SEMA ProPledge Insurance Partner Spotlight
We recently had the good fortune to speak with Bob Corwin, first vice president of Alliant Insurance Services, to discuss his company’s role and service offerings within ProPledge.
We recently had the good fortune to speak with Bob Corwin, first vice president of Alliant Insurance Services, to discuss his company’s role and service offerings within ProPledge.
In the April issue, we ran an extended look at what the ProPledge warranty assurance program is and how it can benefit member companies. Part of the ongoing development of the program is to profile its existing members as well as those that see the value and benefits of what ProPledge can offer.
Helping customers with a passion for all things hot rod, created the specialty-equipment industry. The creativity, obsession and power that enthusiasts pour into every project requires continual investment in the newest technology and build techniques.
During the last SEMA Show, 14,879 buyers went into the Las Vegas Convention Center to see the latest innovations in the hot-rod market. More than 70 exhibitors set-up booths in the Hot Rod Alley section, registering 90 products in the New Products Showcase.
Powersports & Utility Vehicles Exhibitors Fill the 2009 Product Showcase. In 2009, SEMA dedicated a special section of the Las Vegas Convention Center strictly to Powersports & Utility Vehicles.
Motorcycles and scooters play a key role in transportation systems throughout much of the world. Economical to own, maintain and use, easily navigated through tight and winding roads, a breeze to park and flat-out fun to ride, they are primary conveyances in Asia and large segments of Europe. In the United States, however, motorcycles and other powersports machines, such as all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and side-by-side utility type vehicles (UTVs), are viewed almost exclusively as luxury items—toys that enthusiasts prize but most mainstream consumers consider only for hobby or secondary use.
Each of us may have different definitions of what constitutes a “hot rod,” but we all know one when we see it. The classification can encompass anything from a ’27 T-bucket roadster to a current-model Mustang, from a ’67 Camaro to a ’92 pickup, from a four-door station wagon to an early-‘80s Malibu. Only a few years ago, those last two might have raised some eyebrows among performance aficionados, but the wobbly economy and an aging consumer base have led to even greater latitude in what hot rodders consider acceptable raw material, and the segment’s manufacturers have obliged with an ever-expanding portfolio of parts from which to choose.
The SEMA Financial Benchmarking Program was developed in order to provide SEMA members with financial benchmarks they could use to help measure and compare their business operations with others in the industry. Industry-specific key performance indicators are reported that can then be used by participants to improve or grow their businesses.
The program provides business owners and managers information, such as: how their year-to-date sales compare with other specialty-equipment companies; how their shipping costs compare to those of other companies; and what other companies spend on advertising.
Trade show participation can be one of the most effective ways to
introduce new customers to your products or services as well as to
update current clients about innovations. A trade show provides an
opportunity for face-to-face consultations and hands-on demonstrations,
delivering everything up to and including order agreements. Yet
somewhere between 75% and 85% of the leads developed at trade shows are
never followed up after the show. That’s a staggering waste of a
significant investment.
SEMA News recently had the chance to catch up with long-time manufacturer and ProPledge participant Check Corporation. We spoke with Brian Champa, the company’s national sales manager, to learn a little more about its products and about ProPledge program benefits the business has realized over the years.