The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2012.
“The foundation of the MRAA has always been to represent a united voice of the industry’s retailers, as well as to make their roles as retailers as efficient and cost-effective as possible,” MRAA president Matt Gruhn said in a statement. “Together with our board we are seeking to … Read more.
BOCA GRANDE, Fla. – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2012.
Launched by a small group of just 12 dealers in 1972, the MRAA has long stood as the voice of marine retailers throughout North America. The association has been headed up by just four executive directors/presidents over the years, and it has grown to encompass a number of benefits for its members, a lobbyist in Washington, D.C., and an annual convention — the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo.
“The foundation of the MRAA has always been to represent a united voice of the industry’s retailers as well as to make their roles as retailers as efficient and cost-effective as possible,” says Matt Gruhn, who is just the fourth paid executive to head the MRAA. “Together with our board, we are seeking to strengthen that 40-year foundation through the implementation of a new strategic plan, a new membership structure and benefits program, and the creation of several new and valuable member benefits.”
In preparation for its 40th anniversary, the MRAA rolled out a series of new benefits in late 2011 — a new credit card processing partner, a new marketing solutions provider, two new financial planning programs and a market analysis tool — that doubled the number of benefits the association provides its members. Housed under the MRAA Rewards Program, this list of benefits is already being upgraded in 2012, as well. The MRAA announced a revamped partnership with CSI, Inc., just last week, and in the coming weeks will announce two more premium benefits in addition to a brand-new, all-encompassing website that will reinvent the way the MRAA does business.
The MRAA also announced in late 2011 a partnership with Dominion Marine Media, through which the two companies will produce a series of dealer educational events around the country. The Norman-Spencer Marine Retail University events will feature a full day or more of educational opportunities customized to the needs of local and state marine trades associations and their members.
“Rather than focusing on the hoopla that often surrounds such a milestone anniversary,” Gruhn explains, “we’re focused on reinventing who we are and what we deliver our members. The more opportunities like these benefits and the MRU events that we can offer, the more value our members will receive from their membership. We believe that it’s critical that we continue to focus our efforts in that direction, and we’re thrilled that our 40th anniversary year is shaping up to be one of our best years yet.”
About Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2012, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is the only North American association dedicated to furthering the interests of boat and engine dealers and other marine-related retailers throughout North America. Under the umbrella of MRAA Rewards, the MRAA offers a host of cost-saving, revenue-generating, business-improvement, and professional-development benefits exclusively for its members. For more information, visit www.MRAA.com.
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Most lenders expect 1Q2012 to be same or better than same period last year
The National Marine Bankers Association introduced a brief quarterly members’ survey in 2011 to gauge changes in the lending environment and identify trends that could be used for business planning. Forty-two percent of the NMBA lender members (loan originators/brokers/ financial service firms, banks, credit unions, and finance companies) responded to the 4th quarter survey, with the majority having a national presence.
Respondents largely reported business up in 2011, except in the 3rd quarter, and 76% reported increased bookings in the final quarter over the same period in 2010. Pre-owned boat sales make up the majority of new loans for NMBA members, as a 4-quarter average shows 57% of the lenders indicated loans on new boats accounted for 25% or less of their bookings in 2011. Similarly, a 4-quarter average shows 80% of the lenders surveyed indicated refinance business represented less than 26% of their loan bookings.
The 4th quarter survey shows concerns over credit stringency have waned since 3rd quarter, with 89% of respondents citing lending criteria (credit history, asset/net worth, debt ratio, income, collateral, and other lender requirements) is the same or less stringent than the prior quarter. All responding lenders indicate credit quality of borrowers was the same or better in the 4th quarter compared to the 3rd quarter of 2011.
A final high note: 50% of respondents expect the 1st quarter of 2012 to be up over the same period last year, and 39% predict it to be the same. The list of survey questions follows.
How does dollar volume of loans booked 4Q2011 compare to 4Q2010?
What percentage of dollar volume of loans booked 4Q2011 is on new boats?
What percentage of dollar volume of loans booked 4Q2011 is refinance business?
What is your outlook for 1Q2012 compared to 1Q2011?
How does lending criteria 4Q2011 compare to 3Q2011?
How does credit quality 4Q2011 compare to 3Q2011?
How has your average boat loan amount changed in 2011 from 2010?
How has your average margin on boat loans changed in 2011 from 2010?
Membership in the NMBA includes financial institutions such as commercial banks, private financing firms, savings and loan companies, and credit unions. Firms extend or originate credit to consumers, retailers/dealers and manufacturers of recreational boats and equipment. Associate members are those which provide services to the marine lending community. Visit www.marinebankers.org for more information
ORLANDO – Following on the heels of four-consecutive years of growth in dealer attendance, the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo is preparing to break new records in 2012.
The event, which will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., Nov. 11-14, will take its educational line-up to the next level, offering dealers a bevy of fresh topics and more expert presenters than ever before.
“The MDCE’s success is based largely on its ability to deliver educational content that attendees can use to advance their business and increase their bottom line,” explained Liz Walz, editor-in-chief of Boating Industry, which co-produces the MDCE with the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. “We are committed to offering a can’t miss agenda that will provide new strategies dealers can use to produce real results in today’s market.”
The process of building that agenda will begin on Feb. 1, when organizers will issue their annual Request for Presentations. It will continue later in the month with the kick-off of the annual MDCE dealer survey regarding prospective attendees’ educational goals for the event.
“Every year we have found ways to improve upon the opportunity that the MDCE offers dealers from across North America,” said Rob Soucy, president of Port Harbor Marine and chairman of the MRAA’s Convention Committee. “This year, we expect to take the educational agenda to a new level and provide more best practices and greater expert advice than ever before.”
In 2012, the MDCE expo hall will be the largest in the event’s history at more than 150,000 square feet. As part of this new, larger floor plan, organizers will improve upon one of the most popular features of last year’s event, the modular classrooms that created better traffic flow throughout the expo hall and brought dealers and suppliers together for unprecedented networking opportunities.
In 2011, MDCE was held at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando and attracted 471 dealer attendees, an increase of 1 percent, which contributed to a total of 947 attendees.
This year’s host hotels will be the newly renovated Rosen Plaza Hotel and the Rosen Centre Hotel. Both hotels are conveniently located adjacent to the Orange County Convention Center, at the center of Orlando’s theme parks, 15 minutes from downtown Orlando, a short distance from the Pointe Orlando shopping, dining and entertainment complex, and within 15 minutes of Orlando International Airport.
“We’re looking forward to another outstanding MDCE,” said Matt Gruhn, MRAA president. “Couple these content-improvement plans with the fabulous feedback we had from exhibitors from the 2011 event, and there’s no doubt in my mind that this year’s MDCE will be the best yet.”
To learn more about the benefits MDCE can offer your business, please click HERE to view a video overview of MDCE 2011.
For more information about MDCE 2012, please visit www.boatingindustry.com/MDCE or contact Liz Walz at lwalz@boatingindustry.com or 315-692-4533. To inquire about exhibit opportunities, please contact Kathy Johnson at kathyjohnson@boatingindustry.com or 480-988-3658
BOCA GRANDE, Fla. – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today that it has created an all-new member benefit program with long-time partner Customer Service Intelligence, Inc.
The benefit, which is offered as part of the MRAA Rewards Program and available to MRAA members only, provides a package deal for MRAA members worth a 40-percent savings, or more than $700 off the regular annual price of CSI, Inc.’s services.
“Part of our mission at the MRAA is to help our members run more professional businesses,” says Matt Gruhn, president of the MRAA. “We truly believe that any effort toward that end should include a customer satisfaction measurement tool — a voice of the customer. We’re thrilled to reconstruct our offering through CSI, Inc. and now offer our members an incredible savings on what we consider a recommended minimal investment in such a tool.”
The CSI, Inc.-MRAA benefit provides dealers with 100 customer calls, a five-question survey of each of those 100 customers, daily alerts and monthly reports on the results of those calls for Service customers and Sales customers—both after the sales process and after the delivery process. The pricing, which would normally total $1,810 for the same services, is being discounted by 40 percent for MRAA members only, and the $1,105 package covers not only the surveys, calls and reports but also the entire year’s administrative fees and the staff orientation process.
“When Matt shared with me his belief that every dealer should be doing a minimum of service, sales and 2nd sales follow up, I was in complete agreement and determined to put an affordable package together for MRAA members,” said Becky Thompson, president of CSI, Inc. “If you save just one customer, the CSI program will not only pay for itself but will give you so much knowledge about your dealership and your staff that it will allow you to improve in all areas of operation. The goal is to help dealers keep boaters avid boaters. Our thanks to the MRAA for recongizing the value of how providing a voice of the customer program to dealers can only improve all aspects of their individual dealerships.”
The daily reports generated by CSI, Inc., include customer report cards with all customer comments, complaints and urgent requests flagged on “hot sheets,” or “wow” alerts in addition to a hot sheet status report. The monthly reports provide insight into the success of the calls through a CSI rating profile, a summary of all suggestions, a compilation of all multiple choice questions, a Net Promoter score report and summary, an employee performance report and a non-contact report.
About Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2012, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is the only North American association dedicated to furthering the interests of boat and engine dealers and other marine-related retailers throughout North America. Under the umbrella of MRAA Rewards, the MRAA offers a host of cost-saving, revenue-generating, business-improvement, and professional-development benefits exclusively for its members. For more information, visit www.MRAA.com.
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