MRAA Adds Freya Olsen to Growing Team

• Olsen assumes the newly created role of Senior Director of Engagement.

MINNEAPOLIS, August 28, 2024 – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas has hired Freya Olsen as its Senior Director of Engagement, the association announced today.

With nearly 20 years of marine industry-based association experience, Freya brings a wealth of proven expertise in marketing, membership, education, industry relations and program management. Most recently, Freya held the position of Director of Industry Relations at the National Marine Manufacturers Association, where she served as one of the leads for Discover Boating, working side by side with manufacturer and dealer stakeholders since the program’s inception.

MRAA Adds Freya Olsen to Growing Team
Freya Olsen, MRAA Senior Director of Engagement

“In MRAA’s continued growth and evolution, adding someone of Freya’s caliber helps us multiply the ways in which we serve our industry and impact the success of our members,” says MRAA President Matt Gruhn. “I believe that her leadership and her presence on an already incredibly strong team will help to elevate MRAA to new heights in all areas of our business.”

As Senior Director of Engagement, Freya will oversee the creation and implementation of MRAA’s membership engagement strategies, leading a team of professionals to increase participation in MRAA member programs and services used to serve, support and protect their businesses and the marine industry at large.
“I have long admired the work of the MRAA and am thrilled to have the opportunity to serve the dealer segment alongside a team of talented and passionate professionals,” Freya says. “Matt Gruhn and the entire MRAA team inspire me with their unwavering commitment to creating growth opportunities to help elevate marine dealers across North America, all while prioritizing kindness, integrity and authenticity within their work and culture.”

Freya continues, “In my new role, I’m eager to leverage my marine industry and association management experience to develop a strategic approach to member engagement. My goal is to meet both potential and current members exactly where they are and help get them to where they want to be, by supporting their business goals through access to MRAA’s impactful resources and dedicated staff support.”

MRAA Membership programs offer Bronze, Silver and Gold Memberships for dealers – which provide escalating access to MRAA’s vast catalog of online education and Dealership Certification program benefits. For Partners, MRAA offers Standard, Platinum, Education Champion and Strategic Partner levels for membership consideration. MRAA Partners – manufacturers, suppliers and service providers to dealers – can select their level of engagement and gain access to more and more benefits as they grow their participation.

MRAA’s Retail Membership business has grown by more than 100 percent since 2019, while MRAA’s Partner Membership business has grown by more than 80 percent. To learn more about MRAA membership, please visit www.mraa.com/join-mraa.

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.

Adding Value to Your Sales Retail Extended Service Contracts (Extended Warranty)

A guest blog by Jason Cochran, Vice President, Global Product Protection

Adding Value to Your Sales Retail Extended Service Contracts
Global Marine Insurance Agency is an MRAA Education Champion.

In any economic climate or retail market, dealerships that adopt best practices prevail. One example is structuring your organization to offer as many goods and services as your customers need to participate in boating. If you are selling boats, retail finance is a critical piece of this equation.

As demonstrated by leading dealers, Finance and Insurance (F&I) is an essential element of success, elevating their organizations from the average. Customers will benefit from understanding their financing options, but finance alone is just one piece of a comprehensive business office. An applicable set of products to accompany retail financing can drive significant revenue and improve customer ownership experience. Product examples include insurance, extended warranty, pre-paid maintenance, GAP and surface protection.

There is tremendous value in extended coverage for expensive complex products. Boats can break down, and when they do, they can be very costly to repair. With this understanding, your dealership can provide solutions to mitigate these risks with applicable marine-specific extended coverage. Offering extended coverage is no different than helping your customer select the right boat in order to create the best ownership experience.

Adding Value to Your Sales Retail Extended Service Contracts

Offering extended coverage is just the beginning, however. Here are a few factors to consider when selecting a partner, choosing a product and preparing your business for long term success.

Factors for Consideration

1. Partner/vendor and product selection
Not all companies and products are equal. You will want to make sure you have selected a reputable company offering applicable products, administration and support.

  • Potential partners need a positive reputation in the marine industry. Ask your peers about their experience and ask potential vendors for referrals.
  • Your ideal provider will be primarily focused on marine coverage. If marine coverage is only a small portion of their overall extended coverage portfolio, boats may not be their core competency.
  • Consider organizations with marine experts on staff. Marine professionals will create and maintain applicable marine products, help you sell and accurately decision claims. A robust auto or powersports portfolio, although valuable for some clients, does not always translate into the best marine customer and dealership experience.
  • Consider partners that offer a variety of partnership structures to fit different business needs. As your business grows, higher volumes should open up your dealership to more favorable structures. Establishing an extended warranty portfolio with a partner that cannot evolve with your business can be detrimental in the long term.
  • Carefully read through and discuss all available products with potential providers. Coverage levels, peripheral benefits, pricing and overall administrative performance should align with the brands you carry and the service level your customers expect.  Involve the service department early in the product selection process, to gain their buy-in and input. Their evaluation of coverages will likely reveal any potential product deficiencies and confirm the importance of the service department in the product lifecycle.
  • Ensure your business and service managers have direct contacts they can call on, someone committed to helping them successfully offer the product and process claims.
  • Trust your gut. With coverage terms reaching eight-plus years, this is a long-term partnership. Trusting your partners with your customers’ experience is critical.

2, Organizational adoption
Dealers with maximum long-term success achieve total organizational adoption. Every dealership function has been trained on product and product-performance expectations. Ownership is committed! The sales team has been trained on features and benefits to the consumer and the organization, and the service team has been trained on product function and the claims filing process.

  • Above all, your business manager needs to be committed to product sales. A successful track record of high sales penetration is ideal, second would be a commitment to establishing the same. Business manager compensation structures must support product sales. Some sales professionals will do what they’re asked, most will do what drives the highest compensation. The right structure is critical to driving adoption and sales penetration.
  • The sales team must be proficient in the warranty coverage benefits for the customer and warranty sales to the business. Successful sales team adoption is a critical conduit to the business office.
  • Your service team needs to know all features and benefits of the warranty products being sold to thrive. Your service team will spearhead product use and customer experience, make sure they are well trained. They need a clear expectation of:
    • What coverage will do.
    • What coverage will not do.
    • The claims filing process.
    • Who to contact with questions.

3. Proven Processes/Best Practice
Great partners, products and training won’t drive maximum success unless the right processes are in place and followed.

  • Have your sales team provide the customer with a high-level overview and endorsement of your business office. A warm turnover for EVERY SINGLE customer is required for high sales penetration and to reduce legal risk due to discrimination. Get your sales manager and business manager in lockstep on how the sales team soft sells the business office and the turnover process.
  • Equip your business manager with resources for every credit profile and personal financial position. Include features and benefits for different ownership cycles and watercraft applications in their presentation. Identify common business risk scenarios and implement correct processes and mitigations.
  • To enhance customer experience, the service department needs to:
    • Speak of extended coverage in a positive manner and advocate for the customer with the warranty administrator.
    • Quickly and efficiently work with the administrator to resolve claims and/or customer inquiries.

As marine industry veterans and professionals, we understand the peaks and valleys of boat ownership. Knowing common pain points, and proactively offering products and services to solve for potential issues, can dramatically improve our customers’ ownership experience and drive dealership revenue. Happy customers buy more boats and refer their friends and family!

Adding Value to Your Sales Retail Extended Service Contracts
Jason Cochran

About the Author:
Jason Cochran, Vice President of Global Product Protection, is focused on extended service contract and limited warranty products and administration for marine dealers and manufacturers. With more than 16 years of experience in financial products and services in the marine industry, serving some of the largest entities in the industry, Jason brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the retail and limited warranty conversation.

Over his 27-year career in the recreational marine industry, his roles have included: master technician, retail sales, customer service, claims manager, product manager, sales manager and general manager/director.

He lives in Northern Illinois with his wife, two boys and Vesta, their golden retriever. Outside of work, he enjoys family time, volunteering at the local American Legion and exploring all things outdoors — boating, fishing, hunting, land management and powersports.

Year-Round Strategies for Marine Dealership Financial Planning

• To help build resilience in the face of unpredictability, marine dealership owners can consider adopting adaptive forecasting and flexible planning.
Year-Round Strategies for Marine Dealership Financial Planning
Victor Rivera

By Victor Rivera, Chief Sales Officer, Huntington Distribution Finance†

Financial planning and budgeting are often viewed as annual exercises for marine dealership owners – a start-of-year activity that carries throughout the year. However, in the face of shifting economic and market conditions, modern dealership financial management calls for a more agile approach.

This article highlights strategies our team has seen dealerships using to enhance financial planning, ensure accurate financial data and maintain flexibility in responding to customer and market needs.

Use Market Analysis to Help Build Your Strategy
Effective financial planning often hinges on a deep understanding of market dynamics. Dealerships can start by analyzing historical sales data and using it to forecast future trends that could impact inventory, sales strategies and more.

Five key areas for market analysis include:

  1. State of the Industry: Monitor industry reports, economic forecasts and indicators such as Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE).
  2. Competitor Actions: Keep tabs on competitors’ promotions, marketing strategies and inventory decisions to identify your dealership’s unique value within the market.
  3. Market Gaps: Stay alert to new opportunities, such as offering electric-powered boats to environmentally conscious buyers.
  4. Customer Preferences: Regularly analyze market registration reports, consumer confidence indexes and expenditure surveys to ensure your dealership is meeting shifting demands.
  5. Industry Challenges: How well do you know the marine industry? Dealerships that can identify and understand the pain points of customers and competitors can often better position themselves.

Market analysis should be an ongoing process. Embedding this research into regular financial planning has helped dealerships more effectively respond to shifts in consumer demand and broader economic conditions. With a solid market strategy in place, the next step is to ensure financial statements accurately reflect your dealership’s true performance.

Prioritize Accurate Financial Records
Financial statements set the foundation for effective decision making, so prioritizing their accuracy makes a difference. Implementing meticulous verification processes has allowed dealerships to avoid costly issues that stem from errors or inconsistencies in financial data.

Monthly or quarterly auditing combined with enhanced internal controls can help keep financial records accurate and complete. Investing in advanced financial software or other similar technology can further streamline processes to reduce manual data entry and automating reconciliation.

If your dealership’s current internal controls are lacking, conduct a thorough review of your financial procedures to identify problem areas needing improvement. Many dealerships have found hiring financial specialists or upgrading existing systems to be helpful with this process.

Focus on Cash Flow and Inventory Needs for Budget Refinement
Lenders assessing dealerships consider many factors beyond statement trends. These entities determine the health of the business by reviewing:

  • Cash flow leverage
  • EBITDA
  • Gross margin
  • Inventory turnover
  • Inventory age

Dealerships paying attention to these areas while refining their budgets can more easily address concerns earlier in the process.

For inventory management, estimating future needs based on historic sales and anticipated market shifts helps prevent overstocking or shortages. Here’s where the market analysis step comes into play. Identifying slow-moving units or popular products can help dealership owners shift strategies on which items to promote or discount to keep stock moving.

Cash flow needs should also be an important aspect of financial planning. With recent shifts in consumer spending and price increases it has become equally important to ensure budgets account for maintaining operations when busy seasons are slower than normal.

Embrace Adaptive Forecasting and Financial Planning
Static financial planning can leave dealerships vulnerable to unforeseen changes in the market, so don’t view it as a one-and-done task. Adopting a more dynamic financial planning process allows you to be more flexible and quickly adapt to changing conditions.

Adaptive forecasting relies on continuous scenario planning and market research. If initial forecasts don’t align with reality, having a more flexible plan makes it easier to pivot. Regularly reviewing actual financial data alongside projections has helped dealerships catch discrepancies early and make adjustments.

The first step in implementing adaptive forecasting is to regularly revisit your financial assumptions. Again, this should not be a once-a-year activity. Establish a process for continuously tracking performance against those assumptions to build a framework that allows for quick changes.

While dynamic financial planning can enhance your dealership’s agility, it’s also important to prepare for unexpected disruptions that could challenge your dealership’s financial stability.

Planning for Uncertainty
Economic volatility, changing customer spending habits, supply chain disruption and rate increases all impact sales projections and make it difficult to plan ahead. Making contingency planning a central part of your financial strategy could help build resilience in the face of these uncertainties.  

Start by identifying areas where costs can be quickly adjusted if necessary. For example, review non-essential expenses and consider what could be deferred or reduced in an emergency. Maintaining a reserve of funds for unexpectedly slow seasons or economic shifts is also important. Be sure to establish this ahead of a crisis. Having immediate access to an “emergency fund” is essential to maintaining operations and covering expenses during periods when cash might not be available.  

Developing financial scenarios based on potential challenges, such as prolonged downturn in sales, can also help with contingency planning. Outlining different operational strategies for these scenarios can help dealerships pivot swiftly.

Resilient and Adaptable Financial Planning
The marine industry’s ever-changing landscape requires dealerships to be flexible in their approach to financial planning. Learn more about how Huntington Distribution Finance, an MRAA Education Champion, can support your efforts by connecting with our team. 

† Huntington Distribution Finance means either Huntington Distribution Finance, Inc. in the United States or Huntington Commercial Finance Canada, Inc. in Canada, as applicable. Huntington Distribution Finance, Inc. Is a separate legal entity which operates as a subsidiary of Huntington National Bank (HNB).

Disclosures
The information provided in this document is intended solely for general informational purposes and is provided with the understanding that neither Huntington, its affiliates nor any other party is engaging in rendering financial, legal, technical or other professional advice or services, or endorsing any product or service. Any use of this information should be done only in consultation with a qualified and licensed professional who can take into account all relevant factors and desired outcomes in the context of the facts surrounding your particular circumstances. The information in this document was developed with reasonable care and attention. However, it is possible that some of the information is incomplete, incorrect, or inapplicable to particular circumstances or conditions.
NEITHER HUNTINGTON NOR ITS AFFILIATES SHALL HAVE LIABILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES, LOSSES, COSTS OR EXPENSES (DIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR OTHERWISE) RESULTING FROM USING, RELYING ON OR ACTING UPON INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT EVEN IF HUNTINGTON AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF OR FORESEEN THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, LOSSES, COSTS OR EXPENSES.
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Drive Up Your Service Revenue in the Coming Year

[Editor’s note: This is Part 2 of the two-part blog exploring more strategies to improve your service department from Bernie DeGraw, MRAA Senior Education Developer]

In part one of this special blog series on boosting service revenue, I shared three things to do now, or as soon as possible, to help your dealership. In this second blog, I’ll share more tips to help improve your service department in the coming year.

Step 1
Again, let’s start with a topic for service backed up by the numbers. This one goes into improving for the year to give you the time to address it in small, less time-consuming pieces. The Service Management Special Report gave us solid information on some items that helped service and dramatically increased gross profit margin. The standout tactic was having a service process map, in place, in use, up to date and shared with the team.

The numbers show that those having a process map developed and working for them in service had an 18% higher gross profit margin than those that did not have a process map. What would an almost 20% higher gross profit margin mean to the bottom line of your service department and your dealership as a whole? Additionally, those dealerships had a peak season efficiency 8% higher than those without the map in place.

So, what do you do about a process map? If you have one, is it working? Does it need to be reviewed? Much like a machine that needs regular maintenance, your process maps need to be re-evaluated to ensure things are working exactly as you expect. Wear and tear leads to a breakdown in the process, which, in turn, will get your attention. That’s typically in an unpleasant and unprofitable way.

If you don’t have one, we have a link to one developed by Aimie, our Artificial Intelligence for Marine Industry Education, at the end of the blog.

Also, the Service Management Certification Program has an entire course on the process map, its development and refinement. Taking that class as a service manager will get your project for the coming year off to a fantastic start.

Step 2
As a former general manager and current dealership co-owner, I know that there were times when I felt like I was the hub of the dealership for our customers. At times, that was a good feeling and sometimes it was unpleasant. Honestly, looking back with more wisdom has shown me that feeling wasn’t accurate. The truth is that your service advisor spends the most time with customers over the long haul.

A service advisor ends up being the salesperson who sells the second and third boat and beyond. They deliver bad news AND good news. They learn all about your customers. They hear the stories of the wind, the waves, the storm, the sun, the sunburns, the tubing fun and so much more. On an hourly, weekly, monthly and seasonal basis, they make boating better for your customers. They also  enhance the working experience for the dealership team as a whole, including salespeople, technicians, yard personnel and you leaders.

So, does your service advisor get enough support for their role? What have you done for your service advisor lately? When is that last time you heard the bad news they had to share? How about the last time they got to share great news with a customer? 

Starting now and over the next year, you need to give your service advisor some tools to make their work life easier and better for the entire dealership? 

  • Do you have a texting platform that the service department and especially the service advisor can use? If not, get one.
    • According to localproject.net, 81% of Americans text regularly.
    • According to simpletexting.com, 78% of consumers say that checking, sending and answering text messages is the activity they do most on their smartphone.
    • According to Lead Inferno, across all age groups, text messaging is the preferred way to communicate with business.
    • You say, “We can text on our phones and get those same results and statistics mentioned above.” That may be correct but, consider this:
      • If your employees text business customers on their phones, who owns the message? If something goes wrong or that employee leaves the business and they texted from their personal phone, you won’t have the record. Many texting platforms allow the employee to text from their own phone as well as the business computer. The text will always appear to come from the business and will on most platforms be maintained as a communication record for you to retrieve if needed.
      • Most texting platforms will go beyond the simple text message and allow the advisor to send photos, video and even bill via secured text.
  • Help your advisor access and use other tools of their own to help them upsell parts and service. For example:
    • Have your technicians find a worn bellows and a cracked one. When a customer comes in the advisor can show them why they should be inspected and explain with the cracked one how quickly water can come in and fill their boat.
    • Work with your advisor to have the service technicians get photos or video of difficult service projects. This lets the advisor show the customer what happened and will happen in servicing their boat.
    • Give your service advisor a chance to learn more about the boats and the engines you are selling. They need to know what the boats are like, what is new, what is different and even what is missing on the new and used boats sold by your sales department.
    • How do you truly expect your advisor to advise your boat-buying customers if they don’t have a chance to truly understand the boat that was purchased. Yes, all boats are the same — wait, what?! No, the advisor needs to know what is different to sell what makes the customers boating experience better, rather than making a generalized rough guess.
    • Give them a chance to explore the showroom. Let them sit on, walk through and dig into the boats you stock.
    • Give them a chance to get out on a shakedown cruise, a delivery ride or a demo or rental unit.

The MRAA is coming out with a Service Advisor Certification Program in the Fall. This program will give your advisor a truly in-depth experience to look at their practices and behaviors. This is not a sales pitch, but truly an opportunity to give your advisor, the person(s) who is likely the most important piece of customer satisfaction and selling the next boat to your customers an opportunity to focus and improve. Where else can you give your advisor such a perfect opportunity to help the entire dealership? 

The program gives them focused and deliberate opportunities to implement what they learn. It is not just a course to take and check off a list. Instead, each step of the way they are given tools and actions to take to put to work in their role and in the dealership. Look for the Service Advisor Certification Program coming soon.

Step 3
This last recommendation takes four to five great days and will set the stage for you and your service department and your entire dealership for the whole year to come. You need to start now and really go in depth in December. Then put it all into action over the following months.

MRAA reveals Dealer Week 2024 Theme

Here’s a short true story. I had never been to Dealer Week, MRAA annual conference and expo. As a leader and a manager, I had always believed I was giving my team opportunities for growth. I even had some time where I went out and got training. But, I learned that nothing compares to Dealer Week in terms of education for the entire dealership team.

This past December was the biggest and best and most highly rated educational conference yet. It is literally rated as a world-class event. If you want the best education, for service and parts, for sales, for marketing, for F&I and for you as a leader, you need to attend Dealer Week Dec. 8-11, in Orlando, Fla.

Moreover, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on December 8, the MRAA and Valerie Ziebron will be presenting a Service Management Special Event. We will take the numbers from the Service Management Special Report and combine that with additional skills and information connected with the Service Management Certification and the Service Advisor Certification to build an incredible and powerful day of focused service-department opportunities and learning.

The Service 3-Step for Future Success
Elevating your service processes is key to boosting revenue and strengthening your business as we head into the new year. It starts with mapping out your service operations to pinpoint where you can improve and ultimately enhance your gross profit margin. Next, give your service advisors the tools they need to succeed — whether it’s a modern texting platform, visual aids, or achieving Service Advisor Certification. These resources empower your team to communicate better and deliver top-notch service, which customers will notice.

And don’t forget, one of the best investments you can make in your dealership’s future is education. Make plans to attend Dealer Week on December 8-10, 2024, where your entire team can soak up world-class insights and skills. By focusing on these areas, you’ll not only improve your service processes but also set your business up for long-term success. So, let’s make this the year you take your service game to the next level!

Next Steps:

Drive Up Your Service Revenue Now

As dealers, we have all heard a lot this year about diversifying our revenue and increasing our income streams. We hear a broad range of ideas on what to sell and how, how to market and when, and where to get financing and floor plans with different rates. During these unusual times a main area of focus is to improve service. Sales are down, so improve service. And for each of us all those things, from the ideas to the input, come with their own challenges.

For example, if we are small, how do we find the time to improve service? If we are large, how do we find the time to improve service? Another thing to contemplate is our service numbers. We know the sales numbers are clearer — inventory is up, sales are down, interest rates are up, while financing numbers show fewer people want to do it. But what are the numbers in service? Where are they? What are they? How do I use them?  

So with all of that in mind, I wanted to share a few items to consider for service. Reflections with numbers attached to add to their credibility. You want to make a difference in your service department. I have three things to help now. In part two of this blog series, I’ll share with you three things to help in the coming year. They may be random but do seem reasonable in terms of time and effort.

Step 1
Let’s start here with a data-driven insight. The MRAA’s Service Management Special Report showed that dealerships that use written and shared job descriptions have a 14% higher gross profit margin than those that do not have them written and shared.

Drive Up Your Service Revenue Now

First, you don’t have to start from scratch. We have job descriptions available at MRAA.com for most service-related positions. If you already have job descriptions, take the time to ensure that they are up to date. Otherwise download them from MRAA and adjust them to fit your specific service positions.

Second, remember, the special report said written and SHARED! They are only effective when shared. Sharing means to make them available for everyone on your service team and at your dealership. You need your team to understand each other’s role, as well as their own, in order to gain some of the percentage points in gross profit margin.

Third, it’s crucial that all your shared job descriptions make sense to the service team. They are likely to have some changes to suggest for themselves and their peers. They may discover key roles and responsibilities for their coworkers and also suggest areas for improvement in teamwork.

Step 2
Upsell for the offseason. Sounds simple right? I know from experience that sometimes service managers, or advisors will see this as an added stress heading into the busy crunch of getting boats and customers ready for the end of the season and in many locations winterized and stored away.

But, it actually is a fairly simple two-step process I call “ask and offer.” Every customer must be asked if they need anything improved or repaired on their boat during the offseason. And each customer should be offered some service specific to their boat. This generates a list that is kept for the work to be done once the peak season is over and the slower season rolls in.

Asking is as simple as having the question on a storage form. Here’s a sample ask: “Are there any concerns you have with your boat that we can address so your boat is ready for fun in the sun once winter ends?”  It is a more powerful “ask” when done in person or via text, as a response is far more likely. 

Offering can be extensive with a long list of options you can provide to make boating better for your customers or even better, directly targeted at the specific customer and their boat.

For example: Have a go-to list of offers. Here is a short list:

  • Replace Impeller
  • Bellows Inspection/Service
  • Prop Shaft Seal Inspection/Tighten/Replacement
  • Blower and Vent Line Inspection/Service
  • Upgrade Lighting, Underwater, Courtesy, Docking, Spotlight
  • Shift and Throttle Control System Inspection/Service

A targeted idea may work better for you if your advisor really knows your customers and their boats:

  • They may need a new name on the back of their boat. Have your sign guy come and make them a new one over the winter to install in the spring.
  • They may complain about their stereo, offer upgrades in amp, speakers etc.
  • Perhaps the customer worries about water in their bilge. You could offer a check of all thru hull fittings to make sure there are no leaks, and you could offer a check of moisture content and check engine mounts and stringers.
  • The list of customized offers is almost endless if your advisor knows their customers and their boats.

Step 3
This third step is currently the simplest step. Get your Service Manager Certified! The MRAA and ABYC teamed up to create the Service Management Certification program, which will launch again soon. The course provides your service manager with an opportunity to learn, improve their skills, ease stress and to make the entire dealership more money.

The first class had rave reviews from program participants for its structure and what they were able to implement as a result of the course. Implementation is the difference in this program and other MRAA certifications. The MRAA wants participants to take a course, gain best practices for success and use the program takeaways to implement proactive initiatives in service.

Strengthen your service department with Service Management Certification from MRAA/ABYC

The Service Management Certification program has a window of 90 days for the participants to take the course. It won’t take the full 90 days, but that timeframe provides a chance to implement the key steps as they go, allowing them to stop, implement and then come back. It also has a live, proctored exam at the end, so you don’t ever feel like you have to look over your employee’s shoulder to make sure they are truly learning. The exam, the proctor and their implementation of learning will assure you that your investment in the program paid off.

Service Department To-Dos
Dialing in your service processes is crucial for enriching revenue, empowering your team, and helping your business outperform the competition. Start by refining job descriptions to align every role with the goal of improving your gross profit margin. Encourage your team to embrace upselling with the “Ask and Offer” approach during every customer interaction. Finally, invest in strong leadership by getting your Service Manager certified through the Service Manager Certification Program. By focusing on these areas, you’ll create a service operation that consistently exceeds your business goals.

Next Steps

MRAA Educational Foundation Opens Call for 2024 Award Applications

• 2024 Duane Spader and Kevin Lodder Scholarships, Darlene Briggs Award Applications due September 15

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 21 – The MRAA Educational Foundation has announced the call for nominations and applications for its Annual Scholarships and the 2024 Darlene Briggs Marine Woman of the Year Award. Chosen recipients will be presented scholarships in December at MRAA’s annual Dealer Week Conference and Expo in Orlando, Fla. Scholarship and award information can be found in the MRAA Educational Foundation on MRAA.com.

MRAA Educational Foundation Opens Call for 2024 Award Applications

The remarkable Duane Spader Leadership Development and Kevin Lodder educational scholarships are intended to financially assist the career development of marine industry professionals and promote workforce development within boating. The Darlene Briggs Woman of the Year Award, continuously presented annually since 1987, recognizes an outstanding woman who is actively involved in the marine industry at any level. The deadline to submit a scholarship and award nominations/applications is Sunday, Sept. 15.

“The MRAA Educational Foundation scholarships make a lasting difference in the lives of the recipients, helping them to amplify their leadership traits and implement tactics for long-term career success,” said Matt Lodder, MRAA Educational Foundation Chair. “The scholarships benefit the marine industry by providing access to world-class training. Through this recognition, the MRAA Educational Foundation advances its mission to grow the marine industry and honor workforce members by helping marine businesses train and grow their employees.”

Online applications and nominations are being accepted for the Duane Spader Leadership Development Scholarship and Kevin Lodder Scholarship.

Learn more about scholarship nominations/applications:

  • In its 12th year, the Duane Spader Leadership Development Scholarship provides the scholarship recipient tuition to attend NCM Associates’ (formerly Spader Business Management) Leadership Development Program, which spans 15-18 months and includes five, three-day training sessions. This significant scholarship honors Duane Spader’s dedication to the marine industry and his philosophy of lifelong learning.
  • The Kevin Lodder Scholarship includes tuition and a travel stipend for the recipient to attend the NCM Associates Total Management 1 Workshop. The Kevin Lodder Scholarship was established in 2004 in memory of Kevin Lodder of Lodder’s Marine in Fairfield, Ohio. Kevin’s unwavering dedication to his family, friendships, business and the marine industry inspired the creation of this scholarship, which honors his passion for the industry and commitment to achieving greater success through first-class education.
  • Named in memory of the late Darlene Briggs of Wayzata, Minn., who was admired for her unwavering dedication to the industry, celebrates women who exemplify her spirit and contributions. The prestigious Darlene Briggs Marine Industry Woman of the Year award, sponsored by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas and Boating Industry, nomination is open for all women within the boating industry.

“The Darlene Briggs Marine Woman of the Year Award is a significantly important award for the boating industry because it both continues to recognize Darlene’s legacy as an industry pioneer, as well as celebrating today’s exceptional women leaders, who play critical roles throughout our great industry,” said Matt Gruhn, MRAA President.

The MRAA Educational Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, also accepts donations to support its scholarship and training programs. Learn more about supporting the organization in its efforts to grow the marine workforce.

About MRAA Educational Foundation
A nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization, the MRAA Educational Foundation has awarded more than 88 scholarships and awards collectively worth more than $200,000 over the past 19 years. Donations from independent donors and corporate partners make all scholarships provided by the MRAA Educational Foundation possible. To learn more about donating, or to find more information about the MRAA Educational Foundation, visit www.mraa.com/foundation/.

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.

Want to nominate or apply today?

Darlene Briggs Marine Industry Woman of the Year: Nominate
Duane Spader Leadership Development Scholarship: Apply/Nominate
Kevin Lodder Scholarship: Apply/Nominate

FTC Non-Compete Ban Blocked

Yesterday, August 20, 2024, Judge Ada Brown of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) lacks legal authority to implement its “non-compete” rule. As we have previously alerted you in previous updates, on April 23, 2024, the FTC voted 3-2 along political party lines to approve a new rule that essentially banned all non-competes for employees and independent contractors.

A tax firm, Ryan LLC, sued to block the rule in April. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce later joined the case as a plaintiff, as did the Business Roundtable, and two other business groups. Judge Brown concluded that the FTC exceeded its statutory authority in promulgating the rule and that the rule itself was arbitrary and capricious. Therefore, the rule is considered unlawful and, for the moment, is now set aside (i.e., not enforceable). 

Per the New York Times reporting this afternoon, Victoria Graham, an FTC spokeswoman, said that the FTC would “keep fighting to stop non-competes that restrict the economic liberty of hardworking Americans.” Ms. Graham is further reported to have said that the FTC is “seriously considering a potential appeal, and today’s decision does not prevent the F.T.C. from addressing non-competes through case-by-case enforcement actions.”

This does leave open the possibility of further review by higher courts. But, for now, there is a reprieve and the rule is not enforceable. If you have any questions about this rule being blocked, please reach out to the MRAA Government Relations Team at Chad@mraa.com or Sayre@mraa.com.

New DiscoverBoating.com Content Engages Audiences

In July, Discover Boating, powered by National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and the MRAA, featured new content to engage audiences. The fresh articles celebrated Pass the Handle and also featured windsurfing as a fun and unique on-water sport to try. Additionally, DiscoverBoating.com provided tips on snorkeling and diving from a boat to further highlight the various activities in which boaters can participate.

To continue engaging new and experienced boaters during the summer months, Discover Boating shared a guide to essential summer boating gear, the top summer boating maintenance tips and with on-water safety continuously top of mind, users also got a list of tips for boating in hot temperatures. 

New DiscoverBoating.com Content Engages Audiences

Be sure to check back on the Discover Boating blog for more content this month on choosing a boat type, boating safety tips, boating destinations, boat ownership tips, and more. 

New DiscoverBoating.com content engages audiences in July:

Marine dealers and other industry stakeholders are encouraged to share Discover Boating content with customers via social, e-newsletters and other communication channels.

Learn more about who the Discover Boating “See You Out Here” campaign is reaching, how it’s engaging today’s evolving consumer and why the brand is building long-term market share for boating.

Fuel the Future: Invest in Local Trade School Scholarships

It was early July and the back-to-school advertising started. Back to school can mean a lot of different things. For parents there may be a sigh of relief, for teachers a gasp of “uh-oh” but in the marine industry it signals that the sales will likely slow and the preparation for the offseason gets into full swing. 

For dealers it is also the perfect time to start a scholarship for your local trade school(s). That scholarship you create now and save money for all winter to award in the spring becomes a neon sign for the students graduating from that school to look for you as an employer.

As a former school counselor and certified member of the American Institute of Certified Educational Planners one of my favorite jobs was working at a technical school. We held our awards ceremony each spring to present students with certificates and scholarships. Sometimes those scholarships came from regional colleges. Far more often they came from area employers.

The employers developed scholarships to reward students for their dedication, hard work and preparation. Those scholarships weren’t always meant to send a student on to the next level of education. Sometimes they were designated for tools or other requirements of a particular job.

Fuel the Future: Invest in Local Trade School Scholarships

As a counselor working with those students, I can guarantee you the employers had both the students’ and the school’s attention. The students wanted to win recognition and money, or tools and they knew what companies were supporting them. The instructors wanted to ensure their students knew about the opportunities that the scholarships could provide, and they wanted to get to know those employers. The administrators and counselors made sure that those businesses were recognized and involved in the ongoing development of education for their students.

Now, I can also share that we are not talking about high-dollar scholarships. Even $500 makes an impact on a high school senior, while most I found were around $1,000. Their parents love the recognition for their child, and the student finds pride in the notice given to their effort. I imagine when the time came for those parents to look up a business in that particular field, they looked to the scholarship provider first as did many of those in the audience that heard that business supporting students in their community.

Not every student ended up working at the location where the scholarship came from, but many did. So now, as the peak season winds down and all the back-to-school rush begins, I suggest you begin developing a scholarship for your local vocational school. Even if they don’t have a marine technician program, they have skilled students that may provide a great apprentice for you. And as a result, your dealership will make some new connections and maybe reinforce some old ones. Your involvement and kindness will influence an entire community of learners and their parents and  encourage a deserving student to succeed and grow.

You can be as involved or as separate from the scholarship as you like. Many schools invite you to attend and even participate in the award ceremony, but you don’t need to be present. The administrator will gladly fill in if public speaking isn’t your thing. You may attend to meet your award winner. Otherwise, you can send a handwritten congratulatory note on your business stationery. It is up to you, the more involved you are the better the connections you make with the school, the instructor and the students. Now is the time to start! When the end of the school year arrives, you want to draw the attention of potential employees, including those we all seem to need the most, marine technicians.

Here are some steps to take to help you begin in the scholarship process:

  1. Contact the school. Ask for the administrator and let them know you are exploring student scholarships.
    a. Your contact, should provide guidance on how you get into the scholarship process with the school.
    b. Some schools may have a “general application,” so you do not have to develop your own.
    c. Work with them to establish a timeline to send applications to students and returned in time for a review period prior to any award event.
  2. Determine if you want to have the school choose the recipient or if you want to be involved in the process.
    a. If you choose to be involved, the students can send you their application for your team’s review and to select the winner.
  3. If you decide to develop your own application or if the school does not have a common application, determine the qualifications you are seeking in the applicants.
    a. Consider if they need to write an essay and what the question(s) will be.
    b. Decide which classes or trades the recipients can be selected from.
    c. You will need to decide if financial need is a factor in who receives the award.
    d. Set your scholarship/award amount.
  4. Finally, determine if the award is a one-time occurrence or if the recipient can apply again the next year. The most memorable businesses had annual scholarships and students came to recognize and pursue those yearly awards, juniors looked forward to the achievement that seniors had capitalized on.
    o For more information on scholarships and the processes around them go to: https://info.scholarshipamerica.org/how-to-create-scholarship

I have included a couple of examples that you may use to start your own transformative scholarship.

Get Sample Scholarship

Marine Retail Market Outlook Highlighted at NMLA Conference

• Matt Gruhn, MRAA President, Among a Distinguished List of Guest Speakers for Annual Industry Event
Marine Retail Market Outlook Highlighted at Upcoming NMLA Conference
Matt Gruhn, MRAA President

Matt Gruhn, President of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA), continues to be one of NMLA’s favorite podium speakers, which is why he’s invited back year-after-year to deliver his retail industry opinions, perspectives, insights and updates.

Since 2011, Matt and his team have been leading the retail market with their out-of-the-box programming and initiatives for dealers across the US. One such innovation is AIMIE (AI for Marine Industry Education), a closed artificial intelligence-powered chatbot that answers questions ChatGPT-style about dealership operations and points the member users to proven MRAA tools, resources, educational programs and solutions.

The boating industry has faced several ongoing and new challenges in 2024. While some of these challenges are like those encountered in 2023, others have evolved or emerged such as inflation, high interest rates, elevated fuel prices, a volatile stock market, workforce dynamics and global wars. All these markers dampen consumer confidence, generally regarded as an important indicator of boating business success. To help dealers combat these challenges and plan for a successful 2025, the MRAA has focused its upcoming 2024 dealer conference on leadership and performance where they will offer educational pathways on strategies and tactics that create opportunities.

Matt has a lot of content to share with NMLA attendees. You will not want to miss the latest state of the marine retail market and initiatives underway at the MRAA. Be sure to mark 8:30 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 24 on your calendars!

Visit www.marinelenders.org for the latest information about the 44th annual 2024 Marine Lenders Conference (Sept. 22-24, 2024 in Colonial Williamsburg, Va.), agenda and registration.

Contact info:
National Marine Lenders Association
100 Severn Avenue, Suite 10 1
Annapolis, MD

Email: nmla@marinelenders.org

Phone: 410-980-1401