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MMTA ENews Brief: December 2, 2005
- ATTENTION ALL MMTA MEMBERS - JANUARY 2006 CONFERENCE AND & WORKSHOP UPDATE
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Return to Archived NewsBriefs - Newsletters
THE BUSINESS OF BOATING IN MASSACHUSETTS
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE
&
MARINE DEALER CERTIFICATION LAUNCH WORKSHOP
JANUARY 17 - 18, 2006 MARRIOTT HOTEL QUINCY, MA
JANUARY 2006 CONFERENCE AND & WORKSHOP UPDATE
By now all members should have received their personal invitations in the mail to the January 17 Business of Boating in Massachusetts and the Marine Dealer Certification Workshop on January 18. Please take a moment TODAY to complete and return your registration forms.
Note that the Jan 17 and Jan 18 events are independent of each other and you must register for each event separately. You may enroll in either or both. Note that the target audience for Certification is more limited.
MMTA is handling the registration for Tuesday's Business of Boating Event. MRAA is handling registration for the Certification Workshop. Registration forms for either event may be downloaded at the Members Only Section of BoatMA.com.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2006: THE BUSINESS OF BOATING IN MASSACHUSETTS
This all day event to be held Tuesday, January 17th is open to all MMTA member firms and their representatives and is hosted by the MA Marine Trades Association and supported with funding from our generous sponsors. Registration is available on a first come, first served basis. If space is available after December 10, the invitation will be extended to the statewide recreational marine industry (non MMTA member firms). MMTA member firms have been given the first opportunity to register for this event-please do not miss out-send in your registration today.
Tuesday will be organized around three conference rooms in which presentations and discussions will be held of interest to Marinas/Boatyards, Dealer/Retailers and Service/Repairers. Any registrant may attend any of the sessions of his/her choosing.
All registrants will come together for breaks, luncheon speakers, the industry leaders' panel, the closing reception and awards ceremony. Costs for registration are per person and vary depending upon MMTA membership status and the date on which you register (a discount is available to those who register before December 15th).
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18: DEALER CERTIFICATION LAUNCH WORKSHOP
This all day workshop is designed for Marine Dealer Principals and Senior Departmental Managers. Registration fees include Workshop participation by two representatives from each Dealership. Additional dealership representatives will be accommodated on a space available basis. Registration Deadline is December 16th. This lead time is necessary for Five Star Solutions to conduct preliminary surveys of your facility prior to the Launch Workshop.
The Certification Launch Workshop is the first stage of becoming a Certified Marine Dealer. In addition to a pre workshop employee survey of your specific business, receive information on Marine Dealership Best Practices. Topics are organized around the five core principles of Certification:
Facility - Introduction to Facility Checklist that is used to assess your place of business. Learn how to see your business through the eyes of your customer and understand the impact that facility physical condition, layout and appearance have on your bottom line.
Training - Examine, track and Map the how training is distributed within your organization. Avoid the pitfalls of concentrating too much knowledge in a small number of key employees. Learn how to focus on employee training and get the most out of your investment in employee training.
Process Mapping - Be introduced to Process Mapping for your Services, Sales and Parts departments. Understand the power of customized process mapping for managing your business on the road to success. Develop your own process maps that will provide the road map for future business decisions.
Customer Follow-up - Appreciate the essence of customer follow up and how it can lead to a process of continuous improvement at your dealership. Develop your own procedure to follow up with each and every one of your customers -create a follow up map to solicit feedback to improve future results.
Employee - Receive and review the results of a confidential employee survey by your employees. Design a plan for your location to develop cross functional teams that seamlessly pull in the same direction. Learn how to turn your front line and back office staff into the champions of customer service and your bottom line.
The Marine Retailers Association of America is handling registration for the Certification Launch Workshop on January 18th. For MMTA member convenience the fax registration forms are available for download and printing at the Members Only section of BoatMa.com. ALL Certification Launch Workshop Registrations are to be sent directly to MRAA.
For more specific information about Registration and payment, please contact:
Marine Industry Dealer Certification
P.O. Box 1127
Oak Park, IL 60304-1127
Phone: (312) 946-6292
Fax: (708) 763-9236
For Specific Information about the Workshop, contact Jim Edwards, Training & Certification Consultant of Five Star Solutions. Jim Edwards may be reached at 412.999.6562 or via e-mail at jked3247@aol.com
Summary - What is Marine Dealer Certification?
Why Certification?
Certification is a competitive advantage that helps dealerships provide a consistent, positive retail experience to every customer every time.
Certification guidelines are tools for continuous improvement and a process for meeting and exceeding customer needs.
Certification Program Goals
Provide a consistent process for conducting business that leads to:
- More efficient and effective Dealerships
- Increased customer and employee satisfaction
- Increased profits for Manufacturers and Dealerships
- Drive consumers to buy boats and accessories from certified dealers resulting in increased:
- Boat and accessory sales
- Sales and service profitability
- Customer retention
- Consistent, quality retail experience
- New boating participation
Considering Signing Up for Marine Dealer Certification Workshop? Please read on:
The article below first appeared in the September 2005 issue of Boating Industry.
DEALER CERTIFCATION DRIVES PROFITABIILTY
In Their Own Words by Five Star Solutions, Bob Williams
The Marine Industry Dealer Certification Program consists of business practices the best dealers use to grow their business.
The retail world is undergoing a major transformation.
How and where people shop and what they expect are changing. The consumers driving these changes are shopping for marine products, and they bring with them their other shopping experiences and expectations.
For a marine retailer, this means get smarter, get better, or get beaten. The competition for leisure dollars is intensifying across all industries, and the days of relying on past successes to guarantee the future are gone.
It's clear that retailers who strive to learn about themselves and to continuously improve are prospering and growing. The best way for a marine retailer to get started down this path is to get certified. Certification is for dealers of all sizes. It consists of good business practices and will help make any size dealership better.
The great news is ... it works. Certification is nothing more than a fundamental businessperson's organizer and measurement tool that insures a dealership's staff is improving. It is a means of building a culture of continuous improvement by actively finding one's shortcomings and fixing them. It's not about being perfect, but about getting better, finding your flaws.
The program has been distilled down to the most crucial core requirements by the "Grow Boating" Task Force. The Marine Industry Dealer Certification Program is designed by dealers for dealers. The marine dealers on the Task Force are people who know the business and care passionately for the future welfare of each dealer.
And it's optional - it has to be. The top guy or gal has to want to do it and must maintain an unshakable commitment to stand behind it, or it won't work. It's not for everyone. It is for those who want to guarantee their future, make more money, reduce employee turnover, have happier customers who refer others for free, and have a business they are proud of. While it is still work in progress, here are the main target areas being considered, and why they impact dealer profitability:
Facility - Just like all other retail environments, a marine facility should have an attractive and inviting presence. Today's customers expect a spotless and well-maintained facility. Dealerships should strive to mirror the other retail environments their customers are frequenting. This requires a process in place to ensure consistency and frequent inspections. In addition, dealership employees are much happier working in a clean, well-maintained dealership. If the boss is seen picking things up, it sets the tone for everyone else, along with a level of respect. It also keeps employees satisfied and proud to be working in such an environment, which reduces the costs of turnover. Plus, it's proven that sales and service grosses are higher at attractive, inviting facilities.
Training - Research shows that working with knowledgeable people is vital if a consumer is going to frequent a retail operation. Consumers expect dealership staff to be well versed in their areas of expertise. That means training for everyone, including dealership management, who need to have the skills to lead others. Any dealership intent upon growing its business should have an annual training plan in place for each employee and require adherence by its employees. Customer satisfaction is higher and employee turnover is lower in stores that focus upon training. The former results in higher per unit grosses and the latter reduce overhead costs.
Process Mapping - Permanent fixes of internal operational failures can't happen after the fact. The only way to prevent them is to consistently do things the right way, which involves a written process for sales and service created by dealership staff. Process mapping eliminates waste, needless staff, expensive re-repairs, and unhappy customers - all with a direct impact to the bottom line.
Customer Follow-up - Following up with customers after sales or service is the best way to learn about yourself and to improve your operation. A complaint is a gift. You get to learn what to fix. You're only as good as your customers' experiences if you want to grow your business and assure long-term survival. Also, dealerships that are following up with customers have employees that know the boss is listening and watching how they perform. This simple knowledge drives accountability and responsibility. Dealerships that listen to their customers are consistently improving their operations across the board.
Employee - This is pretty basic, but very important. Job descriptions, annual performance evaluations and a professional appearance are basic good business practices, and add to the overall character of your business. Also, offering an annual employee survey puts you in touch with how your employees feel about their jobs. Research has proven that only satisfied employees can satisfy customers. Unhappy employees don't last long, and are not able to provide the service dealers need and expect. Satisfied customers pay more, and help build your revenue streams.
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