MRAA’s Dealer Week is about learning, growing and educating your dealership team for even more success in the year ahead. However, it’s also about having fun, seeing friends, making new connections and celebrating another year of being part of the greatest industry ever!
Last year in Austin, Texas, the MRAA held a 1970s-themed Industry Celebration in celebration of our 50th Anniversary. You can review the photos capturing the madness from that shindig here.
During the successful event, we heard from a few attendees who wished they would have known sooner that they could dress in costume for the event. As much as our team thought we shared the message, not everyone heard it. Even so, many of our groovy guests dressed for ’70s success. We all had a blast.
The 2022 Dealer Week Industry Celebration party in Austin was super groovy.
And we plan to do so again at Dealer Week 2023, Dec. 4-7, in Tampa, Fla.
Don’t Flip Your Wig, But … This year’s Dealer Week Industry Celebration will help us all “push the boat out” on another successful boating season with music, food, drinks and fun! Free for all registered attendees (dealers and exhibitors), the event in Tampa is again made possible by Kicker Marine Audio, celebrating its 50th Anniversary!
Yes, you heard that correctly, bucko! It’s time to dig out some old clothes from your mom’s attic, hit the thrift store or shop online to find your perfect 1950s getup. You’re encouraged to dress up because there’s an outfit contest, prizes and more. Rumor has it that even Matt Gruhn, MRAA President (see above left in photo), will be wearing a costume again.
Don’t know what to wear? We got you! 21 Costume Ideas: Life, Music & Movie Inspiration
White T-shirt, black comb and jeans.
Poodle skirt.
Bowling shirt.
Letter jacket.
Leather jacket.
Housewife.
Flight attendant.
Car hop.
Doo Wop.
Hot-Rodder.
Rockabilly.
James Dean.
Young Elvis.
Buddy Holly.
Marilyn Monroe.
Happy Days.
Laverne & Shirley.
Leave it to Beaver.
I love Lucy.
Grease.
The Outsiders.
I’ll Clue You – Industry Celebration Details Prepare to be entertained and cut a rug at Splitsville, in downtown Tampa, to the cool sounds of Phase5. Along with 10-pin bowling, ping pong, billiards and darts, we’ve added an on-site photo booth, drinks and grub to keep things hoppin’!
• Minnesota dealership creates a boat drop-off lot for its storage and winterization customers
No one would fault a boat dealer if they chose to maintain the status quo during the seasonal shift from summer to fall, where demand for their Service Department’s time is at its maximum. Demand for storage and winterizing customers’ vessels peaks at this time. That’s one of the many in-season busy times for any dealership, but it is a focal point for a dealer in the northland.
Starting a new service concept can be challenging, especially when your store is currently undergoing a high-dollar expansion to double the showroom size and bring your Parts & Accessories Department in-house. However, J & K Marine Owner Kevin Tinjum’s idea to build a boat drop-off lot was an absolute necessity. They needed more space at his Detroit Lakes, Minn., facility to improve boat maneuverability.
“Each spring, as we get storage units out, we were not able to bring all the boats out that we needed to,” explained Tinjum.
It was an inconvenience for his customers and a frustration for his service team. And, without enough space to park the units, it created a proverbial logjam of boats. To avoid that same scenario, Tinjum searched for a way to conquer their storage hurdle. He said an MRAA video that showed a dealer using a QR code during the pandemic for contactless service drop-offs inspired their idea.
Give Customers What They Want Having an idea and making it a reality are two different things. It took J & K Marine, a seven-location Certified Dealership, about five years from the initial concept to complete its new storage lot. “We purchased the land in the Spring of 2021,” explained Tinjum. “Two and half years later, we completed the project.”
When a customer scans the QR code, they arrive at the J & K Marine website and the Storage Request form.
That completed project resides on a frontage road near the Detroit Lakes dealership. The fenced lot is well-marked with temporary signage in the form of banners, yard signs and blue beach wings with the words “boat parking” printed in white. Upon arrival to the lot, customers scan a QR code that takes them to the service landing page.
“The QR code goes directly to the landing page on our website for a ‘storage request’ form,” explained Tinjum. “Submitting the form sends an email to our service/storage department. Our service manager and service writer see the emails arrive and then contact the customer to write a storage agreement.” After completing the form, customers select an open spot to park their boat for storage among the available four rows.
From there, J & K Marine handles the essential follow-up and relationship nurturing to produce lasting engagement and happier customers. Typically, this is within a few hours, depending on the day and the drop-off time. However, follow-up could take longer (a day or two) if a customer drops off their boat late Saturday evening, for example.
Step-by-Step Boat Drop-Off Process:
Customers arrive at the drop-off lot with their boat.
Customers open an on-site mailbox containing instruction flyers.
They then scan the QR code with their smartphone.
Fill out the boat storage/winterization form.
Include name, phone number, boat make and row (e.g.: Row 2) to complete the provided customer boat tag and attach it to the boat to help J&K identify their vessel.
Depart the lot without their boat and trailer.
Await follow-up from J & K Marine Service Writer/Service Manager to write a complete service agreement.
Improving CX & Help Your Service Department The lot has helped improve customer experience (CX) by alleviating confusion about where customers should park their boats and helping J & K Marine catch up to spring demands at storage pickup. Tinjum says the goal is to have an empty lot by winter. They currently store customer boats indoors, but the new lot could help the Service Department adjust storage.
“Having this lot will offer us the flexibility to put shrink-wrapped boats there if the need arises to expand beyond our indoor capacity in the future,” noted Tinjum.
Overall, the new storage process has had a positive response from most customers because of the simplified drop-off process and the added convenience of after-hours access. However, a few have found it difficult because of the reCAPTCHA requirements within the QR code that the need to answer correctly to identify as a human and not a robot. It’s simple for customers with experience but more challenging for those who are experiencing it for the first time on a phone.
There has also been a slight issue with how customers park their boats within the lot. It is not always in an organized fashion or flawless, which has required Tinjum’s team to correct the row to maintain available parking spots.
“We are working through some complications,” said Tinjum. “We understood there would be a learning curve and that it would take a year or two for the process to become ‘normal’ to our customers. For parking fixes, we use Friday afternoon, to clean up a row to improve parking for other customers.”
This fix is small compared to the larger boat drop-off and chaos that arose when customers dropped off their boats at the dealership without and appointment or at odd hours and blocked the driveways, service lot and service bay doors. The drop-off lot has helped to reduce the staff’s stress in this situation.
Although the lot should improve convenience for customers and J & K Marine’s service department, it also needs to offer a safe environment for the people and boats parked there due to the available 24/7 access. J & K Marine surrounded the lot with chain link fencing and added an automatic gate for protection.
“Our customers will be able to open the gate with a code set specifically for them.” Said Tinjum. “Cameras will be installed in the spring of 2024. We will also be installing a camera security system.”
This new drop-off storage system, automation and round-the-clock access should also relieve some the stress that the service team has to perform during its busy season. When customers aren’t limited to a certain set of hours or access to staff, it can also alleviate the demands on dealers who are experiencing workforce shortages. Customers can drop off boats on their time schedule in a designated area, removing your team from the equation thanks to the automated setup.
Get Customers on the Water Faster! Tinjum expects the spring and “summarization season” to be a significant change because the lot will allow them to pull most boats out of storage and put them in specific parking spots within the lot. He also hopes to eventually have the QR code, form and drop-off dialed in for service appointment scheduling, but will focus on boat storage for now.
“We are looking forward to not having to tell customers their boat is behind many others and we are not able to get it out for a week or two,” he said.
A week or two without a boat can feel like an eternity for an enthusiast. In Northern Minnesota, giving customers two extra weeks to go boating is a BIG win!
Let me know if your dealership has made any innovative changes to improving your boat storage or service offerings for customers. Email me at jerrod@mraa.com.
Now is the time to get your brands listed among competitors in Discover Boating’s Boat Finder ahead of the 2024 boat show season—putting your boats in front of potential buyers before, during and after the show. The deadline for uploading boat information is Friday, Nov. 17.
This free tool, exclusive to Discover Boating boat show brands, features a new design and layout to drive more shoppers to boat brands and dealers. As part of this new design, all participating boat brands will receive a custom listing for each of the boat models they enter, providing an additional way to market new models to thousands of boat shoppers.
Don’t miss the boat! More than 162,000 people engaged with Boat Finder in their search to buy a new boat in 2023. The average user viewed more than 53 boat models and spent an average of four and a half minutes shopping—nearly five times industry averages.
4 Reasons Boat Shoppers Use Discover Boating’s Boat Finder
Efficiently isolate brands and models that match their specific needs to get to their desired product faster.
Take a deep dive into boat models with helpful descriptions, specs, and features.
Connect directly to the boat brand website and view complete model information.
Compare and contrast boat brands and types as they prepare to shop the show and visit dealers.
Adding or updating your boat info is easy with Boat Finder’s data portal system:
Current Boat Finder participants will receive an email from the NMMA Team including a custom URL to access the Data Portal and instructions. The system makes it easy to clone existing boat models and update with the current model year and pricing. If you have NOT received an e-mail with your dedicated link, please reach out to BoatFinder@nmma.org.
Note: Inputting data is easier than ever this year with fewer specs to input, helping to encourage more shoppers to click off to brand sites.
New to Boat Finder? Contact BoatFinder@nmma.org, and someone from the team will be in touch to help you get started.
To take advantage of Discover Boating Boat Finder, which is being promoted to hundreds of thousands of boating enthusiasts ahead of the 2024 winter boat show season, exhibiting brands must ensure they are represented at a Discover Boating boat or sportshow and update their boat data to reflect current model year and pricing. The deadline for uploading boat information is Friday, Nov. 17.
Discover Boating boat and sport shows kick off in January across 10 major markets across the country including New York, Miami, Chicago and Atlanta.
My high school geography teacher had several quirky expressions he used to say to help a student realize their effort was not meeting his expectations. The one he used most often was, “There are two kinds of people in the world, the quick and the dead.” Typically, his message delivery included a Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson eyebrow raise and a classroom full of teenagers rolling their eyes. Nearly the entire room erroneously viewed his message as something a cranky teacher would say. While he aimed to inspire the person to work harder, be faster and prosper, the class saw it as a playful, unamusing old-man triviality.
You see, he was an educator and had his way of inspiring his students to learn better. As an adult, it’s much simpler to see this as an analogy to an old west gunfight: the winner is quick; the loser is, well, you get the idea. And you never want to be the slower one in this scenario!
Let’s be serious, though. Remaining stagnant is no longer an option in an ever-changing, fast-paced world. We know reading books makes a difference in our lives and career trajectory. Listening to podcasts and attending webinars is also beneficial for growth and increasing knowledge. Live events, which appeared ruined in 2020-2021, have rebounded tremendously to offer in-person education to help us improve, polish and develop our skills in whatever role we serve or hope to fulfill, personally and professionally.
MRAA’s Dealer Week is a survivor in and of itself. It began as a rebranded and all-new industry conference five years ago but became an online-only event during the height of the COVID pandemic. The MRAA tookDealer Week to Texas for the first time in 2021 as a hybrid event, offering an in-person event in December and online learning with live interactions in January 2022. Last year, Dealer Week — which included pathway session recordings online on MRAATraining.com — hosted the first-ever manufacturer dealer meeting on-site andset attendance records.
These examples show you that even the MRAA has had to adapt Dealer Week to meet our customers where they are and withstand economic pressures outside our control. Remember, it is better to be quick than the alternative! And this year, Dealer Week returns to Florida for the first time since the inaugural 2019 event. The 2023 conference, featuring 18 on-site dock slip, has already established new records for the number of exhibitors and total Exhibit Hall showroom space coverage. Along with offering three different education pathways and 16 subject matter experts and educators, the Tampa event, Dec. 4-7, will host two on-site dealer meetings.
It’s time to meet the intellectual crew of subject matter experts, leaders and educators who comprise Dealer Week’s incomparable education. They are leaders and industry influencers who will provide you and your team with implementable solutions to improve your search for wisdom and growth.
Leadership Pathway Marcus Sheridan: Marcus — a Dealer Week-attendee favorite — was named “One of 20 Speakers You Don’t Want to Miss” by Forbes. The Pathway Host is also an established author and owns a digital sales and marketing company and a charter fishing business. He’s a savvy business leader with remarkable motivation and forethought.
John Spader: A South Dakota resident and President of Spader Business Management, John is well-versed in business management, offering training and sharing his knowledge in his Total Management Workshop, Spader 20 Group events and various speaking and writing engagements. He is as sharp-witted and insightful as they come.
Dave Newell: Dave empowers leaders to find personal and company-wide fulfillment, helping them align the misaligned. His coaching abilities and organizational development expertise help build foundations for success. He’s an authentic obstacle crusher!
Paige Wittman
Kurt von Ahnen: An author, speaker and agency owner with a deep connection to marine, automotive and powersports, Kurt specializes in leadership and personal and business development. He is so fast that he got it done yesterday!
Paige Wittman: A skilled marketing, sales and retail expert, Paige helps dealers and brands generate lasting and profitable customer experiences. She is instinctual and nimble.
Sales & Marketing Pathway Bob McCann: Pathway Host and MRAA Lead Certification Consultant Bob trusts in processes, proactive solutions and cultivating winning cultures with high accountability. He is an astute highflier and educator.
Ryan Estis: Opening Keynote Speaker and session expert, Ryan has looked under the hood of the best global companies to learn why they are so successful. His comprehensive experience helps guide clients in their effort to change, grow and perform at a higher level. Meetings & Conventions magazine called him one of the “the best keynote speakers ever heard.” He is energetic, attentive and a true conductor of success.
Jim Million: With nearly 5 decades of experience, Jim has a diverse background with hands-on business knowledge and technical proficiency for teaching and training. He specializes in helping businesses educate, instruct and develop the personal and company-wide skills necessary to achieve a higher level. Jim is a training catalyst and a skillful go-getter.
Danny Decker
Danny Decker: As an author, speaker and business owner, Danny uses his speaking, writing and podcasts to educate businesses and their employees about modern marketing tactics. He is a well-honed marketing guru with an entrepreneurial mind.
Jamison Carrier: A proven industry leader highly adept in team building and training, Jamison has worked with numerous high-performing dealerships. He is a kinetic guide to mastery.
Dom Zappia: Vice President of Operations for Relentless Dealer Services, Dom excels at educating and leading others within the RV, marine, and automotive industries. He is a razor-sharp F&I business scholar. Service & Parts Pathway Valerie Ziebron: From best practices to proactive solutions to improve business, Valerie is a marine industry leader, guide and educator. Along with being the Service & Part Pathway host, she is also a session speaker who continues to provide invaluable insight to help dealers of all sizes improve daily. Valerie is a genuine guide, visionary and service department authority.
Valerie Ziebron
Steve Jones: With three decades of marine and powersports industry experience, Steve (A current Certification Consultant for MRAA) is a skilled speaker and workshop facilitator, helping to educate business leaders and managers. He is a well-versed and engaged trainer.
Dixie Morrow:Dixie has specialized in training and education for 20+ years, helping dealers improve their business. She joined PCLM Business Solutions as a partner to continue working in the industry. Dixie is a successful solutions-driven instructor.
Paula Crosbie: Founder of PCLM Business Solutions, Paula has spent over 20 years helping dealer customers find more success through training and education. She is a formative influencer of results.
Closing Keynote Dan Thurman: Dan, the Dealer Week 2024 Closing Keynote Speaker, is a renowned speaker, author, researcher and performer. He delivers interactive, experiential and high-impact lessons about confidently excelling despite challenges to produce attractive outcomes. Dan is a highly talented, dynamic and vigorous educator.
Exhibitors and Peers When you add these 16 intellectual speakers to the combined wisdom found on the Dealer Week Expo Hall floor — comprised of nearly 150 exhibitors, numerous media, 20-plus MRAA staff and the total dealership personnel in attendance — you understand the true potential to learn and grow as a team and as an industry.
Dealer Week provides attendees with one-on-one opportunities to learn from industry spearheads in the form of peers, business pros and boating champions through roundtable discussions, classroom education and networking opportunities. The data, proficiency and wisdom at the MRAA conference offers an unequaled professional experience for everyone who attends. Dealer Week is THE educational chance to understand the current market conditions and develop well-informed plans to control your future decisions.
Planning for 2024 It’s one thing to be quick and an entirely different issue to be foolish. Quick decisions, using insight and rationale, keep you going. Reckless decisions can do great harm. Knowing the difference helps you understand the challenges you’ll face in 2024. The inventory surpluses, inflation, the upcoming Presidential election and ongoing consumer hesitancy to spend will push some businesses to the absolute limit and cause a few hasty choices.
That’s why it’s crucial to continue to immerse yourself in learning and expose as much of your team as possible to the education, best practices and proven tactics for success so you can act swiftly and do so with the cool, calm and collected demeanor of the old gunfighter. Attending Dealer Week, boating’s only event focused on dealer growth, will reinforce your business for more success with the wisdom and the awareness needed to boost your confidence as a leader and help you prepare for 2024.
You still have time to registerfor Dealer Week 2023, a one-of-a-kind industry experience. We offer you and your team three ways to participate:
In-Person Event (Dec. 4-7, Tampa, Fla.)
Online Event (Dec. 11-March 1, 2024)
Combo Event Registration (Attend the live, in-person event in Florida and bring the virtual education back to your dealership for the rest of your team.)
Contact Membership Manager Sherri Cuvalaat 763-333-2420 or click the button below to learn how an MRAA Membership will save money on a Dealer Week registration.
MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 6, 2023 — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) announces the addition of Annapolis Yacht Documentation, Brand Lab Gear, Maxima Boats USA and Sea Pro Boats as Partner Members.
Marine manufacturers, suppliers and service providers, through Partner Membership, commit to aligning their brands with the programs and opportunities that MRAA offers in its efforts to fuel the success of the marine industry. Support from Partners allows the Association to expand its offerings and create a positive, long-term impact on MRAA members’ business.
Annapolis Yacht Documentation (Annapolis, Md.) prepares paperwork for refinance, bills of sale, repossession affidavits, priority handling, change of endorsement, vessel name or change of hailing port and more.
Brand Lab Gear (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) enables multiple ways for clients to enhance engagement and brand loyalty with their customers by providing quality branded recreational and outdoor gear.
Maxima Boats USA (Stuart, Fla.) imports an elegant line of Dutch-designed tenders and sloops that display unique styling, quality comfort and high-end performance at a great price.
Sea Pro Boats (Whitmire, S.C.) is one of the fastest growing center console brands in the industry by sparing no expense on the raw materials, hardware and equipment that go into every cleverly designed boat.
“These companies, representing various aspects of the marine industry, bring a rich tapestry of expertise to our growing community,” says Allison Gruhn, MRAA Vice President of Business Development, “Their commitment to Partner Membership not only aligns their brands with MRAA’s mission but also supports the growth of the marine industry.”
Dealer members are encouraged to explore the list of companies that actively support the MRAA across four partnership levels. View the full list.
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.
MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 2, 2023 – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) and 700Credit, an MRAA Education Champion, announce the release of a new MRAA Mini-Guide “Fraud Detection and Prevention in the Marine & Powersports Industry,” to help dealers understand fraud and implement detection tactics to prevent it.
“Dealership fraud has become an $8B industry and the cost continues to rise,” said Ken Hill, Managing Director, 700Credit. “And there isn’t just one type of fraud with one single solution to detect it. This guide was created to serve as a roadmap for dealers to learn about and identify the different types of fraud, where it can attack your dealership and the action you can take to detect and defend your business.”
The free, 10-page mini-guide provides readers with a quick overview of the immensity of fraud within the marine and powersports industry and the possible consequences dealers face if they don’t install processes to inhibit its effectiveness. It also dives into the four major types of fraud, which include identity theft, synthetic ID fraud, driver’s license fraud and misrepresentation of income and employment, and presents solutions to detect and prevent each type.
“Fraud has become more sophisticated with technology and more challenging to detect,” said Jerrod Kelley, MRAA Content Manager. “Without the proper tools and training, your dealership could end up wasting time and losing money on thieves instead of reinvesting back in your business. That’s why it’s important to have defensive solutions and expert guidance from 700Credit to help your team mitigate risk and avoid financial hits to your dealership.”
As the leading training and education organization for the marine dealer body, MRAA fuels the success of the boating industry by delivering dealerships resources, implementable tools and education programs they can use to strengthen their organizations. As the second-highest level of membership, Education Champions power the educational programming that the MRAA delivers to its members in a year-round sponsorship program. Through contributions and sharing its expertise, 700Credit, one of 10 Education Champions, bolsters MRAA’s world-class education, helping dealers find the success they desire.
Download the MRAA Guide to Fraud Detection & Prevention here.
Read more about the guide in this recent MRAA blog.
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.
About 700Credit 700Credit is the automotive industry’s leading provider of credit reports, compliance solutions soft pull products, identity theft and driver’s license authentication platforms. The company’s product and service offerings include credit reports, prescreen and pre-qualification platforms, OFAC compliance, Red Flag solutions, 2022 Safeguards protection, Synthetic Fraud Detection, Identity Verification, score disclosure notices, adverse action notices and mobile and in-store driver’s license authentication solutions. For more information about 700Credit, visit www.700credit.com.
Discover Boating, powered by MRAA and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), continues publishing timely website content to engage new and experienced boaters, providing tips and information relevant to this time of year.
In September, Discover Boating highlighted the top 10 fall boating destinations inspiring new on-water adventures and reinforcing that boating season extends past peak summer months. Also, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Discover Boating celebrated the Latino community within the boating world, including David Callejas, who is featured in the “Float On” video series. The second installment of the series premiered in September, offering a glimpse into Callejas’ boat rental business.
William H. McRaven, retired U.S. Navy Admiral and author, discusses the word hope in chapter 9 of his book “The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy).” Anyone in a leadership position has either used hope or have heard something said like “I hope it all works out.”
McRaven goes on to explain that hope is not a strategy by itself. Hope is essential because it drives, energizes and helps people achieve incredible feats. However, for hope to reach fruition it must be reinforced by studious planning, meticulous strategy and unmatched persistence.
Leadership in the Marine World
In the marine retail world, effective leadership is a critical component of success. Adept leaders — who play an integral role in helping businesses persist, succeed and advance — interlace hope with courage and hard work. Leadership involves decision making and task delegation and well as cultivating a culture of accountability. Dynamic leaders can delicately balance their strength and humility.
Strength in leadership is about setting clear expectations and promoting self-sufficiency while holding team members accountable. This recipe usually helps in driving the business forward. It’s about making tough decisions, setting ambitious goals and pushing your team to achieve them. It’s about being decisive, assertive and confident.
However, strength alone is not enough. Humility is equally important. Humble leaders recognize that they don’t have all the answers and remain considerate. They’re open to feedback, willing to learn from others and capable of admitting when they’re wrong. On top of that, they value all of their team members, listen to their ideas, provide valuable acknowledgement when it is deserved and practice transformative communication.
Among the many characteristics of a leader, strength and humility help to nurture accountability. Team members feel empowered to own their work, recognizing that their contributions are valued and their opinion matters. This encouragement is authentic and motivates them to perform at a higher level and strive to take the business to new heights.
Leading with strength and humility isn’t easy, but it’s a powerful approach everyone in the dealership can abide by that unquestionably can transform your marine retail business.
Need help in raising your leadership performance? The MRAA has specific resources and relevant courses to help you transform your leadership style, tactics and skill set.
Where to Start: MRAATraining.com Leadership Course Package
As a manager and leader at your dealership you need insights and tools to expand your skills and to help others in their leadership journey. This course package helps you and your team cultivate your leadership abilities so you can contribute on a greater scale. The How to Excel as Marine Dealership Leader and Manager features seven courses and five different subject matter experts in the marine industry that offer tactics for improving your career trajectory, attitude, bond with others and your overall leadership.
Leaders Need to Be Proactive
Additionally, you want a plan to adjust to the changing customer and marketplace, a motivated team that works well together and tactics that help solve your biggest issues. TheseDealer Week 2023 Leadership Pathway sessions, Dec. 4-7, in Tampa, Fla., are designed to prepare you for whatever the future could hold. (Don’t worry if you can’t make it to Florida, you can also watch this by registering for Dealer Week Online, and take in the education at your dealership.)
5 Dealer Week Leadership Pathway Courses
Marcus Sheridan, Marcus Sheridan International, Inc.
How to Fix Breakdowns in Dealership Communication: Leadership Pathway host and speaker Marcus Sheridan will share transformative communication skills that not only have the power to improve dealership performance, company culture and employee retention, but also to turn your employees into future managers and leaders.
Recalibrate & Renew Your Dealership for What’s Ahead: Gain insight into how you can prepare your company to adapt and succeed while navigating turbulent markets, from subject matter expert John Spader, Spader Business Management. He will share proven strategies, management attitudes, processes, financial benchmarks and execution skills to help you outperform the market in the year ahead.
4 Steps to Solving Your Dealership’s Most Complex Issues: Dave Newell of Evolve Leadership Consulting, LLC will provide you with a repeatable process and methodology to help you make clear decisions on the most impactful issues you’re struggling with now and likely in the near future. Learn how to identify core problems, name desired outcomes for the obstacles you face, and establish pathways and action plans for crushing them.
Drive Dealership Performance Through Interdepartmental Harmony: Expert Kurt VonAhnen, Mañana No Mas, will teach you ways to improve communication and collaboration between departments, create consistency through better process, reduce employee churn, drive efficiencies and bolster profit margins as a way to overcome the finger-pointing and denial that rages through society.
Transform Your Retail Environment, Transform Your Customer Experience & Profits: Today’s customer expectations have changed in response to our omnichannel world. Whether your dealership is large or small, one location or many locations, speaker Paige Wittman, Miller Wittman Retail Design Group, will help you determine as a leader what retail investments would be most impactful to you and your dealership – no matter what your budget.
3 Resources to Help You Lead & Grow Future Leaders
These resources, for instance, along with others available through the MRAA, provide supportive tactics to help leaders create more accountability within their team.
The Guide to Dealership Improvement, created by MRAA in partnership with Barletta Boats, will ignite your inner fire and boost your desire to pursue continuous improvement on both an individual and company-wide level.
The Guide to Building a Foundation for Accountability supplies tips and strategies to help marine businesses create a culture of responsibility. It offers guidance for setting clear expectations, providing feedback and fostering a sense of ownership among team members.
MRAA Webinar: How to Implement Effective Onboarding webinar, offered in partnership with KPA Online, discusses the importance of onboarding new hires effectively. It emphasizes the need for leaders to approach the onboarding process with both strength and humility, setting clear expectations while also providing support and guidance to new team members. By implementing effective onboarding practices, leaders can establish a culture of accountability from the very beginning of an employee’s journey with the dealership.
Friday, Oct. 27, the National Atmospheric and Oceanographic Administration Office of Fisheries denied a petition to establish a mandatory 10-knot (11-mph) speed limit, and other vessel-related mitigation measures, to protect the endangered Rice’s whale in the Gulf of Mexico. This decision comes ahead of the highly anticipated Final Agency Action on the Proposed Amendments to the North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule, which would establish Vessel Speed Restrictions for vessels 35feet and longer along the East Coast.
NOAA received a petition on May 11, 2021, from the Natural Resources Defense Council, Healthy Gulf, Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, Earthjustice, and New England Aquarium, which requested that NOAA establish a year-round 10-knot vessel speed limit, and other vessel related mitigation measures, to protect the Rice’s Whale in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. The petition proposed the following restrictions:
Mandatory 11-mph speed limit for all vessels transiting the proposed zone.
No vessel transits at night.
Vessels transiting through the zone must report their plans to NOAA, utilize trained visual observers and maintain a separation distance of 500 meters from Rice’s whales.
Use and operate an Automatic Identification System, or notify NOAA of transits through the zone.
Report all non-compliance to NOAA within 24 hours.
Public comment on the proposed regulations in the Gulf began April 7, 2023, during which the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) and a coalition of groups in the recreational boating and fishing space submitted comments highlighting our concern with the proposed regulations, stressing the impact they stand to have on MRAA members and the recreational fishing and boating industry. To read MRAA’s comments, click here. To read more about our engagement on this issue, click here.
In denying the petition, NOAA highlighted that instead of moving forward with vessel-speed restrictions and other vessel-related conservation measures, other efforts first must be made. NOAA stated that they are “are denying the petition because [they] are prioritizing other conservation actions for Rice’s whales: finalizing critical habitat for the species, conducting additional vessel risk assessments and developing a recovery plan for the species.”
NOAA understands that the proposed regulations and impacts on recreational vessels is not the correct course of action currently and, instead, other conservation measures should be prioritized. As NOAA works on other conservation measures, the marine industry is dedicated to supporting these efforts and ensuring that recreational boating and the recovery of the Rice’s whale can coexist.
“The MRAA commends NOAA for denying this petition and committing to conserving the endangered Rice’s whale with tactics that won’t unduly cripple marine businesses in Gulf Coast communities,” said Matt Gruhn MRAA President. “This decision comes at a critical time, as we are awaiting the final decision on the Proposed Amendments on the Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule. It is our hope that NOAA will employ similar rationale and deny those proposed changes as well.” It is the hope of our boating community that NOAA will deny the proposed Right whale regulations on similar grounds as denying these, and that the recreational marine industry can be a meaningful partner in the nationwide conservation of endangered cetaceans. For more information on this decision, of if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me at chad@mraa.com or Mike Sayre, MRAA Director of Government Relations, at sayre@mraa.com.
Trust is a complex idea built on multiple pillars, such as honesty, integrity, reliability and competence. In the marine retail context, this translates into transparent pricing, consistent quality and the provision of expert advice.
When a customer makes a significant investment, such as buying a yacht, they need more than just a product; they need assurance. They need to know that the price is fair, devoid of hidden costs or future financial pitfalls. They need to be certain that the quality of the product and the accompanying services meet or exceed industry standards. Moreover, they need to feel confident that the after-sales service will be reliable, ensuring that their investment is protected in the long term.
Discover Boating image by Will Saunders.
Elevating the Customer Experience The modern customer, particularly in high-end retail settings, expects more than just a transaction; they seek an experience. This involves a range of touchpoints; from the moment they first encounter your product to the after-sales service they receive. In the marine retail industry, this could mean the experience a customer has when they first walk into your showroom, the ease with which they navigate your digital platform, and the quality of interaction they have with your customer service representatives.
Personalization is key in this regard. Advanced Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems can capture a wealth of customer data, from basic contact information to specific preferences and past interactions. This data can be leveraged to offer personalized recommendations, services and communication, making the customer feel valued and understood. Customer data, when effectively used, is a gold mine.
Quality assurance is another critical aspect. High-end customers are not just paying for a product but for peace of mind. Rigorous quality checks, backed by guarantees or warranties, can provide this assurance, making the customer feel secure in their investment. When you are 30 miles offshore you want to feel confident that everything on the boat is working perfectly.
Moments of Truth in Marine Retail The concept of “Moments of Truth” is particularly relevant in an industry where purchases are not just transactions but significant life events. These are the critical points in the customer journey where their perception of your brand is significantly influenced.
It starts with the First Moment of Truth, which occurs when a customer encounters your product for the first time. In a marine retail setting, this could be how your boats are displayed in the showroom, the ambiance of the environment and the immediate service they receive.
The Second Moment of Truth is equally crucial. This is when the customer uses the product for the first time. This could be the first trip out on the water for a boat buyer. The quality of the boat, the ease of operation and the performance all come under scrutiny here. Any shortcomings can not only lead to a loss of trust but also can have safety implications, making this a critical moment in the customer journey.
The Third Moment of Truth comes post-use, where the customer decides whether to share their positive or negative experience with others. In the age of social media and online reviews, this stage is more critical than ever. A single negative review can significantly damage your brand’s reputation, while a positive review can enhance it.
The marine retail industry is complex but incredibly rewarding, sitting at the intersection of commerce, lifestyle and passion. Success in this industry hinges on building long-lasting relationships based on trust, competence and a deep understanding of customer needs. By focusing on these elements and adopting a customer experience mindset, your dealership can not only survive but thrive, even in challenging economic conditions.
About the Author John Spence, www.johnspence.com, has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Business Thought Leaders in America, one of the Top 100 Small Business Influencers in America, one of the Top 50 Small Business Experts in America and one of the top 500 Leadership Development Experts in the World. He was also recognized on the global list of the Top 100 Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business Behavior. The American Management Association named John one of America’s Top 50 Leaders to Watch. The prestigious Thinkers50, the definitive global ranking of management thinkers, shortlisted him as one of the top eight in the World for their Distinguished Achievement Award, and Thinkers 360 named John on the Power List of the 200 Biggest Voices in Leadership.
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