"We" are Essential !

Started by Biketographer, April 22, 2020, 05:19:45 PM

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Biketographer

no, the forum is not essential to the government, but just received this from the Motorcycle Industry Council


ECONOMIC AID UPDATE
Paycheck Protection Program,
Small Powersports Businesses
May Get Much Needed Boost


Small powersports businesses may be able to gain assistance from the Paycheck Protection Program, which is on a path to having its funds replenished after the U.S. Senate unanimously voted for another round of stimulus to help employers through the coronavirus pandemic. The House is expected to pass the bill tomorrow, and the president has indicated he would sign it into law.


"The bill includes $480 billion, most of which will benefit small businesses including $310 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program and $60 billion allocated to emergency injury disaster loans," said Scott Schloegel, MIC senior vice president at the Government Relations Office. "Small powersports facilities across the country are still struggling and this will allow them to apply for assistance."


For those applying for PPP funding, generally available for businesses with 500 or fewer employees, the MIC's GRO issued a bulletin to hundreds of MIC members on Monday. To help ensure that small businesses are benefiting, PPP applicants must abide by "affiliation" rules. Businesses may be considered affiliated when one business controls, or has the power to control, another – and control may come through ownership, joint management, or other relationships, interactions or business practices between the parties.


The MIC joined more than 150 national trade organizations last week, writing to House and Senate leaders and calling on them to "act expeditiously to assure that the PPP will have the resources it needs...." The letter noted that "some companies have not even applied yet due to difficulties with, or uncertainty about, the program," and that "there is unquestionably additional demand for this program that current funding cannot provide." 


"During these challenging times, the MIC remains dedicated to working with federal and state governments, as well as other trade associations, all on behalf of the powersports industry," Schloegel said. "And we are committed to informing members about what they need to know and what resources are available to them."



GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Fed, State Governments Clarify
Powersports Workers as Essential
While Industry Expands
Ways to do Business 


Newly revised federal guidelines have assured that many powersports businesses can remain open, confirming that industry employees are essential workers. Governors in Pennsylvania and Minnesota have issued new orders permitting powersports products to be sold, while adhering to specific rules. And, assisting dealerships with doing business according to those rules, the industry is offering a contactless commerce program, with an online shopping cart and invoicing, all for free.


Just days ago, new language added to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA 3.0) Guidance on Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers expressly stated: "Workers critical to the manufacturing, distribution, sales, rental, leasing, repair, and maintenance of vehicles and other transportation equipment (including electric vehicle charging stations) and the supply chains that enable these operations to facilitate continuity of travel-related operations for essential workers."


More good news followed in Pennsylvania, which had been prohibiting powersports vehicle sales.


"Governor Tom Wolf's decision to allow online vehicle sales follows requests for relief sent by MIC and our members in the state," said Scott Schloegel, MIC senior vice president at the Government Relations Office. "Dealerships in Pennsylvania were losing sales to neighboring states and this incremental opening will allow commerce to move forward while exercising appropriate health precautions."


Also just days ago, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued an executive order allowing for safe outdoor recreation, permitting off-highway vehicle sales at dealerships by appointment.


As there are more and more confirmations that powersports dealerships can remain open for business, the MIC BankCard Program can assist any dealership in setting up a virtual store with contactless commerce, at no charge. All dealerships are eligible and not required to become MIC BankCard members or use BankCard for any other credit card processing.


"If your dealership is open or is looking to open, customers can buy products or pay for service with minimal to zero contact," said Matt Tanzy, president of the MIC BankCard Program.


The program's invoicing and shopping cart can work with any existing website. The online invoicing can work even if the dealership does not have a website. MIC BankCard allows a dealer to accept credit card payments online, via email, and no additional equipment is needed.


How Invoicing Works:


A customer makes a purchase over the phone or drops their bike off for service, Tanzy explained. The dealership then creates and sends the customer a customized invoice via email through the secure MIC BankCard portal. The email will have a pay button for the customer to click to pay online with a credit card. The dealership can then arrange to ship the product or leave the product for pickup at a designated area at the dealership or elsewhere.


The MIC BankCard is waiving set-up fees for online invoicing, and there are no other MIC BankCard fees, he said. Dealers will still see typical fees from credit card companies.


"Dealers just need to contact us to set up their merchant ID, which is needed so MIC BankCard can transfer payments to their bank account," Tanzy said.


Online Shopping Cart:


The cart allows a website to process credit card payments. It's a plug-in that is very easy to add to a website, Tanzy said, and most importantly, it allows dealers to sell on their website immediately.


"Once it's online, a dealership can upload their inventory and customers can then browse the website and add products to their cart, then check out and pay, like they do on Amazon," Tanzy said. "Once payment is made, the dealer can ship the products or leave them at a specified area for pickup. There are no contracts, no membership requirements, and no obligations to use either BankCard feature. If a dealer doesn't like the feature, they can cancel at any time."


"We are grateful for the CISA 3.0 update, and now we want to do something to help the dealerships that are still operating," Tanzy said. "These are extremely difficult times, and the last thing we want to see is a shop close and never open again. We're all in this together, and we can work together to ride it out."


Any dealership interested in the free virtual store features should email rideitout@micbankcard.com.



MEMBER REPORTS
What Powersports Does for Every State
Across America 


The MIC now has Economic Impact Reports for the country and all 50 states, providing essential statistics for members writing to their governors and other elected officials. These summaries can be found, by members who have logged-in, under Member Reports, General Research, and 2020 Economic Impact of Powersports.
When in traffic:  "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity" or, just a simple mistake.