The Applied Companies provides pain relief for Kawasaki

The Applied Companies created a pain reliever for Kawasaki dealers in the United States.

A professional employer organization created by The Applied Companies of Reno to serve Kawasaki dealers is showing strong growth and could be a model for other dealership organizations, says Jim Annis, president and chief executive officer of The Applied Companies.

"It's going very well," says Annis. "We're cranking."

Details about the number of participating dealers are confidential, he says.

The Applied Companies developed a professional employers organization for Kawasaki dealers after a survey of the independent dealers by the parent Kawasaki Motors Corp. found five issues that dealers found painful: Garage-liability insurance, health insurance for workers, human-relations services, workers compensation and payroll.

Striking a licensing deal with Kawasaki Motors Corp., The Applied Companies created a professional employers organization known as "Kawasaki Dealers Benefits Company."

The same initials, Annis says, provide the initiative's marketing line "Keep Doing Business Competitively."

In a professional employers organization, a firm such as The Applied Companies co-employs workers for a business.

The professional employers organization takes on responsibilities such as workers compensation, health benefits and human-resources administration. The business, meanwhile, retains the right to hire, fire and discipline workers.

The deal with Kawasaki dealers is unusual, Annis says, because it includes garage-liability insurance along with more traditional benefits and HR services.

The Reno company has added four staff to handle the Kawaski contract, and Annis says he expects to add 30 more in the next year as more of the 1,272 Kawaski dealers nationwide come on board.

At the same time, executives of The Applied Companies are talking with other companies that have extensive networks of independent dealers about launching similar programs.

"It is very replicable," says Annis.