Ideas for Boat Dealers

[Erie Skipper]

After many years in the business, I never tire of hearing constructive criticism. What can boat dealers do better to make the buying experience easier for you? Not looking for bashing or dealer names; just general input from the buying public as to how we as dealers can do our jobs a little better. Are websites adequate, facilities complete, deliveries done well, etc?

[wiley]

Thanks for your question Skipper. Hope the replies are thoughful and beneficial.

I am actually going to begin targeting marine industry representatives this week and invite them to become a part of ReelBoating.

What happened at THT near the end there was a shame. Where most new industry faces to the site were unwelcomed and anything they posted was taken as being self-serving, spammy.

I mean, to a point aren't ALL forum posts self serving?

After meeting these same people in person I have realized they really do have a lot of good information to offer yet frustrate at the thought they can't publicially post on certain forums. The members scared away good industry people who could have benefitted them greatly. I welcome them to ReelBoating!

I've been at this forum moderating, social media game for nearly 15 years and know the spammers when I see them - even the clever ones.

I welcome threads like yours and will have some of my own comments to share here as well.

Thanks

[welder]

The best thing for a dealer/Salesman to do is to put themselves in the place of the buyer or the guy needing work done .

Your Customer is the life of your business and it is really sad to hear from some of these poor bastards that there boat/motor has been in the shop MOST of the season if not the whole season.

It seams like some dealers carry what ever they can get there hands on [ Boats or Motors ] to try and make as many sales as they can then don't have the right people to service what they sell.

We read or talk to people that want to buy a Boat , they go to a lot , then get treated like crap by some salesman that thinks he has 4 tons of GOLD setting on a trailer. The salesmen need to loose the attitude .

I had a awesome experience buying my Pacific 23 from my dealer in SoCal. Kenny wasn't pushy , demanding, he told it like it is, and we put together the boat I wanted , now it's in my back yard . I just can't believe the stories I hear and read about one trying to buy from dealer XYZ.

My next gripe is , SERVICE, either do it or don't BUT if your going to do it and charge me $120.00 @ HR + parts , well, Son, GET IT DONE AND DO IT RIGHT............I don't mind paying but daaaaamn 3 or 4 weeks for a water pump and tune up , NOT .

Get it done and get it done quick . Heck charge what ya want but GET IT DONE and hey ....Maybe throw in a Key fob, a Qt. of oil, 10% of the next service, something . Make the CUSTOMER feel like he means something to you . Don't make a big deal out of a small gift for coming in, just do it .

OK , I'll get off my soap box now, but you asked.

Peace out ,

Lester

[wiley]

I can only comment on the websites at this point. Every dealer wants them so flashy. The boat video where it jumps the wake and everyone still has a big grin on their faces. Or the websites that use so much flash programming you dont actually feel you have control of what you want to see.

I say keep em simple. Design them up, but keep them simple. Getting the specific info to the viewer is the key!

Take some free advice. Build your websites with the information from your product line easy to find. Make sure pictures are DOWNLOADABLE. Most flash websites you can't download the pix. Have a Dealer Locator. Show some behind the scene pictures, give independant performance numbers - the same ol stuff.... but in a format where it is easy to grab.

I remember when the Scout Boat flash site came out. They asked our opinion and I gave it. Basically ripped them apart. They were probably expecting "wow, it's cool" etc. but to me it lacked what I was looking for - Easily downloadable info and pix.

I'd like to do some factory tours and get the shots I feel people want to see. Maybe we can arrange these RB factory tours in different cities with RB members from those areas involved. Long as they have a camera.

[DJWILLIAMS]

I'd like to do some factory tours and get the shots I feel people want to see. Maybe we can arrange these RB factory tours in different cities with RB members from those areas involved. Long as they have a camera.

I just a few weeks ago receive authorization to sell Nikon products (wholesale) and will be purchasing a very nice camera in the near future ( still picking it out ). I live in NC and would be more than happy to take pictures for RB, and post them here! Let me know when you need this!

David

[Erie Skipper]

The best thing for a dealer/Salesman to do is to put themselves in the place of the buyer or the guy needing work done .

Your Customer is the life of your business and it is really sad to hear from some of these poor bastards that there boat/motor has been in the shop MOST of the season if not the whole season.

It seams like some dealers carry what ever they can get there hands on [ Boats or Motors ] to try and make as many sales as they can then don't have the right people to service what they sell.

We read or talk to people that want to buy a Boat , they go to a lot , then get treated like crap by some salesman that thinks he has 4 tons of GOLD setting on a trailer. The salesmen need to loose the attitude .

I had a awesome experience buying my Pacific 23 from my dealer in SoCal. Kenny wasn't pushy , demanding, he told it like it is, and we put together the boat I wanted , now it's in my back yard . I just can't believe the stories I hear and read about one trying to buy from dealer XYZ.

My next gripe is , SERVICE, either do it or don't BUT if your going to do it and charge me $120.00 @ HR + parts , well, Son, GET IT DONE AND DO IT RIGHT............I don't mind paying but daaaaamn 3 or 4 weeks for a water pump and tune up , NOT .

Get it done and get it done quick . Heck charge what ya want but GET IT DONE and hey ....Maybe throw in a Key fob, a Qt. of oil, 10% of the next service, something . Make the CUSTOMER feel like he means something to you . Don't make a big deal out of a small gift for coming in, just do it .

OK , I'll get off my soap box now, but you asked.

Peace out ,

Lester

Thanks Lester, good stuff. My hope is that dealers and salespeople who monitor this sight might benefit from the type of input that you and Wiley have started with herein. Thanks for the responses and hopefully they'll keep coming.

[TooReel]

My biggest pet peeve: Dealers using stock photos and descriptions. If your selling a boat then take pictures of the actual boat and write a accurate description for THAT boat.

[TooReel]

I'll add one more thing. After your done working on the boat take a few minutes to rinse it off or wipe it down. Last time I got my boat serviced it had black foot prints all over the deck and greasy hand prints on the transom. I take pride in keeping my boat clean and neat and to have it come back looking like that made me want to punch someone in the nose.

My next gripe is , SERVICE, either do it or don't BUT if your going to do it and charge me $120.00 @ HR + parts , well, Son, GET IT DONE AND DO IT RIGHT............I don't mind paying but daaaaamn 3 or 4 weeks for a water pump and tune up , NOT .

Get it done and get it done quick . Heck charge what ya want but GET IT DONE and hey ....Maybe throw in a Key fob, a Qt. of oil, 10% of the next service, something . Make the CUSTOMER feel like he means something to you . Don't make a big deal out of a small gift for coming in, just do it .

OK , I'll get off my soap box now, but you asked.

Peace out ,

Lester

[TooReel]

I've always thought that was funny over there. People pile on Mike for answering Pro Line questions but no one says boo to the 10 other manufacturers there answering questions and posting pictures of boat builds.

I am actually going to begin targeting marine industry representatives this week and invite them to become a part of ReelBoating.

What happened at THT near the end there was a shame. Where most new industry faces to the site were unwelcomed and anything they posted was taken as being self-serving, spammy.

[wiley]

My biggest pet peeve: Dealers using stock photos and descriptions. If your selling a boat then take pictures of the actual boat and write a accurate description for THAT boat.

Very true. Even when buying something on Craigslist I hate going to look at the merchandise listing only to see a photo of the item from the manufacturers webpage.