Market reports – Philippe Beziere: the part of the scooter is more and more preponderant – Occasions MBK

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Philippe Beziere: the part of the scooter is more and more preponderant

Market reports - Philippe Beziere: the part of the scooter is more and more preponderant - Occasions MBK

With 5,830 registrations, MBK posted an increase of 0.2% on the French motorcycle market. Philippe Beziere, vice-president of MBK Industries, establishes for Site the 2007 balance sheet of the French brand and reveals its 2008 objectives to us.

Site: What do you think of the general evolution of the two-wheeler market in 2007? ?
Philippe Beziere, vice-president of MBK Industries: The market remains very healthy but it is interesting to note that the part of the scooter is more and more preponderant. This is of course due to the increased traffic difficulties, but also in my opinion to better integration of two-wheelers into society. Buying a scooter is a family purchase, usable by almost all family members.

M-N.C: What is your assessment of your year? ?
P. B .: In 50cc, positive, in line with our objectives and without having recourse to permanent clearance sales. We sell products, an image, a service and not prices! We keep a very strong image with teenagers (the famous Booster) and the adult 50cc market is growing. In 125cc, the results are more mixed even if we keep exactly the same volume as in 2006: 5,377 units compared to 5,367.

M-N.C: Are you fully satisfied with the results of your bestsellers: Skycruiser and Skyliner ?
P. B .: The Skyliner remains a benchmark in terms of quality / price (in the segment of scooters at 3000 euros), on the other hand we suffered from a very large stock shortage of the Skycruiser at the start of the year, which handicapped our annual score.

M-N.C: What are the models whose sales have disappointed you and what was the cause ?
P. B .: The 125cc Cityliner, which arrived in July, is below our targets, despite the dynamic and aesthetic qualities of this model. This is due to the weakness of the French market for 125cc large-wheeled scooters (16 inches), unlike Italy where it was immediately placed among the best sellers on the market in its Yamaha X-City 250cc version ( around 9,000 registrations in ten months). I am nevertheless convinced that this market will develop.

M-N.C: In your opinion, have your new products for 2007 "fulfilled their contract" for their first year? ?
P. B .: They happened in the middle of the year, so it’s a little too early to pass judgment anyway..

M-N.C: What was the good surprise 2007 ?
P. B .: Undeniably in 50 cc, the success of the Ovetto 50: thanks to a makeover and despite a slight price increase, it is permanently out of stock. In my opinion, this is a sign of a real expectation of adult consumers for quality products.

M-N.C: What was the worst ?
P. B .: The slower than expected start of the 50cc "Box". This brand new scooter, with its original design and equipped with an engine that is far ahead in terms of polluting emissions (4-stroke engine, 3 valves, liquid cooling, injection) is having a bit of trouble finding its place. This proves that the customer may not yet be ready to pay more for a 50 cc to be ahead of its time from an environmental point of view on a lightweight two-wheeler (this model already complies with EU3 standards which will come into force only after 2011 for 50cc) and achieve significant fuel savings. I am nonetheless certain that things will evolve, ecology is becoming commonplace and the improvement of the manufacturers’ offer will stimulate the market.

M-N.C: According to you, what was the highlight of 2007 in the world of two-wheelers? ?
P. B .: By scooter, the distribution by supermarkets of scooters of Chinese origin, within the framework of "product punches" operations selling scooters at very low prices. A scooter is not a "disposable" product and it is important to me to be able to count on a professional network to ensure customer satisfaction before and after the purchase. Especially since these machines go on the road and the safety aspect is paramount.

M-N.C: How were your 2008 novelties received by your network ?
P. B .: The Waap 125cc has been well received. It complements our 125cc offer as an economical product to purchase (1990 euros) and to use (injection engine).

M-N.C: In 2008, what will be your objectives in terms of sales but also of network, image and communication? ?
P. B .: We want to continue to invest in our network. The strength of MBK as a brand is the professionalism, the specialization of our network on the scooter as well as the proximity of the 480 dealers. In the past, we had a very specialized network for 50cc and teenage customers. It is absolutely necessary to adapt to the evolution of the market, to perfectly meet the expectations of new and often older customers who come to our dealership because they want to deal with a scooter specialist. This involves training programs that we will be implementing in early 2008, but also through signage and store layout efforts..

M-N.C: Has the Internet’s share of your business increased in 2007: official website, dealer websites, impact on sales of new and used vehicles, visibility, advertising ?
P. B .: The Internet is a complementary and increasingly important medium, in particular for adult customers. It is an essential tool for informing the customer and supplementing the dealer’s action, which remains essential to us. We have renovated our general public site, some dealers have developed high-performance sites and we have also placed emphasis on the development of our Extranet tool for use by dealers.

M-N.C: Yamaha dominates the 125 market with products similar to yours while Peugeot seems to have succeeded in tickling the patriotic fiber of the French: can MBK do the same? ?
P. B .: Yamaha in France and MBK complement each other perfectly, and the respective results of the two brands reflect this situation. The products are certainly identical, but Yamaha has a very strong image, which gives them an advantage in the field of 125cc scooters and more. And MBK finds its credibility through the history and specialization of its network on light two-wheelers.

Of course, we do not forget that we are a French factory and brand (800 people and more than 100,000 two-wheelers produced per year), but we belong to the Yamaha group which brings its quality standards, its technical expertise and its logistics. It is important to know that the group’s desire is not only to maintain, but also to further develop in Europe the production of certain products relating only to the European market (scooters and 125cc in particular), while the current situation of the euro against the dollar could push to relocate if the only criterion taken into account is the lowest possible price. Volume is good, but our network, like ourselves, needs profit, so we need to sell products with high added value in order to continue investing and have the means to satisfy our customers.

M-N.C: What is MBK’s position on the French 50 cc market and does it influence your position in 125? ?
P. B .: We are second in the French 50cc scooter market (all brands market including all Chinese products), but largely leader with 38% market share in the high-end 50cc scooter segment (public price above 1,500 euros). At MBK, it’s often the teenagers who bring the parents to the dealership to buy a scooter … or the old 50cc customers who come back to buy a 125cc product..

M-N.C: In conclusion, which maxim would best illustrate your 2007 assessment? ?
P. B .: A fair balance between the qualitative and the quantitative.

Interview by Matthieu BRETILLE

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