MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 9, 2023 — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) announces the addition of Avid Boats,DIAN Motors, LaVictoire Finance, NauticStar, OneSource Financial, Phoenix Trailers, and Renaissance Marine Group 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.
Avid Boats (Armory, Miss.) are aluminum boats built by fishermen, for fishermen, with the best fishing experience in mind.
DIAN Motors, Inc. (Ottawa, Ontario) is a distributor of electric two-wheeled vehicles and recreational products in the U.S. and Canada.
LaVictoire Finance (Annapolis, Md.) works exclusively with industry leaders, allowing them to create customized finance plans based on unique circumstances.
NauticStar (Armory, Miss.) is a world-renowned innovator, designer and manufacturer of performance fishing and durable deck boats.
OneSource Financial (Auburn, N.Y.) is a lending service and product provider to auto, RV, camper, marine and powersport dealerships.
Phoenix Trailers (East Jordan, Mich.) is a recognized provider of custom boat trailers known for their exceptional craftsmanship, innovation and reliability.
Renaissance Marine Group, Inc. (Clarkston, Wash.) is a rapidly growing designer, builder and marketer of welded, heavy-gauge adventure boats.
“These companies demonstrate leadership in their respective industries by joining as Partner Members,” says Allison Gruhn, MRAA Vice President of Business Development. “They exemplify the diverse and dynamic ecosystem that makes the marine industry so vibrant.”
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.
By Kendall Rawls, Director of Development, The Rawls Group
In the world of owning boat dealerships, marinas or other recreational dealerships, where the tides of business are constantly shifting, succession planning is one of the most critical yet often overlooked strategies for achieving your goals. While many business owners associate succession planning solely with exit planning, estate planning or family business transition, it is a powerful tool to overcome many challenges impacting your dealership’s success.
1.Leadership Turnover One of the most obvious issues that succession planning addresses is leadership transition. Whether you’re considering retiring, taking on a new role or simply preparing for the unexpected, having a well-defined succession plan ensures a seamless transfer of responsibilities. It allows you to groom and prepare the next generation of leaders within your dealership, ensuring business continuity.
Leadership transition is critical for the ownership position and also crucial for all key leadership positions. It’s important to clearly understand who will step into these roles when the time comes. By planning for the future, you can avoid any potential disruptions or uncertainties that may arise during the transition process.
One of the first steps in devising strategies for leadership transition is to determine your leadership team’s career goals. Having open and honest conversations with each individual will help you understand their aspirations and retirement timeline. By knowing their plans, you can better prepare for future recruitment and/or people development initiatives required in the future.
As the owner, it’s crucial for you to take time to outline your own career trajectory. Consider questions such as: • By what number of years do you want to be out of operations? • What will your role look like during the transition? • What types of skills, knowledge, and experience does your successor need to possess?
You can create a roadmap for your succession plan by answering these questions.
In addition to preparing for your own transition, it’s important to identify potential successors within your dealership. Look for individuals who demonstrate leadership potential, possess the necessary skills and experience, and align with the company’s values and vision. By identifying and grooming these individuals, you can ensure a smooth and successful leadership transition at the appropriate time.
Another crucial aspect of succession planning is exploring various options for the future of your dealership, one of which may involve selling the business. In this case, it is essential to carefully consider several factors, such as identifying the right buyer who aligns with your store(s) and community. If you plan to continue living in your community after the sale, finding a compatible buyer who will take care of your neighbors and customers becomes even more critical. Failure to do so may result in feeling disconnected from your community. By including this option in your succession plan, you can proactively prepare for any conceivable outcomes.
“One core principle that stands out in succession planning for family businesses is that you can’t run a business like a family, and you can’t run a family like a business.” — Kendall Rawls
2. Family Business Dynamics For many boat dealerships, family is the lifeblood of the operation. Whether it’s blood relatives or long-term loyal employees who are like family, the importance of maintaining a strong family dynamic cannot be overstated. This is where family governance succession strategies come into play, as they help mitigate potential conflicts and challenges among family members, ensuring a harmonious environment while running a successful dealership.
One core principle that stands out in succession planning for family businesses is that you can’t run a business like a family, and you can’t run a family like a business. Balancing the needs and dynamics of both can be a delicate task, but it’s crucial for the longevity and prosperity of the dealership. After all, no business gain is worth sacrificing the well-being and unity of a family.
To achieve this delicate balance, it’s important to establish clear boundaries and define expectations for everyone involved. This includes roles, responsibilities, performance standards and guidelines for advancement, stock ownership and perks. By setting these expectations upfront, you create a framework for growth and success while preserving the family bonds that make the dealership unique.
3. Talent Retention Attracting and retaining top talent goes beyond simply hiring individuals; it involves identifying and nurturing talent within the organization to ensure long-term success. This is where culture comes into play – it is the secret sauce for attracting and retaining top talent. To build a strong culture, it is important to have a clearly defined mission, vision and values that all employees are held accountable for upholding. These guiding principles create a sense of purpose and direction, fostering a positive, engaging work environment. When everyone in the dealership is aligned with these core beliefs, it creates a unified team motivated to succeed.
One of the critical aspects of a well-structured succession plan is providing opportunities for growth and development. People naturally seek out opportunities to learn and advance in their careers, and by offering avenues for professional development, you not only prepare individuals for future leadership roles but also foster a culture of growth and continuous improvement. This ensures that key employees are motivated and equipped to take on more significant responsibilities, reducing the risk of talent attrition.
Without people to execute the mission, a dealership is nothing more than a physical structure and merchandise. Succession planning acknowledges the significance of investing in human capital and establishes tactics to foster, allure and retain exceptional talent. This involves identifying employees with high potential, equipping them with the necessary tools and resources for success, and establishing a well-defined path for career progression within the organization. Much of our business’s value is tied up in the quality of your team. By investing in your culture and workforce, you simultaneously enhance the value of your dealership, providing you additional options if the decision is to one day sell.
4. Market Fluctuations, Technological Advancements & Regulatory Changes External factors, or “threats” from a strategic planning perspective, can profoundly impact a dealership’s performance and success. Economic downturns, changes in consumer preferences, technology advancements, regulatory changes and supply chain issues are just a few examples of these threats. However, by engaging in a robust succession planning process, dealers can develop strategies to navigate these challenges and ultimately thrive. Furthermore, dealers need to identify their strengths and market opportunities. By understanding what they excel at and what opportunities exist in their market, dealerships can leverage their strengths to maximize their potential for success.
Without strategic succession planning, dealers are at a disadvantage. They constantly react to external factors rather than proactively develop strategies to thrive regardless of the environment. Using a thorough succession planning process can identify potential threats and help dealers develop strategies to mitigate their impact. This proactive approach allows dealers to navigate challenges and position themselves for long-term success.
Equip Your Business to Remain Steady & Keep Sailing In the challenging, competitive world of marine retailing, succession planning is not just about preparing for your departure — it’s a multifaceted strategy that equips your business to overcome various hurdles. By addressing leadership transition, family dynamics, talent retention, market fluctuations, technological advancements and regulatory changes, you are better prepared to steer your dealership toward a prosperous future.
Succession planning empowers you to mold the next generation of leaders, adapt to changing market conditions and remain at the forefront of technological advancements — all while maintaining strong customer relationships and complying with evolving regulations. Essentially, it’s the anchor that keeps your boat dealership steady in the face of uncertainty, ensuring that your legacy sails smoothly for years to come.
Additional Tools & MRAA Guides
The MRAA team, along with The Rawls Group and other trusted partners, have built an array of educational guides, tools and benefits to help you understand and navigate succession planning using MRAA’s Succession Planning Toolkit.
Kendall Rawls knows and understands the challenges that impact the success of a family-owned business. Her unique perspective comes not only from their educational background; but, more importantly, from her experience as a second-generation family member employee of The Rawls Group – Business Succession Planners. For more information, visit www.seekingsuccession.comor email info@rawlsgroup.com.
Providing education and resource guidance for dealers who need to enhance their sales and retail operations
I recently received a call from an MRAA Member dealership who needed resources for his sales team. His request was for educational videos from MRAATraining.com that pertain to off-season selling and helping his sales teams generate more leads.
The dealer said after a stellar month of August, his September was slower than expected and that customer visits significantly reduced from the previous month. He also called to let me know that they were having an in-house sales meeting and he was hoping to have them watch some videos to gain (or refresh) tactics and strategies for creating leads.
His dealership has previously used our learning management system (LMS), so he was familiar with the education and resources available to his team. But, as a Silver Member, he needed some recommendations and guidance for specific courses to help his sales team with lead generation and his stores with off-season tactics.
MRAA Spotlight Series
Below, I’ll share with your team what I shared with him since you could be facing similar needs at your dealership:
I reminded him of the MRAA Spotlight page and its numerous monthly topics that help dealers address concerns.
Finally, I recommended that he explore MRAA Certification because it could help him establish more efficient and effective processes that lead to a more enhanced sales process for his team and an improved customer retail experience. Currently, MRAA Certified Dealers have access to a Continuous Certification course from Decker called “How to Plan and Optimize Your Digital Marketing Strategy.”
Never Back Down, Never Give Up! My 14-year-old son likes to game in his free time. One of his heroes is a Canadian player and streamer who goes by the gamertag of Nick Eh 30. His motto is “never back down, never give up!” That simple message rings true for you today, even if owning and operating a dealership is infinitely more significant than a video game.
Those six words speak of bringing with you into every challenge you face a proper mindset. That is, being adaptable, resilient and resourceful to help you and your team overcome and prepare for 2024!
Dealers, email me if you need any assistance finding courses or resources to help you survive and thrive during challenging times. We’re here to help.
More than 200 attendees from 87 businesses and 37 first-time registrants connected September 24-26 at the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort in South Carolina
The National Marine Lenders Association (NMLA) just wrapped up its 2023 conference in Hilton Head, S.C., drawing the largest number of attendees in more than 10 years.
Headliners for the National Marine Lenders Association (NMLA) event included Bill Yeargin, CEO and President of Correct Craft, who presented the economics of culture within an organization. He noted that implementing a positive culture should not be realized as an expense, but rather as a high-end return on investment. Matt Gruhn, MRAA President, shared the current mindset of U.S. boat dealers and highlighted examples of how a successful dealership can survive and thrive during challenging times by demonstrating resiliency, creativity and maintaining a “never-give-up” attitude.
Matt Gruhn, MRAA President, spoke at the NMLA Conference about the current mindset of U.S. boat dealers and shared how a successful dealership can survive and thrive during challenging times.
A panel discussion on cyber security, fraud mitigation and loss prevention highlighted top-down tips for organizations and individuals on ways to protect themselves amid the evolving world of AI. Panel member Matthew O’Neill, US Secret Service, reminded attendees that corporate systems can be “hacked” via one person, thus driving home the need for bottom-up fraud policies. Additional breakout sessions and panel discussions covered marine portfolio protection, e-contracting, delinquency, collection recovery, marine industry advocacy issues and Gina Martin Adams’ (Global Head of Portfolio Strategy and Chief Equity Strategist for Bloomberg Intelligence) economic update.
“We thank all our members and industry stakeholders for their participation. Seeing so many first-time attendees at this year’s event was very encouraging. What a strong testament to the growth of the NMLA and the entire marine industry” said Robin Cottmeyer, NMLA’s Executive Director.
The conference is one of the major highlights of the year for NMLA members and the marine finance industry. Next up on NMLA’s educational calendar is the Annual Marine Lending Workshop (March 10-12, Orlando, Fla.), a two-day interactive program offering attendees the opportunity to increase their knowledge base with experts possessing more than 200+ years of combined marine experience.
About NMLA The National Marine Lenders Association is a 501-C non-profit organization that began operations in 1979. Their mission is simple: Promote and improve recreational marine lending in the United States. Membership includes banks, credit unions, and finance companies who offer retail and inventory financing for the boating and yachting industry. Associate members supporting the needs of lenders include maritime attorneys, USCG documentation and title companies, marine insurers, repossession and liquidation businesses, marine technology providers, and industry associations.
As a business leader, you probably have mile-long list of stories you could share regarding your hiring successes and failures, and other issues you’ve experienced within workforce management over the years. Dealers have shared stories with our team of being ghosted altogether by a new hire to dismissing someone from their employment due to improper behavior or lack of performance.
The one story we know that nearly the entire marine industry has dealt with for many years is the lack of workforce. And lack of qualified candidates may be another roadblock you’re seeing in your area, too. A lack of total employees can lead to burnout for those on your staff and create areas of inconsistency and a lack of efficiency in both your processes and potential.
So how do I fix my workforce shortage? That question is one we read/see quite frequently. It’s difficult to answer because the solution is multifaceted. Certain solutions provide you with insight into compensation, while others share tips and tactics for improving hiring and employee retention. Still others involve things that aren’t always in your control, like market conditions and the attitude of the modern labor force.
Just look at the last few years, where you’ve seen a transition from a high-demand marine marketplace with very little inventory to one with product surpluses where your sales teams have to work harder and brush up on their skills to move units. So now what?
We understand the workforce continues to be a pain point for many dealers, so that’s why we compiled these 10 resources to help your dealership find best practices and tools for hiring, retention and compensation.
Below you’ll find authentic dealership feedback mentioning certain pain points. I’ve then made suggestions as to which MRAA resource (some of which require MRAA Membership to access) can help your dealership inspect and correct the problem area.
Staffing is Not Working Dealer Feedback:“Employee candidate applications are increasing but the quality is not there. We are trying to increase staffing to better meet customer expectations, but it is creating more issues that it is solving. It is hard to find individuals with common sense anymore.” — Anonymous dealer
Strengthen Your Dealership’s Workforce We don’t have to tell you that finding outstanding people who fit your business and culture seems to be getting trickier. Ty Bello’s “Strengthen Your Dealership’s Workforce” teaches you to properly recruit, assess, interview and select who to hire and onboard at your dealership. You’ll also learn to improve at attracting the right people in today’s conditions.
MRAA Guide to Growing the Workforce
Marine Industry Guide to Growing the Workforce MRAA worked closely with the National Marine Manufacturers Association and the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association to develop this 10+1 Strategy guide. It includes local initiatives you can consider in developing your workforce.
Attracting New Hires Dealer Feedback:“Finding suitable candidates in the workforce is still an issue. The appropriate candidate is still asking too high a salary for some positions. The job market is still off balance. We’re rapidly looking for better ways to gain attractiveness to our new hires rather than a sign-up bonus. And doing so without increasing our biggest expense, payroll.” — Anonymous dealer
How to Recruit, Work With and Lead People Not Like You A diverse workforce, proven by research to grow business and profits, leads to better decisions and solutions. Because marine dealers have encountered workforce shortages in recent years, it is imperative to successfully recruit and retain a more diverse employee base.
But what happens when employees are different? They may not always agree. And they may take a different approach or uniquely communicate to arrive at a desired outcome. Some of your staff may find comfort in working with technology, while others may not.
They may even differ in the way they are motivated to work or how they view their particular profession. So, how can you, as a leader, and your team all be effective in your roles and show respect even when you’re different? This popular education session from Kelly McDonald answers these questions and offers you specific techniques to apply in your dealership.
Gloria Sinclair Miller
HR Strategies to Fill the Gaps in Your Dealership’s Workforce Chances are you’ve heard the puzzle analogy used when describing a dealership and its workforce. Essentially, you don’t have a completed puzzle if you have open positions and therefore, you can’t feel satisfied until you’ve built the rest of the puzzle.
However, recruiting and hiring isn’t as simple as putting together a puzzle even if the analogy works. That’s because quite often there’s an imbalance between the available candidates and the skills and experience you desire at your dealership. And let’s not forget about the time commitment and effort you put forth only to see it “not work out” in the end. Meanwhile, your departments and current staff continue to work hard to fill your gaps and feel the pressure and stress of it all, too.
If your team puzzle building has gone astray, then Gloria Sinclair Miller, a senior HR leader at the Society of Human Resources Management, and her “HR Strategies to Fill the Gaps in Your Dealership’s Workforce” is a must-watch course. Along with helping you find and develop talent, this session will provide your leaders with proven strategies to search for new groups of workers (military spouses, caregivers, veterans, 60-plus, unemployed youth, and more) that exist outside your normal searches.
Compensation Dealer Feedback: “Staffing is not a challenge, but we have to pay 30% more than the previous years.” — Anonymous dealer
This dealer is not alone, as our dealer conversations have shown that certain dealers have enough staff and others are paying their staff more — especially the qualified, trained and dedicated employees — to retain them. Comments have also said that workforce shortages have led to reduced opportunities, like upselling in service and being more efficient.
If you have concerns about what to pay new hires or what sort of compensation your staff should receive, check out the MRAA Compensation Study and the course by Bob Clements entitled “Develop Compensation Plans that Produce Results” at MRAA Training.com.
MRAA 2022 Marine Industry Compensation Study
Compensation Study Results The 36-page Compensation Study, available for purchase, shares insights into salary and hourly compensation ranges for 37 common marine retail job descriptions. Insights include benefits offered at retail operations, year-over-year compensation increases, additional cash compensation packages, and much more. It breaks down compensation by 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles.
Develop Compensation Plans that Produce Results Retaining your dealership’s rock stars is integral to your operation. That’s why, as a leader, it’s vital for you to get your employee compensation plans right. We also know that payroll is one of your most significant expenses, so it’s crucial to know how much you can afford to pay per position.
This MRAATraining video features Bob Clements of Bob Clements International, who helps dealership owners and managers determine how much your dealership can pay your people.
Keep employees Engaged Dealer Feedback: “Staffing is not working. I have interviewed and hired people and they have quit before they even started. I have never seen the likes of it. Or they last one week and ‘this type of work is not for them.’”— Anonymous dealer
Dealer Case Study: Onboarding Being that your employees are often called the lifeblood of your dealership, it’s critical to help them find more success. Because your dealership’s success depends on employee success. The No. 1 responsibility for dealership leaders is to help bring life to your company’s mission, vision and values daily by preparing your employees.
In this Dealer Case Study with Certified Dealer Alpin Haus (New York) shares with you its own unique onboarding strategy. You can join Valerie Ziebron as she interviews Mark O’Dell, Alpin Haus General Sales Manager, about how his dealership onboards its workforce. You’ll gain tips and insight into how you can modify their strategy for your business, no matter its size.
The Search for Sustained Motivation for Yourself and Your Team The marine industry has had several crazy-busy years and now faces other challenges as we wind down 2023 and take a look ahead to 2024. For many, it started with 2020’s unrelenting pace of business and the high expectations to deliver supreme standards every moment. It was daunting. Everyone, from your owners to your seasonal employees, was overstretched and approaching burnout.
The marine industry saw lean inventory years, parts delays, expanding repair event cycle times, a necessity to enhance the customer experience and more. Now the market has shifted again, showing inventory surpluses and conditions that include inflation, high interest rates and conservative purchasing. Your team has pivoted to refocus on your sales, upselling in service and ways to generate more cash flow in the offseason.
That’s why this course, “The Search for Sustained Motivation for Yourself and Your Team” with expert speaker David Spader will help you, as a leader, rediscover what motivates you personally and professionally (and help your employees do the same). Learning these best practices will also help plan for the year ahead.
Take Control with a Positive Attitude Worrying about the many things in the boating industry that you cannot control, will set up your team for a lot of frustration and despair. You cannot solve inventory shortages or fix the workforce shortage we’ve mentioned. However, it’s much easier to take control of your attitude, actions and negativity! By doing this, you can help determine your success and growth. This MRAATraining session with Matt Booth helps your team make good choices and develop the skills to achieve better results. As a leader, you can enjoy your job more, and positively influence both your co-workers and customers.
Sam Dantzler
A is for Attitude Video One of the most popular courses on MRAATraining.com, “A is for Attitude” with Sam Dantzler of Wheelhouse College, will help you learn how to influence your team’s attitudes and beliefs, boost employee satisfaction, prevent burnout and increase your dealership’s performance.
Is your team filled with passionate personnel or those who simply do enough to get by? Watch this course to gain insight and best practices for enthusing your team and stoking their fire inside to keep it burning bright for them and your dealership.
Need additional workforce resources? • Check out the MRAA Resource Center dedicated to workforce and HR.
The Water Sports Industry Association (WSIA) created a new Wake Responsibly educational video that has been awarded the “Seal of Safe Boating Practices” from the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), making it the first industry association to earn the achievement.
The 12-minute Wake Responsibly video covers best practices, rules, regulations and recommendations to create a fun, safe experience on the water. This education is paramount for captains and watersports participants to continue fostering enjoyable waterways for all. Watch Full Video.
The video emphasizes boating responsibilities and safety topics, including:
Captain’s duties
Life jackets
Food and water
Designating a sober skipper
The video also highlights the Wake Responsibly campaign’s three main pillars:
Stay 200 feet away from shore, docks and other boats
Minimize repetitive passes
Keep music at a reasonable level
As wake surfing grows in popularity, this award-winning video and the Wake Responsibly campaign are valuable educational tools to showcase and share, as we continue to see threats to access for various types of watersports. Watch Abbreviated Video.
The MRAA works closely with WSIA on a variety of overlapping priorities like the preservation of recreational boating access and both dealership and customer education on how to safely engage in wake sports.
Worried about impediments to access in your area or want to become more proactive? Then email Mike Sayre, MRAA Director of Government Relations or Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager.
National Marine Fisheries Service Expands Right Whale Critical Habitat in Alaska
On Sept. 26, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced a revision of the Endangered North Pacific right whale critical habitat in Alaska, expanding the protected area for the species. This update comes after a petition, initially filed March 10, 2022, was put forth by the Center for Biological Diversity and Save the Pacific Right Whale.
Upon receiving the petition, NMFS is required under Federal Law to conduct a review of the petition, evaluate the best available information and then decide to move forward with the designation of new critical habitat. The last instance of a critical habitat designation for the North Pacific right whale under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was in 2008 for 37,000 square miles in the Gulf of Alaska and Bearing Sea.
After reviewing the petition and best available information, NMFS agreed with the petitioners and is now determining how to expand the critical habitat of the North Pacific right whale. NMFS will revise critical habitat by analyzing available acoustic detections, sightings and relevant habitat data. After it evaluates the best available information, NMFS will announce a proposed rule that is open for public comment.
This proposal is significant to marine retailers and the recreational boating community because it may now allow vessel speed restrictions to spread to the West Coast. Currently, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NMFS are in the process of expanding a vessel speed zone for boats 35 feet and longer along the East Coast to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale. The proposed speed zone would create a massive restriction to access for recreational boaters while harming recreational boating businesses and coastal communities along the Eastern Seaboard.
“If you were to recommend three courses for a service department, what would you suggest?” This recent question popped up in one of the MRAA internal Slack conversations asking our entire team for their suggestions.
We get regular questions about top courses from our our dealer members and MRAA staff for a couple of reasons. First, MRAATraining.com, has more than 240 courses, so there are plenty of available options to sort through. Second, we understand that dealers have limited time and need some guidance – quick and easy shortcuts – from our team to help steer them in the right direction and stay focused on addressing current obstacles they are facing at their business.
That’s why we’ve established some programs like MRAA’s monthly Spotlight pages, theTraining ‘N’ Tactics (TNT) series and course packages on MRAATraining.com to highlight valuable courses to match timely topics and some of the current pain points you’re facing at your dealership. To gauge your needs and market concerns, the MRAA team also attends dealer meetings and sends a monthly MRAA Pulse Report and additional surveys.
On top of that, we have weekly conversations with the dealer body to learn more about obstacles with hiring, inventory management and sales and service efficiency, to name only a few.
Now, let’s address that question.
We have a custom 7-part training course for dealership service advisors called “Take Your Service Writing Skills to the Next Level.” It features several videos and subject matter experts who help service writers improve their skills and abilities to excel at your dealership, boost customer loyalty, grow revenue and help enhance the dealership’s performance and stability.
Valerie Ziebron, VRZ Consulting and subject matter expert.
The Service Writing package includes three popular sessions from proven industry educators as well as four courses from service guru Valerie Ziebron of VRZ Consulting. They are:
“Increase the Profit of What’s Already on Your Lift Package” with Jordon Schoolmeester, Garage Composites
“Service CSI & Upselling: Not an Either/Or Proposition” with Ziebron
“3 Ways to Earn Your Service Customer’s Trust” with Chris Collins
“Turn Upset Customers Into Loyal Ones” with Ziebron
“Master the Write-Up” with Ziebron
“3 Tactics to Turn Your Shop into a Customer Loyalty Machine” with Bob Clements
“Fix It Right: Then and Now” with Ziebron
We also believe in providing you with implementable solutions to improve your dealership. This Service Writing package is loaded with tactics and resources to take your performance as a Service Writer to the next level, but here’s a baker’s dozen in tasty takeaways.
13 key learnings you’ll get:
Implementable sales processes to improve service sales and profits
Top strategies to improve upselling and customer satisfaction
Critical elements within your control to ensure your customers keep on loving you with each service and parts experience.
Ten things required on every work order
Advice to overcome common service objections
Focus on one write-up at a time to identify needs, make recommendations, address concerns, build rapport and reach an agreement with your customers.
Role-playing tactics to improve relationships with customers
Avenues to collect, share and leverage customer info
How to turn upset customers into loyal ones
Ideal questions to ask during the customer drop-off
Examine and improve your processes for scheduling, write-up, repair, quality control and delivery to fix it right the first time.
Steps to create a high-capacity day in your service department
How and when to implement triage to improve efficiency and the customer experience
As an MRAA Silver and Gold Member, you have access to MRAATraining and this course package listed here, as well as more than 200 others helping your team improve, grow and find more success.
Prefer In-Person Learning? You also have the opportunity to learn how to improve your service department’s abilities and performance by attending MRAA’s Dealer Week 2023, Dec. 4-7, in Tampa, Fla. The annual conference and expo — boating’s only event focused on dealer growth — will again include a Service & Parts Pathway with five educational sessions. The topics include updated communication tactics, parts obsolescence, solving customers’ problems, incorporating action leadership and best service practices to be an “A-list” dealership.
Need recommended courses to help your team improve in areas other than service? Reach out to me at jerrod@mraa.com. The MRAA is here to help. When you are more successful, the marine industry is more successful.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announces the addition of three new consultants within the Dealership Certification program, to meet participation demands and growth.
Kurt Von Ahnen, Paula Crosbie and Dixie Morrow have partnered with the MRAA to facilitate Dealership Certification webinar series sessions. The consultants were selected because of their experience in working with dealerships and their eagerness to share that knowledge with dealers participating in the Certification program.
Kurt Von AhnenPaula CrosbieDixie Morrow
“We are thrilled to welcome Kurt, Paula and Dixie into the MRAA Dealership Certification program,” said Liz Keener, MRAA Certification Manager. “Each of these individuals has exhibited their passion for helping dealers learn and grow, and they’re all devoted to contributing to MRAA’s Certification efforts.”
Adding Von Ahnen, Crosbie and Morrow has nearly doubled MRAA’s team of consultants, all of whom distribute best practices, tools, resources and provide sound advice to the dealers within Certification. Existing program consultants include Steve Jones, Zane Stevenson and Rallee Chupich. They’re led by Bob McCann, Lead Certification Consultant and industry veteran.
Von Ahnen, who has nearly 30 years of experience in powersports and automotive, has created the “Mañana No Mas!” membership, a learning and community-based platform service, as well as his Powersports Academy education portal. A certified speaker, trainer and coach, Von Ahnen has spoken at marine dealer events and looks forward to expanding his marine industry reach. Additionally, he will speak on leadership and service and parts in two Dealer Week 2023 educational sessions in December.
Crosbie and Morrow, partners at PCLM Business Solutions, each have nearly 20 years of experience as Lightspeed dealer management system (DMS) trainers. At PCLM, they help dealers with DMS optimization, financials, remote accounting, departmental training and more. Their combined skillsets are a natural fit with the Dealership Certification program because they’re well-versed in process mapping and operational improvements. Serving as subject matter experts, both will speak about communications for a changing customer in the Service and Parts Pathway at Dealer Week 2023.
Moreover, in early 2022, MRAA introduced the seven-week Certification webinar series, working with groups of dealerships to help them complete Certification in a concentrated, seven-week period. The webinar series launch, and additional support from several boat and engine manufacturers, helped Dealership Certification enrollment double from 2021 to 2022 and Certification completion rise to 97 percent. MRAA added Von Ahnen, Crosbie and Morrow to its team to accommodate this recent successful growth in the Dealership Certification program.
“Dealership Certification has seen a surge of growth since establishing our seven-week program, which offers dealers the blueprint to success,” said Keener. “Certification guides all dealers – from newcomers to decades-old businesses – through improvements in customer experience, employee engagement and dealership operations.”
Certification webinar series sessions are now open for enrollment in October and January. Dealership Certification is available to dealers of all sizes, locations and experience. MRAA Members receive a discount on program pricing.
About the Marine Industry Certified Dealer Program The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program covers a broad range of requirements designed to cultivate a high level of customer satisfaction through communication, appearance and quality, enhance the customer experience by implementing processes for overall dealership functionality and establish organizational procedures to ensure smooth operations and happy customers. To learn more about Certification, visit www.mraa.com/get-certified.
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.
• Boating content you can use to educate, inform and improve boat owners’ on-the-water experiences
Despite having a staff of boating enthusiasts and experts at your disposal, it’s not easy for a dealership to find additional time in the day to devote to writing boating stories that help improve your customers’ individual boating experiences. Designating an author, editor and content or social media manager may not be in the cards either. And, hiring freelance writers, videographers and agencies to produce these articles, boating tips-and-tricks and “how-to” stories is probably not in your budget, especially while you’ve been trying to reduce expenses due to a softer market.
It’s a good thing you have Discover Boating, powered by MRAA and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), in your corner. The mission of Discover Boating is to increase boating participation and enhance the experience for current boaters. And because of this, Discover Boating has made a determined effort to create and provide new and seasoned boaters with timely content that supports their on-the-water endeavors and promotes the boating lifestyle. It has also upgraded its consumer site to enhance user navigation.
This relevant content is easy to share and works well as bonus content in your e-newsletter or within customized follow-up emails with customers. And there’s a wide variety of topics, from recreational getaways to safety-and-operation, to help nearly every person listed in your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database.
Image by Discover Boating
To help you touch base with your customers, check out this recent list of articles and some of the most popular stories below.
These three stories have experienced year-to-year growth in number of page views from 2022 to 2023. They include a true tale about the “Loopers” quest of waterways in the Eastern U.S. and Canada,
Again, from education to safety to adventure, Discover Boating can supply you with resources to help you improve your customers’ ownership experience. As an industry stakeholder, you can access the Discover Boating Resource Centerto find tools, videos, research and education to help your with your messaging and delivery. You can also explore the entire library of Discover Boating articles and resources to share with your customer base, potential buyers and your online audiences.
I can help you navigate the site, find resources, and answer dealership questions. Feel free to type your question below or select one of the options to get started!
