GIVI Magazine - Novembre 2017

ENGLISH TEXT Under the spotlight is Niccolò Bignardi, current Group Sales Manager of the company and a motorcycle enthusiast. With a special interest for Enduro models, Niccolò likes to ride on a competitive level and within the company he plays an unprecedented role ... that of the classic missing piece! G ood morning Niccolò. Thank you for being here and for tak- ing the time to answer our “cross-fire” questions. Basically, we want to know everything about you, both inside and outside the workplace. As we usually do, we begin with a few general questions but then we will probe a little deeper. We would like to know your age, which school you at- tended, your professional experiences, where you live, if you are married, if you have children... and finally what kind of work you do in GIVI and when you started working for the brand. “I will follow your style and I will try to be concise. I am 38 years old, I graduated in Management Engineering and I have a 6-year-old son. I’ve been working for the GIVI group for almost a year. I deal with the direct trade of the three worldwide brands. Mine is a new role stemming from the need to optimize resource coor- dination and develop markets that are intensely diverse in respect of needs and distribution methods at an impor- tant stage of their growth”. Competent and equipped with excel- lent synthesis skills. Great! Let’s move on to your passions. Considering your life outside work, do you have a per- sonal tie with the world of two wheels? “My life has been linked to motorcycles since... forever! I remember an episode when I was about 6 years old: I was on holiday in Sardinia and my father, who used to ride a Kawasaki GPZ550 at that time, often allowed me to join him for a ride. I remember being in the saddle be- tween him and my mother. Another im- portant step was the arrival of the scoot- er at age 14. I played football in a field that was a few miles from home; at that time the “must have” moped was the Ciao... and it was a fantastic surprise when my parents chose to buy me a 6-speed Aprilia RX50. Since then, knobbly tyres have never left me. For me a motorcycle is both freedom and fun; even when I am taking part in En- duro races.” A passion that has led you to achieve a great deal in competitive fields. In- deed, this is a role you cannot progress without having a certain combative spirit. Has being a passionate and ex- perienced user of two wheels played an important role since being employed by GIVI? Do you still have this attitude in daily life? “There is no doubt that knowing the mo- torcycles on the market, their market positioning and the motorcyclists riding them helps me in my daily work, in the area of data analysis and also when re- lating to my colleagues, many of whom also own a motorcycle, like myself. In many cases, when visiting my custom- ers, I find myself in front of individuals who are deeply involved in our industry as former ex-riders or enthusiasts who have been able to combine their area of work with their passion. In other words: conversation with a motorcyclist is easi- er and more enjoyable.” Does knowing your “target audience” both profoundly and directly have a role in design choices? “Firstly, we must say that we are all aware that this element, in “mature” markets such as Europe and America, is more linked to emotion than the pure need for mobility; unlike what is happening in the Far East, where the challenge in many countries is the in- troduction of the hard case concept, a path that is being successfully navi- gated by our local affiliates. Returning to the original question, personal know-how is definitely an advantage within the GIVI team. Discussion and interaction with colleagues, an ele- ment mentioned earlier, often deals with design choices. It is a particular honour to consult with the “chief”, Gi- useppe Visenzi and to see how often his ability to look ahead becomes the element capable of directing the choices of the technical team. Would you like the brand to become more involved in the area of “knobbly” tyres? “Well, it has to be said that compared to the past, today GIVI is also present as a sponsor in the off-road world... And what are the benefits? «Off-road sponsorships were active be- fore my arrival in the company; I am con- vinced that they help to broaden brand awareness to younger users. For exam- ple, the presence of GIVI at the Paris Da- kar is both strategic and fundamental for the importance of the event in the South American countries. Last year we introduced the range of hard-wearing Gravel-T soft bags for more extreme use from an off-road point of view and EIC- MA 2017 will confirm our commitment with the introduction of further products aimed at the world of off-road riding.” Discovering more about your profes- sional persona fascinates us. What kind of work does your role involve and what are your responsibilities? “As a Sales Manager I work in two areas, aftermarket and OEM and each area has its own particularities. As Sales Manag- er, my daily role involves co-ordinating the responsibilities of both branch and area managers. Whilst in respect of OEM, my role is much more diverse as it involves contacting motorcycle compa- nies and liaising with both Technical and Production. Generally, I collaborate with a team of professionals that col- lectively, not only have amazing abili- ties but also have profound knowledge of the industry.” From your story it sounds like a 24/7 commitment and when communicating with different parts of the world it is necessary to consider all the different time zones. If we then add problems to the equation, and problems always seem to be looming, it becomes clear how important it is to have self-control, concentration and the ability to multi- task. We believe that off-road racing somehow helps to develop these skills. You are obviously a force to be reck- oned with! How is the relationship with the sales force and dealers? “From the very outset, I’ve been travel- ing and listening to customers, in an ef- fort to identify the needs of different markets. In this context, I’ve realized the great trust and support coming from the commercial network and I’ve also come to see how well our brand is conceived as a leader in the production of excellent quality products. It is important for me to convey how difficult it is to improve an image and situation that is already very positive. Being able to raise the brand’s profile even further is a great challenge but it is what makes my role both exciting and stimulating.” Anyone would agree with those who say that “on line” sales and the internet represent the future. There is no way to stop it and the distributors are quiv- ering... What is your position? “The internet is profoundly changing the way of contacting the end customer and challenging relationships in the distribu- tion network. However, we are con- vinced that human interaction is still crucial in our industry as the motorcy- clist wants advice and also wants to see and touch the products. Therefore, with Hendrika Visenzi and the brand, we have decided to protect our distribution net- work that has given us confidence over the last 40 years with commercial condi- tions favouring those who exhibit GIVI products in their outlet.” INSIDE GIVI THE PUZZLE IS COMPLETE! captions 1) THIS IMAGE ILLUSTRATES THE TWO VERY DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE CURRENT WORLD COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR OF THE GIVI GROUP; COLLAR AND TIE WHILST IN WORK AND AN ENDURO RACING OUTFIT WHILST OUTSIDE OF WORK. 2) NICCOLÒ BIGNARDI HAS BEEN ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY COMBINE HIS PASSION WITH HIS WORK ACTIVITIES. HIS ROLE IN GIVI PROVIDES CLOSE AND CONTINUOUS CONTACT WITH THE WORLD OF TWO WHEELS. Written by Giampaolo Meda Photo Mario Frati 30  Inside GIVI