Understanding & Managing Customers

Understanding & Managing Customers

Company Overview

In 1903 William Harley and Arthur Davidson made the first Harley-Davidson motorcycle available to the public. It was built in a small wooden shed with the words “Harley-Davidson Motor Company” written on the door. The next year, in 1904, C.H. Lang opened the first Harley-Davidson dealership in Chicago, selling one of the first 3 Harley's ever made. In 1906 the company opened a new factory, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The next year, in 1907 the company doubled its factory space. Also in 1907 the Harley Davidson Motor Company was incorporated, with the stock being divided among the 4 owners, including William and Walter Davidson (Arthur's brothers). By 1920 Harley Davidson is recognized as the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, supported by over 2,000 dealers in 67 countries. In 1953, one of Harley Davidson's competitors, Hendee Manufacturing, which produced an Indian motorcycle line, goes out of business. For the next 46 years Harley Davidson is the only American manufacturer of heavyweight motorcycles.

In 1912 Harley Davidson built a six store building on Juneau Avenue in downtown Milwaukee. This building would become the main offices and factory for Harley Davidson. In 1947, to supplement existing manufacturing facilities Harley Davidson purchased the old A.O. Propeller plant, which the company successively converted from wartime manufacturing into a large machine shop. In 1962, in response to a growing trend of including fiberglass in motorcycle production Harley Davidson purchases a 60% equity share in the Tomahawk Boat manufacturing company. Harley uses the company's existing equipment to manufacture its own fiberglass parts, beginning in 1963 with the official opening of the Tomahawk division of the company.

In 1973 Harley Davidson upgraded its production facilities with the opening of a new 400,000 square foot plant in York, Pennsylvania. The company's manufacturing operations are now located in York, Tomahawk, and Milwaukee, where the new Capitol Drive factory begins to manufacture engines the same year. Harley Davidson's expansion into York continued in 1992, with the opening a new $31 million paint facility to complement the manufacturing facilities already located in the town.

Strategies

As a strategy is management we define the comprehensive plan which states how a corporation will achieve its mission and objectives. Harley Davidson in order to achieve its objectives and be successful in its mission has decided to design and to follow six strategies which hopefully help the company remain successful.

The first strategy that the company follows is to “Define your Niche and Stick to it “. For Harley Davidson, the niche is the heavy weight bike. Big Harley road bikes are the company's trademark that made the company known to the public. All the efforts and resources were used in order to develop bigger and better heavy weight bikes, which had as a result a great increase in the company's shares.

The next strategy which is followed by Harley is to “Listen to Your Customers and Give Them What They Want”. For Harley Davidson, it is very important to have satisfied ...