Midlands Enterprise Awards 2020

30 | Midlands Enterprise Awards 2020 Best Motorcycle Accessories Retailer – Staffordshire The flow of development usually sees stores moving onto the web to expand their business. BargainBikerBrands Ltd did quite the opposite. The success of their online business was such that there was enough demand to open a physical store, giving their loyal customers a place to meet, chat, and buy from real-life people. BargainBikerBrands Ltd (BBB) are motorcycle accessory sellers, with both a virtual and a real-world shop. While many companies supplement their stores with online shopping, BBB’s story is in reverse. The company began selling online, but due to their huge success and demand, invested in a local store to better serve their community. Originally working through their own website, eBay and Amazon, BBB sell brands that are well respected in the industry, supplying customers with high-quality products and value for money. Eventually, customers wanted to come and see the products first-hand, to discuss them with experts and talk with people who could give impartial advice. The demand grew to the point where, seven years ago, BBB opened an offline shop. The team is split into two: one half of the team fronts the store, while the other works their magic online. The father-son team work the store with two other people – between them, they have over 60 years of experience in the motorcycle trade. Online, the team have over 40 years of experience. This huge wealth of history trading in the industry and indulging in the motorcycle lifestyle, mean that BBB can give the best advice to their customers. It is a team dynamic that is very hard to replicate, and one that delivers what the customer wants at a price that they can afford. The personal touch is clearly very important to BBB. The staff is family-oriented and they have a genuine passion for the products they sell and the lifestyle those products facilitate. While the option to upgrade to bigger premises and carry more stock has presented itself in the seven years since the store opened, John Wakefield, the owner, has resisted as he believes going bigger would kill the personal touch of the store and their services. “Over the years,” he said, “I have seen many companies grow in size and open more stores, thinking they can take advantage in the business they already have. But it is difficult to recreate what you have somewhere else with someone new you have employed. “We are in a people industry where customers want to feel comfortable in the buying environment. They want to be friends with each other and share their experience. This is a concern to me as we all get older and need to retire at some stage, which is why having my son in the team gives us an added advantage and future proofs the business.” In 2019, John’s youngest son, aged just 13, was diagnosed with cancer, which resulted in months of treatment and in November 2020 the family were told that the illness was now terminal. This had an impact on the family-driven business, sparking John to take stock of the company and give thought to future plans. John’s eldest son, Steven, has been working in the motorcycle industry since he was 16, and has taken on a lot of responsibilities during this difficult time. As a result, he is gaining respect for his knowledge and expertise among their customer base. The motorcycling community is one that John feels he is lucky to be a part of and serve. During Sep20366 his son’s illness, the support the family received from the trade and their customers was amazing. A memorabilia auction was carried out at the 2019 Motorcycle Live show with donations given from racers, manufacturers and celebrities. Overall, it raised £17,000 for John’s son. Some of this was then donated to the Teenage Cancer Trust. “I am proud to be surrounded by so many kind and thoughtful people – it’s the reason I love the industry I find myself in,” said John. For a hobby like motorcycling, safety is one of the biggest concerns, and the personal touch can help out. John explained how: “We do pride ourselves in the helmet service we offer as we have found over the years many customers are wearing the wrong size helmet. In some cases, we have seen customers come in with helmets two sizes larger than what they should be wearing. While it has always frustrated us when we see people ride motorcycles in tracksuit bottoms and trainers, wearing a correctly fitting helmet will help save your life.” Over his life, John has seen the motorcycle industry change. It is now mainly a hobby industry, which is different from when he first got involved in the late ‘70s. He says that customers tend to have more disposable income to put towards themselves and their motorcycle. In response, other companies have inflated their stock offering, in some cases selling hundreds of different helmets. BBB made the conscious decision to limit their offering to stop customers becoming lost and create a bespoke range that they believe will serve their customers the best. It is this, John said, which has really helped BBB grow to develop the community it has today. Contact: John Wakefield Company: BargainBikerBrands Website: www.bargainbikerbrands.com