Dom Zappia, Area Director, Marine & RV, EasyCare, an MRAA Education Champion

As a marine dealer, you know that closing the sale is just the beginning. What happens next can make or break your customer’s experience and your dealership’s reputation. That’s where the customer interview comes in — a powerful tool that can transform your business operations and boost profitability.

Why Customer Interviews Matter

Your sales team is fantastic, but deals don’t always end up as clean as they should. Sometimes information gets missed, accessories aren’t documented or delivery expectations aren’t clear. The customer interview acts as your safety net, catching these issues before they become problems.

When you conduct a proper customer interview, you take control of the customer experience. You become responsible for bank funding, compliance issues and deal profitability. This is your opportunity to shine.

Perfect Timing

Conduct the interview while the customer is still at your dealership, right after they’ve committed to buying. If they purchased over the phone, call them immediately.

Remember, you’re the professional. You do this multiple times daily, while they might buy a boat every few years. Be confident!

Five Key Goals

1. Build Strong Rapport

Start with enthusiasm — a big smile and firm handshake. Listen for their preferred name and use it throughout your conversation. Congratulate them and thank them for their business.

Ask smart questions:

• “Is this your first time boating or are you experienced?”
• “Where’s your favorite boating spot?”
• “How will you store your boat?”
• “What vehicle will you use for towing?”

These questions give you valuable information about what products might benefit them most.

2. Verify Customer Information

Go through the credit application line by line. Use their driver’s license to verify details. Make sure everything is signed and dated. If you’ve reviewed their credit, ask for additional documents the bank might need — pay stubs, W-2 forms, proof of residence and references. Getting these upfront makes loan approval faster.

For loans over $150,000, consider getting a personal financial statement. Some lenders will work with stated information rather than requiring hard documents, which can save everyone time.

3. Verify Deal Information

• Review the purchase agreement line by line. This prevents delivery day surprises and ensures everyone understands the numbers.
• Check for trade-ins. If there’s a payoff involved, get a signed verification form and confirm details with the lender.
• Verify accessories. Make sure everything is documented and priced correctly. Adding accessories after bank approval can derail your deal.

4. Set Up the Deal Correctly

Secure a deposit if your sales team hasn’t already. Customers who won’t provide deposits often have weak deals. Set clear delivery expectations. Tell them what to expect and how much time to plan for the dealership visit.

5. Take Control

Make yourself the primary contact for everything related to their deal. You don’t want customers calling sales staff about financing or having delivery dates change without your knowledge.

Managing Payment Expectations

Down payments are important because they lower monthly payments and can improve loan terms.

When discussing payment flexibility, acknowledge their comfort level, then introduce the possibility of better terms. Explain that lenders sometimes offer favorable rates when customers put more money down. Frame this as a money-saving opportunity.

Once they express openness to an additional down payment, don’t accept their first number as final. Most customers have more flexibility than they initially reveal. When they mention an amount, probe for their upper limit. This often uncovers additional room to work with.

The same approach works for monthly payments. Explain that shorter loan terms sometimes come with better rates, then ask about their flexibility. This strategy creates deal flexibility while helping customers understand they might save money through better loan terms.

The Bottom Line

A well-conducted customer interview ensures smooth delivery, creates great customer experiences and protects deal profitability. Customers appreciate the professional approach and you’ll have fewer problems later.

This process isn’t just about paperwork — it’s about building relationships that lead to repeat customers and referrals. When customers feel heard and well-cared-for, they become your best marketing tool.

Master the customer interview process. Your dealership’s reputation, customer satisfaction and bottom line will all benefit from this investment in professional excellence.

About the Author

Dom Zappia is the National Area Director, RV and Marine at EasyCare. He has been in the industry for 18 years, beginning his career at a dealership where he was first introduced to Finance & Insurance (F&I) as a Finance Manager. Dom’s passion for F&I led him to develop an extensive training program specifically tailored for marine dealerships. His deep understanding of dealership operations has enabled him to customize training to meet the needs of dealers across the nation. EasyCare, focuses on forward-thinking RV and marine F&I solutions. Dom, who has served as a Dealer Week educator, is recognized for his expertise in training, consulting and creating new fixed operations content to help dealers enhance their operations and profitability.