This week, we caught up with Kawasaki’s newest dealership, Clay Cross Kawasaki in Derbyshire, to find out a bit more about them…
KMUK: So, firstly, tell us a little a bit about Clay Cross Kawasaki?
CCK: “The dealership here at Clay Cross has been around for over 50 years in various aliases, but today it is part of the Global Moto group. We took over the premises in September of 2020 and immediately restored its name to Clay Cross Kawasaki.
Since then, we have been busy transforming the dealership, improving our facilities and working on our marketing and social media. We’re really proud of our showroom and have been working hard to create a true experience for visitors, incorporating visual graphics and areas to make it a destination for all bikers in the local area. Obviously, with the current rules, our showroom is a bit quiet, and we’re really missing welcoming visitors!”
You mention the current rules, how has the pandemic and lockdown affected you?
CCK: “As we only took over running Clay Cross Kawasaki in September, the current lockdown has certainly made things tough. However, although we aren’t able to welcome bikers into our dealership, we’ve been incredibly busy with online orders and shipping bikes across the country.
We have a fleet of vans which have been constantly busy, which is fantastic, and we’ve recently launched a new e-commerce website for parts called “Kawasaki Parts Online”. This means riders can get the parts they need delivered directly to their door, and we also launched a full e-commerce website, ensuring riders can go through the entire bike-buying process online!”
Do you think e-commerce is going to become more important going forward?
CCK: “There will never be a replacement for actually getting to a dealership and seeing the new models up close, but being able to offer our customers a digital solution is definitely going to become more important. Our “Click. Buy. Deliver” campaign has been hugely successful, and has enabled our customers to carry on safely buying their new motorcycles without stepping foot outside their home.
It’s not only about e-commerce, though. Social media and digital content are also just as important. We have our own team of videographers filming content for us, allowing us to showcase our new and used bikes to our followers, helping to keep them engaged and building a community around the dealership.”
What’s been the best highlight since opening the dealership?
CCK: “Although Clay Cross Kawasaki has only been open a short time, our parent company has had a long and successful history with Kawasaki, particularly on the racing side of things with MSS Performance, so that’s definitely a favourite memory.
Personally though, for Clay Cross Kawasaki one of the best things is hearing the stories and memories from our customers. We’ve had so many riders come in with historical images and shots of their bikes dating back since the dealership first opened 50 years ago. We’re trying to source some more archived content from over the years too, so stay tuned for that!”