The Service-First Month: Protect Q4 Cash and Plan 2027 Now

The off-season begins. In the North, sales cash flow drops sharply while the service department runs at full capacity, making fixed operations the department that carries the P&L through Q4. Curtailments come due on boats that have been sitting since spring, year-end lender and accountant conversations intensify, and warm markets keep selling into a serious late-October window. And with Dealer Week arriving December 6–9 in Tampa, now is the time to put your 2027 plan in writing.

This month is about three things:

  • Knowing which future week is your tight one, and acting before curtailments come due
  • Marketing your service, parts and accessories to unlock revenue, even when capacity is strained
  • Drafting your 2027 plan before Dealer Week, while this year's numbers are fresh

Dealer Tools to Use Now

Ready-to-use tools, guides, and materials you can put to work at your dealership today.

Cover of a Q4 cash flow and floorplan management playbook for marine dealers managing curtailments and year-end cash

Q4 Cash Flow & Floorplan Management Playbook

Know which future week is your tight one while you still have choices. This Playbook gives you five steps to run in four weeks: a cash floor set in advance, a rolling 13-week cash forecast, a curtailment calendar across every lender, five cash levers worked in order of cost, and the lender and accountant conversations that need October lead time. Plus, a first-30-days checklist that carries your assumptions into your 2027 plan.
30-Minute Online Course | with Max Materne

Stop Missing So Many Opportunities: Start Marketing Your Service, Parts & Accessories

Workforce shortages, backlogs and competing priorities make service, parts and accessories marketing easy to overlook. In this 30-minute course, former dealership owner and highly rated trainer Max Materne shows how to develop targeted campaigns, leverage digital and email marketing, communicate value more effectively, align marketing with sales and customer service, and measure results, so you can unlock revenue growth even when capacity is strained.

Dealer Planning Tools to Assure You’re Prepared

Resources that help your team plan ahead and prepare for upcoming trends.

Cover of a 2027 business planning workbook for marine dealers building next year's dealership plan

2027 Business Planning Workbook

Draft next year's plan in October or early November, while this year's results are still fresh. Eight steps take you from an honest 2026 close-out and a market assumption register through department revenue and gross targets, the expense, headcount, inventory, floorplan and marketing plans, and a pay plan check, to a one-page plan and monthly scorecard. Plus, a Dealer Week prep sheet so you can test your weakest assumptions in Tampa.

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