Two Retail and two Partner MRAA Members reported their financial results this past week. Looks like positive trends continue for the marine industry. Read all about it at the following links from our friends at BoatingIndustry.com:
Get More Out of Social Media at MDCE 2014
In today’s marketplace, getting noticed online has become at least as important as grabbing attention offline at boat shows, in print advertisements, through billboards, and the like. If your dealership isn’t taking search engine optimization (SEO) seriously, chances are you’re missing out on opportunities to get in front of potential new customers each and every day.
At the 2014 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, taking place Nov. 16-19 in Orlando, Fla., Dominion Marine Media’s social media marketing and brand management expert Lauren de Vlaming will help attendees realize the power of social media outlets and harness it to help bolster their online presence through increased SEO.
In her first-ever MDCE session, “Increase Your SEO Through Social,” de Vlaming will demonstrate how dealerships can use platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest and YouTube to attract more consumer attention online, ultimately boosting internet visibility and selling more boats. Attendees will walk away from her session with a handy checklist to ensure they’re taking advantage of key opportunities to increase SEO through social media. The session takes place Tuesday, Nov. 18 from 10:15 to 11:30 a.m. ET as part of MDCE’s Marketing Track.
“The power of social media cannot be overstated; it’s a wide-reaching, inexpensive and effective way for dealers to connect with current and potential customers,” explains Boating Industry editor-in-chief Jonathan Sweet. “But you have to know how to put it to work for your business. Lauren’s session will give dealers a window into exactly what they should be doing with social media to generate more search results online.”
Each of the 2014 MDCE educational tracks — Sales, Marketing, Leadership and Service Plus — features five sessions. In addition to de Vlaming’s advice on SEO, the Marketing Track includes insight into developing an unbeatable marketing plan, filling your online marketing holes, rethinking your target customer, and exploring the next wave of digital marketing tools and trends.
“Being successful online requires understanding how to adapt your strategies to changes in online tools and behaviors,” says Liz Walz, director of education for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, which produces MDCE in partnership with Boating Industry magazine. “Lauren not only understands what these often complex developments mean for marine dealers, but she also has a knack for sharing that information in a way that’s easy to grasp. We are truly fortunate to have her on the speaker roster at this year’s MDCE.”
The 2014 MDCE will offer 30 educational sessions in all, the most the event has ever offered, including seven Pre-Conference Workshops. The conference has traditionally included three educational tracks, but in 2014, it has expanded to four tracks: Leadership, Sales, Marketing and Service Plus. A Closing Keynote address also has been added this year.
The MDCE is scheduled for Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. It has attracted an increasing number of dealers every year since 2007. In 2013, MDCE featured double-digit growth in dealer attendance, for a total of 615 marine retail professionals. MRAA’s goal is to grow the event to more than 1,000 dealer attendees. To learn more, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.
About the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo
The Marine Dealer Conference & Expo is the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ annual conference and member meeting. As the marine industry’s only dealer-specific educational conference, the MDCE offers an in-depth lineup of educational topics, a full-featured expo hall and a series of fixed networking opportunities, all of which are designed to help marine dealers connect with and learn from others who can foster their success. The MDCE is co-produced by MRAA and Boating Industry, and it features Pre-Conference Workshops, Opening and Closing keynote presentations, four tracks of educational content and 30 sessions in all. It will be held Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center and Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. For more information, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.
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Make Bank on Trade-Ins at MDCE 2014
Accepting a trade-in for a new boat purchase can help dealers win more business; however, it can quickly turn from financial gain to strain without the right trade-in process. With more consumers trading in used boats to buy new these days, it’s increasingly important for dealerships to adopt strategies that protect their bottom line.
At the 2014 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, taking place Nov. 16-19 in Orlando, Fla., veteran marine industry trainer, business consultant and 20 Group facilitator David Parker will help attendees build a transaction process that’s less stressful for customers and staff, and enhances profits for the dealership. The typical customer thinks that his or her trade is worth more than the dealer can afford. This process provides a way for the customer to accept a more realistic value for their trade-in.
In his MDCE session, “A Trade-in Process to Boost Your Margins,” Parker will guide dealers in how to value a boat correctly amidst the current economic conditions and use a trade-in appraisal form to manage customers’ expectations. Attendees will walk away with a sample trade-in appraisal form that takes the guesswork out of handling trade-in transactions and simplifies the process for everyone involved. The session takes place Tuesday, Nov. 18 from 10:15 to 11:30 a.m. ET as part of MDCE’s Sales Track.
“With a solid trade-in process in place, used boats can deliver much higher margins than new,” explains Liz Walz, director of education for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, which produces the annual event in partnership with Boating Industry. “The trade-in experience also can have a big impact on customer’s buying experience. But it’s easy to lose focus on used boats when new models are selling well. That’s why we are so thrilled to have David tackle this topic at MDCE.”
Each of the 2014 MDCE educational tracks — Sales, Marketing, Leadership and Service Plus — features five sessions. The Sales Track includes Parker’s advice on maximizing profitability on trade-ins, new insight into customers’ buying decisions, strategies to reach women in the boat-buying process, techniques for turning F&I objections into opportunities, and ways of appealing to Millennial and Gen X buyers.
“With a half century of boating industry experience under his belt, including years spent in his family’s dealership, there are few people who have as much industry knowledge as David to share with MDCE attendees,” says Boating Industry editor-in-chief Jonathan Sweet. “If you’ve met him, you’ve also probably witnessed the passion for helping marine dealers succeed that he brings to his consulting firm, Parker Business Planning. We are fortunate to have David return as a speaker at this year’s conference.”
The 2014 MDCE will offer 30 educational sessions in all, the most the event has ever featured, including seven Pre-Conference Workshops. The conference has traditionally included three educational tracks, but in 2014, it has expanded to four tracks: Leadership, Sales, Marketing and Service Plus. A Closing Keynote address also has been added this year.
The MDCE is scheduled for Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. It has attracted an increasing number of dealers every year since 2007. In 2013, MDCE featured double-digit growth in dealer attendance, for a total of 615 marine retail professionals. MRAA’s goal is to grow the event to more than 1,000 dealer attendees. To learn more, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.
About the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo
The Marine Dealer Conference & Expo is the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ annual conference and member meeting. As the marine industry’s only dealer-specific educational conference, the MDCE offers an in-depth lineup of educational topics, a full-featured expo hall and a series of fixed networking opportunities, all of which are designed to help marine dealers connect with and learn from others who can foster their success. The MDCE is co-produced by MRAA and Boating Industry, and it features Pre-Conference Workshops, Opening and Closing keynote presentations, four tracks of educational content and 30 sessions in all. It will be held Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center and Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. For more information, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.
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How Can I Meet My MICD Continuing Education Requirements at MDCE 2014?
As a Marine Industry Certified Dealership, you are required to take continuing education courses that escalate for each step of the MICD Program. Step 1 requires 10 hours of leadership and management training; Step 2 requires an additional 10 hours of sales and marketing courses; and Five Star MICD requires yet another 10 hours of HR and succession planning.
This may sound a bit overwhelming to complete, but the good news is that you can tick down the hours by attending the upcoming Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, taking place Nov. 16-19 in Orlando, Fla. Many of the 30-plus sessions and workshops offered at MDCE 2014, which range in length from one to three-plus hours long, will count towards these MICD continuing education requirements.
That means you can knock out nearly ALL your required hours in just one event!
Sign up to attend MDCE if you haven’t already.
Below is a breakdown of the MICD 2014 Pre-Conference Workshops and Educational Track Sessions that count towards MICD Program continuing education requirements (all times listed are Eastern Standard):
Leadership & Management
• Culture = Cash (Nov. 17, 8-11:15 a.m.)
• Planning for Peak Performance (Nov. 18, 8-9:15 a.m.)
• Prioritizing for the Principal (Nov. 18, 1-2:15 p.m.)
• Hire the Best Person for the Job (Nov. 18, 3:45-5:30 p.m.)
• Turn Upset Customers Into Loyal Ones (Nov. 18, 3:45-5:30 p.m.)
• ESI Fuels CSI (Nov. 19, 10:30-11:45 a.m.)
Sales & Marketing
• Back to Sales Basics (Nov. 17, 8-9:30 a.m.)
• Don’t Flunk This Test (Nov. 17, 8-11:15 a.m.)
• Shooting and Editing Boat Walk-through Videos (Nov. 17, 9:45-11:15 a.m.)
• A Trade-in Process to Boost Your Margins (Nov. 18, 8-9:15 a.m.)
• Accessories Done Right (Nov. 18, 8-9:15 a.m.)
• Fill the Holes in Your Online Bucket (Nov. 18, 8-9:15 a.m.)
• Opportunity Walks: Why Most Prospects Don’t Buy (Nov. 18, 8-9:15 a.m.)
• Increase Your SEO Through Social (Nov. 18, 10:15-11:30 a.m.)
• Outmarket Your Competition (Nov. 18, 3:45-5:30 p.m.)
• Sell More Boats to Women (Nov. 18, 3:45-5:30 p.m.)
• Digital Marketing: What’s Now, What’s Next? (Nov. 19, 10:30-11:45 a.m.)
• Turning F&I Objections Into Opportunity (Nov. 19, 10:30-11:45 a.m.)
• How to Market to Those Not Like You (Nov. 19, 1-2:15 p.m.)
• Sales Strategies for the Hyper-informed Customer (Nov. 19, 1-2:15 p.m.)
• Sell More Parts In-store and Online (Nov. 19, 1-2:15 p.m.)
HR & Succession Planning
• 12 Steps to Protect Your Family and Your Business (Nov. 17, 8-9:30 a.m.)
• Build a Service Dream Team (Nov. 17, 8-11:15 a.m.)
• The Path Forward for Young Professionals (Nov. 17, 9:45-11:15 a.m.)
• A Contrarian Strategy for Preserving Wealth (Nov. 18, 10:15-11:30 a.m.)
• Lessons Learned from the Master Service Advisor (Nov. 19, 10:30-11:45 a.m.)
For more information about MICD Program requirements as they relate to MDCE, contact MICD Program director Sonja Moseley at 763-333-2424 or sonja@mraa.com.
Certified Dealers: Earn Discounts on CPYB Certification
The Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program has added a new benefit exclusively for Certified Dealerships. Sales personnel at Marine Industry Certified Dealerships are now eligible to become Certified Professional Yacht Brokers, at a savings of $550 per applicant. The three-year CPYB accreditation program was created and is endorsed by the seven major yacht sales professional associations in North America: Yacht Brokers Association of America; Florida Yacht Brokers Association; Northwest Yacht Brokers Association; California Yacht Brokers Association; Boating Ontario Dealer; British Columbia Yacht Brokers Association; and Gulf Coast Yacht Brokers Association.
The new MICD/CPYB relationship means that the proprietor of a Certified Dealership is able to send any of his or her dealership employees through the CPYB program at the co-sponsoring association rate.
CPYB Certification is the boating industry’s brand of excellence for yacht sales professionals throughout North America. Applicants must meet a stringent set of criteria to first apply for the program; afterwards, they are required to successfully pass a written, three-hour exam in order to officially earn CPYB credentials. The CPYB designation is the most prestigious accreditation a yacht sales professional can earn inside the recreational marine industry and is valid for three years from the anniversary of the exam date.
“We are thrilled to join forces with CPYB and be able to offer this incredibly valuable benefit to Certified Dealerships,” says Sonja Moseley, MICD Program director. “The discount on CPYB Certification helps Certified Dealerships become that much more professional by offering their employees an opportunity for additional development and ongoing excellence. The CPYB designation is another mark of prestige that helps set Certified Dealership personnel apart from their competition in the marketplace.”
The initial concept for the CPYB program was announced in 1999 and was several years in development, with significant time spent culling a body of knowledge that yacht sales professionals needed to learn in order to become Certified, in addition to establishing the actual testing process. The industry’s first yacht sales professional was Certified in 2002, and since that time nearly 600 more have completed the program and achieved CPYB status.
“The CPYB program raises the level of professionalism throughout our industry,” says Colleen McDonough, CPYB program manager. “The program gives yacht sales professionals a benchmark against which to measure their skills, abilities and overall performance, while at the same time enhancing their value in the market. Much like the MICD Program, individuals that are CPYB Certified have met a stringent set of industry standards and agree to abide by a Code of Ethics, similar to the Marine Industry Consumer Commitment, fulfill ongoing educational requirements and uphold the highest level of business standards. CPYB Certification is a great opportunity for Marine Industry Certified Dealerships’ sales personnel to solidify their namesake among the industry’s elite.”
Dealerships that have decided to pursue both MICD and CPYB experienced fantastic results and say the advantages to their businesses are clear — and particularly visible when it comes to customer satisfaction.
“As a pilot dealer for the MICD Program launch, Galati Yacht Sales embraces the rigors of the program and the benefits for improving our clients overall customer experience,” says Darren Plymale, vice president of Anna Maria, Fla.-based Galati. “The process and procedures within the MICD Program are designed to track trends and measure a dealers’ customer focus in all aspects of their business. Our sales approach is no different, and the CPYB program allows us to confidently represent every customer buying or selling at the highest level throughout the sales process.
“By the same token, CPYB program criteria assures us that our sales team possesses the knowledge necessary to represent the consumer in all aspects of the brokerage transaction. We are excited for this new relationship between MICD and CPYB, as it will create a greater experience for those seeking to enjoy the benefits our industry offers,” Plymale continues.
To learn more about the MICD Program or the benefits of becoming Marine Industry Certified, contact Sonja Moseley at 763-333-2424 or sonja@mraa.com.
About the Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program
Managed by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA), the Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program (MICD) is dedicated to improving the customer experience at the retail level. The first step in the Certification process focuses on establishing a high level of customer satisfaction through communication, appearance and quality. The second tier of Certification continues to enhance the customer experience by implementing processes for overall dealership functionality. At the program’s Five Star level, established organizational procedures are implemented to ensure smooth operations and happy customers. To learn more about the MICD Program, visit DealerCertification.org.
About the Certified Professional Yacht Broker Program
Since 1999, yacht sales professionals (brokers, dealers and salespeople) nationwide have had a benchmark for measuring their skills, abilities and performance, while also enhancing their marketing value. Boat sellers and buyers are in a better position to select qualified, competent sales professionals with confidence and trust. The Certified Professional Yacht Broker program has made this dream a reality, thanks to the joint efforts of the Yacht Brokers Association of America (YBAA), Florida Yacht Brokers Association (FYBA), Northwest Yacht Brokers Association (NYBA), California Yacht Brokers Association (CYBA), Boating Ontario Dealer, Gulf Coast Yacht Brokers Association (GCYBA) and British Columbia Yacht Brokers Association (BCYBA). Nearly 600 yacht sales professionals throughout North America have earned their CPYB designation to date. CPYB Certification is the industry performance standard for yacht sales professionals throughout North America. To learn more, visit CPYB.net.
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Submit Your Dealership’s Best Ideas at MDCE 2014
Often, the best way to learn and grow in business is through understanding and embracing the successes of your peers. That’s the very idea behind Boating Industry’s Best Ideas Program, offering dealers secret strategies that fellow dealerships have implemented at their respective businesses to improve retail performance in today’s marketplace. The 2014 Best Ideas Program is now accepting entries for consideration from marine dealerships across North America.
Currently in its sixth year, the Best Ideas Program, sponsored by Dominion Marine Media, collects the best ideas spread throughout all dealership departments — sales, service, parts, accessories, etc. The aim of the program is for dealerships to share the most effective new practice their business has adopted within the past year, including tips and advice on how to put them to work.
“The Best Ideas Panel is one of the most popular sessions we host each year at MDCE,” says Boating Industry editor-in-chief Jonathan Sweet. “It’s a chance for dealers to see what their peers are doing and to learn from the strategies other successful dealerships have put in place to help them boost the bottom line, strengthen customer service, improve efficiencies in the parts and service departments, and much more.”
Here’s how the Best Ideas Program works. Dealers submit the idea(s) that helped them achieve the most success in 2013 or 2014 to Boating Industry. A panel of judges evaluates each individual idea and selects the dealerships that delivered those ideas deemed most outstanding. Best Ideas finalists will then be asked to present their ideas at the upcoming Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, Nov. 16-19 in Orlando, Fla., as part of the conference’s Best Ideas Panel. That panel takes place Tuesday, Nov. 18, from 10:15 to 11:30 a.m. ET.
Following the Best Ideas Panel discussion, audience members will vote on what they feel is the Best Idea of the Year from the dealerships that present, and the audience favorite/winner will receive a grand prize: A $500 American Express gift card, courtesy of Boat Trader. Finalists for the Best Idea of the Year will receive a $50 gift card. The ideas of everyone who participates in the 2014 Best Ideas Program also will be compiled and published in an e-white paper following conclusion of MDCE.
“Dealers learning from other dealers is a key component of the success of MDCE,” explains Liz Walz, director of education for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, which produces the annual event in partnership with Boating Industry. “The Best Ideas Program is a prime example of this peer-to-peer collaboration at work.”
To submit ideas for consideration in the annual Best Ideas Program, click here or visit BoatingIndustry.com/BestIdeas2014. The deadline for submissions is Aug. 25. For additional information about the Best Ideas Program, contact Jonathan Sweet at 763-383-4419; jsweet@boatingindustry.com.
The 2014 MDCE will offer 30 educational sessions in all, the most the event has ever offered, including seven Pre-Conference Workshops. The conference has traditionally included three educational tracks, but in 2014, it has expanded to four tracks: Leadership, Sales, Marketing and Service Plus. A Closing Keynote address also has been added this year.
The MDCE is scheduled for Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. It has attracted an increasing number of dealers every year since 2007. In 2013, MDCE featured double-digit growth in dealer attendance, for a total of 615 marine retail professionals. MRAA’s goal is to grow the event to more than 1,000 dealer attendees. To learn more, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.
About the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo
The Marine Dealer Conference & Expo is the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ annual conference and member meeting. As the marine industry’s only dealer-specific educational conference, the MDCE offers an in-depth lineup of educational topics, a full-featured expo hall and a series of fixed networking opportunities, all of which are designed to help marine dealers connect with and learn from others who can foster their success. The MDCE is co-produced by MRAA and Boating Industry, and it features Pre-Conference Workshops, Opening and Closing keynote presentations, four tracks of educational content and 30 sessions in all. It will be held Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center and Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. For more information, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.
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Participate in the Future of Navigation
In the face of rapidly changing and advancing technology like GPS, AIS, electronic chart display, cellular devices and the like, the fundamental navigation needs of mariners have changed significantly over the last decade. These changes have presented the federal government — including the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — with an opportunity to modernize navigation services for boaters and improve their on-water experience, making travel easier and safer for all.
The federal government is inviting the public to share its feedback and opinion on the topic of navigation requirements in the current and ever-evolving “eNAV” environment.
Click here to take the 15-minute survey.
Ethanol Continues Attracting Congressional Attention
Efforts to repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard continue on Capitol Hill. The Congressional Budget Office just published a report on RFS that evaluates how much biofuel production needs to grow to comply with the program, as well as its impact on food prices, fuel prices and emissions under several different scenarios.
The report addresses three scenarios. Under the first, fuel suppliers would have to meet the total requirement for RFS, the requirement for advanced biofuels and the cap on corn ethanol as stated in the Energy Independence and Security Act. The cellulosic requirement would not be required, because the capacity to produce enough fuels is unlikely to be in place by 2017.
The second scenario, called the 2014 Volumes Scenario, would keep the RFS requirements for the next several years at the same level as proposed for 2014.
The third scenario assumes lawmakers abolish the RFS entirely.
The report claims it would be difficult to meet the Volume Scenario in future years due to the expected supply biofuels and ethanol that can be used for older vehicles and vessels. Regarding food prices, CBO says they would be similar whether RFS was continued or repealed. The price of fuel, however, would be impacted. The change is based on a prediction that the price of gasoline will increase 30 cents to 51 cents per gallon. CBO hedged its comment on emissions by saying most emissions benefits will depend on how much advanced fuel is used.
A full copy of the CBO report, titled “The Renewable Fuel Standard: Issues for 2014 and Beyond,” can be downloaded from the CBO website.
Congress Works to Reauthorize Highway Trust Fund
Talks on a new highway bill are gearing up in Congress as the all-encompassing Highway Trust Fund is set to expire August 1. The House passed an $11 billion bill by a vote of 367 to 55 to help keep the Highway Trust Fund afloat until Spring 2015. The Senate has yet to vote on a similar bill, but the White House endorsed the House bill. This particular fund is especially important to recreational boating because it contains the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, necessary for construction and maintenance of access ramps, transient docks and pump-out facilities; funding for boating safety enforcement, equipment purchases and education; funding for the Recreational Boating and Fishing Outreach Program; and funding for fresh- and saltwater fish hatcheries.
House Ways and Means Committee chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) proposed a transfer of almost $20 billion from the general tax fund to help sustain transportation funding and other programs paid for by the Highway Fund until April 2015. The additional funding would provide a bridge allowing 117,000 projects that employ 700,000 workers nationwide to continue throughout the year and give Congress more time to work on reauthorization of the Trust Fund. Without the transfer, federal officials have warned, money for these projects will begin to slow after August 1. But the final House bill used accounting gimmicks, including delaying pension fund payments, applying customs fees and allocating money from a fund used to repair underground fuel storage tanks. Funding for the Sport Fish account also would become tight if Congress fails to act.
Some Senators say that they are nearing agreement on a plan to replenish the Highway Fund. Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Thomas Carper (D-DE) stated a formal bipartisan agreement that may soon be available, but as of yet no details have been made public.
Most State Departments of Natural Resources receive a significant portion of their boating safety funds from the Highway Trust Fund. Congressional pressure is mounting to quickly resolve the impasse and to replenish the fund. Earlier this year, the Obama Administration considered allowing states to collect tolls on interstate highways, which would have reversed a longtime federal prohibition on most interstate tolls. That proposal was DOA on Capitol Hill.
Later, a bipartisan proposal to increase the 18.4 cent-per-gallon federal excise tax on gasoline by varying amounts was considered, but the GOP-controlled House also dismissed that proposal.
The impasse has garnered the attention of state and local governments, where there are concerns about completing construction and maintenance projects.
Even if senators reach an agreement, the ultimate fate of the Highway Trust Fund in the sharply divided House is unclear. With the Highway bill set to expire September 30 and to run out of money August 1, the key Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund also is in jeopardy. Some House members are looking for cuts in other parts of the federal budget to allow for increases in spending on highway projects.
Congress, especially the House, is still wrestling with options for a permanent fix to providing sufficient funds for repairs to deteriorating highway and bridge system. Some lawmakers want to increase the 24.4 cents-per-gallon federal tax on diesel fuel, but Congress remains divided over transportation policy. There is currently no federal excise tax on marine diesel fuel. An excise tax was used to offset the repeal of the luxury tax on boats in the early 1990s, but was later repealed when the Internal Revenue Service had trouble enforcing the color-coded diesel fuel system it set up for marine diesel fuels.
MRAA will continue to monitor this issue and work closely with Congressional leaders to ensure waters are safe, while also being mindful of concerns about increasing taxes on recreational boaters.
Turn Upset Customers into Loyal Ones at MDCE 2014
Even the marine industry’s best service departments will sometimes encounter an upset customer. By learning strategies to handle these situations properly, dealerships can create loyalty and collect valuable information that can strengthen both customer relationships and service department processes and procedures.
At the 2014 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, taking place Nov. 16-19 in Orlando, Fla., Yamaha Marine University instructor, best practices expert and president of VRZ Consulting Valerie Ziebron will help attendees find effective ways to assist customers with dealership complaints, righting the ship and ultimately transforming a negative experience into a positive one.
Attendees of Ziebron’s MDCE session, “Turn Upset Customers into Loyal Ones,” will walk away with a guide to train their entire dealership team on positive conflict resolution techniques. The session takes place Tuesday, Nov. 18 from 3:45 to 5:30 p.m. ET as part of MDCE’s Service Plus Track.
“Upset customers are a reality for all dealerships at one time or another,” explains Liz Walz, director of education for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, which produces the annual event in partnership with Boating Industry. “That’s why it’s so important to learn how to defuse the situation. By using the strategies Valerie will share in her session, the service department can strengthen its relationships with customers, decrease staff stress levels, boost loyalty and improve the dealership’s reputation.”
Each of the 2014 MDCE educational tracks — Sales, Marketing, Leadership and Service Plus — has five sessions. In addition to Ziebron’s advice on transforming customer conflicts, the Service Plus Track’s sessions feature topics such as beefing up service department leadership skills, increasing marine accessories profits, boosting parts sales, and developing a Master Service Advisor, among others.
“There’s a reason Valerie is invited back to MDCE year after year,” says Boating Industry editor-in-chief Jonathan Sweet. “She understands what makes service department personnel and their customers tick, and she makes it easy for dealers to take her insight and advice back to their businesses and put it to work.”
The 2014 MDCE will offer 30 educational sessions in all, the most the event has ever offered, including seven Pre-Conference Workshops. The conference has traditionally included three educational tracks, but in 2014, it has expanded to four tracks: Leadership, Sales, Marketing and Service Plus. A Closing Keynote address also has been added this year.
The MDCE is scheduled for Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. It has attracted an increasing number of dealers every year since 2007. In 2013, MDCE featured double-digit growth in dealer attendance, for a total of 615 marine retail professionals. MRAA’s goal is to grow the event to more than 1,000 dealer attendees. To learn more, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.
About the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo
The Marine Dealer Conference & Expo is the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ annual conference and member meeting. As the marine industry’s only dealer-specific educational conference, the MDCE offers an in-depth lineup of educational topics, a full-featured expo hall and a series of fixed networking opportunities, all of which are designed to help marine dealers connect with and learn from others who can foster their success. The MDCE is co-produced by MRAA and Boating Industry, and it features pre-conference workshops, opening and closing keynote presentations, four tracks of educational content and 30 sessions in all. It will be held Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center and Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. For more information, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.
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