Being a member of the MRAA offers a wide variety of educational opportunity. But with roughly 100 courses in the online learning system, where do you start? How about the top four most viewed courses on MRAATraining.com?”

1. Make Customer Service Your Competitive Advantage, with Theresa Syer
   If you think you’re getting by viewing customer interactions as another transactional part of your dealership, you won’t succeed. Theresa displays her passion for incorporating “The Human Factor” into every aspect of the customer experience and once you hear why, we think you’ll relate and feel inspired to do just that.
   
   
2. A is for Attitude, with Sam Dantzler
   This course is not your typical “Ra ra go team” presentation. Sam takes a deep dive into the very science behind what happens around you when you simply come to work in a good mood. Our team took this one together for #TrainingDayWithMRAA, and our words were… “Mind, blown.”

3. The Key to a Killer Sales Process, with Sam Dantzler
   How do you motivate your sales employees? This is a crucial piece of the puzzle. Sam walks us through why this piece is so important and gives advice on how to implement great sales processes into your dealership.
   
   
4. The Rules of Engagement, with David Martin
   Harvard proves that a customer goes through a certain process before making a big purchase. We all know this. We also know that sales teams should also follow a process. David Martin proves that there are 8 steps to getting the write-up and in turn, making that sale.

Earning one sale from a customer is great, but building upon that relationship is key to earning service business and the subsequent sales. That’s why follow-up is so important.

Last month I explained why I bought the motorcycle I bought and how the salesperson understood me and my wants. However, since that purchase, my experience with that dealership has gone cold.

It seems that after I bought my bike, that dealership stopped caring. They earned my money and moved on to the next person. Does that make me feel welcome? No. Does that build my loyalty? Definitely not.

As great as the sales experience was, everything from the delivery on has been disappointing. At delivery, I was sent back to the service department to pick up my bike. There was little excitement, little instruction, and my bike was dusty. I was so thrown from the experience that I forgot to ask important questions, like where the manual is, so I can get to know my bike. I had to go back to get that instruction a few minutes later.

Since picking up the bike almost two months ago, I haven’t received one phone call or email asking me about how I’m enjoying my bike or if I need any further assistance.

In fact, just this week the dealership missed a key follow-up opportunity. My license plate finally arrived from the DMV, and the call to tell me about that was purely informational – again no questions about my motorcycling experience or if I need anything else to enjoy riding more. Later in the day, I stopped into the dealership, and my plate was simply handed to me with no other interaction.

Three people were on the floor of the dealership – one customer was being helped by two employees at the parts counter. I had to stop a third to be helped, and again no one asked me about my bike or if I was interested in any parts or accessories now that I’ve spent some time on it. In fact, I could use a tank bag and am interested in other accessories as well. But no one asked.

As any customer experience education has taught us, loyalty is built on the entire experience at your dealership, not one sale. Be mindful that you’re not leaving customers hanging after they make a purchase from you.

Over the course of her career, Monica Reed-Hurst, of Spend-A-Day Marina, has held many titles (balloon inflator, Sales rep, leader of the conga line, just to name a few).  But regardless of title, she knows her passion lies in the boating industry and will continue to be a strong advocate for the future of boating.

Q: You have been part of the boating world for a while, how did you get started in the boating industry?

Hurst: I got started in the boating industry at a very young age.  My grandfather started Spend-A-Day Marina in 1950 as a boat rental facility and through the years it has grown to be what we are today sales, service, rental and marina.  I started by inflating clown balloons at the boat show when I was around 8 years old, then I graduated to giving customers their popcorn and soda and labeling mailers, at 14 I started working on the gas dock and in the rental department.  After college, and testing the waters outside of the industry, I realized that once the boating industry is in your blood, it is there to stay.  I came back to the marina in 2005 and I haven’t looked back since.

Q: You currently sit on MRAA Young Leaders Advisory Council. Why do you feel it’s important that the younger side of the industry get involved with YLAC? What was your reason for joining?

Hurst: It is very important that the younger generations in the industry get involved because we have to be in touch with the heartbeat of what is happening in the industry to secure a place for recreational boating in the future.  We have to look bigger picture and see who is going to be buying boats, not only today but in 20 years, what do they want, what do our manufacturer environments look like, what legislation do we need to be aware of and support.

The boating industry’s success is much greater than each individual stores’ success and YLAC is an excellent opportunity to share ideas, exchange best practices, and to learn and develop what we need as a boating community to continue to prosper and share the lifestyle we love.

Q: What would you do for a career if you weren’t doing what you do now?

Hurst: If I wasn’t involved at the dealership level, I would probably be involved in some other aspect of the marine industry.  I have tried a couple other avenues before re-entering our family business and realized that my passion lies in the boating lifestyle.  My degree is in marketing so I would probably be working with a marketing company with a marine industry focus or at the manufacturer level focusing on dealer relations and marketing.

Q: What is your proudest moment at Spend-A-Day Marina?

Hurst: My proudest moment…when I came back we decided to become Marine Dealer Certified, which is a very extensive process with a lot of mapping and documentation involved initially.  I led that project and we maintained the certification going forward.  I have also been able to create and implement some very successful events at our dealership, including scavenger hunts, raft-offs, cookouts, and poker runs.  These are important to me because they really allow us to see how much customers’ enjoy their boating lifestyle, young and old alike.  When our customers enthusiastically ask about the next event and look forward to sharing it with their family and friends it makes me realize we are doing something right here…this is what it is all about…making and sharing the boating memories.

Q: As always, we want to end with this… What are 4 things that people may not know about you?

Hurst:

1. I lived in NYC for two years and was a dermatology rep.
2. I have visited 27 countries…goal is to visit one new country a year…well that was the goal before my husband and I had kids.
3. I have two beautiful little girls, Giovanna 5 ½, and Maia 4.
4. My big break was about 10 years ago when I was an extra in a Kevin Bacon movie that was filmed in Cleveland, Ohio.

The 1977 Dealer Shirtsleeve Sessions Work Book, brought to you by MRAA and the Boating Trades Association of Texas.