A Service Menu is a great tool to send out with annual maintenance or winter storage agreements in order to streamline the check-in process and increase winter work.

There is a template on the MRAA website that would be a great start to creating your own.  Customize it for your products, area of the country and current pricing. 

It is laid out in three columns on pages one and two. 

Side 1 Select what level of Annual Maintenance, Storage and Detail Packages they want, each with three or four upgrade selections.

Side 2 Offers upgrades with Other Maintenance, Special Projects and More.

Customize your own Menu by clicking on the “Master List” worksheet at the bottom of the Excel Workbook.  Start by changing the Hourly Labor Rate in the yellow box at the top.  All the pricing of the items throughout the Menu are automatically adjusted with this one change.  This Sample Menu was done in 2013 at $120/hour.  I hope your hourly rate is much higher than that now.  Going rates are $159 to $199/hour and some are up to $225.  Adjust the descriptions and hours for each service according to your own shop’s offerings.  The goal is to create packages of services to make it easier for the customer to decide.

Once the Master List is finished, create your own packages by pulling in the line number from Column “B” in the Master List into one of the three columns on the left side of page one or two of the Menu.  That will create a template from which to do a .pdf print out that can be emailed with annual maintenance or winter storage contracts.

Clients who utilize a Service Menu, experience significantly increased labor and parts income over the winter season.  If you are not using one now, I hope this one will help you get started.

About the Author: David Parker’s marine career began at 15 when he gained employment with his family’s Parker Boat Company business, a Sea Ray dealership based in Orlando. Over a 17-year span, he rotated through the ranks from lot boy to rigger, mechanic, parts/service manager, posts in sales and sales management, F&I and eventually accounting. This hands-on experience in virtually all aspects of retail operations provided unique insight that has served him well throughout his stellar 50-year career. Visit: www.parkerbusinessplanning.com/