a bike that is improperly assembled? This blew me away and it is not the first time I have heard similar sales pitches in big stores like these.
I guess now that I have a child, I look at it differently. Would you buy a car if the sales person told you it was assembled wrong? I don't know about you, but my kid wouldn't even get to smell the inside; I'd be out of there so fast.
If you take away something from this rant I would ask that it be this. If the sales person tells you how to fix the new bike that you are about to buy, walk away, or run away and find a real bike shop. They are all over the place and they will be able to give you the right advice and get you, your kid, your family or your friend on the right bike, safely!
Did you catch that last word.....SAFELY!!!!! I have nothing against these stores except they don't do a good job to make biking a safe and enjoyable sport for the masses that they serve.
Cheers
Roby
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query roby holland. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query roby holland. Sort by date Show all posts
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Freight Trains of the Atlantic
by Roby Holland (aka the Old Man in the Sea)
For those of you who don't know I have an obsession for fishing. In the last couple of years I have honed my skills targeting Stripers and Bluefish in and around Duxbury MA. This year a friend and I decided to make a go at some Bluefin Tuna on Stellwagon Bank which is about 17 nm from Duxbury Bay.
We headed out at 5:30am towards the grounds with some iffy weather. The total trip took us 35 mins and the seas were between 2 to 3 ft. Once at the location we hooked up the bait and let them swim. It was only about 5 minutes till the first fish took the bait. It was a very large and strong Bluefish, that once brought boat side, broke thru the 80lbs floro leader and took off. Next two fish were Stripers and were both between 25 and 30lbs respectively. We hung around for a while longer with some hits but not the type of hits we were looking for, so we moved into deeper water.
Once we made it to deeper water our luck changed. The bird activity picked up to a frantic pace and the water began to come alive. Baits in the water, it was time to wait for a hook up and we did not have to wait long. My friend's bait disappeared in a wash of white foam and his line began to peel off his reel faster than anything I had ever witnessed before. We had hooked a Tuna!!! I put the boat in gear and began to chase down the fish, with my buddy reeling as fast as he could, but it wasn't long before we realized that this was a large Tuna. Once we were on the Tuna my friend began to try to muscle it in with no luck. The fish pinned him to the rail of the boat and only let him stand up to get some line when it wanted him to. After about 20 minutes of fighting, the rod was passed over to me. It wasn't until I had full control or thought I had full control of the rod that I realized how powerful these fish are. I consider myself to be in fairly good shape and this fish would not let me gain any ground on him at the beginning of the battle. I would try to stand and lean into the rod to get some line only to be pulled back down to the rail with authority. It was thrilling to say the least, until our luck began to change. I noticed that the reel began to move to the side of the rod as I reeled and I tried to tighten up the seat with no luck. The fish had started to break the rod and so the fight became more difficult. We began to gain some ground on the fish and knew we were getting close to getting this fish boat side, or so we thought. The fish began to give me a tour of my boat (literally) pinned to the rail he it went starboard aft, I went starboard aft and then back up to the bow of the boat. It made a quick dart around the bow as I lifted the rod, the line caught on the bow eye and SNAPPED!!!!! That's it….. as fast as it started it was gone. The ride back was a nasty painful hour and half ride into 4ft+ swells. It gave us plenty of time to understand what had just happen. We had hooked on to the freight train of the Atlantic.
Here are three pic from my adventure. First one is where I think I have the upper hand, second is where I know I don't and third is where I'm wondering if it was a wise choice to go after a fish that potentially weighs 1/3 of my boats capacity! Good times had by all…even the tuna.
P.S. Bluefin are a highly fished species. Please do your part to only harvest fish you need and return the rest for another day.
Cheers Roby
Cheers Roby
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
What did I say????
by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager
I was on the last leg of my ride this morning, when a man walking a dog said "how are you?". I replied to him "Good, Good".
As I peddled off across the intersection I thought to myself....Good, Good. What the heck did I mean by that comment, Good, Good.
Did I mean to convey that I was REALLY GOOD, did I mean that I was OK, but could be better or did I mean I'm doing fine, thanks for asking. I began to think about the differnt responses that I give people through the course of the day and listed them out in my head. I wonder what people think when I respond with these different innocuous comments and what does that communicate to the person I'm responding to.
Some of my replies are so ambiguous that they left me thinking, "what the hell did I just say"? When you respond to someone who is asking you how you are think about your response. I find it totally funny to think about some of the responses that I have received and said.
Here are a few differnt responses that came to mind:
I'm alright
Outstanding
Just ducky....Yes there are people that say this as I do and I don't know why.
Just fine thanks
Doin well
Righteous
Smokin'
Stellar
I'm there
I'm standing aren't I
Well I made it out of bed to be here
Excellent
I'm breathing
OK
I have a heartbeat
Cheers Roby
I was on the last leg of my ride this morning, when a man walking a dog said "how are you?". I replied to him "Good, Good".
As I peddled off across the intersection I thought to myself....Good, Good. What the heck did I mean by that comment, Good, Good.
Did I mean to convey that I was REALLY GOOD, did I mean that I was OK, but could be better or did I mean I'm doing fine, thanks for asking. I began to think about the differnt responses that I give people through the course of the day and listed them out in my head. I wonder what people think when I respond with these different innocuous comments and what does that communicate to the person I'm responding to.
Some of my replies are so ambiguous that they left me thinking, "what the hell did I just say"? When you respond to someone who is asking you how you are think about your response. I find it totally funny to think about some of the responses that I have received and said.
Here are a few differnt responses that came to mind:
I'm alright
Outstanding
Just ducky....Yes there are people that say this as I do and I don't know why.
Just fine thanks
Doin well
Righteous
Smokin'
Stellar
I'm there
I'm standing aren't I
Well I made it out of bed to be here
Excellent
I'm breathing
OK
I have a heartbeat
Cheers Roby
Friday, January 18, 2008
A Winter Ride
by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager
WOW, how the weather changes in New England! Today is just down right nasty. It was just right last Saturday, a beautiful forty degree day, that I was on my bike for an afternoon ride.
The problem with winter days like this is that they are very sporadic and you are not always prepared to take advantage of them. I think it took me just as long to find my gear as it took for the entire ride.
It was one of those rides where the people in the cars look at you as if you are a crazy person riding tricycle in your birthday suite during a blizzard. You, on the other hand, have the feeling like "Come-on in the water is fine! You'd be surprised what it will do for your complexion, not to mention your dogs mid section."
The ride was appox. 21 miles, and took me on my local tour of the beach and points of interest in Duxbury. The bay was quiet and void of any birds working the fish, a sight which I long for and await its triumphant return!
Back to the ride. This ride was one part introspective, one part reflection one part stress buster, and one reminiscing past rides . I bring up the four parts of my ride because I think many of us think about similar things during our times on our bikes at one time or another. The most enjoyable part of the ride for me was when I let go of the bars to stretch and almost crashed into a mailbox.
You might be asking yourself why that was the high light of my ride? This brought me back to the day that my brother and I were riding our bikes around the neighborhood with some buddies. For the last few days my brother had been trying to ride his bike "no handed" and it just was not happening. One of our buddies suggested to him that he ride faster to help steady the bike. Well, it helped alright and when my brother proudly turned his head and yelled to me "Hey Roby, check this out" he was promptly removed from his bike by one of our neighbor's extending mailboxes. All of us fell off our bikes in that debilitating laughter we all had as kids when one of your friends shows off and get absolutely abused for it. After a good chuckle to myself, I began to think of other times that my brother and I shared similar moments in our life and when that next moment would be.
The point of this rant is to remind us of the fun times we have had with friends and families on our bikes, skateboards, roller-blades or whatever vehicle brought you together and made you laugh together. More importantly not to forget these good times and fond memories and that they can still be had everyday!
Happy New Year
WOW, how the weather changes in New England! Today is just down right nasty. It was just right last Saturday, a beautiful forty degree day, that I was on my bike for an afternoon ride.
The problem with winter days like this is that they are very sporadic and you are not always prepared to take advantage of them. I think it took me just as long to find my gear as it took for the entire ride.
It was one of those rides where the people in the cars look at you as if you are a crazy person riding tricycle in your birthday suite during a blizzard. You, on the other hand, have the feeling like "Come-on in the water is fine! You'd be surprised what it will do for your complexion, not to mention your dogs mid section."
The ride was appox. 21 miles, and took me on my local tour of the beach and points of interest in Duxbury. The bay was quiet and void of any birds working the fish, a sight which I long for and await its triumphant return!
Back to the ride. This ride was one part introspective, one part reflection one part stress buster, and one reminiscing past rides . I bring up the four parts of my ride because I think many of us think about similar things during our times on our bikes at one time or another. The most enjoyable part of the ride for me was when I let go of the bars to stretch and almost crashed into a mailbox.
You might be asking yourself why that was the high light of my ride? This brought me back to the day that my brother and I were riding our bikes around the neighborhood with some buddies. For the last few days my brother had been trying to ride his bike "no handed" and it just was not happening. One of our buddies suggested to him that he ride faster to help steady the bike. Well, it helped alright and when my brother proudly turned his head and yelled to me "Hey Roby, check this out" he was promptly removed from his bike by one of our neighbor's extending mailboxes. All of us fell off our bikes in that debilitating laughter we all had as kids when one of your friends shows off and get absolutely abused for it. After a good chuckle to myself, I began to think of other times that my brother and I shared similar moments in our life and when that next moment would be.
The point of this rant is to remind us of the fun times we have had with friends and families on our bikes, skateboards, roller-blades or whatever vehicle brought you together and made you laugh together. More importantly not to forget these good times and fond memories and that they can still be had everyday!
Happy New Year
Monday, August 25, 2008
Roby's Ruminations on Life, Etc.
by Roby Holland, National Sales
Heavy title, I know, but really just some random thoughts, observations and comments about the last couple days.
R & B...Ridin' and Bondin'
Last Friday Kryptonite participated in a Bike to Work Day event in Boston, put on by the Mayor's office in an effort to get people to ride their bikes to work. The morning was awesome and made me think about how I wanted to get on my bike and go out for a morning ride after I was done with this event. The event was well attended by many teams and individuals who rode from different locations around the area. The organizers had coffee, bagels and fruit for the people who rode in and a radio station playing some good tunes for us to pass the time. I had a chance to speak with some people I had not seen in a while and catch up on what they were up to. I had a great time at this event and I look forward to the next time Kryptonite is asked to participate.
The Fishin' Blues
Last year was the first time I was able to take the Regional Managers out fishing after our annual sales meeting. This year I was only able to take one of the guys out because our other RM had a presentation to do in Canada. The morning was cool, much cooler then I had expected. I set out earlier to catch some bait for us to use. After a while of casting with little success, I tucked in my pride and went over to our local bait boat to purchase $20 worth of pogies. We would use these to catch The Monster Bass that I had promised Craig. After getting the fish into the bait well I made my way back to the dock to pick up Craig. We motored out to Gurnet Point, the area where I had several successful hook-ups with large linesiders. I gave Craig the lowdown on the fishing equipment. We each hooked a pogie and let them go. No luck...Well, after a few hours we decided to try several other locations with similar luck. Finally the tide began to turn and started to come back in. We headed out to a rip that I had luck with and knew would yield a fish, but not sure what. Once again I baited a hook for Craig, he cast and we let it swim out several yards. It didn’t take long for Blue Fish to get a hold of the bait. Craig had a fish finally. As he brought the fish along side, the Blue’s teeth cut through the leader and was gone. After several hook-ups and several bite offs, I decided that it was time to go across the bay and try our luck near Providence Town. I wanted Craig to get a hoagie, on a pogie and thought it was the place for that to happen. The trip took us twenty minutes to and it was just perfect. We threw our bait out and let the games begin. Wouldn’t you know it, not more then fifteen minutes later Craig had another fish onthe line, but it was a Blue Fish. Fortunately, I took the time to build some wire leaders in case these guys showed up again. We were able to get this one into the boat and released with minimal damage. Over the course of the next few hours we had several looks but no takers and ended up leaving with no Stripers. I had a blast and really enjoyed the time just hanging out with Craig, not doing much but fishing. I hope to get him on the boat again next year with better results.
What Time Is It?
Uniforms, foliage, double sessions and drop off are a few of the words we are beginning to hear in daily conversations. Summer is almost over and I have not ridden as much as I was planning.. It just seems that life is moving faster then I want or like. It was only a few weeks ago I was laying out my plans to go on a ride every morning I was home this summer. We’ll that did not work out so well. So, I have laid out my plan for the remainder of the summer and into the fall. If I learned anything this summer, it was that time does not slow down, it only speeds up. How was your summer?
Heavy title, I know, but really just some random thoughts, observations and comments about the last couple days.
R & B...Ridin' and Bondin'
Last Friday Kryptonite participated in a Bike to Work Day event in Boston, put on by the Mayor's office in an effort to get people to ride their bikes to work. The morning was awesome and made me think about how I wanted to get on my bike and go out for a morning ride after I was done with this event. The event was well attended by many teams and individuals who rode from different locations around the area. The organizers had coffee, bagels and fruit for the people who rode in and a radio station playing some good tunes for us to pass the time. I had a chance to speak with some people I had not seen in a while and catch up on what they were up to. I had a great time at this event and I look forward to the next time Kryptonite is asked to participate.
The Fishin' Blues
Last year was the first time I was able to take the Regional Managers out fishing after our annual sales meeting. This year I was only able to take one of the guys out because our other RM had a presentation to do in Canada. The morning was cool, much cooler then I had expected. I set out earlier to catch some bait for us to use. After a while of casting with little success, I tucked in my pride and went over to our local bait boat to purchase $20 worth of pogies. We would use these to catch The Monster Bass that I had promised Craig. After getting the fish into the bait well I made my way back to the dock to pick up Craig. We motored out to Gurnet Point, the area where I had several successful hook-ups with large linesiders. I gave Craig the lowdown on the fishing equipment. We each hooked a pogie and let them go. No luck...Well, after a few hours we decided to try several other locations with similar luck. Finally the tide began to turn and started to come back in. We headed out to a rip that I had luck with and knew would yield a fish, but not sure what. Once again I baited a hook for Craig, he cast and we let it swim out several yards. It didn’t take long for Blue Fish to get a hold of the bait. Craig had a fish finally. As he brought the fish along side, the Blue’s teeth cut through the leader and was gone. After several hook-ups and several bite offs, I decided that it was time to go across the bay and try our luck near Providence Town. I wanted Craig to get a hoagie, on a pogie and thought it was the place for that to happen. The trip took us twenty minutes to and it was just perfect. We threw our bait out and let the games begin. Wouldn’t you know it, not more then fifteen minutes later Craig had another fish onthe line, but it was a Blue Fish. Fortunately, I took the time to build some wire leaders in case these guys showed up again. We were able to get this one into the boat and released with minimal damage. Over the course of the next few hours we had several looks but no takers and ended up leaving with no Stripers. I had a blast and really enjoyed the time just hanging out with Craig, not doing much but fishing. I hope to get him on the boat again next year with better results.
What Time Is It?
Uniforms, foliage, double sessions and drop off are a few of the words we are beginning to hear in daily conversations. Summer is almost over and I have not ridden as much as I was planning.. It just seems that life is moving faster then I want or like. It was only a few weeks ago I was laying out my plans to go on a ride every morning I was home this summer. We’ll that did not work out so well. So, I have laid out my plan for the remainder of the summer and into the fall. If I learned anything this summer, it was that time does not slow down, it only speeds up. How was your summer?
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Women - The Untapped Market
by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager
Over the last several months I’ve become aware that more and more manufacturers are focusing their attention on women as an untapped market. Dealers – this is a focus by suppliers to generate incremental revenue for you (and them). In the current economy we need to be looking for opportunities to drive business and this segment is one that dealerships can work with their suppliers in targeting.
Some of the articles that I’ve read lately have talked about doing women specific sales, women specific bike nights or educating women on riding. If sales in your stores are slow, my suggestion would be to pick up the phone, call your reps and suppliers and see what type of programs or promotions they have for women that you can tap into. This is a great way for you to capitalize on an emerging segment of your business while limiting your expenses.
Good luck!
Over the last several months I’ve become aware that more and more manufacturers are focusing their attention on women as an untapped market. Dealers – this is a focus by suppliers to generate incremental revenue for you (and them). In the current economy we need to be looking for opportunities to drive business and this segment is one that dealerships can work with their suppliers in targeting.
Some of the articles that I’ve read lately have talked about doing women specific sales, women specific bike nights or educating women on riding. If sales in your stores are slow, my suggestion would be to pick up the phone, call your reps and suppliers and see what type of programs or promotions they have for women that you can tap into. This is a great way for you to capitalize on an emerging segment of your business while limiting your expenses.
Good luck!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Tadpole
by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager
During the summer, I like to go to a pool or to the ocean for a dip with my family when the heat is too much, or after a long day working in the yard. I was taught a long time ago to always have a healthy respect for Mother Nature and more importantly , water. It is the great equalizer, no matter how big or tough you are, water could always defeat you. During my time in and around the water I have personally had several close calls with drowning. Three close calls stick out in my memory. My first happen at a friend’s house in the winter. I wanted to grab a piece of ice from the pool that had no top on it. I lost my balance and fell into the pool crashing through the ice. I was able to make it to back to the side of the pool, only to be pulled out to safety by one angry father and Uncle. Second time occurred on vacation with my cousins in the surf when I was just eight. We were in a line holding hands when a large wave broke my grip, sent me tumbling int0 the wash and pulled me back in to the grasp of another wave. My savior this time was a stranger who was on the beach and saw me tumbling around in the surf. My third incident, which still haunts me today, was a sailing accident. It was my first time using a harness on a fast and unstable boat. The wind cut out and the boat turtled (flipped entirely upside-down). The harness that I was attached to pulled me under and since I was not familiar with the harness system I could not unhook myself. Under that water I struggled to get free till I began to run out of breath. I was able to get myself into the cockpit of the boat which had a pocket of air and was able to grab a breath, which saved my life. There are many other times I have been in the water in a bad situation only to get out because I knew how to swim and respected the water. The other day I watched my son swim for the very first time and I could not have been prouder. Mind you, we are not talking about doing laps, he is only two. He was swimming under the supervision of an ISR instructor. This is a swimming class that teaches babies, toddlers and other children how to float and swim. My family spends a lot of time near the water and the possibility of our son drowning is our biggest fear. This summer, my wife and I wanted our son to take swimming classes, and while searching on the Internet we came across this class. This class was different; not only do they teach your kids how to swim, but they teach them how to swim fully clothed! If you have ever tried to swim fully clothed you know how hard it is. All those wet clothes weigh you down and tires you out, making it difficult, if not impossible, to swim. Our concern is not when our son is in the water; it is when he is around the water and accidentally falls into the water when my wife and I are not around. We wanted to make sure he was prepared if he fell into the water without being ready. When I fell into the icy pool, it was not summer time and I was not planning to go for a swim in a large down jacket and snow mobile boots. We all know accidents happen and the more prepared we make ourselves, the better we react to these situations. I encourage all parents to look into these classes, or some similar type of swimming class and prepare your child for the water. It is the best investment you will ever make!
During the summer, I like to go to a pool or to the ocean for a dip with my family when the heat is too much, or after a long day working in the yard. I was taught a long time ago to always have a healthy respect for Mother Nature and more importantly , water. It is the great equalizer, no matter how big or tough you are, water could always defeat you. During my time in and around the water I have personally had several close calls with drowning. Three close calls stick out in my memory. My first happen at a friend’s house in the winter. I wanted to grab a piece of ice from the pool that had no top on it. I lost my balance and fell into the pool crashing through the ice. I was able to make it to back to the side of the pool, only to be pulled out to safety by one angry father and Uncle. Second time occurred on vacation with my cousins in the surf when I was just eight. We were in a line holding hands when a large wave broke my grip, sent me tumbling int0 the wash and pulled me back in to the grasp of another wave. My savior this time was a stranger who was on the beach and saw me tumbling around in the surf. My third incident, which still haunts me today, was a sailing accident. It was my first time using a harness on a fast and unstable boat. The wind cut out and the boat turtled (flipped entirely upside-down). The harness that I was attached to pulled me under and since I was not familiar with the harness system I could not unhook myself. Under that water I struggled to get free till I began to run out of breath. I was able to get myself into the cockpit of the boat which had a pocket of air and was able to grab a breath, which saved my life. There are many other times I have been in the water in a bad situation only to get out because I knew how to swim and respected the water. The other day I watched my son swim for the very first time and I could not have been prouder. Mind you, we are not talking about doing laps, he is only two. He was swimming under the supervision of an ISR instructor. This is a swimming class that teaches babies, toddlers and other children how to float and swim. My family spends a lot of time near the water and the possibility of our son drowning is our biggest fear. This summer, my wife and I wanted our son to take swimming classes, and while searching on the Internet we came across this class. This class was different; not only do they teach your kids how to swim, but they teach them how to swim fully clothed! If you have ever tried to swim fully clothed you know how hard it is. All those wet clothes weigh you down and tires you out, making it difficult, if not impossible, to swim. Our concern is not when our son is in the water; it is when he is around the water and accidentally falls into the water when my wife and I are not around. We wanted to make sure he was prepared if he fell into the water without being ready. When I fell into the icy pool, it was not summer time and I was not planning to go for a swim in a large down jacket and snow mobile boots. We all know accidents happen and the more prepared we make ourselves, the better we react to these situations. I encourage all parents to look into these classes, or some similar type of swimming class and prepare your child for the water. It is the best investment you will ever make!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Spring Ride!
So, this morning, I got dressed for work. Helped my wife get our 9 month old dressed and ready to go. We all left the house for work, only I decided it was finally spring and went back inside, put on my riding gear and went for a ride.
18 miles, to be exact. It’s a great time to go through Duxbury in the spring with everyone outside; there’s lots of people watching.
Went backroads down to Duxbury beach, through Hall’s Corner, past Holy Family back to home. Beautiful to see the ocean early in the morning. It really was.
Felt good. It was stellar. Nice. Need to do it more often.
Roby Holland
18 miles, to be exact. It’s a great time to go through Duxbury in the spring with everyone outside; there’s lots of people watching.
Went backroads down to Duxbury beach, through Hall’s Corner, past Holy Family back to home. Beautiful to see the ocean early in the morning. It really was.
Felt good. It was stellar. Nice. Need to do it more often.
Roby Holland
Friday, July 11, 2008
You Can Learn To Be A Better Fisherman Too!!
by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager
Change Tactics land bigger fish..errrr..more customers
As some of you who know me I like to fish. I have had the opportunity to fish in one of the most productive fishing areas for Striped Bass on the East Coast. The majority of the time I have been able to land fish that are between 24 and 28 inches in length. This year I wanted to land a 40 to 50 inch Striper and so I began to ask my fishing confidant and internal company mentor Dave Miller. After a few conversations during the winter months it was apparent to me that if I wanted to land bigger fish I needed to change my fishing tactics. I went out and purchased or was given a fine rod and reel for Father's Day that was to help me change that type of fishing I was doing. Now all I needed was some time on the water to try out all that I had learned from my many conversations with Dave. That day was last Saturday July 5th. I had some time to kill and the day was overcast with no wind, a perfect day for fishing around the bay. Well I'll spare you the details of the adventure, but it was the best fishing day of my life! I caught not one but two HUGE stripers in all of about two hours. Here is a picture of the larger striper that I was able to get back to the dock and then release. What occurred to me is that by changing the way I fished I was able to change the type or size of fish I was looking to catch. If I never did this then I would have had to resign myself to the same old size fish when ever I ventured out into the bay. The reason I point this out is the same philosophy applies to retail and the way we present our stores. You want more sales, change your presentation to your customer. This does not mean you have to do a total remodel of the store, just make some small changes here and there. Ask some of your employees for ideas, they are a valuable source of information on what changes you can make to your presentation. You also might want to look at your customers purchasing trends, are the purchases headed in a specific direction of price point or style of bike? If so then you might want to make a small department of accessories that is focused towards this type of purchase. Making a few changes here and there can really make a difference to your catch! Good luck!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Rusty
by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager
Went for a ride Easter Sunday, temp was 45 degrees with the sun shining. Was out for a short ride, roughly 15 miles to get the body ready for Easter Dinner! That's right Easter dinner. It is a big deal at my family's house - ham (the other white meat), sweet potatoes, home made Piccalilli and my wife's honey rolls.
With the feast in mind I set out on my ride down to the beach and back. It wasn't my first ride of the year but it sure felt like it. Every move I made the bike twitched, swayed and swaggered. At one point I even tried to go no-handed and almost crashed. I was rusty - the bike and I were not one, so to speak.
Anyhow I pressed on and enjoyed watching kids look for Easter eggs and people shuffling in to houses for the afternoon celebration, and even saw two crazy people go kayaking in sit on-top kayaks. Never did see those people on my return trip, wonder how it worked for them?
On this ride I decided to go the opposite way around Powder Point then my normal route, which was a north to south loop. At the bend to the north side of the loop I was almost creamed by a Crown Vic, and creamed is putting it nicely. This is a really weird intersection to the Powder Point bridge, where there is no stop sign on either side of the intersection. Thank God the driver was on the ball and saw me coming around the loop and was traveling at a speed where he could stop in time. I waved at him to thank him for the heads up play as I began to hyper-ventilate.
I thought about what had happened and what could have happened. As I said I was rusty! I was not thinking about riding I was thinking about dinner, what a nice day it is and how I'll be spending it with my family, and not being aware of my surroundings, like the drive was.
In short, as you get back out on your bikes, remember we are rusty, so are the drivers out there - be aware, pay attention and ride safe! I feel like a Smokey the Bear commercial, but seriously, be safe.
Went for a ride Easter Sunday, temp was 45 degrees with the sun shining. Was out for a short ride, roughly 15 miles to get the body ready for Easter Dinner! That's right Easter dinner. It is a big deal at my family's house - ham (the other white meat), sweet potatoes, home made Piccalilli and my wife's honey rolls.
With the feast in mind I set out on my ride down to the beach and back. It wasn't my first ride of the year but it sure felt like it. Every move I made the bike twitched, swayed and swaggered. At one point I even tried to go no-handed and almost crashed. I was rusty - the bike and I were not one, so to speak.
Anyhow I pressed on and enjoyed watching kids look for Easter eggs and people shuffling in to houses for the afternoon celebration, and even saw two crazy people go kayaking in sit on-top kayaks. Never did see those people on my return trip, wonder how it worked for them?
On this ride I decided to go the opposite way around Powder Point then my normal route, which was a north to south loop. At the bend to the north side of the loop I was almost creamed by a Crown Vic, and creamed is putting it nicely. This is a really weird intersection to the Powder Point bridge, where there is no stop sign on either side of the intersection. Thank God the driver was on the ball and saw me coming around the loop and was traveling at a speed where he could stop in time. I waved at him to thank him for the heads up play as I began to hyper-ventilate.
I thought about what had happened and what could have happened. As I said I was rusty! I was not thinking about riding I was thinking about dinner, what a nice day it is and how I'll be spending it with my family, and not being aware of my surroundings, like the drive was.
In short, as you get back out on your bikes, remember we are rusty, so are the drivers out there - be aware, pay attention and ride safe! I feel like a Smokey the Bear commercial, but seriously, be safe.
Monday, September 08, 2008
Get Out and Ride!
by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager
I just came back from a very relaxing local vacation. I was supposed to have my brother visiting and the plans for his visit were golf, fishing then repeat. Unfortunately he was unable to make it so I changed my plans to spend my days with my family, which is more appealing. When you live in an area that has so much to offer it is hard to decide what to do.
I had been pushing my wife to get a bike all summer and she has been reluctant to do so because she was unsure she would like it. Unexpectedly, she asked if I would be interested in going down to Brewster, MA and rent a couple of bikes, to ride the bike trail. I was in! This was a great opportunity to spend sometime with the family and do something that I really enjoy. In the morning we headed to Cape Cod Rail Trail Bike and Kayak on our adventure. It was a great morning to do this, like a perfect early fall morning. We got our bikes, a trailer for Owen, my son,(attached to dad's bike ). I did a quick review with my wife of the bike components and how to use them. I tried to keep it as simple as I could so she would get the maximum enjoyment out of the ride.
Before we took off I grabbed a lunch from The Brewster Lunch Box then we headed off along the trail. I was apprehensive that my wife was going to have a difficult time adjusting to the new technology on these bikes. The last time she was on a bike was over ten years ago, in Ireland, and the bikes were equipped with 3-speed Strurmy Archer shifters and old school breaking. For about the first half mile I was tense and constantly asking how things were going. I even asked Owen to ask Mommy how thing were going. As only Owen could say it "Mamma how doin?" Mamma how doin?". To my surprise and relief she was enjoying it! Now, I could relax and enjoy the ride.
We rode for a while, passing lakes and cranberry bogs along the way. The bike path was in great shape, smooth and wide. There were plenty of people using the trail, bikers, runners, and in-line skaters. There was a ton of families like us. Owen was a little too quite while he was sitting in the trailer and now I had a new concern, my son's enjoyment. I had to investigate whether or not he was having a good time and the best way to do this with my son was to say "Peanut, Peanut butter ". If he was in a good mood I would hear him respond "JELLY" . So I got his attention and said "Peanut, Peanut butter" with no responses. Oh no, this is going to be a short ride. I tried it again a little louder this time "PEANUT, PEANUT BUTTER" and waited. A few seconds later he popped out "JELLY" and then " jazz hands". He was having a great time! He only says "jazz hands" when he is shaking his hands, which is an indication that he is really having a good time. I know I was having a great time and now the circle was complete.
We rode for several miles and then decided it was time to turn around. We wanted to have lunch at one of the lakes that we had passed on our way. Once we arrived at our destination we broke out the lunch and sat down to eat, but that was only for a brief second or two. The next thing I heard out of my son's mouth was "DUCKY, DUCKY" and "Owen down please, Owen down please" He wanted to go play in the water with the ducks. How could I say "NO", he was having fun and so was I. So we played in the water and fed the ducks and just relaxed. We took a few photos to remember the day and headed back to the bike shop. By the way awesome sandwich from The Lunch Box!!!!! Once we got the bikes back, and our helmets and stuff in the car we headed home. As I watched my son drift off to sleep on the ride back I thought about how awesome that day was and how much fun I had with my family. I would recommend to anyone in the area, take the family to ride the trail and stop by Cape Cod Rail Trail Bike and Kayak, as well as The Lunch Box while you're at it!
I just came back from a very relaxing local vacation. I was supposed to have my brother visiting and the plans for his visit were golf, fishing then repeat. Unfortunately he was unable to make it so I changed my plans to spend my days with my family, which is more appealing. When you live in an area that has so much to offer it is hard to decide what to do.
I had been pushing my wife to get a bike all summer and she has been reluctant to do so because she was unsure she would like it. Unexpectedly, she asked if I would be interested in going down to Brewster, MA and rent a couple of bikes, to ride the bike trail. I was in! This was a great opportunity to spend sometime with the family and do something that I really enjoy. In the morning we headed to Cape Cod Rail Trail Bike and Kayak on our adventure. It was a great morning to do this, like a perfect early fall morning. We got our bikes, a trailer for Owen, my son,(attached to dad's bike ). I did a quick review with my wife of the bike components and how to use them. I tried to keep it as simple as I could so she would get the maximum enjoyment out of the ride.
Before we took off I grabbed a lunch from The Brewster Lunch Box then we headed off along the trail. I was apprehensive that my wife was going to have a difficult time adjusting to the new technology on these bikes. The last time she was on a bike was over ten years ago, in Ireland, and the bikes were equipped with 3-speed Strurmy Archer shifters and old school breaking. For about the first half mile I was tense and constantly asking how things were going. I even asked Owen to ask Mommy how thing were going. As only Owen could say it "Mamma how doin?" Mamma how doin?". To my surprise and relief she was enjoying it! Now, I could relax and enjoy the ride.
We rode for a while, passing lakes and cranberry bogs along the way. The bike path was in great shape, smooth and wide. There were plenty of people using the trail, bikers, runners, and in-line skaters. There was a ton of families like us. Owen was a little too quite while he was sitting in the trailer and now I had a new concern, my son's enjoyment. I had to investigate whether or not he was having a good time and the best way to do this with my son was to say "Peanut, Peanut butter ". If he was in a good mood I would hear him respond "JELLY" . So I got his attention and said "Peanut, Peanut butter" with no responses. Oh no, this is going to be a short ride. I tried it again a little louder this time "PEANUT, PEANUT BUTTER" and waited. A few seconds later he popped out "JELLY" and then " jazz hands". He was having a great time! He only says "jazz hands" when he is shaking his hands, which is an indication that he is really having a good time. I know I was having a great time and now the circle was complete.
We rode for several miles and then decided it was time to turn around. We wanted to have lunch at one of the lakes that we had passed on our way. Once we arrived at our destination we broke out the lunch and sat down to eat, but that was only for a brief second or two. The next thing I heard out of my son's mouth was "DUCKY, DUCKY" and "Owen down please, Owen down please" He wanted to go play in the water with the ducks. How could I say "NO", he was having fun and so was I. So we played in the water and fed the ducks and just relaxed. We took a few photos to remember the day and headed back to the bike shop. By the way awesome sandwich from The Lunch Box!!!!! Once we got the bikes back, and our helmets and stuff in the car we headed home. As I watched my son drift off to sleep on the ride back I thought about how awesome that day was and how much fun I had with my family. I would recommend to anyone in the area, take the family to ride the trail and stop by Cape Cod Rail Trail Bike and Kayak, as well as The Lunch Box while you're at it!
Monday, November 05, 2007
Slack in the Line
by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager
Back in August we had our 3 new regional managers in the office for a visit. We took this opportunity, after a hard week of work, to go fishing in Duxbury Bay. August is not the most productive time for striped bass fishing but it was all about bringing the team together and doing something other than talking about sales of locks.
Upon arrival to the point we noticed that there was no activity on the surface; no birds working. We decided to drift along the outgoing tide and see what luck may strike. We only had 2 rods so we had 2 people on while the others dodged sloppy casts and rubber shads wizzing by our heads.
It was quite a spectacle to watch 3 people who had different levels of fishing experience try to catch striped bass. But the real payoff was not necessarily the fishing, but the bringing together of a new team.
While the fishing was not productive we did catch one fish and that credit goes to Craig Glab as much as it bothers me to say so, being the local, of course. After returning from fishing we washed down the boat and headed out to Arthur & Pat’s at Brandt Rock for a breakfast of omelets, bacon, pancakes, steak & eggs and home fries. The best part of the day!
All of you blog readers will be hearing from the new team soon with blog posts about their own adventures on the road.
Back in August we had our 3 new regional managers in the office for a visit. We took this opportunity, after a hard week of work, to go fishing in Duxbury Bay. August is not the most productive time for striped bass fishing but it was all about bringing the team together and doing something other than talking about sales of locks.
Upon arrival to the point we noticed that there was no activity on the surface; no birds working. We decided to drift along the outgoing tide and see what luck may strike. We only had 2 rods so we had 2 people on while the others dodged sloppy casts and rubber shads wizzing by our heads.
It was quite a spectacle to watch 3 people who had different levels of fishing experience try to catch striped bass. But the real payoff was not necessarily the fishing, but the bringing together of a new team.
While the fishing was not productive we did catch one fish and that credit goes to Craig Glab as much as it bothers me to say so, being the local, of course. After returning from fishing we washed down the boat and headed out to Arthur & Pat’s at Brandt Rock for a breakfast of omelets, bacon, pancakes, steak & eggs and home fries. The best part of the day!
All of you blog readers will be hearing from the new team soon with blog posts about their own adventures on the road.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Internal Team Kryptonite
It was pointed out to me recently that the folks posting here haven't been putting their job titles on their posts. You all know who Bob Roll is and Dave Perewitz but, it was pointed out to me that we said in the beginning that you'd get to know the internal team Kryptonite, too, through this blog. However, if readers don't know these people already they would not necessarily know who someone is or even if they worked for Kryptonite or were just a guest.
So...with that being said, we'll start adding people's job titles to the posts and, I'll reintroduce those that you've met already....
Dwight Gibson - he's our GM...expect to see lots of posts on our new Justice League locks in the coming weeks from Dwight.
Karen Rizzo - she's our director of marketing and a little shy, but don't worry, she'll get there.
Tim Clifford - he's our director of sales for action sports. He doesn't like fireworks in the middle of the night so much, if you remember....but he's a good writer. I want to see him here more often (hint, hint).
Roby Holland - our national sales manager for action sports. He started riding earlier this season and posting here, but we haven't heard from him in awhile. I know he's riding, though, since he's training for the Cycle for Life.
Dave Miller - he's our machinist and just loves the 4th of July! He's always in such a great mood that I call him "smiley".
Melissa McPherson - she's in customer service and lead the charge in protecting the turtle laying her eggs here earlier this spring.
Craig Glab - our newest poster here....Regional Manager, Midwest. You'll be hearing from Craig often as he's putting his bobber together.
And me...the chatty one...but you know me already.
I've got a few more people lined up for you to meet, too. We aren't a shy bunch, but sometimes new products, catalogs and trade shows get in the way doing some posts. But, you'll be meeting more of us soon....
So...with that being said, we'll start adding people's job titles to the posts and, I'll reintroduce those that you've met already....
Dwight Gibson - he's our GM...expect to see lots of posts on our new Justice League locks in the coming weeks from Dwight.
Karen Rizzo - she's our director of marketing and a little shy, but don't worry, she'll get there.
Tim Clifford - he's our director of sales for action sports. He doesn't like fireworks in the middle of the night so much, if you remember....but he's a good writer. I want to see him here more often (hint, hint).
Roby Holland - our national sales manager for action sports. He started riding earlier this season and posting here, but we haven't heard from him in awhile. I know he's riding, though, since he's training for the Cycle for Life.
Dave Miller - he's our machinist and just loves the 4th of July! He's always in such a great mood that I call him "smiley".
Melissa McPherson - she's in customer service and lead the charge in protecting the turtle laying her eggs here earlier this spring.
Craig Glab - our newest poster here....Regional Manager, Midwest. You'll be hearing from Craig often as he's putting his bobber together.
And me...the chatty one...but you know me already.
I've got a few more people lined up for you to meet, too. We aren't a shy bunch, but sometimes new products, catalogs and trade shows get in the way doing some posts. But, you'll be meeting more of us soon....
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Charity rides, walks or runs...it your choice
by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager
With all the talk about spring and the warm weather also comes the endless solicitations (good cause solicitations) for charity rides, runs and walks. There are so many out there you can't do them all.
What are you to do?
Here is my suggestion - look over what you like to do, either bike, run or walk. Look for a cause that draws you in that you might have some kind emotional connection to (like the Cycle for Life)
Once you find the event that is to your liking jump in! A lot of these event have helpful web-sites to get you started with donations and getting your self physically ready for the event.
Giving of ones self is the most gratifying feeling ever, especially when it is for a good cause.
Enjoy, you won't regret it!
With all the talk about spring and the warm weather also comes the endless solicitations (good cause solicitations) for charity rides, runs and walks. There are so many out there you can't do them all.
What are you to do?
Here is my suggestion - look over what you like to do, either bike, run or walk. Look for a cause that draws you in that you might have some kind emotional connection to (like the Cycle for Life)
Once you find the event that is to your liking jump in! A lot of these event have helpful web-sites to get you started with donations and getting your self physically ready for the event.
Giving of ones self is the most gratifying feeling ever, especially when it is for a good cause.
Enjoy, you won't regret it!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Run Naked
by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager, Commercial
Last night I got home from work and took off for a run. There was just enough daylight to get in my loop that brings me down to a lake where I usually find some people fishing or hanging out with their dogs. This run was different, there was an unusual flow to it and as I continued along the way digesting and dissecting the day's work, it hit me. I was running naked! Not literally, but in my rush to get out the door I did not have my heart monitor or my I-pod with me. This run was different, my breathing was more consistent and my pace more even and I was able to hear my body again. I know that sounds quirky but before there were I-pods, heart rate monitors and GPS devices we ran naked in a sense. I think most of these devices serve a good purpose, but GPS? I'll save that for a later post. The reason I think the run went so smoothly is because I was unplugged and I was running to my own internal beat and not the Black Eye Peas or Red Hot Chili Peppers. I forgot what that felt like and at the end of the run I turned in my best time for this short loop. Too deep a thought to go any further with this at this time of the morning. Well enjoy whatever you are doing and once every so often try it naked.
Last night I got home from work and took off for a run. There was just enough daylight to get in my loop that brings me down to a lake where I usually find some people fishing or hanging out with their dogs. This run was different, there was an unusual flow to it and as I continued along the way digesting and dissecting the day's work, it hit me. I was running naked! Not literally, but in my rush to get out the door I did not have my heart monitor or my I-pod with me. This run was different, my breathing was more consistent and my pace more even and I was able to hear my body again. I know that sounds quirky but before there were I-pods, heart rate monitors and GPS devices we ran naked in a sense. I think most of these devices serve a good purpose, but GPS? I'll save that for a later post. The reason I think the run went so smoothly is because I was unplugged and I was running to my own internal beat and not the Black Eye Peas or Red Hot Chili Peppers. I forgot what that felt like and at the end of the run I turned in my best time for this short loop. Too deep a thought to go any further with this at this time of the morning. Well enjoy whatever you are doing and once every so often try it naked.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Tour de lite
When I saw this I knew a dawn patrol ride was necessary.
Out the door 5:45am for my local loop. Backroads down to Duxbury beach and the bridge (see above photo) and then around the corner to see the below picture. The ride was a little chilly today. Needed to wear heavy tights and jacket.
The ride was nice. Roads a little wet. Nothing major. Great ride. Too early for too many people to be out so people watching was less than the other day. My greatest fear on the roads this early is being hit by someone who hasn't had their Dunkin' Donuts coffee yet.
Mileage clocked in at 18. Muscles were sore from the last ride. Got a little ahead of myself the other day. When I got home from work I felt so good that I went for a night ride, too. Same loop. Needless to say, I cooked my legs and today's ride was much slower.
Roby Holland
Friday, May 30, 2008
Off the beaten trail
by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager
This week I was on the road once again and for those who know me it usually means flying from Boston to where ever. This time was differnt, my trip was to up into Canada and the airfare was outrageous. Instead I decided to drive, it would cost half as much as the flight and with a new Thule bike rack atop my car I could bring my bike along and maybe get a ride or two in along the way.
On my way from Montreal to Toronto I was feeling the need to pull over and take a break. I pulled over in this town just north of Cornwall to fill up on gas and see if there was a bike shop around that could point me in the right direction for a afternoon ride. The guy behind the counter pointed me down the highway to a shop call Kalrim. Mind you I was in the middle of nowhere and I had a feeling that the shop was going to have a "gone fishing" sign hung on the door when I got there, I was wrong.
When I went in the store I met Parminder "Cookie" Kalsi, the owner. The store was small and decorated with pictures of hockey stars and cycling events from days long along. If you took the time to look closely you would see that Cookie was in most, if not all, the cycling pictures. In fact he was a top mechanic back in the day over in Europe and was on the circuit for a long time.
His craft brought him over to Canada working for companies like Speedwell and Yamaha. Yes, Yamaha was in the bike business back in the day. The companies that he worked for ended up going out of business and so he opened up Kalrim. In my conversation you could see that he loved the work that he was doing and that he was very passionate about cycling.
We had a great conversation about his ski tuning machine parked out in the back of his shop. The machine was similar to the one that I used when I was working as a ski tech and the conversation brought back memories of the fun times I had working in the shop.
After talking for awhile Cookie showed me the local bike trail and pointed out the route that I should take. I wanted to stay longer but I still had a long drive ahead and daylight was creeping away. So, with a farewell to Cookie, I headed off for my ride on the Cornwall bike trail.
Forty-Four miles later I was still eager to ride some more. The trail took me downtown and along the river through islands, it was awesome. I had never ridden a trail before on my road bike but it was great! No, cars to worry about - smooth pavement with no potholes! It was the way cycling should be experienced. The ride and my time meeting Cookie made my trip all the more worth it!
The long boring drive ahead of me passed quickly as I played back in my mind the day's ride. I will never forget this and I will look forward to doing it again in the next time I have to do this trip.
To Cookie,
Thanks for the maps and the direction, the ride was more then I was expecting! Take care and I look forward to seeing you again!
This week I was on the road once again and for those who know me it usually means flying from Boston to where ever. This time was differnt, my trip was to up into Canada and the airfare was outrageous. Instead I decided to drive, it would cost half as much as the flight and with a new Thule bike rack atop my car I could bring my bike along and maybe get a ride or two in along the way.
On my way from Montreal to Toronto I was feeling the need to pull over and take a break. I pulled over in this town just north of Cornwall to fill up on gas and see if there was a bike shop around that could point me in the right direction for a afternoon ride. The guy behind the counter pointed me down the highway to a shop call Kalrim. Mind you I was in the middle of nowhere and I had a feeling that the shop was going to have a "gone fishing" sign hung on the door when I got there, I was wrong.
When I went in the store I met Parminder "Cookie" Kalsi, the owner. The store was small and decorated with pictures of hockey stars and cycling events from days long along. If you took the time to look closely you would see that Cookie was in most, if not all, the cycling pictures. In fact he was a top mechanic back in the day over in Europe and was on the circuit for a long time.
His craft brought him over to Canada working for companies like Speedwell and Yamaha. Yes, Yamaha was in the bike business back in the day. The companies that he worked for ended up going out of business and so he opened up Kalrim. In my conversation you could see that he loved the work that he was doing and that he was very passionate about cycling.
We had a great conversation about his ski tuning machine parked out in the back of his shop. The machine was similar to the one that I used when I was working as a ski tech and the conversation brought back memories of the fun times I had working in the shop.
After talking for awhile Cookie showed me the local bike trail and pointed out the route that I should take. I wanted to stay longer but I still had a long drive ahead and daylight was creeping away. So, with a farewell to Cookie, I headed off for my ride on the Cornwall bike trail.
Forty-Four miles later I was still eager to ride some more. The trail took me downtown and along the river through islands, it was awesome. I had never ridden a trail before on my road bike but it was great! No, cars to worry about - smooth pavement with no potholes! It was the way cycling should be experienced. The ride and my time meeting Cookie made my trip all the more worth it!
The long boring drive ahead of me passed quickly as I played back in my mind the day's ride. I will never forget this and I will look forward to doing it again in the next time I have to do this trip.
To Cookie,
Thanks for the maps and the direction, the ride was more then I was expecting! Take care and I look forward to seeing you again!
Friday, April 25, 2008
The life of the traveling salesman
by Craig Glab, Central Regional Manager
The four weeks. The whole month. It’s just about over and I’ve been gone all month.
Week 1 – Minneapolis/St. Paul. After the fine experience of my first tattoo, Don Shipman and myself traveled with the Tucker Rocky reps in Minneapolis/St. Paul. We went to both motorcycle and bicycle shops, sharing our experiences and fine tuning each other.
Week 2 – I drove down to Chicago, IL and Roby Holland, might I say, our National Sales Manager, came out and traveled with me that Monday and Tuesday. He was showing me the city of Chicago through his eyes. We also did a Lexco open house (one of our distributors) that Tuesday night while we were there.
Week 3 – I was in Portland, Oregon to meet with a potential new customer. We’ll be excited to bring them on board! Flew to Charlotte, NC to attend Ingersoll Rand’s internal school – IRU. I was sharpening up my skills to be a better salesman.
Now I’m home; it’s 80 degrees out but I’ve got emails to read and mail to go through. I can’t wait for next week. I’m on vacation! I’m turning my cell phone and everything else off. I’ll be working on my custom motorcycle.
See you in May – I’ll be back in Charlotte, NC for the May 17th race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway where we are the official motorcycle parking area of the speedway.
The four weeks. The whole month. It’s just about over and I’ve been gone all month.
Week 1 – Minneapolis/St. Paul. After the fine experience of my first tattoo, Don Shipman and myself traveled with the Tucker Rocky reps in Minneapolis/St. Paul. We went to both motorcycle and bicycle shops, sharing our experiences and fine tuning each other.
Week 2 – I drove down to Chicago, IL and Roby Holland, might I say, our National Sales Manager, came out and traveled with me that Monday and Tuesday. He was showing me the city of Chicago through his eyes. We also did a Lexco open house (one of our distributors) that Tuesday night while we were there.
Week 3 – I was in Portland, Oregon to meet with a potential new customer. We’ll be excited to bring them on board! Flew to Charlotte, NC to attend Ingersoll Rand’s internal school – IRU. I was sharpening up my skills to be a better salesman.
Now I’m home; it’s 80 degrees out but I’ve got emails to read and mail to go through. I can’t wait for next week. I’m on vacation! I’m turning my cell phone and everything else off. I’ll be working on my custom motorcycle.
See you in May – I’ll be back in Charlotte, NC for the May 17th race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway where we are the official motorcycle parking area of the speedway.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
How Observant Are You?
by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager
Just received this link for a good friend of mine, check it out.
I don"t know about you but I total missed it. It is a great example of how we focus one task we while we miss the other things that are happening around us.
This is especially important as the weather warms up. There will be more people on bikes and when we are in are cars we need to be aware. I'm as guilty as the next driver with my Blackberry, and have total spaced what is around me when I'm focused on an e-mail or a text message.
So as the weather warms, keep a look out for our friends on bikes!
Safe travels!
Just received this link for a good friend of mine, check it out.
I don"t know about you but I total missed it. It is a great example of how we focus one task we while we miss the other things that are happening around us.
This is especially important as the weather warms up. There will be more people on bikes and when we are in are cars we need to be aware. I'm as guilty as the next driver with my Blackberry, and have total spaced what is around me when I'm focused on an e-mail or a text message.
So as the weather warms, keep a look out for our friends on bikes!
Safe travels!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Tattooed Crew Contest
by Roberta Fahey, Customer Service
and
Bashful, Customer Service
Craig's tattoo inspired us to run this fun contest. Match the correct Team Kryptonite member to the correct tattoo. The first 3 people with all the correct answers win a Justice League padlock -your choice of character.
Of course, you also get braggin' rights, which is priceless.
A.....and....B
C.
D.
E............and.................F.
G.
Team Kryptonite members:
Bashful, Dave Perewitz, Donna Tocci, Jody Perewitz, Melissa McPherson, Roberta Fahey, Roby Holland
and
Bashful, Customer Service
Craig's tattoo inspired us to run this fun contest. Match the correct Team Kryptonite member to the correct tattoo. The first 3 people with all the correct answers win a Justice League padlock -your choice of character.
Of course, you also get braggin' rights, which is priceless.
A.....and....B
C.
D.
E............and.................F.
G.
Team Kryptonite members:
Bashful, Dave Perewitz, Donna Tocci, Jody Perewitz, Melissa McPherson, Roberta Fahey, Roby Holland
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