Powersports Business September 2023 | Page 18

18 • September 2023 • Powersports Business

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Dealership remodels to Honda Powerhouse requirements

BY MADELYN HUBBARD ASSOCIATE EDITOR
In 1971 , Tammy Dillon ’ s parents opened M & E Honda in Bedford , Indiana . “ To five-year-old Tammy , that felt like hitting the jackpot ,” she says . “ My dad would bring home all sorts of fun vehicles for my brother , cousins and me to ride . Dirt bikes , three-wheelers , dune buggies , Kick ‘ N Go ’ s and the like . You name it , we got to ride it .”
After her father , Dan Evans , passed away in 1982 , her mother , Shirley Evans , continued to run the business . Dillon moved out of state and earned her master ’ s degree in clinical psychology , then managed a unit in a psychiatric hospital in Boulder , Colorado . After eighteen years , she and her husband , Bill Dillon , returned to Bedford and got involved in the dealership .
“ It was really my husband that wanted to get involved in the shop . He really wanted to go in that direction ,” she says . He came from a large city to the small town of Bedford and started working at the dealership . He loved it . Today , he runs the parts department .
FOUNDATION “ I had the pleasure of working side by side with my mom for over a decade and learning every role in the shop , except tech , before she retired during COVID ,” Dillon says . “ I ' m so grateful to my parents for how wonderfully they built and nurtured this dealership . It ' s very special – like hitting another jackpot .”
Dillon credits the stability of the dealership to her parents , who both had entrepreneurial spirits . She explains that their honest business practices and work ethic are the foundation of the dealership and why it has served its community for 52 years . “ It ’ s a
stable , secure , debt-free business . And that gives you a lot of comfort , especially during times like now when there is some economic uncertainty ,” she says .
GROWTH Dillon has recently overseen a major remodeling of the building . Her father built the facility , so keeping its infrastructure was important to her . Almost everything else has been replaced , including flooring , electrical , plumbing , the walls and the parking lot .
M & E has been a Honda exclusive dealership since day one , so she worked with Honda ’ s Dealer Development department to become a Powerhouse dealership and has remodeled to their requirements . As a Honda Powerhouse , the top of five dealership levels , “ it positions you to be an outstanding dealership ,” she says .
“ It ' s a big commitment to the brand and in return , there are many benefits from AHMC . Automatic inventory replenishment ( AIR ), for example , ensures we always have a wide inventory base in stock ,” she continues . “ As soon as I register a unit from the AIR program , a new one is immediately ordered for me . There are also financial rewards , such as higher co-op reimbursement , and business support such as the Powerhouse Business Improvement Group ( BIG ), a 20−group only for Honda Powerhouse dealers .”
EMPLOYEES Technicians at M & E Honda complete training continually , according to Dillon , both in person and online . “ We currently have three techs and one service advisor , and all have Honda certifications ,” she says . “ Our model is to do one thing really well . We specialize in one brand and learn all we can about it .”
She is proud of her team and encourages
M & E Honda has been a Honda exclusive dealership since day one and is now a Powerhouse dealership , so Dillon has overseen the remodel of the dealership to meet the company ’ s Dealer Development department ’ s requirements .
Tammy Dillon , owner of M & E Honda , credits the stability of the dealership to her parents , who opened business in 1971 . Dillon is pictured on her 2023 Honda NC750X DCT in front of the dealership . Photos courtesy of M & E Honda
Bill Dillon , Tammy Dillon ’ s husband , manages the parts department and she explains that he keeps her grounded as an owner . them to have fun both at work and outside of it . She occasionally takes her employees out for a ride to dinner after work , and once a year the team stays at the Indianna Clifty Falls State Park overnight . She says her team looks forward to the overnight trip . “ The rooms have patios , and we just sit around the firepit and have fun together late on a Saturday night ,” she says .
“ It ’ s a great team of people . I ’ m so fortunate to have such good people . I truly enjoy the company of every single one of them and I protect that relationship . And I make sure it ’ s a team that enjoys one another .”
She currently has a team of 11 employees that work in a playful atmosphere with minimal drama . “ There ' s a lot of playful smack talk that gets thrown around in jest and it makes for a fun atmosphere ,” she says . “ People don ' t mind working hard when they ' re laughing . And unnecessary drama is a big waste of energy and potential .”
She explains that during the interview process , she asks interviewees if they are easily offended and if they thrive on drama , and to work at M & E Honda , the answer to both questions must be no . “ Those two questions help me build a team of people that get along well together ,” she says .
RETENTION To keep her valued staff that work together so well , she explains that both income and the environment of the dealership play a role . Employees get a raise every time they complete a training level , and benefits like IRAs are offered . “ It ’ s providing an environment that you look forward to coming to . The money is obviously the most important thing , but people aren ’ t going to stay at a job that isn ’ t fun ,” she adds . “ We truly laugh a lot .”
She explains she runs a tight ship at the dealership and that her team works hard . “ My understanding from speaking with some of my reps and talking to other dealers is that other shops that sell the volume that we sell , have a lot more employees than we do . We get a lot done with a relatively small team because they work hard .”
“ Our store is fast paced , we work hard , are experts in one brand , laugh a lot and we ' re always honest ,” she continues . “ Honesty and doing the right thing are key to staying in business in a small community for over half a century . I look forward to going to work every day . Almost every member of our team rides . The one non-rider is so good at what she does , that we give her a pass .”
The only position that she is currently looking to fill is a sales and F & I person . While she is pleased with the number of employment inquiries she has received , she has struggled to find a qualified and experienced applicant . Because the dealership ’ s salespeople also cover F & I sales , she explains that it is harder to find someone with all the skills needed . Despite this , she mentions her confidence in the dealership ’ s sales and F & I process . Instead of turning customers from one employee to the next , she explains there is a sense of assurance that develops when working with only one employee .