In a special session preceding the 2015 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo Opening Keynote address, marine service expert Valerie Ziebron will lead a panel discussion on solutions to the current shortage of marine technicians.
This one-hour Special Session is part of the Marine Retailers Association of the America’s Annual Meeting, which will kick off at 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16 and is open to all MDCE attendees.
“The technician shortage is having a serious impact on dealers’ growth and the industry’s recovery from the recession,” explains Liz Walz, vice president of MRAA, which produces the annual event in partnership with Boating Industry. “This panel discussion will focus on what can be done to fill open positions and improve the skill sets of the next generation of technicians.”
The panel will be comprised of marine dealers, manufacturers and trade school representatives. Attendees will walk away with five key things they can do to become a part of the solution.
“If sales sells the first boat, and service sells the next one, then a shortage of technicians is a real problem,” says Ziebron, of Yamaha Marine University and VRZ Consulting. “This conversation will identify solutions marine businesses and schools can put into place to ensure this shortage doesn’t become a crisis.”
Ziebron is a perennial MDCE favorite who specializes in the marine service and parts departments. In addition to her duties as an MRAA Special Session moderator, she and Master Service Advisor Dan Fujiwara will lead a Pre-Conference Workshop, “Schedule Your Way to Service Success,” and a Service Plus track session, “Attract and Keep Techs.”
MDCE 2015 will include an Opening and Closing keynote address and four Educational Tracks — Leadership, Sales, Marketing and Service Plus — specifically designed to address the most critical aspects of marine dealer operations. The MDCE Pre-Conference Workshops, which have featured many of the most highly rated educational sessions of the past two years, will return with a larger and even more impactful lineup of hands-on sessions. New for 2015, MDCE also will offer Learning Labs, where attendees can consult one-on-one with leading experts. For more information and to register, visit marinedealerconference.com.
About the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo
The Marine Dealer Conference & Expo is the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ annual conference and member meeting. As the marine industry’s only dealer-specific educational conference, MDCE offers an in-depth lineup of educational topics, a full-featured expo hall and a series of fixed networking opportunities, all of which are designed to help marine dealers connect with and learn from others who can foster their success. MDCE is co-produced by MRAA and Boating Industry, and it features Educational Tracks, Pre-Conference Workshops, Opening and Closing keynote presentations, and the all-new Learning Labs. The 2015 will be held Nov. 15-18 at the Orange County Convention Center, Rosen Plaza Hotel and Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. For more information and to register, visit marinedealerconference.com.
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