Take Down the Great Wall Between Departments
Ideally each department would work together for common goals, but all-too-often conflict arises when we are trying to do our different jobs in sales, service, parts and accessories. It's up to management to use each squabble as an opportunity to strengthen our internal processes, clarify our communications and remind everyone that the customer-in-the-middle is important to all. read more
10 Things That Should Be on Every Work Order
The work order is a legal document and should be treated as such. Here are 10 things that will help ensure that the customer and the technician are literally on the same page read more
The Shifting Rules of Selling Service
Here are five tips to help make the most of this important profit center while the sun is shining this boating season. read more
Stay Positive: Management Sets the Tone Through Tumultuous Times
During these challenging times, most people in the marine industry have seen their professional roles and job descriptions change, sometimes significantly. Here's a quick look at a few of common behaviors that can have an amplified effect on employees. read more
Open Up to the Benefits of an Open House
Hosting an open house can provide tremendous value to the dealership through increased traffic flow and the generation of potential leads and sales. Yet planning and carrying out a successful event while maintaining daily business operations can be daunting. Here are some tips to help you plan and hold a successful event. read more
Managers: Are You Helping or Hurting When it Comes to Building Your Dealership's Dream Team?
As a manager, you hold the keys to creating your dream team. Weather you realize it or not, actively and passively you are constantly building up or tearing down your team. Here are some examples where your behavior dictates your dream team's success, and also tips on how to positively progress in building it. read more
Here are some tips and guidelines to help everyone at your dealership leverage the benefits of handheld technology without interrupting in-person communication. read more
No More Excuses: Track Efficiency
There are two things all managers must do in order to run a successful business: clearly convey goals and track the progress of those goals. For marine dealerships, tracking efficiency is probably most important in the service department. read more
Developing a Sensational Seasonal Support Staff
Here are three things that can help you leverage your seasonal positions to give your dealership a big boost during the high season. read more
Spring Cleaning at the Dealership
It's not too late for a little spring cleaning. Here are some ideas that don't cost much money and can give your dealership a much needed makeover. read more
Ten Proven Ways to Boost Your Service Bottom Line
Want to improve service department profitability? Here's some advice from a consultant who has seen the good, the bad, and the profitable. read more
Establishing a healthy attitude has become quite difficult for many these days due to the magnitude of negative news coming our way...So the question becomes, "How can I maintain a positive attitude with all of the bad news and negativity surrounding me?" Here are a few thoughts that may help. read more
The Customer is Always Right: Especially During the Holidays
The truth is, the customer is not always right, but it is absolutely our job to make him or her feel like they are. Failure to do so almost always results in the loss of a customer, sale and income. So how do you deal with difficult customers, earn their trust and turn them into loyal patrons of your dealership? read more
Are you Confident with Your Service Department's Ability to Properly Diagnose Problems?
The ability to properly diagnose a problem is vital for both customer satisfaction and profitability. Here is a list of a few areas you may want to check within your service department as well as some big tips that can help your service team properly diagnose the problem during the customer's first visit. read more
Remember to Remind Your Service Customers They are Important
Here are some actions your whole team can incorporate into their daily routine that create a positive customer experience and have a direct impact on improving overall customer satisfaction. read more
Ten Ways to Tell Customers 'Thank You'
There are many ways to say 'thank you' to your customer, but nothing makes a stronger statement than a written note. Below are ten examples of short thank you notes for various situations that could occur in your dealership. read more
You Are Backed Up in Service - Now What?
The cyclical nature of the marine service department can often bring feast or famine.. Here are ten things to consider if you find yourself in a situation where your shop is booked days (or weeks) out, at any given time. read more
Are Your Customers Satisfied with Your Availability?
When Spring arrives, and the sun starts to stay with us a little longer each day, customers are also staying out. Are your dealership's hours accomodating to the season? read more
Customer Service in Service and Parts
What can a front line service or parts worker do to get their customers to know them better, like them and ultimately trust them? read more
Are You Enthusiastic About the New Year?
One of the greatest attributes anyone in sales can have is enthusiasm.. So what is your team doing to build enthusiasm as we gear up for the upcoming boating season? Here are some practical ideas to consider. read more
The Customer is Reaching Out, How are You Responding?
Are you making the most of every opportunity when customers reach out to your dealership? Here are a few customer complaints that remind us to take a fresh look at the processes and the people responsible for front-line response. read more
Ten tools that have helped the best service advisors break shop records for profitability, while keeping techs and customers pleased. read more
Web Sites Making a Big Difference in Dealership Sales
There are many reasons why all dealerships should have a website; here are a few read more
Establish Sales and Service Department Procedures: Treat all pre-owned trade-ins as an investment.
Making money on pre-owned boats is a test of the relationship between your sales and service department. And to keep the peace in that relationship, you need to ensure a few things. read more
Make The Most of Your Slow Season
As dealers are pushing through slower times, business as usual is being replaced by some crafty innovation and reallocation of marketing resources. read more
10 Tips for a Stronger Service Department
As consumers are putting money into what they've got, rather than buying new, there are many dealers marketing their service departments to take advantage of every available boating dollar. As you consider leaning on your service department for survivial, there are 10 things to consider: read more
10 Tips for Holding Successful Meetings
Here are ten guidelines to help make your in-dealership meeting and training efforts more productive. read more
10 HR Tips for the Marine Industry
How great is it to go into a business and see a familiar, friendly face? Happy, loyal employees create happy, loyal customers. It has been proven time and again that CSI is created by ESI (employee satisfaction index). This generates more profits and fewer problems. So what are some of the best practices used in the marine industry to find, hire, and retain quality people? read more
Here are ten reasons why energetic, self-motivated young people should consider a career as a technician in the marine industry. read more
Articles
Family Run Business Success
Owning a family-run business has always been a part of the American dream and many dealerships have been successful at this for many generations. While many marine dealerships are family run in some capacity, some are more profitable and more peaceful than others. Here are five keys that separate the American dreams from the family feuds. read more
Make Peace with Your Money Relationship
Money is supposedly the No.1 issue that couples fight about. Talk with some dealers and you may conclude that this issue expands beyond personal relationships. One of the biggest reasons for this stems from an individual's relationship with money. read more