GP Motoring, The New Era Motorcycle Shop
SGBikeMart would like to thank GP Motoring for being one of our pioneer supporters and for continuing to support us throughout the years. With this invaluable partnership, both companies are confident of achieving more and expanding the wonderful world of biking to more Singaporeans in the future.
We had the opportunity to interview the two young bosses in charge of up-and-coming motorbike shop GP Motoring Pte Ltd, Boss Mcvin and Boss Ken. Boss Mcvin handles company operations while Boss Ken handles the paperwork.
This young company was established in 2012, but within the short span of just three years, they have upgraded to a larger shop location and they are even considering expansion plans. They currently have 3 experienced mechanics (Ah Gie, Ah Qiang and Ivan). Ah Gie and Ah Qiang have been working with them for more than a year now, while Ivan is the most recent addition to the team.
SGBikeMart speaks to the two young bosses to find out more about them, and perhaps to learn their secret to success.
SGBM: Can you tell us more about the history of your company?
Boss Mcvin: The name of our shop, GP Motoring, was actually given by a friend. Ken and I started up this company in 2012 because the motor industry was pretty good back then, and our friend advised us to go for it.
Boss Ken: If I remember correctly, we started out our company on 15 March 2012 with just one mechanic.
There are actually three directors of GP Motoring Pte Ltd. The other director is the wife of another motorbike company, who happens to be Boss Ken’s godmother. Boss Ken used to work for his godmother and she wanted to expand her company. Hence, they set up GP Motoring instead and Boss Ken’s godmother put him in charge.
SGBM: Wow, then wouldn't it have been quite a substantial risk?
Boss Mcvin: Yes it was, but we still continued to press on.
Boss Ken: Yes, but now we own a stable business, and we have upgraded to having two full-time mechanics!
SGBM: Okay, so what was the key reason for setting up GP Motoring?
Boss Mcvin: It was purely for financial and business reasons.
Boss Ken: For me, it was because I have a passion for biking. I knew that I had such a passion ever since I was in secondary school. In fact, I will be attending the Sepang GP.
Fun fact: Boss Mcvin and Boss Ken are secondary school mates. Also, Boss Ken used to do motorbike servicing and Boss Mcvin would help him out. But as the business grew and the paperwork began to pile up, they eventually had to stop and focus on running the business instead.
SGBM: Do you have any other hobby apart from biking?
Boss Ken: I'm not sure what I like, but I do know that I don't like sleeping that much.
SGBM: Have you guys always been located at Macpherson?
Boss Mcvin: No, our first and original location was actually at Lavender. But we had to move because it was really too small. We were sharing the space with a design firm, and we occupied the back alley.
Boss Ken: Yes, when we were at Lavender, we would have to put out and display the bikes during the day and then try to stuff them back into the shop when it was time to close.
Check out how small their previous location was!
SGBM: Congratulations on the location upgrade! So what services or products does GP Motoring specialize in?
Boss Mcvin: We sell both brand new and second-hand bikes. In terms of services that we offer, we do most types of servicing and also help bikers with insurance paperwork.
SGBM: I see a lot of other companies also selling similar bikes and offering the same type of services. So what does GP Motoring have that sets it apart from the competition?
Boss Ken: I would have to say that it is our customer service. We place a lot of emphasis on loyalty and I think our customers can experience that for themselves.
If you go to their Facebook page, you will find that they have an average rating of 4.5/5 stars. These ratings are given by their own customers, so it is obvious that they indeed live up to the expectations of their customers! Both bosses also say that if you were to ask them a question or enquire about something via Facebook, you will definitely get a reply from them. Alternatively, you can also email them if you have any queries.
Boss Ken also says that they try to provide advice to customers who are not sure what kind of bike to get. Generally, as long as the customer knows whether he or she wants an economy or sports bike, they will be able to guide the customer accordingly. Talk about good customer service indeed.
SGBM: What brands of bikes does GP specialize in then?
Boss Mcvin: Oh, we bring in brands like Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki. Right now, our hot-selling brands are Yamaha and Honda because they have relatively higher resale values and there are more accessories available for these brands on the market too.
SGBM: Biking is usually seen as a ‘male’ thing. However, have you been seeing greater numbers of female bikers recently?
Boss Mcvin: Yes definitely. The Yamaha R-15 seems to be one of the more popular choices.
SGBM: Does GP Motoring have any expansion plans?
Boss Mcvin: Yes, we are considering setting up a second branch in the West side of Singapore, hopefully by next year!
SGBM: You have worked with us right from the very beginning by placing ads on our portal. Do you think this practice is still beneficial for your company?
Boss Ken: Yes, and actually I think it is even more important in today’s society. Nowadays, everyone uses the Internet and has a smartphone. It is more effective to put online ads on the SGBikeMart portal as compared to running advertisements on newspapers.
SGBM: Then have you ever tried using Facebook ads?
Boss Ken: Yes, but the overall process was just too complicated and time-consuming. We will just stick to advertising and marketing via SGBikeMart since it works and we don't have to dedicate too much time to it.
SGBM: Let’s say I am a newbie biker. What would be the most important advice you would give me?
“Ride safe, feel the adrenaline, have fun.” This was actually said not by any of the two bosses, but by one of their employees, who happens to be Boss Ken’s childhood friend.
Boss Ken owns a special insurance that allows him to ride more than one bike. Under Singapore laws, bikers are actually only allowed to ride one registered bike under their insurance. However, Boss Ken purchased his special insurance through the company, and individuals are not allowed to buy it on their own. You would be expecting Boss Ken to ride a big bike since he can ride any bike of his liking, right? However, to our surprise, he is actually riding a small scooter.
SGBM: Why a scooter?!
Boss Ken: I do not need such a big bike! A scooter fits me well enough since I use it really just to get from one place to another.
The two young bosses, Mcvin (left) and Ken (right) of GP Motoring Pte Ltd