The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas partnered with Centurion & Supreme Boats at the manufacturer’s Dealer Meeting and Sales School in mid November to support dealer development through the Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program.

The Centurion and Supreme brands announced at the meeting that they would reward their dealers with a per boat rebate incentive, beginning with the 2020 model year, for those businesses that achieve Certified Dealership status. By launching it at the meeting, the boat brands have given their dealers a little more than seven months to enroll, navigate the program and earn their Certification credentials, and to further incentivize their participation, for those dealers that enrolled at the meeting, Centurion & Supreme offered a travel cost rebate to go along with a $200 discount from the MRAA.

“As we continue to roll out the key initiatives of our three-year strategic plan, it’s important to our entire team that we invest in our dealer network and demonstrate that we will reward those businesses that want to improve alongside us,” says Paul Singer, President of Centurion & Supreme Boats. “We believe this relationship with the MRAA and the Dealership Certification Program will help to optimize our dealer network and propel us to the lofty goals we have set for our growing brands.”

With nearly a dozen dealerships signing up during the meeting, the Centurion & Supreme dealer network now boasts more than one-third of its network that are either already Certified or in progress toward earning their Certification credentials. Dealership Certification focuses on helping dealers create a world class customer experience by helping build a culture of continuous improvement. Through a focus on operations, employee development and customer experiences, Dealership Certification has grown its participation by 88 percent over the last five years while partnering with more boat manufacturers that focus on dealer development.

“We have been incredibly impressed with Centurion & Supreme and their leadership team’s vision for dealer growth and development,” says Matt Gruhn, MRAA President. “They have a truly authentic approach to how they fuel dealer success with new tools and opportunities that strengthen the dealer-manufacturer partnership and lead to sustainable growth for both. It’s an honor for us to have the opportunity to partner with them to infuse foundational principles and best practices of dealership operations into their growing network.”

The Marine Retailers Association participation at the 2018 Nautique Boats Sales Training in Orlando, Fla., continued to attract new dealers into the Marine Industry Certified Dealership program. Today, there are nearly 50 percent of Nautique’s dealers enrolled in Certification.  

“We understand the importance of investing in tools that will foster growth and development across our dealer networks,” says Greg Meloon, president of Nautique Boats, “As we continue to produce innovative and industry-leading product, we need to ensure our dealerships are set up for success with the tools and resources necessary to deliver world-class customer service. We believe that MRAA’s Certified Dealership program will do just that.”

At last year’s Dealer Principals Meeting, Nautique announced the partnership between the brand and the MRAA that gave dealers greater access to the Certification program and rewards dealers who achieve Certified Dealer status. Beginning with the 2019 model year, Nautique rolled out an incentive for the 2019 model year to Nautique dealers who earned the Certified Dealer credentials. The incentive goes into effect January 1, 2019.

“It has been great to witness the dynamic shift that is happening with the industry’s participation in the Dealership Certification Program,” says Matt Gruhn, MRAA President, “Manufacturers and retailers alike now understand that the program is more than a checklist. It is a way to bring new life and opportunity into their businesses.”

As part of the Nautique event, the MRAA had the honor of presenting an Employee Satisfaction Award to Russell Marine – Real Island, as the top-rated Nautique dealer when it comes to Employee Satisfaction. It was the second year in a row that the Real Island location was recognized for this award, which is determined by MRAA’s Employee Satisfaction Survey results, a cornerstone of the Marine Industry Certified Dealer Program.

Bristol, IN — Barletta Pontoon Boats, located in Bristol, IN, and Seattle Boat Co., located in Seattle, WA, have agreed to partner together to bring the dream of boat ownership to people in the upper northwest corner of the United States.

Since opening in 1984, Seattle Boat Co. has become one of the premier marine dealerships located in the heart of some of the world’s finest, most spectacular boating waterways. Seattle Boat Co. has been recognized as an industry leader throughout North America, named a Boating Industry Top 100 Dealer each year since the inception of the recognition program in 2005. In 2018, they became the only Five Star Certified Marine Dealer in the state of Washington. The boat models that Seattle Boat Co. represents are of the highest quality and standards and the very best that the industry offers. Always on the lookout for the best products in the marketplace for their customers, Barletta Pontoon Boats is a perfect fit for their business.

Barletta Pontoon Boats has assembled, and continues to assemble, an impressive network of exceptional dealers around the country. The Barletta team brings a unique customer-focused/dealer-centric approach that has been widely embraced as a breath of “fresh air” to the marine industry.

“Seattle Boat Co., goes out of their way to provide the best services and attention to the Seattle market,” stated Jeff Haradine, Barletta Vice President of Sales. “Just as with Barletta, Seattle Boat Co. built their business and reputation through creativity and innovation. They pay special attention to the relationships they build with vendors and suppliers to insure that the end customer, Seattle’s boating community, has the best experience possible from start to finish. We are thrilled to partner with Seattle Boat Co.”

SeaDek, manufacturers of marine-grade, innovative non-skid products, has continued its commitment to the Marine Retailers Association and the marine retail community, at the Platinum level.

SeaDek says its product offers a safe and comfortable alternative to carpet, all while delivering a high-level of customer experience to its customers. SeaDek Certified Fabricators are factory trained to provide boaters and manufacturers with knowledge necessary for success.

“While we continue to experience strong growth in all segments, we are cognizant of the fact that SeaDek retail products represent a major area of opportunity, with significant demand from all user groups,” says Jason Gardner, VP Marketing and Advertising at SeaDek. “As we continue to develop and market this exciting line of products, our ongoing partnership with the MRAA will only serve to bolster these efforts.”

SeaDek can be found on many of the world’s leading boat brands, something the company says is a testament to the quality and care that the brand devotes to quality manufacturing and customer satisfaction.

“With the help of partners, like SeaDek, the MRAA is able to expand the tools and resources we offer to the dealer body,” says Matt Gruhn, President of the Marine Retailers Association, “This partnership has helped us build on our Awards Program and our compensation study, and we’re thrilled to continue it forward.”

SeaDek continues to support the dealer community through partnership with the MRAA.  As a result of the commitment and support of organizations, like SeaDek, the MRAA is able to expand the products and service it offers to dealers by providing them with more tools, resources and educational opportunities to fuel their success. Find a full menu of partner benefits here.