Dear MRAA Member,

I know you have at least considered the idea of becoming a Marine Industry Certified Dealer in the past. Well, things have changed, and I would like to give you an update. Please take a look at the information listed below. As you read, I would ask you to consider the first step by participating in a new webinar workshop only. It is just $500 - with no travel required, and with no continuing commitment beyond it. Today thousands of customers are visiting the Discover Boating website and are seeing who is a Certified dealer and who is not. As you know, given the option almost 80% of consumers would be more likely to do business with a Certified dealer.

In response to the times, there is a new focus for Marine Industry Dealership Certification. Obviously during this economic downturn dealers are looking for innovative ways to lower their costs, become more efficient, and try to find new revenue opportunities in service and sales. In response we have slashed the costs of overall certification and also have developed a new direction and content for Certification for dealers that is working well. Today, a number of dealers are taking advantage of these changes as a very inexpensive but powerful way to help insure that they will survive in rough times.

This new focus of the Certification is on accessing and pursuing internet sales leads, reducing overhead costs, reducing operating costs, and driving efficiency. We have seen some very effective results recently, as shown in the examples below. Dealers joining Certification are finding and eliminating costs, reducing waste, and are becoming more efficient on a continuing basis. They are also becoming better prepared to compete in these difficult times.

Here are some recent Dealer examples:

Most Dealers – We have found that most dealers have hundreds, (some have thousands) of un-accessed internet sales leads. The Certification process assures that all dealers know how to access these leads, and we help install a permanent process to constantly pursue these potential new customers.

Florida Dealer – Dealer put heavy focus on service and cost controls with his new certification processes. The result was the creation of a higher billable efficiency from the 60% range to now in the 80% range. He reduced the time it took to complete a job, changed his pay plans, and drove out unnecessary costs.

Connecticut Dealer – This dealer found numerous ways to reduce costs as a result of his Certification. He and his team redesigned many additional dealership processes. As examples, he saved $1800 on uniforms!, and another $700 on anti freeze! usage. Many other improvements and cost reductions were also made.

South Florida Dealer – This dealership has two stores in Florida and they have been able to create the same Dealership Certification processes for both stores and thus enabling them to swap sales people, parts people or technicians between the two stores and it has reduced costs and made them more efficient. Certification allowed them to get everyone on the same page, thereby reducing or eliminating numerous costs.

Indiana Dealer – As part of Certification this dealer began documenting their floor control system, and have now identified what days and what times are their busiest so they can staff up for them, thereby reducing costs. Also this dealer has documented 3 new sales as a result of their new Certification processes.

New Hampshire Dealer – Like many other Certified dealers, this dealer strongly supports their Certification status on their website, as well as in their showroom and service department. Every customer or prospect is explained the consumer benefits of dealing with a Certified Dealership. As a result, this dealer has a much higher percentage of new boaters as customers. Research shows that 79% of consumers would be more likely to do business with a Certified Dealership. It's a competitive advantage!

Regarding the Benefits of Certification, here are just a few:

Discover Boating Sales Leads – Certified Dealers are rewarded with direct access to the leads generated by the Discover Boating website consumer campaign. Your direct access to leads is unfiltered and immediate. Of these leads, we have found that 1 in 6 hot prospects purchased a boat since entering the system, 50% of hot prospects were new to the industry, and that 1 in 10 of all registered prospects purchased a boat since entering the system. Also, an amazing 56% of all boats purchased by registered prospects were new boats (industry norm is 28%)

Creates a Culture of Excellence – Finds redundancies, unclear handoffs, unnecessary decision points, delays, waste, bottlenecks, defects, and rework. Builds a new culture internally owned by your employees via self discovery. Even improved traffic flow through the showrooms to parts and service have resulted from designs as a result of Certification meetings

Higher Efficiency Means Better Use of Fewer Employees – Certification results in better operational efficiency which make everyone more productive, and the new employee communication links with Certification bring better cost saving ideas to the surface. All these benefits can help better fine tune the correct number of employees needed, and those you can do without in a more efficient operation. Dealers often end up with less people getting more work done.

Best Practices Creation – As a result of hundreds of in-dealership visits, we have seen hundreds of best practices and new better ideas on how to manage in tough times. As part of the Certification visit and the webinar workshop, we share these with dealers as appropriate. Also, as we have seen, being Certified actually creates new best practices for your own store. It's a double benefit. All this potential is available as a reward to Certified dealers.

Again, I would ask you to just consider joining a webinar workshop as a real lifeline to your business situation today. I would encourage you to take advantage of the program and the numerous best practices today to improve your business. Also, please remember that new customers prefer to deal with Certified dealers, and you will certainly benefit by having that designation.

If you have not signed up for Certification, I would encourage you to do so. It's a competitive advantage for you. To help you in this process MRAA has put the application form on its website:

Download the application in Word.doc format here.
Or as a PDF here.

Yours truly,

Phil Keeter
President
MRAA