Yamaha Snowmobile Division.... Mission/Vision Statement

[Attakdriver]

Most companies utilize these forward looking statements to etch a road map for the future....aka long term goals. A vision statement is an inspirational statement of an idealistic emotional future of a company or group. If you were to compose such a statement for Yamaha what would you like it to be versus what we have been seeing the past few seasons-

 

[Kurt J]

“Let’s not look like we’re closing the doors.”

 

[RAMSOMAIR]

Tell the truth and tell you're customers that we are out of the snomobiz because it is a dying sport and not financially viable anymore. Done, move on.

 

[biffdotorg]

If you were to compose such a statement for Yamaha

The problem is the question. Yamaha has Mission and vision statements per division. So in that vein, the proper question would be for the Yamaha snowmobile division.

As the Yamaha-Motor division's vision is accomplished with or without snowmobiles. With such little snowmobile market share, it has very little effect on Yamaha-Motor as a whole, let alone "Yamaha" Their engine supplier agreement is providing a very sustainable and reliable income even if Textron/AC doesn't sell a sled. That's good business.

 

[20/80]

They are pretty tight lipped, Just give us something, Anything, on what your future plans are on the Yamaha snowmobile division, your customers deserve at least that, new stickers and color schemes and gimmicks on the same chassis over and over and over with a whole pile of worthless hype, yes you have a great sled and great motor but its time to give us your true direction and plans. please!!!!

 

[pdiddy]

For entertainment purposes only. (I love my Yamahas!)

To timidly go where everyone has already been
Ask not what Yamaha can build for you, but what Cat can build for Yamaha
The only thing we have to fear is Ski-Doo
This is not a lack of inspiration. It's a Special Decal Operation.
Let’s not look like we’re closing the doors until we empty the parts bins (based on Kurt's post)

 

[Attakdriver]

What worries me is people shelling out $20k+ for a new Yamaha sled and not knowing if Yamaha is going to shutter their Division that provides engines and graphics for snow machines-

 

[STAIN]

Where did the rumor come from that Yamaha is shuttering their snowmobile division? This has been going around since 2014 and has not happened yet.
The best explanation I have seen so far is the one where it was suggested that why would Yamaha spend time and money on a sport that is in decline? They have a small division that is profitable. They have someone else doing the majority of the manufacturing. They sell all the sleds they are allotted. They are still a 4 season company.
If they end their agreement with Cat, then maybe they find someone else to make chassis for them?
In the end it is not going to make much of difference. We have no say. We are already the ones in the sport buying product.

I have said it before and I will say it again. I don't ride snowmobiles because Yamaha is making them. I ride because I like to ride sleds almost more than anything else. I prefer what Yamaha has to offer. If they go away, I will still ride. I have no problem trying something else or maintaining my current ride.

all this hand-wringing just seems to be such a waste of time.

 

[20/80]

Where did the rumor come from that Yamaha is shuttering their snowmobile division? This has been going around since 2014 and has not happened yet.
The best explanation I have seen so far is the one where it was suggested that why would Yamaha spend time and money on a sport that is in decline? They have a small division that is profitable. They have someone else doing the majority of the manufacturing. They sell all the sleds they are allotted. They are still a 4 season company.
If they end their agreement with Cat, then maybe they find someone else to make chassis for them?
In the end it is not going to make much of difference. We have no say. We are already the ones in the sport buying product.

I have said it before and I will say it again. I don't ride snowmobiles because Yamaha is making them. I ride because I like to ride sleds almost more than anything else. I prefer what Yamaha has to offer. If they go away, I will still ride. I have no problem trying something else or maintaining my current ride.

all this hand-wringing just seems to be such a waste of time.

So you would move to a Polaris with a Yamaha sticker on it

 

[STAIN]

So you would move to a Polaris with a Yamaha sticker on it

Probably Cat first, then Ski-Doo. It wouldn't have to have a Yamaha sticker on it.
If Yamaha stopped building what I want, or if another company did build what I wanted, I would have no problem switching.
Like I said, I don't ride sleds because Yamaha build sleds. I ride sleds because I like riding.
I really don't like Polaris products. It would be really hard for me to buy ANYTHING they make.

 

[number1kyster]

My frustration with Yamaha/Cat is mainly due to the lack of changes in product. I would love an updated ergonomic package for the 998. Seeing the Catalyst gives me hope that what I want is coming.

I will admit, I was initially frustrated that Yamaha teamed up with Cat. Many on this forum still are. I have 7,200 miles on my Tuned Sidewinder. It is way faster, handles better, rides better, and has required less maintenance than my Apex. I will gladly swap out a $5 top gear bushing every fall if it means I don’t ever have to change an exhaust donut again.

Having said that, I am looking to try something new next winter. Right now I’m leaning towards a BRP 900R. If the Yamacat team comes out with a revised chassis with the 998T, I will likely be back.

 

[earthling]

LOL - The OP asked for what the vision/mission statements should be, not a reflection on the state of our current reality. Vision and Mission statements typically aren't drawn from thin air, they are the result and reflection of some kind of brand exercise. Those brand exercises typically start with understanding what the value of the brand is (how others see it), what they associate the brand with, and what they would miss about the brand should it disappear (what would you put on the tombstone).

For me, Yamaha the brand means unique quality, performance, and engineering. If Yamaha disappeared from the market today, I would have a hard time getting excited about Polaris or Doo from a brand value perspective because it would be like ordering fast food, the stores are everywhere so not unique, the food is all bad for you, they no longer are the value they used to be, so you settle for which one is the least objectionable.

A vision statement is a high level, company wide description of that acts as the center of the universe. It is typically company or major division wide (Yamaha Motors vs Yamaha corporate).

For Yamaha Motors - they actually have a one word mission statement most often reflected in one word, "Kando" which if english had an equivalent, would be "deep satisfaction and excitement you get when you encounter something of exceptional value, quality, and performance"all in one word. And their mission statement is something like "Creating Kando" or "a Kando creating company"

In pure english it might read ""To bring deep satisfaction, passion, performance, and excitement, to the world"

A mission statement is typically an internal thing, its meant to rally the troops around a goal. They tend to be a little less polished and more specific because they can be as much about fixing a problem as they are about attaining a goal. It can be as simple as "To become the leader in winter powersports through design" And that gets shortened to "Winning by Design" or "Engineered to Win". Or it can take a softer approach "To inspire joy and passion to winter powersports" which sets a different tone and goal.

So what should the mission statement be for the Yamaha Snow Division, how do they rally the troops?

 

[Teamblue4]

Were building our own chassis again. would be a excellent mission statement.

 

[RobX-1]

Um, sort of hard to rally the troops, at least in the Yamaha Snow Division, when the "Kando" you mention which is symbolized in their 3 tuning forks is slapped onto another manufacturers product that does not contain a single Yamaha part.

 

[earthling]

Um, sort of hard to rally the troops, at least in the Yamaha Snow Division, when the "Kando" you mention which is symbolized in their 3 tuning forks is slapped onto another manufacturers product that does not contain a single Yamaha part.

Again, I get the sentiment but the OP asked what should it be, not what it is. Rallying troops is always possible, I know it looks hard from the outside, and it won't be easy from the inside but I have been there, done that. Reduced headcount by almost 66% while improving productivity, morale, and bottom line. Revenue went down but temporarily but with all attention being put on 90% fewer products, revenue came back because quality, stability, and innovation were there. Vision, focus and commitment can do that.