The key to the Body Scanning concept is in the acronym: CRM is
marketing-speak for customer relation management.
Whilst the Body Scanning unit measures by laser and measurements are
input into a PC, don’t think of Body Scanning as another bike-fit
system. This isn’t for dead keen roadies, it’s a neat way of getting
key info from non-tech customers before the IBD salesperson starts
presenting bikes.
No need to wait for a custom-built bike, the IBD sells what’s in the
shop, but now with a definite whiff of science…
The measurement process takes just a minute or two, with leg length,
height, arm length etc, typed into boxes on the Body Scanning screen on
the PC. There are also boxes for the customer’s address details,
including tel and email. The screen also offers prompts for riding
style, pix of the different bike styles available and other basic info
that salespeople ought to capture before presenting bikes, but often
don’t.
Pascal Papendorp, development of the Body Scanning concept, believes
those IBDs that feature his units will be able to focus on customer
relational management, rather than blind customers with tech info. He
also believes customers put through the Body Scanning process – who
receive fancy print outs of their measurements and riding preferences –
are less likely to press for discounts.
The concept is not just for the bike trade, there are also Body
Scanning systems for independent retailers in the ski and outdoor
markets. A standard Body Scanning package costs $2500, excluding a PC.
The system is being trialled by 20 IBDs in the US thanks to Jay
Townley, a long-time champion of IBDs and the industry consultant who
provides the monthly economic newsletters to the National Bicycle
Dealers Association of America. He’s secured NBDA-endorsement of the
system – a rare honour, says Papendorp – and Townley has also secured
links with YaYa, the US dealer collective. XX Production has booked a
booth at Interbike, Las Vegas.
Townley saw a pre-production demo unit of Body Scanning at last year’s
Eurobike.
Distributors are already operating in most European countries but
there’s no UK distributor yet.
To read more about Body Scanning go to http://www.xxpo.de The site
starts in German but scroll down and you’ll get to the English language
part.