If you ran Moto Guzzi, what changes would you make?

[MMRanch]

   Huzo wrote :    Now all that any manufacturer has to do, is determine which template we ALL want to use.
................... ..................

Wow !   Who wouldn't love to design my own bike ... 

Hay , somebody suggested an idea of getting all the components separate  ,   That seems like a Really GOOD IDEA !   

[Tom]

I'd look at cultivating a new buyer for when Piaggio gets tired of owning it.   

[kingoffleece]

I'll try to offer a (maybe) somewhat realistic comment.  The most important thing, I think, for any company making "stuff" to sell is to know what you are and know who buys your product.  DON'T try to be a big boy, or everything to everybody.  Do what you do BETTER than anybody else. For Guzzi, it's a small small market.  Figure out how to best operate in that type of environment.  Become customer driven with a focus on service.  Understand that with a production of, what, 10K units worldwide a year, that you customer base is small but loyal.  That's at least a start.

[reidy]

I'll try to offer a (maybe) somewhat realistic comment.  The most important thing, I think, for any company making "stuff" to sell is to know what you are and know who buys your product.  DON'T try to be a big boy, or everything to everybody.  Do what you do BETTER than anybody else.

King of Fleece

I have never been to business school, but I think your quote should be taught on the first day and on the final exam. It would seem that we live in a world where the aim of business and crush the opposition. I have a picture of everyone sitting in business school playing monopoly and thinking that is how business should be. What ever happened to brand loyalty, respect for the customer, making a product that is identified with your company and enough profit to pay the workers and give a comfortable return.

Steve     

[rocker59]

King of Fleece

I have never been to business school, but I think your quote should be taught on the first day and on the final exam. It would seem that we live in a world where the aim of business and crush the opposition. I have a picture of everyone sitting in business school playing monopoly and thinking that is how business should be. What ever happened to brand loyalty, respect for the customer, making a product that is identified with your company and enough profit to pay the workers and give a comfortable return.

Steve   

Here's the first thing in marketing:  "sell what the customer is buying".

Personally, I liked Guzzi better when they built quirky cool motorcycles that THEY liked, and a few of us bought and rode.

For some reason the retro V7 Classics line was what the customer wanted to buy, and over the past decade has been Guzzi's cash cow.

Me?  I long for the spine frame bikes that a few hundred of us have been happy to own.

[bad Chad]

Who are THEY at Guzzi?  Was it the CEO, upper management, the line workers or some other faction?    I'm asking only because Im interested in your perspective.

[kingoffleece]

I dunno.  Lots of ways to skin the cat.  My degree is in marketing and advanced degrees in finance and business.
We had LOTS of examples of ways to accomplish the goal.  I don't think it's a simple as "sell what they're buying', but it's also not entirely off the mark.

One thing I KNOW I'd do is look at how North America is run, hire a new guy, and tell him "don't do THAT!"

Reminds me of my BMW buddy who opened and closed a bike dealership in 18 months with BMW.  The big brass was trying to tell a VERY successful businessman what to do.  Mind, he played by the franchise rules but the "brass" told him, and I paraphrase, ".......we got all these new guys from Harley, and THEY know how to sell in the states".  So he asked, "how did you get them?"  Was told Harley cut 30% of their white collar guys, and they hired some.  To which my buddy said, just before he turned in the dealership, "....guess what, Harley didn't fire the TOP 30%, now did they..............."

[rocker59]

Who are THEY at Guzzi?  Was it the CEO, upper management, the line workers or some other faction?    I'm asking only because Im interested in your perspective.

The designers, engineers, and line workers.

The people who were responsible for the 850 and 1000 Lemans, the Daytona 1000, the Sport 1100, the V11 Sport/Lemans, the MGS-01, the Bellagio, the 1200 Sport 8v.

You know, the type of people Piaggio has run off from Guzzi...

[lsrxc]

Fire the management board - no Italian management 

Owners: Financial Investors
Design Dep.: Italian
Qualtity Dep.: German
R&D: Italian & German
Marketing: Italian, German & American
Sales: German & American
Canteen: Italian

Canteen