This month’s staff profile is Jack Bennett, a familiar face and voice for our customers as he is their point of contact when their bike needs to visit the workshop.
Jack, 22, who has been at Orwell Motorcycles since June 2018, is the youngest, full-time member of the team.
He started as a storesman in the parts, clothing and accessories department while also covering on service reception on Saturdays.
When a vacancy came up in the service department he was the natural choice to become a ‘permanent fixture’ as the new service adviser.
And it’s a role he really enjoys.
“I love interacting with customers and helping them out. People come to you because they are sometimes uncertain and you make sure their bikes are good for the road and good to go.
“You work in a bike shop and get to deal with bikes every day so it’s always fun and different every day.”
He also does the administration and paperwork for warranty and PDI registrations and keeps a traditional paper bookings diary as well as the digital one just in case the computer system was to go down!
“We try to strike a fine balance - keeping customers happy, and getting their bikes in as soon as possible, without overloading the workshop,” he explained.
His first bike, five years ago, was a 1977 Yamaha RS100 two-stroke which he still has… but in pieces, as a project.
He then had a Honda XR125 and a 1990 Kawasaki ZXR 400 on the road.
Now he has a Yamaha R6, in Orwell Motorcycles livery, which he uses for track days and this year he started racing in the British Motorcycle Racing Club, known as BMCRC or 'Bemsee', series.
In his first outing at Snetterton he had two sixth and two seventh places.
Now Jack limits his riding to the race circuit and track days.
“The thrill of track days and racing is a little more exhilarating then commuting from Felixstowe!”