By Chris Dominis, Manager of Customer Success & Enterprise Engagement, Motility Software Solutions, an MRAA Platinum Partner

No matter what happens across the marine industry, one thing holds true — your team is your dealership’s foundation. Without a dedicated, well-equipped workforce, it can be difficult to meet rising customer expectations. While product and pricing matter, the experience you deliver is what will set you apart and keep customers coming back.

From the service bay to the sales floor, every customer interaction is shaped by how well your team works together. But a strong, high-performing team isn’t just about hiring well. It comes from creating a work environment where employees feel supported, well-connected and satisfied.

Improve Employee Retention

Employee turnover is expensive because of hiring and training costs, as well as lost productivity, lower morale and inconsistent customer experiences.

To improve retention, start by understanding what drives employee loyalty and what drives them away.

What Improves Employee Loyalty

Although pay matters, it’s not the only reason employees stick around. In many cases, work culture outweighs compensation. A few key factors that keep employees committed are:

• Growth and Recognition: When people see opportunities to grow and feel appreciated for their contributions, they’re more likely to stay on the team.
• Efficient Modern Tech: Investing in helpful tools that simplify daily tasks, like a dealer management system (DMS), prevents job fatigue and ensures greater employee productivity. For example, using the system, employees can easily keep track of customer interactions, set reminders, improve communication and streamline daily tasks by bringing all customer data onto one accessible platform.
• Ask for Feedback: Encourage employees to communicate their ideas for improvement at your dealership. If you’re MRAA Certified, you can use the Employee Satisfaction Survey (ESS) to get honest, actionable feedback from your team.

In short, compensation matters, but it’s rarely enough without a supportive work environment.

What Pushes Employees to Leave

Being in a toxic or uncomfortable work setting can quickly make employees reconsider their roles. When daily frustrations add up, even the most dedicated team members may start exploring new opportunities. Causes of unpleasant work experiences include:

• Poor Communication and Lack of Collaboration: When your departments operate separately, frustration and inefficiency tend to follow.
• Lack of Professional Development: Employees who feel stuck in their position or unsupported by leadership often seek growth opportunities elsewhere.
• Discomfort Among Departments: Tension between departments or overly complicated processes can cause a steep drop in morale and job satisfaction.

Addressing these issues proactively will create a workplace where employees feel valued and motivated to stay.

Strengthening Your Departments

Disconnected departments can be damaging to productivity and efficiency. Here’s how to bridge gaps and build strong partnerships:

Start With Service

The service department is the foundation of your dealership. Lags in turnaround time, missed communication, or a lack of consistency between service and sales can stunt productivity. To help your team, consider:

• Boosting Daily Accountability: Use simple scorecards or real-time dashboards to monitor progress, cycle times and backlog.
• Enforcing Ongoing Training: Provide regular reviews for technicians and service staff, not just on mechanical skills, but on customer communication, documentation and system processes.
• Providing Incentives: Reward quality work, timeliness and internal teamwork, with recognition.

When the service department runs well, the rest of the dealership will too.

Connect Departments

Even the best run dealerships can fall short if the departments aren’t working together. Sales, parts, service and finance may serve different functions, but things run better when they’re aligned. Here are a few ways to strengthen interdepartmental collaboration:

• Cross-Departmental Meetings: Set up weekly dealership-wide check-ins to talk through roadblocks and customer feedback.
• Job Shadowing and Rotation: Let employees spend a day in other departments so they understand how decisions and actions elsewhere affect their own work.
• Shared Metrics and Goals: Tie departmental KPIs together (e.g., service write-ups that go to sales, parts availability that impacts service).
• Unified Communication Tools: Use a central platform to share information seamlessly across departments.
• Evaluate Current Processes: There’s always room for improvement in any organization. By identifying inefficiencies in your current operations, you can drive positive development for your dealership.

In the marine dealership world, your people are your power. When every department feels like they’re part of the same mission, employees will feel encouraged to cooperate rather than compete. Exceptional teamwork and efficient systems are what will continue to set your dealership apart.  

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