Marine Industry Certified Dealership Marketing Campaign Yields Excellent Results

MRAA and Bonnier Partnership educates consumers and industry on the importance of Certified Dealership program and its Certified retailers

MINNEAPOLIS — MAY 19 — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announces that its recent MRAA Marine Industry Certified Dealership program campaign as part of its partnership with Bonnier Corporation was an overwhelming success, capturing nearly 800,000 total impressions.

Certified Dealership logo

“Our campaign partnership with Bonnier focused on informing consumers, especially the hundreds of thousands of new boaters out there, about Certified Dealers and how they are built to serve them,” says Liz Keener, MRAA Certification Manager, “It’s abundantly clear that boating and fishing consumers saw these marketing efforts through their participation and campaign interaction.”

The Certified Dealer campaign targeted consumers with the key message of the importance of working with a Marine Industry Certified Dealer when buying a boat, parts and accessories. It highlighted how customers can “Buy with Confidence” from a Certified Dealer, as the customer experience is one of the pillars of the Certification program. Throughout the first several months of 2021, the campaign leveraged Bonnier’s consumer reach with strategic marketing and advertising efforts. This included a custom article, social media posts on Facebook and Instagram, story and profile takeovers, newsletter inclusion and both digital display and print ads. Custom emails saw above-average open and click rates. Instagram takeover stories of Bonnier’s Boating and Salt Water Sportsman publications earned hundreds of interactions, link clicks and sticker taps. A custom Dealer Roundtable virtual video with actual Certified Dealers aired on Facebook, YouTube and Dailymotion, garnering more than 245 hours of viewing hours.

“The Dealer Roundtable video has proven to be a big hit for its authentic testimonial of the Certified Dealer program,” added Keener. “This campaign was one way to shed some light on the efforts Certified Dealers put forth to earn this prominent designation, but it’s even more important to note that hundreds of thousands of consumers now know about this dedicated group of dealers and what it means to do business with them. They know they are in good hands, and our hope is they mature into life-long customers.”

MICD Boat Dealers

“The results of this 2021 MRAA Certified Dealer campaign are outstanding and helped consumers gain a better understanding of the importance of choosing a dealer that can help them to amplify their boating experiences,” says Glenn Sandridge, Vice President and Managing Director at Bonnier Corporation. “Bonnier is committed to growing participation in boating, so it was imperative to educate the public about why Certified Dealers are to be highly valued and a first stop in the boat buying process.”

The MRAA continues to evolve the Certification program to help boat dealers institute efficient and accurate processes that lead to an exceptional retail experience for everyone. Certification guides dealers to success with a proven blueprint for developing a world-class business. The MRAA and Bonnier partnership and Certified Dealer program promotion runs through 2022.

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.

Maxwell Medals & Awards Joins MRAA as Partner Member

MINNEAPOLIS — May 18 — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announces Maxwell Medals & Awards has joined as a Partner Member.

“For over 20 years I have had the opportunity to see the marine industry through the lens of a customer as well as the lens of a local dealer,” said Maxwell Janis CFP®, President. “My experiences have allowed me to develop a true appreciation for the challenges and joy that boating can bring to our lives. This passion has transcended generations in our family and has motivated me to purchase our family business which allows me to continue to support a market I love!” 

Maxwell Medals & Awards logo

Maxwell Medals & Awards, Traverse City, Mich., truly believes excellence warrants recognition; that recognition begins with its customers. Its team members vow to invest time to understand what exactly customers desire in creating emblems of success to represent their brands and to honor employees, dealers or other industry partners achievements. Maxwell Medals & Awards respects the unique demands each customer journey and situation presents. Part of the Maxwell Difference is immersing itself as part of its customer’s team and a commitment to provide high-quality custom awards, competitive pricing and on-time delivery — all backed by first-class customer service.

Marine manufacturers, suppliers and service providers, through Partner Membership, commit to aligning their brands with the programs and opportunities that MRAA works to provide the dealer body in order to help fuel the success of the industry. Support from Partners allows the Association to expand its offerings and create a positive, long-term impact in the business of MRAA members.

“We are excited for Maxwell Medals & Awards to join as a Partner Member with the MRAA,” said Allison Gruhn, Director of Business Development. “We value its expertise within its field and value its assurance to provide our members with a unique experience, customized process and special results.”

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 Maxwell Medals & Awards
For more than 40 years, Maxwell Medals & Awards has been dedicated to providing the best value in its industry offering quality awards, competitive pricing and top-shelf customer service. These founding principles guide our dedicated and knowledgeable team from start to finish; from our impressive in-house design capabilities, through the production process to on-time delivery, our mission is to create an ideal award solution and ensure the best experience possible for each customer. Connect with us today: Phone: 800-331-1383; email: maxwell@maxmedals.com; Web: www.maxmedals.com

Get On Board Campaign Receives Two PR Awards

Get On Board, the industry-wide marketing campaign from the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF), National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), and Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) to grow fishing and boating participation, has received an Award of Commendation from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) at the 2021 Bronze Anvil Awards, as well as a Merit Award from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Gold Circle Awards.

PRSA’s Bronze Anvil Awards honor the best public relations tactics that contribute to the success of overall campaigns. In the category of Media Relations for Nonprofit Organizations, the Get On Board campaign was joined by the Home Depot Foundation and the American Heart Association.

The Gold Circle Awards recognize excellence, innovation, and achievement in association/nonprofit marketing and communications. Get on Board was one of three campaigns to receive a Merit Award in the Media/Public Relations Campaign category.

“When the pandemic hit, our team had to quickly pivot and adjust our campaign and PR strategy for 2020,” said RBFF Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Stephanie Vatalaro. “Working in partnership with NMMA and their Discover Boating campaign, we made it happen! And to be honored by PRSA and ASAE is a true testament to the perseverance, passion, and proficiency of our teams.”

Earlier this year, the Get On Board campaign was also nominated for the National PRWeek US Award, established as the communications industry’s highest accolade, in the category of Best in Arts, Entertainment, Sports & Media.

Wildlife Forever and the MRAA Recognize May 15th as National Clean Drain Dry Day

As fishing and boating seasons ramp up across the country, Wildlife Forever, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas and leading conservation groups proclaim Saturday, May 15th as National Clean Drain Dry Day. Supporting organizations have signed a Conservation Proclamation to highlight the importance of invasive species awareness when boating and angling.

During the pandemic, millions of new boaters and anglers purchased boats, fishing licenses and equipment, in search of safe outdoor activities. Educating this new audience about invasive species and the Clean Drain Dry conservation practices is important to protect the resource and future of outdoor recreation. Invasive species are preventable; their spread can be slowed by giving every craft a thorough inspection before and after entering a waterbody.

“Fishing and boating season is upon us and we hope everyone will enjoy America’s great outdoors,” said Chad Tokowicz, Government Relations Manager for the MRAA. “However, we must be diligent about invasive species. Clean Drain Dry Day is about reminding boaters and anglers that invasive species are preventable. Everyone needs to do their part to Clean Drain Dry, all boats, every time.”

Fishing and boating generate 300 billion dollars to state and local economies where revenues are used to fund habitat restoration, stocking, and other conservation efforts. Invasive species pose a direct threat to local economies and natural resources by reducing biodiversity, water quality and impeding access for recreation. The National Conservation Proclamation and Clean Drain Dry Day is a moment to remind all recreational users of the simple steps to help prevent invasive species spread.

Organizations supporting May 15th as National Clean Drain Dry Day include:
National: American Sportfishing Association, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Bass Anglers Sportsman Society, Boat US Foundation, CD3, Major League Fishing, Marine Max, Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, National Marine Manufacturers Association, National Professional Anglers Association, North American Invasive Species Management Association, Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, Rep Your Water, Wildlife Forever, Wired2Fish, Yamaha Rightwaters.

State/Local: North Dakota Game and Fish, Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center, Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates, Mississippi Interstate Cooperative Resource Association, Beltrami County, Benton County, Crow Wing County, Murray County, Nicollet County, North St. Louis SWCD, Red Lake County SWCD, Sibley SWCD, Wright SWCD, The Maine B.A.S.S. Nation, The Michigan B.A.S.S Nation, Upper Sugar River Watershed Association, Voyageurs Conservancy.

“I want to thank the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas for their commitment to join us in supporting this national day of invasive species awareness. A unified voice is always stronger, and I look forward to working more closely with our industry and community stakeholders,” said Pat Conzemius, President & CEO of Wildlife Forever.

Clean Drain Dry Day also kicks off National Invasive Species Awareness Week with activities planned across the country. Contact your local organizations to organize activities such as: public awareness events, invasive species removal projects, or meetings with elected officials to engage them on how they can help better protect local communities from invasive species. View the Conservation Proclamation here.

Clean Drain Dry Initiative™ – Designed nationally, implemented locally, it is the national campaign to educate outdoor recreational users on how to prevent the spread of invasive species. Coordinated messaging focuses on consistency, professional marketing, communication tools, and educational materials.

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, contact us at 763-315-8043.

About Wildlife Forever: Our mission is to conserve America’s fish and wildlife heritage through conservation education, preservation of habitat and management of fish and wildlife. Wildlife Forever is a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to investing resources on the ground. Recent audits reveal that 96% of every dollar supports our award-winning conservation programs.

Bipartisan Legislation Introduced to Protect Small Businesses From Natural Disasters

U.S. Reps. Joe Morelle (D-NY-25), Jack Bergman (R-MI-01), Sharice Davids (D-KY-03), Pete Stauber (R-MN-08) and Julia Brownley (D-CA-26) introduced the Providing Resources for Emergency Preparedness and Resilient Enterprises (PREPARE) Act, landmark bipartisan legislation that would give small businesses the opportunity to access much needed capital to invest in disaster resilient infrastructure — a top priority for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. This bill would allow the Small Business Administration to make low-interest, fixed rate loans of up to $500,000 to small businesses to invest in their properties to protect their facilities, real estate and contents from natural disasters.

“According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2020 was the sixth consecutive year (2015-2020) in which 10 or more billion-dollar weather and climate disaster events have impacted the United States,” said Marine Retailers Association of the Americas government relations manager Chad Tokowicz. “This increase has a direct impact on small businesses throughout our nation which help drive economic recovery and now, more than ever, it is imperative they are a equipped to protect themselves from the existential threat that disasters pose. The PREPARE Act will allow small businesses to make investments in resilient infrastructure to assure they can weather natural disasters and continue to fuel job growth and prosperity in communities across the nation. We hope this sees swift consideration by the House, and are thankful for the leadership of Representatives Joe Morelle, Jack Bergman, Sharice Davids, Pete Stauber, and Julia Brownley on this critical issue.”

This will preserve small business job gains in communities that depend on them and prevent against the existential threat of permanent business closure. According to FEMA, roughly 40-60 percent of small businesses never reopen following a disaster.

“Our community knows all too well how devastating flooding can be to local businesses—many of which are already struggling with the severe financial impacts of COVID-19,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “It’s more important now than ever that we take preventative action to prepare for future flooding and protect our small businesses from additional economic hardship. Strong mitigation efforts are the key to our resiliency, and that’s why I’m so proud to introduce this much-needed legislation to help strengthen coastal communities.”

“Kansas is one of the most vulnerable states to flooding, and it’s only gotten worse in recent years. My district has seen both the damage that flash floods can inflict and the benefits that preventative measures can bring,” said Rep. Sharice Davids. “Resilient infrastructure can mean the difference between staying open and going under. I’m proud to support the PREPARE Act in providing funds for Kansas’ small businesses to plan for and mitigate the impacts of disaster.”

“As a small business owner, I understand businesses often face obstacles that are outside of their control,” said Congressman Pete Stauber. “While small businesses work to recover from the impact of a year of lockdowns, it is imperative that we take preemptive steps to protect them from additional obstacles that could cause further harm. That’s why I am proud to help lead the PREPARE Act, bipartisan legislation that will help businesses strengthen their infrastructure and guarantee their resiliency for years to come.”

“The PREPARE Act will provide a key mechanism to small businesses, like marinas, boatyards, and other recreation businesses, so they can upgrade their infrastructure and increase resiliency to natural disasters, said Eric Kretsch, U.S. Legislative Manager, Association of Marina Industries. “Thank you to Representatives Morelle, Bergman, Stauber, and Davids for their leadership on this critical issue.”

“Small, family-owned recreational boating businesses are among the most susceptible to the devastation of erosion, rising water levels and many additional effects of climate change,” said National Marine Manufacturers Association’s director of government relations, Callie Hoyt. “Authorizing this Small Business Administration’s Pre-Disaster Mitigation Loan program would make these businesses and communities better prepared to weather the increasing number of natural disasters and we applaud Representatives Joe Morelle (D-NY-25), Jack Bergman (R-MI-01), Sharice Davids (D-KS-03), Pete Stauber (R-MN-08), and Julie Brownley (D-CA-26) for their leadership on this critical issue.”

This program would be the only SBA program focused solely on small business disaster prevention, and would complement rebuilding efforts through the government agency’s disaster loan programs. Research shows that every $1 the government spends on disaster mitigation, such as improving existing infrastructure or elevating homes and businesses, saves taxpayers an average of $6.

A study by the MRAA and AMI found that marine business need significant funding to protect from flooding, requiring an average of $260,000 to invest in projects like elevating buildings, bulkheads, constructing flood barriers or levees, dry and wet floodproofing, yard regrading, and sewer back up protections. This is an issue that transcends industries where all small businesses across the country face similar needs to mitigate damages caused by an increase in frequency and severity of natural disasters, costing the U.S. over $800 Billion in the last decade.

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, contact us at 763-315-8043.

Facebook Marketplace to Discontinue Free Business Marketplace Postings

Facebook has just announced that starting September 13, 2021 they will be discontinuing their inventory partner catalogs. Meaning, third party providers will no longer be able to post ads on behalf of the dealer free of charge. With this announcement, Facebook will follow and join similar sites like eBay and Craigslist in the paid marketing space. With many dealers utilizing these services, here’s what you need to know for the coming months ahead.

What’s Changing: 
This change comes as a surprise to some and an opportunity for others. This fall you can expect to see the removal of any posts published through business profiles from third parties. Dealers who currently post to Marketplace as their business page will no longer be able to do so in the same fashion. To expand on that, the platform plans to begin charging per listing to post to Marketplace as a business. Currently Marketplace users can only post as their personal profile unless utilizing one of these partnered services.

Automotive Inventory Ads or AIA will be what most users switch to once the changes are adapted. AIA functions like current free business listings do but come with the added benefit of targeting users most likely to convert or make a sale. The new AIA will show inventory ads to relevant shoppers based on recent website, app, or marketplace visits and user interactions. Furthermore, these ads will be easier to set up and maintain, more effective across different devices, and deliver more ads to interested users.

In addition to the changes coming to third party providers, Facebook also announced that they will be shifting their resources from largely supporting vehicle distribution to expanding features for shipped goods and onsite checkouts via the platform. While these features haven’t been detailed out yet, we are looking forward to learning more about what the social giant has in store for us. 

What’s Staying the Same:
While it feels like a lot is changing, there are a few things you can count on to remain the same in the coming season. The Vehicles tab for example, associated with catalogs, will remain unchanged and functional on your Facebook’s business page. User’s can easily visit your page and click the tab to see available product offerings just as they do now. Additionally, users who manually post to Marketplace will not experience any service changes and may continue to post without any additional charges added on. 

What Comes Next: 
The next few months will be crucial for any dealers wanting to stay ahead of the game. Connect with your provider to ensure they are aware of the change and have a plan for what is to come in the next few months. This change presents a huge opportunity for dealers leveraging the next generation of Marketplace tools to position themselves ahead of competition on the platform. Make sure your provider has a plan to provide AIA specific tools that benefit you and prevent disruptions to your dealership’s marketing efforts. Start preparing the necessary tools to maintain effective marketing on the platform this upcoming September.

Additional Resources: 
https://www.facebook.com/business/help/1510143265745613?id=378777162599537

 

BoatUS Commits to Platinum Partner Membership with MRAA

MINNEAPOLIS — May 13 — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announces Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) has joined as a Platinum Partner Member.

“Our partnership gives MRAA members the exclusive opportunity to promote their business to more than 800,000 qualified boat owners, locally and nationally,” said Bryan Dove, BoatUS Membership Coordinator. “Plus, as the nation’s recreational boating advocacy, services and safety group, we can also help make a customer’s boating lifestyle better by getting more out of boat ownership.”

BoatUS logo

Since its founding in 1966, BoatUS has been looking after the interests of recreational boaters and become the nation’s largest recreational boating association providing a single-source of exceptional service and savings for boaters. It remains dedicated to educating and protecting boaters and their rights; making boating safer, more affordable and accessible.

BoatUS provides a diverse offering of marine services for the recreational boater including the nation’s largest on the water towing fleet with TowBoatUS, affordable and specialized boat insurance, local and national discounts, representation of boaters’ interests on Capitol Hill, quality boat graphics and letteringand the most widely circulated boating publication — BoatUS Magazine. As the BOAT OWNERS AUTO CLUB®, BoatUS provides many resources for dealers’ customers, while also offering expert advice on maintaining a boat, equipment recommendations and safety requirements. The nonprofit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water supplies tools such as online safety courses, to keep boating safe and water clean.

Marine manufacturers, suppliers and service providers, through Partner Membership, commit to aligning their brands with the programs and opportunities that MRAA works to provide the dealer body in order to help fuel the success of the industry. Support from Partners allows the Association to expand its offerings and create a positive, long-term impact in the business of MRAA members.

“We are excited to have BoatUS as an MRAA Platinum Partner Member,” said Allison Gruhn, Director of Business Development. “We respect the benefits, service and advocacy work BoatUS delivers to dealers, its customers and the boating industry. Its devotion to education, safety and industry preservation is extraordinary.”

About the BoatUS
Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is the nation’s largest recreational boating advocacy, services and safety group making boating better for America’s recreational boaters. BoatUS provides a range of benefits and services, representation for boaters’ rights, and offers many savings opportunities to more than 800,000 Members. With our nonprofit BoatUS Foundation, we work to educate new boaters, keep boaters safe and our waters clean through our Boating Safety and Education programs. For more information, visit BoatUS.com or call 800-395-2628.

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.

Massachusetts Updates Workplace Safety and Reopening Standards for Recreational Boating Businesses

On Monday, May 10, 2021 The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs updated their workplace safety and reopening standards for recreational boating businesses. These updated standards as part of Phase IV, Step 1 for Massachusetts re-opening plan. The updated standards provide guidance on Social Distancing, Hygiene Protocols, Staffing and Operations, and Cleaning and Disinfecting. Furthermore, as part of the Phase IV re-opening Massachusetts has also made changes to safety standards and recommended best practices for restaurants, indoor and outdoor events, retail, and more which also may apply to recreational boating businesses.

Some notable requirements include limiting the capacity of launch boats to 50% of their vessel capacity, the exemption of safety boats from social distancing requirements in the event of an emergency, and that paperwork should be handled electronically to the maximum extent possible.

As spring kicks into full gear and summer is right around the corner, we are hopeful to see updates and changes to workplace safety and reopening standards for recreational boating businesses. As vaccines ramp up and disease numbers go down, we hope that restrictions will continue to loosen to the benefit of our members and recreational boaters. In the meantime, please visit our COVID-19 Resources Page to get advice on various topic such as how to work from home, sell boats safely, and on the remote closing process.

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Chad Tokowicz at Chad@mraa.com.

Learn (and Eventually Earn) from Your Service Comebacks

By Valerie Ziebron, President, VRZ Consulting

“When you don’t get what you want, you get a lesson.” 

The silver lining of almost every dealership failure is the opportunity to learn from it and improve
your business practices. 

When a boat has to come back to the shop, chances are good the reason is not unique to that one customer visit. The quicker your
dealership can identify, share and fix the issues, the better it is for your customers, your team and your bottom line.

Identify Where the Problem Stemmed From 

Notice it said “where” the problem stemmed from, not “who.” When you identify the root causes for service failures, it can be tempting to point fingers
and assign blame. 

“Joe was the tech, and it’s back in for the same complaint. It must be his fault.” 

Not so fast! Maybe there wasn’t enough information
on the work order or maybe the customer withheld important information.

“Then it’s the service advisor’s or the customer’s fault!”

Maybe it is, and maybe it isn’t, but pinning blame rarely gets improved teamwork and results. It’s a lot more productive to start by looking at where it went
wrong and what needs to be adjusted in the process.

Is your shop experiencing issues with any of the common culprits that create comebacks, such as:

  • Not enough good communication at write-up?
  • Wrong information on the work order?
  • Dispatched to a non-qualified tech?
  • Part failure or correct parts not available?
  • Unable to properly duplicate or diagnose the issue?
  • No quality control of the boat or of the ticket?
  • Special tools or diagnostics not available or not working properly?
  • Or is it something else?

Comebacks can creep into unlikely places beyond those listed, so it’s important o look at each rework visit and identify what happened and why. Changes in
seasons, staffing and countless other things can make identifying the cause of the rework a moving target. 

This is why it’s so important to rely on facts, not
gut feelings.

You want to determine what team members were involved with the write-up, dispatch, diagnosis, parts procurement, repair and quality control, and where
it went wrong.

If your service team can put their heads together to agree on how it could have been prevented, it’s a lot less likely it will be an issue moving forward. For
this to happen, we have to bring it to their attention.

Share the Information with Your Team

They need to know what has been creating comebacks and why it’s hurting customer satisfaction and shop efficiency. If they don’t know about it, they
can’t fix it.

It starts with surveying your service customers. Then, most importantly, is that information being shared in a constructive way with the people who can use it
to improve the customers experience?

Often, in service, bad habits are formed and enforced over time because no attention is paid to how they are impacting our results. Why change if everything
seems okay? After a while, it becomes “how we’ve always done it.”

If your team currently acts defensive when negative feedback is being shared, you might need to change your tactic on how you share the info or who is doing
the sharing.

One dealership found that it was more effective to put their service advisors in charge of reviewing and sharing the service feedback with the team. The
dealer explained: 

“We used to have a manager share the survey results, but the advisors were the ones who knew the back stories on what happened. The
whole shop seemed to take more ownership of it when it came from one of their own. They didn’t want it to need management intervention.”

The more we share tangible results on shop numbers and customer feedback with the team in an empowering way (rather than an accusatory way), the
better that information will be received and acted upon.

Fix the Process

The big question is: “What can we do to prevent this in the future?” No one is better suited to answer that question and to make the needed adjustments
stick than the people who do the actual work, day in and out.

Service and parts workers can fix a lot more than boats. They can improve and fix processes, if they see the need to change and are given the opportunity to
make the adjustments.

The more the frontline service and parts workers are involved in creating the process adjustments needed to fix the issues, the more ownership of it they
will take and the easier it will be to make the changes.

Time for a reality check. Many dealerships avoid looking too closely at comebacks. Instead, they fix them one at a time. If this is your approach, it is
costing you in both customer loyalty and shop profitability.

When we lose a boat sale, most good dealerships and sales pros want to find out why. Did someone beat us on price? Did we not have what they were
looking for?

Finding out the “why” in sales is important; but unlike service, sales didn’t lose their inventory! Every time a boat has to come back for something the
customer perceived to not be fixed properly, we are losing shop hours and resources – our “inventory” – forever. Clearly, identifying, sharing and fixing
the issues at the root of these comebacks is critical to our dealerships’ success.

It has been said that every complaint is a gift that we should receive with gratitude. And truly, every comeback is an opportunity to not only make it right
for the customer who brought it to our attention, but also to strengthen our ability to make it right for many of our customers.

When the customer says: “Hey, you guys didn’t fix it right,” what we really could be hearing is:

“Hey, I know how you could make more money and raise your customer loyalty.” 



The more we value and use that feedback, the better it is for everyone.

———————————–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––—————————————-

About the Author
Valerie Ziebron, president of VRZ Consulting, has spent more than two decades helping businesses “fire on all 8” through education and motivation.
She makes it a point to uncover best practice “golden nuggets” that help people flip the switch from reactive to proactive for greater profitability and
customer loyalty.



Through studying and comparing hundreds of dealerships across North America, VRZ Consulting specializes in what stores can do to maximize their
resources, specifically their people, processes, space and location. Learn more at: www.vrzconsulting.com.

100 percent of MRAA Board contributes to BoatPAC

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today that 100 percent of the MRAA Board of Directors has contributed to BoatPAC, the federal political action committee representing the recreational boating industry.

The joint PAC fund of the MRAA, the National Marine Manufacturers Association, and the Association of Marina Industries, BoatPAC’s mission is to support members of Congress from both sides of the aisle, who demonstrate an understanding of the importance of the recreational boating community.

“BoatPAC is the most effective vehicle the boating industry uses to ensure that the MRAA and the boating industry at large remains at the table in all conversations that impact the well-being of our industry,” says Matt Gruhn, MRAA President. “The MRAA board wanted to demonstrate its leadership in contributing to this mission and hopes that all boat dealers and others throughout the marine industry will follow suit and keep our industry’s advocacy efforts strong.”

To learn more about BoatPAC and how you can get involved, please contact MRAA Government Relations Manager Chad Tokowicz at chad@mraa.com or 202-737-9779 or NMMA’s Senior Director of Political Advocacy and Engagement, Erica Crocker at ecrocker@nmma.org or 202-737-9776.

Members of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas Board
Rob Soucy, Port Harbor Marine (Chairman of MRAA Board)
Jeff Strong, Strong’s Marine (Vice Chairman of MRAA Board)
Joe Lewis, Mount Dora Boating Center (Secretary/Treasurer of MRAA Board)
Joe Hoffmaster Hoffmasters Marina
Craig LeBlanc, Allen Harbor Marine
Don MacKenzie, Boats Incorporated
Jason Murphy, Norfolk Marine
Stacy Greenwood, Cleveland Boat Center
Darren Plymale, Galati Yachts
Chad Taylor, Taylor’s South Shore Marina
Jason Shallcross, Reed’s Marine
Jeff Siems Blue Springs Marine
Martin Boyer, Austin Boats and Motors
Craig Brosenne, Hagadone Marine Group
Carly Poole, Buckeye Marine
Bob Bense, Superior Boat Repair & Sales
Dave Briggs, Wayzata Marine

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 contact us at 763-315-8043.