By Thom Dammrich
In light of growing concern over slumping sales and consumer confidence, marine companies are tightening their belts in order to weather the storm of economic malaise. This news isn’t surprising, as businesses are often faced with hard decisions and cost-cutting measures when times get tough and people aren’t buying they way they used to.
However, despite the apparent need to cut costs wherever possible, there’s one area dealerships really can’t afford to scale back: Customer satisfaction. In fact, there is no better time to get prepared and take maximum advantage when business conditions improve. And, there’s no better way for dealers to prepare for prosperity than by completing Marine Industry Dealership Certification.
As I explained in this very column back in March, satisfying increasingly demanding consumers is the number-one priority of U.S. retailers in 2008, based on results of a survey released by International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) and the National Retail Federation. Consumers may, indeed, have a bit less disposable income to spend in 2008 compared to what they earmarked the previous few years, but that doesn’t means they’re willing to compromise the level of quality and service they’ve grown accustomed to expecting.
This desire to consume “only the best” goods and services underscores the need for dealerships to continue pursuit of Marine Industry Certification, even in economically challenging times. Being labeled a “certified” dealership is a major advantage in today’s marketplace; it clearly sets your business apart from its surrounding competition and identifies you as special. It tells consumers you care about them!
It’s important for dealers to know that they’re not alone in this pursuit of excellence; boat manufacturers across all segments of the industry are stepping up to the plate (and have been for years) to make it more convenient and affordable for members of their retail networks to become Marine Industry Certified. Manufacturers recognize the value of Marine Industry Certification to their dealers, to their customers and to the manufacturer’s own success. And because they view the program as so critical to a dealerships’ ultimate success, boat manufacturers are doing their part to help dealers not only afford to participate, but actually incentivise them to enroll in the program.
At present, a total of 25 boat brands and two state Marine Trades Associations—the Marine Trade Association of Metropolitan Atlanta (MTAMA) and the Southern California Marine Association (SCMA)—have formal programs in place that offer dealerships both financial assistance and future incentives (financial and otherwise) to participate in Marine Industry Dealership Certification.
Specific details and incentives vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but the underlying principal is the same: Manufacturers and MTAs want to make it easier for dealerships to get certified, and they’re willing to put their money where their mouth is. Actions really do speak louder than words, and these 27 organizations are leading the charge.
Many boat manufacturers already offer or are presently considering incentives for their dealer networks to become Marine Industry Certified. I encourage you to ask your manufacturers about what they’re doing to help dealers become certified. A complete list of manufacturers and MTAs that currently offer support for the Marine Industry Dealership Certification program is available on GrowBoating.org.
To date, a total of 612 dealerships have enrolled in the Marine Industry Dealership Certification program, 389 of which have completed the process and earned the official “Marine Industry Certified” designation. If that doesn’t sound like a lot to you, take a look at Boating Industry magazine’s “2008 Dealer Directory” in its May 2008 issue. Nearly every page has a Marine Industry Certified Dealership highlighted, and most pages have several.
Don’t waste this year; get Marine Industry Certified and be prepared to take market share when the good times return!
For additional information about the Marine Industry Dealership Certification program or specific details regarding how to enroll, contact Dealer Certification program manager John Warnik at (312) 946-6500; jwarnik@DealerCertification.org.
Thom Dammrich is president of Grow Boating Inc. and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA).
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Manufacturers Help Dealerships Become Certified
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Carver Boats to expand production and size of Marquis Yachts
The expansion is in response to demands from customers for larger yachts from the Marquis brand.
Carver and Marquis brand yachts range from 36 to 70 feet. That will increase to 100 feet after the expansion.
Source: Green Bay Press Gazette
Resources
Monday, April 14, 2008
Marina makes more room for houseboats
TriCities.com features a story on Laurel Marina in Bristol, Tennessee and owner Dale Thomas's plans to expand.
The marina expansion had to clear hurdles ranging from ecological concerns to the approval of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Included in the first phase of the marina expansion are 11 spaces for houseboats ranging from 90 to 100 feet.
According to the story, Thomas has seen an increased demand for houseboat space. Some boaters are investing money that normally would have gone to real estate towards bigger boats.
Source: TriCities.com
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Dealership Certification Reaches Out to Consumers in 2008
By Thom Dammrich
The evidence is irrefutable; Marine Industry Dealership Certification is having a positive impact on recreational marine sales and service processes since first introduced almost three years ago. With more than 600 dealerships around the country enrolled in the program and nearly 400 officially “Marine Industry Certified,” the program’s value is clear and its biggest proponents are those who have experienced the benefits first hand!
So, what is this evidence we speak of? CSI results collected in both 2006 and 2007 confirm that consumers report greater overall satisfaction with both the dealership and the boat and engine product when they buy boats from a certified dealership. Research done by Left Brain Marketing also shows that 79 percent of consumers say they’re more likely to buy a boat from a certified dealership than a non-certified one, assuming the product and the terms of sale are the same.
The proof is in the pudding, and Marine Industry Dealership Certification is here to stay!
The positive industry buzz is extremely important, but there’s an even bigger, more critical factor we should be concerning ourselves with: What do consumers think about Dealership Certification? If you’re either already enrolled in the Dealership Certification program or are seriously considering enrollment, it makes perfect sense you’d want to know what, exactly, the program is doing to ensure consumers—your customers—are aware the program exists and that they fully understand what you, a Marine Industry Certified dealership, has to offer them.
We are working hard this year to make certain consumers are not only aware of the program, but that they truly understand how they will directly benefit by buying a boat from a certified dealership.
Since most potential boat-buyers turn to the Internet for advice and information, we focused our attention heavily on the web in 2008. The core of our promotional strategy is online. Dealership Certification banner advertisements are running on the top three boating websites: BoatTrader.com, boats.com, and BoatTest.com. Editorial content related to Dealership Certification is included on each of these sites, as well as special designation given to certified dealerships on dealer locators and product detail pages. The Marine Industry Dealership Certification program’s “Consumer Bill of Rights” is also posted on all three websites on its own, dedicated page.
As is the case with every Grow Boating program area, we’re tracking our Dealership Certification marketing results so we have a means of benchmarking our success. Since December 15, 2007 (when the 2008 Internet marketing initiative was first launched), we have delivered more than 26 million consumer impressions related to the program through banner ad placements on homepages, feature pages and dealer pages of the top three boating websites. We’ve also received more than 17,000 visits to the certification pages of DiscoverBoating.com from mid-December 2007 through early March 2008, proof that consumers show a growing interest in doing business with Marine Industry Certified dealers.
Consumers have a higher level of expectations related to the goods and services they purchase than ever before. Certification is not a fad; it’s here to stay, and businesses jumping on the certification bandwagon early are not only getting ahead of the industry curve, but they’re preparing for success when industry sales turn around.
Remaining competitive in today’s crowded marketplace requires continuous improvement. Marine Industry Dealership Certification gives you the tools to improve all aspects of your business and get a leg up on the competition. As consumers are becoming more aware of the program, it’s likely that in 2008 and beyond, they’ll be doing their research and seeking out a Marine Industry Certified dealership in their area.
Will YOU be that dealership?
For additional information about the Marine Industry Dealership Certification program or specific details regarding how to enroll, contact Dealer Certification program manager John Warnik at (312) 946-6500; jwarnik@DealerCertification.org.
Thom Dammrich is president of Grow Boating Inc. and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA).
Monday, January 21, 2008
A profile of Joe Lewis and The Mount Dora Boating Center
By Chuck King
Joe Lewis owned the Mount Dora Boating Center and Marina for only a couple of years when his service-first philosophy faced, perhaps, its most preposterous test.
A frantic customer who bought a boat at a different dealership pulled into Lewis' marina because the boat wouldn't plane.
They told Lewis, "This boat will not run. We give it a wide-open throttle and all it does is sit there and spray water out the back.”
"Where is it?" Lewis asked.
"It's at your dock,” the couple said.
"Well, let’s take a look,” Lewis said.
“The first thing I noticed when I got out there was that it was sitting funny — it was really bowed out. Upon closer inspection I could see that there was something hooked onto the eye at the front of the boat. I looked down and sure enough the trailer was still there. They just unhooked it from the truck and took off.
"I think I see your problem,” Lewis told them.
“I’ve never seen anything funnier ever since.”
More than 16 years later, Lewis recalled this story in early January while working at his marina.
Winter Wonderland
Looking more like Santa's workshop than one of the top boat dealers in the nation, his display included a miniature homemade Ferris wheel, a merry-go-round, a tree that changes lights to "dance" with the music and multiple Santas with full complements of reindeer. The display might make P.T. Barnum blush. It jumps at passers bye, nearly thrashing unsuspecting visitors out of their holiday trances.
Eye-opening and blinding, the 750,000-light display sets the waterfront, park and dockage aglow, embarrassing the lighthouse that sits just a few hundred yards down the shoreline.
That Lewis is the architect of the display shouldn't surprise anyone. He's been trying to light the way to boating industry success in Florida for nearly 20 years.
His efforts have earned him prestigious recognition. He was the most recent inductee into the Marine Retailers Association of America Hall of Fame.
Lewis wasn’t always in the boating world.
A former outdoor power equipment distributor from Harrisburg, Pa., Lewis decided in the late 1980s he needed to do something different with his life. An ad in the Wall Street Journal selling a Florida marina captured his attention. Thirty days later, Lewis closed on the Mount Dora Boating Center and Marina and headed south.
Less than 10 years later Lewis became a prominent voice in the industry, calling for dramatic changes. Industry leaders and legislators listened to him.
In 2002 he became president of the Marine Industries Association of Florida, an organization that was $250,000 in debt and it lacked representation in state government.
"We had to figure out a way — if we were going to have all this fun in Tallahassee — to pay for it," Lewis said. "To do it strictly on a dues-supported organization wasn't getting it done."
Lewis made it his priority to get the organization out of debt.
Taking a page from the National Marine Manufacturers Association, he organized the Sunshine State's first two boat shows sponsored by the MIAF. The success of those events put money in the organization's wallet.
Lewis then concentrated turning those dollars into power; he was tired of having the state’s boating industry’s concerns overlooked by the Florida state legislature. He helped establish the Office of Boating and Waterways, an organization dedicated to lobbying for industry causes.
"He's a significant contributor to industry efforts," National Marine Manufacturers Association president Thom Dammrich said. "He's a very enthusiastic guy, an optimistic guy and, like most successful people, he just has a lot of perseverance."
He owns a full-service compound. He sells Four Winns, Harris Float Boats, Escape Watercraft and Rinker boats. The marina also offers boat service and repair, wet and dry storage, fuel and boating accessories.
Yet he has dedicated many years to lobbying on behalf of the industry.
For years the boating industry didn't have any voice in state government, Lewis said. "What we were able to do — through working with the legislators and getting in front of their representatives — was to let people know the marine industry's story and what an important industry this is to the state."
See the complete story in the upcoming February issue of Soundings Trade Only
Dealership Certification an Important Feature at Boat Shows
By Thom Dammrich
Everyone working in the recreational marine industry knows the dawn of each New Year marks the start of manufacturers and retailers’ busiest time in the coming 12 months: Boat show season. From late December through February and early March, the industry is focused on attending and exhibiting at consumer boat shows across the country, as boat shows are still considered one of the primary venues to attract new consumer business and generate boat sales.
Some dealers even maintain that half of their annual business is secured through contacts made at boat shows.
No doubt, boat shows are an important part of sales and lead generation for dealers. But with every dealer aware of this obvious fact, what would make a potential customer want to buy their boat from you as opposed to your competition? What is it that makes your business stand out from the crowd and scream “Buy a boat from us!”?
Marine Industry Dealership Certification not only provides dealers with the tools to improve their businesses and increase potential profits, but also helps dealerships set themselves apart on the exhibit floor.
Consumers can easily locate Certified Dealerships at the 23 consumer boat shows owned and produced by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA)—through special boat show signage, designation on each boat show website, and recognition inside the respective boat show directories. Certified dealers that participate in NMMA shows also receive 50 free show tickets to use and distribute at their discretion.
Boat shows provide dealers with great opportunities to identify new customers—in particular new boat buyers looking to be first-time owners. In this day and age, where consumers are better educated than ever before (thanks largely, in part, to the internet), they are conditioned to look for details that make one product or service stand out as superior when weighed against another.
Boat show attendees are no exception. They, too, are browsing the exhibit floor looking for signs that designate the best possible dealership from which they can buy a boat.
Dealership Certification is that sign; it is the “wow” factor that makes potential customers stop in their tracks and decide to visit your booth over someone else’s. Becoming certified is an ideal way to draw in the “man or woman on the street” and demonstrate why, if they purchase a boat from you, they are more likely to get the best sales and service experience possible.
Having that certified designation showing proudly in your display area or receiving special recognition in the boat show directory or on the show website as belonging to this elite class of certified dealerships makes your business noteworthy to the consumer. Everyone wants the red-carpet treatment, and certified dealerships can make all customers feel Oscar-worthy.
The facts clearly support this sentiment. Research indicates consumers prefer to purchase boats from certified dealerships. A recent survey conducted by Kansas-based research firm Left-Brain Marketing revealed that if given the choice, 79 percent of people are more likely to buy boats from Certified Dealerships than their non-certified counterparts—particularly those individuals new to boating.
Nearly eight in 10 survey respondents said assuming they were in the market for a boat, and factors such as price and brand were identical, they were more apt to select the boat sold by the certified dealership.
If you’re not already enrolled in the Dealership Certification program, I can’t encourage you strongly enough to make the investment today. The advantages to becoming Marine Industry Certified are game-changing. Particularly at the start of a new year and new boat show season (in a reasonably challenging economic environment), all dealerships should ask themselves: Can we really afford NOT to take advantage of every opportunity available to make our businesses better and help us sell boats? Can we really afford NOT to be certified?
I urge every dealership that hasn’t yet taken steps to become Marine Industry Certified to visit DealerCertification.org and sign up to attend an upcoming spring Launch Workshop—the very first step in the Certification process.
For additional information about the Marine Industry Dealership Certification program or how to get enrolled, contact Dealer Certification program manager Elizabeth McAllister at (312) 946-6500; emcallister@DealerCertification.org.
Thom Dammrich is president of Grow Boating Inc. and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA).
Monday, January 14, 2008
Mercury Marine presents service award to authorized dealerships
According to Mercury...
Mercury Marine will present 69 dealerships with a Service Customer Satisfaction Index Award for 2007. As part of Mercury Marine's commitment to ensuring the highest level of customer service in the marine industry, the company measures the satisfaction of consumers after having service work performed on their Mercury outboard or MerCruiser sterndrive products.
Recipients of this award displayed their ongoing commitment to providing exemplary customer service. The results of the award were based on the responses of customers who had work performed at an authorized Mercury dealership during the past year for products under warranty.
"We are thrilled to see these dealers win the Service CSI Award," said Brad Weber, Director of Field Service Development and Operations for Mercury Marine. "Many of the winning dealers also won the award in 2006, and that is great to see. We look forward to their success in 2008."
Source: Mercury Marine
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Dealership Certification = Market Recognition
By Thom Dammrich
In this day and age, businesses look for just about anything they can grab hold of that will set them apart from their competition in the eyes of consumers. Everyone is striving to be better than the “guy next door,” in the hopes of attracting eager customers and ushering them through the front gates, checkbook in hand.
That’s the world we live in. And the recreational marine industry is no exception. Dealers want to find ways of distinguishing themselves from their counterparts and secure a bigger piece of the boat-buying pie. But how can they accomplish this? What can a dealership do to help itself shine brighter than those surrounding it?
Become Marine Industry Certified, of course!
Aside from improving a dealers’ day-to-day business practices and helping heighten the importance of good old customer service, the Marine Industry Dealership Certification program does something that’s almost more important: It gives dealers recognition in the marketplace; the proverbial “leg up” on their local and regional competition, including those that sell other recreational vehicles, like RVs. Dealerships that make a commitment to become Certified not only become better business establishments over time, but they also signal to current and potential customers that, “We’re a place that really wants to treat you right and make sure you walk out of here with the best sales and service experience possible.”
The Certification logo posted inside a dealership acts like a neon sign, alerting consumers that your establishment is one that truly cares about its patrons. That’s something buyers definitely notice. They want to receive the “red carpet” treatment. They want to be loved and pampered. They—especially buyers new to boating—want someone to hold their hand through the purchase experience and tell them everything’s going to be OK. New boaters want to feel confident you’ll work with them to ensure they walk out of your dealership with a boat that’s just right for their family. This is how you retain customers long-term; how you get them back inside your dealership when the kids get older and it’s finally time to upgrade to that bigger boat.
Becoming Marine Industry Certified is a clear win-win. But don’t take my word for it. Just ask the more than 300 dealerships that have already gotten involved and earned official Marine Industry Certified status; or the additional 275 that (at the time of this writing) are currently enrolled in the program and actively working toward Certification. All of these dealerships are seeking means to improve their business practices and get noticed by potential boat buyers. Becoming Certified is the ideal way to accomplish both goals at once. And when you weigh the small cost of Dealership Certification against its mound of potential benefits, the decision is really a no-brainer.
Think about it: Certified Dealerships receive listings on DiscoverBoating.com, the number-one online resource for unbiased boating information. This listing provides consumers with direct access to the Certified Dealerships web page. In 2007, more than 3.2 million people visited the website—looking for everything from boating safety tips to where they can locate a dealership near them. If your dealership was Marine Industry Certified, you’d be one of those listed. Who wouldn’t see a clear benefit in that?
A consumer brand awareness campaign is already underway (as of this summer) in the online boating media regarding Dealership Certification. Marine Industry Certified Dealerships that advertise on boats.com, BoatTrader.com and BoatTest.com are recognized with the Certification logo next to their listings. Banner ads run throughout these sites and link directly back to the Dealership Certification pages on DiscoverBoating.com.
In 2008, efforts are being stepped up yet another notch, as Dealership Certification representatives will actively work with consumer boating media to write articles in their magazines and for their websites about the program and why boat buyers should want to buy from “Certified” dealers. Consumers will also be able to easily locate Certified Dealerships at the 23 consumer boat shows owned and produced by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA)—through special boat show signage, designation on each boat show website, and recognition inside the respective boat show directories.
My point is this: Dealership Certification is good business for more than one reason. Not only will completing the program help a good dealership become a better dealership, but it will also serve as a superb marketing tool to attract consumer attention in an otherwise cluttered and confusing retail landscape. Certification is one way to set yourself apart from your competitors; a designation that may result in increased foot traffic—and ultimately increased profits—for your business. At the end of the day, I don’t know any dealership that would say “No” to more customers and more money.
As always, I encourage every dealership that hasn’t yet taken steps to become Certified to visit DealerCertification.org and sign up to attend an upcoming Launch Workshop—the very first step in the Certification process.
For additional information about the Marine Industry Dealership Certification program or how to get enrolled, contact Dealer Certification program manager Elizabeth McAllister at (312) 946-6500; emcallister@DealerCertification.org.
Getting a boat customer from your website to the showroom
By Soundings Trade Only staff
It is conventional wisdom that the first impression is key. But some dealers neglect the meet-and-greet with customers at their most important store — the Internet.
Some 76 percent of the customers start their search on their computer screens, according to Bob McCann, director of education for Channel Blade Technologies, a Web solution company. These consumers may be simply browsing, or they may be motivated buyers who are hungry for more information. In either case, when that consumer requests more information, a dealership should respond as soon as possible, he says.
“The first touch point has to be quick,” says McCann. “It sets the stage for future contact.”
The more time that passes from the initial contact, the less likely a potential customer is to read an e-mail or welcome a phone call.
The next step, he says, is to implement a good “follow through” plan, with many touch points along the way.
“The most effective and cost-effective way is e-mailing a customer on a regular basis,” said McCann.
But those e-mails should have some value for the consumer, he says. Simply blasting e-mails that say “Buy a Boat,” will not likely be read by a potential customer. A well-written newsletter with tales from a boat owner about a recent trip, or tips on winterizing boats, are examples of e-mails that may grab a consumer’s attention, says McCann.
Once a dealer talks to a customer, the dealer should have a tracking system to remind him to contact that customer, again, at strategic times. For example, if the customer says he or she wants to wait until boat show season to buy a boat, the dealer should have a reminder system to call that person a few weeks before the local show, and perhaps offer to help him or her get tickets to the show.
Some dealers get frustrated when the buying process drags on too long, he says. They focus more on the sales they can make today, and let the long-term relationship with a potential customer fall by the wayside. Dealers have to recognize that consumers have different buying cycles.
“Depending on the boat depends on how long that might be,” said McCann. “Smaller boats have shorter buying cycles than cruisers and yachts.”
In addition, the Internet brings potential customers to the dealer’s attention sooner.
Years ago, customers dreaming about boats could stroll on the nearby docks to look at the different types of vessels before they headed to a dealership. Today, those customers can satiate their curiosity on the Internet, without leaving the comfort of their home or office.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Boat Trader and Boating Industry offer e-White Paper on developing the right approach to your online boat business
For more than 30 years, Boat Trader has shared in the rising and receding tides of the marine industry with dealers and consumers. This year has shown rougher seas than those in the past, but the dealers who were well-prepared have taken the opportunity to hone their skills and run their businesses in a manner that will produce revenue and market share growth where none was believed to be possible.
Boat Trader is pleased to partner with Boating Industry magazine and sponsor this e-White Paper, developed to share expert advice, tips and best practices from some of the industry’s leading companies.
Click on the link below to download the e-White Paper in Adobe PDF format.
Boat Trader and Boating Industry Magazine White Paper
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Buying sailboat company for a bargain price
$85,000 is enough to buy a nice boat. Steve Brodie used that much money to buy an entire sailboat company.
The News & Observer features a story on the new owner of Pacific Seacraft and how he bought an entire boat company for a modest price.
According to the News & Observer....
Brodie spent $85,000 at the auction to buy the company name, boat molds, tools and five sailboat hulls.
The sailboats, which measure 31 feet to 44 feet, cost $250,000 to $1 million each. The company also makes a 38-foot trawler.
"He got a darn good deal," said Mike Bradley, who leads the state's effort to recruit boat makers. "It's a darn good situation."
Pacific Sailboats once produced over 140 employees building about 120 boats a year. The relaunched company will start with a much smaller staff, around 12 employees. Brodie hopes the company will grow quickly to employ many more workers.
Source: The News & Observer
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Correct Craft CEO writes his own boat blog
Correct Craft, Inc. recently announced President/CEO, Bill Yeargin will be writing his own blog.
The Nautique Insider, the marine industry’s first CEO blog, will be updated 2-4 times a month and be posted on the Correct Craft website, correctcraft.com.
The blog will contain information about Correct Craft, including entries related to developments at the company, events, products or other topics.
Correct Craft President/CEO Bill Yeargin stated, “As CEO blogs become more common we are excited to be the first in our industry to communicate with customers and friends in this manner.” “This blog will be an excellent opportunity for us to share many of the exciting things happening at Correct Craft” Yeargin added.
Source: Correct Craft
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Boat dealer certification program focuses on customer satisfaction
By Soundings Trade Only staff
Industry officials say the dealer certification program is a success and has already gone far in improving customer service and introducing dealerships to more efficient and effective business practices. Today, 264 dealerships across the country have earned this distinction, and an additional 307 are in the process of earning their certification.
Among manufacturers, 26 offer incentives for certification, or reimbursement for a portion of the nearly $4,000 cost of the program. In addition, Grow Boating Inc. is offering a $1,500 subsidy for dealers through the end of the year.
While the programs and offerings differ from manufacturer to manufacturer, only one boatbuilder has announced its plans to mandate certification for its dealers.
Sailfish set a goal for 100 percent of its dealers to be enrolled in the certification program in this model year, with 75 percent completing the process before the close of the model year. All Sailfish dealerships are required to become certified by the change of model year 2009.
Phil Keeter, president of the Marine Retailers Association of America, said he wishes all manufacturers would follow Sailfish's lead.
"I think it enhances the industry," he said. "Every one of the dealers that have been certified so far will tell you they gained a lot. I wish we had 2,000 or 3,000 dealers certified."
The industry is suffering from a loss of customers and during the certification process dealers learn what they can do to bring people into showrooms, he said.
"If we do a better job at keeping the customers we've got, or do a better job with getting new customers, then the certification will have been well worth the money," said Keeter, who also serves as vice president of Marine Certification Inc., a 501c3 corporation that oversees certification.
Thom Dammrich, president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association, said the extent to which each manufacturer encourages its dealers to participate in the program is an individual decision.
"There certainly have been a number of manufacturers who have made the decision that they want their dealer networks to be the best in the industry and they view certification as a valuable tool in achieving that," he said.
Dammrich expects close to 400-450 certified dealers, or about 25 percent of all marine dealers, to be certified by the end of 2008.
"By the end of five or six years, we can be approaching 800-1,000 certified dealers," he said.
Dealers have mixed reactions to mandatory certification and the program in general.
Joe Lewis, general manager of Mt. Dora Boating Center in Florida, said his dealership was one of the first to go through the certification process and he sees the benefits with higher Customer Service Index scores and more input by his employees in solving customer issues.
But, he said, mandatory involvement is not the way to go.
"I don't think you can force it," he said. "Unless a dealership wants to be certified and they want to become certified because they want to do better, anything that's a push down from the manufacturer is not going to be a true benefit."
The dealer certification program is part of the Grow Boating Initiative and was developed by dealers, for dealers. It focuses on areas such as customer satisfaction, sales/services processes, employee training/satisfaction and operations.
To Certify or Not to Certify: It’s Not Even a Question!
By Thom Dammrich
If you needed help with your taxes, would you trust just any accountant to do the job? How about if you were buying a home? Would you fork over your hard-earned cash to someone who merely claimed to inspect homes for a living?
I didn’t think so.
More than likely, you’d seek out a Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Home Inspector. Today’s consumers want piece of mind the goods and services they’re paying for are nothing short of the very best available. So it’s not at all surprising the same rings true about buying boats.
A recent survey conducted by Kansas-based research firm Left-Brain Marketing revealed that if given the choice, 79 percent of people are more likely to buy boats from Certified Dealerships than their non-Certified counterparts—particularly those individuals new to boating. Nearly eight in 10 survey respondents said assuming they were in the market for a boat, and factors such as price and brand were identical, they were more apt to select the boat sold by the Certified Dealership. In their minds, industry certification ensures they’ll receive the utmost care and concern and walk away with a positive overall buying experience.
Bottom line: Certification is not a fad. It’s what consumers have come to expect these days, and it’s what they specifically look for when hiring professional services or buying both small- and large-ticket items. Certification provides a competitive edge for the marine industry compared with other recreational activities, like RV-ing, which does not maintain a formal industry certification program for its dealers. It’s good business for our industry to capitalize on this phenomenon, as it will lead to bigger profits and happier customers for marine dealers.
The Marine Industry Dealership Certification program was first developed in 2005 by dealers, for dealers and focuses on the areas affecting consumer satisfaction and dealership excellence—operations, facilities, professional sales/service processes, customer satisfaction and employee training/satisfaction. Dealership Certification provides both consumer and dealer benefits fundamental to the industry’s Grow Boating Initiative. The program provides dealers with the necessary tools to run their businesses as effectively, efficiently and successfully as possible—which ultimately translates into increased sales and profitability.
To date, a total of 560 dealerships have enrolled in the Marine Industry Dealership Certification program, 266 of which have completed the process and earned the official “Marine Industry Certified” designation.
A major benefit of becoming Marine Industry Certified is the increased exposure dealers will receive from a marketing and promotions standpoint in particular. Beginning in 2008, Marine Industry Certified Dealerships are entitled to reap a number of added benefits through participation in the 23 consumer boat shows owned and produced by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA)—including special show signage, “Certified” designation on boat show websites and in event directories, and free tickets to give their current and potential customers.
Certified Dealerships exhibiting at NMMA-owned and produced shows will have special signage posted inside their respective booths identifying them as such and briefly explaining what the Certified designation means. These dealerships will also be recognized in each show directory with the official Marine Industry Certified logo. Additionally, each Marine Industry Certified Dealership will receive 50 free tickets to the show(s) in which they participate that they can then distribute to current and perspective customers.
We began our consumer awareness efforts with an internet advertising campaign that launched July 13, 2007. Marine Industry Certified Dealerships advertising on boats.com, BoatTrader.com, BoatTest.com and iBoats.com are recognized with the Certification logo next to their listings. Banner ads run throughout the sites and link to the Dealership Certification pages on DiscoverBoating.com. In the first month, the campaign generated more than 3.5 million on-line impressions, and traffic on the Dealership Certification pages of DiscoverBoating.com increased 163 percent.
Research compiled in 2006 confirms the Dealership Certification program is, indeed, having an impact on consumer opinions. Using data collected from both the Marine Industry Dealership Certification program and NMMA’s Marine Industry Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) program, it was revealed Marine Industry Certified dealerships achieved significantly higher CSI scores in 2006 than those attained by non-certified dealerships. According to the research, “Overall Satisfaction with Dealer” ratings from consumers who purchased new boats from a certified dealership averaged 93.7 percent, versus a rating of 86.6 percent from consumers who purchased new boats from non-certified dealerships.
Marine Industry Certified dealerships also improved their CSI ratings at a faster pace than their non-certified counterparts. When comparing CSI scores from 2006 with the previous year, dealerships earning Marine Industry Certified status improved their “Overall Satisfaction” score by more than double—an average of 1.2 points for certified dealerships compared to a 0.5 point improvement among non-certified dealerships. Likewise, consumers that purchased boats and engines from a Certified Dealership were more satisfied with the products they purchased. Boat CSI scores were an average of 2.2 points higher last year when sold through a Certified Dealership, and engine scores were 2.3 points higher on average. Both the certified and non-certified dealerships evaluated sold the same product; but dealerships that provided an improved customer experience made buyers feel more satisfied with the actual product overall.
The proof is in the pudding: Marine Industry Dealership Certification is having an impact. I encourage all dealerships that haven’t yet taken steps to become Certified to visit DealerCertification.org and schedule themselves to attend an upcoming Launch Workshop—the very first step in the Certification process.
Any group of 20 or more marine dealers interested in booking a Launch Workshop for their area should contact Dealer Certification program manager Elizabeth McAllister at (312) 946-6500; emcallister@DealerCertification.org.
Thom Dammrich is president of Grow Boating Inc. and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA).
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Boat charters are a growing business
MailTribune.com features a story on the growing guided boat charter industry.
One couple in the story bought a 65-foot ketch sailboat in 1996. They now run a charter business, learning as they go.
Charter companies come in different sizes and offering boating experiences that fill different niches.
