Boating Industry Intelligence You Can Profit From
LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Brunswick Corp.’s Dealer Advantage program, which was unveiled in February during the Miami International Boat Show, features three levels of participation – silver, gold and platinum – each based on the amount of the dealership’s retail business dedicated to Brunswick boats and/or Mercury Marine engines, the company reported in a recent statement.
The stronger the partnership with Brunswick, the higher the dealership’s level and the more benefits they can access through Dealer Advantage.
“Brunswick’s Dealer Advantage is a completely new way of doing business with our dealers,” said Brunswick Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dustin E. McCoy. “It is a suite of products and services available to each dealer that stands to reduce their operational expenses, improve their employee retention and enhance the retail customer experience.”
The silver level
Currently, only dealers in the United States are eligible to participate, according to the company. All U.S.-based marine dealerships that are in good standing and carry a Brunswick-owned boat line or Mercury Marine engines qualify at the baseline silver level. There is no cost to participate, and dealers may opt to participate in all or some of the benefits depending on their unique business needs.
Benefits include real estate advisory services, discounted rates on office supplies, credit card processing, wireless phone service, small package freight and more. To improve the retail customer experience, the dealership can utilize competitive retail financing, extended warranties and insurance offerings in-house, Brunswick stated.
The gold level
To reach the gold level, a dealership can qualify one of two ways. A dealership that carries one or more Brunswick boat brands must be able to demonstrate that at least 50 percent of its boat sales are Brunswick boats to achieve gold status. Dealerships that sell Mercury Marine engines can achieve gold status if a minimum of 50 percent of its outboard engine sales are Mercury Marine power, and if a minimum of 75 percent of its sterndrive or inboard engine sales are MerCruiser power.
At the gold level, benefits expand to include access to workers’ compensation insurance programs, payroll processing, property insurance, retirement plans and even college scholarships for dealership employees’ children who qualify.
Going platinum
To achieve platinum status, boat dealership sales must reflect a minimum of 75 percent of its retail business dedicated to Brunswick boats. To achieve the platinum level in engine sales, dealerships must show that a minimum of 75 percent of its outboard engines sales are Mercury Marine engines and at least 90 percent of its sterndrive/inboard business is MerCruiser product.
Additionally, effective in the 2008 model year, participating boat and engine dealerships must show proof of certification in a Brunswick marine certification program.
Beginning with model year 2008, dealers achieving the platinum level will have the opportunity to explore multiple-year agreements with their Brunswick brand partners. Brunswick’s Dealer Advisory Council identified multiple-year agreements as an essential tool for strategic planning and dealer success, according to the company.
“Dealer Advantage is designed to reward all Brunswick dealers and to give them, their employees and their retail customers more benefits as our partnership grows,” said McCoy. “Our goal is to create deep and long lasting business relationships with our dealers because their success directly influences Brunswick’s success.”
Dealer Advantage breakfasts
Dealers can learn more about Brunswick Dealer Advantage by visiting its dedicated Web site at www.brunswickdealeradvantage.com. Current Brunswick dealers are invited to learn more about Dealer Advantage by attending one of 18 breakfast meeting presentations scheduled across the country throughout the upcoming weeks.
Meeting sites include the following: St. Louis, Mo., March 27; Dallas Texas, March 29; Houston, Texas, March 30; Pleasant Prairie, Wis., April 3; Detroit, Mich., April 4; Minneapolis, Minn., April 5; Taunton, Mass., April 10; Baltimore, Md., April 11; Philadelphia, Pa., April 12; Long Island, N.Y., April 13; Pleasanton, Calif., April 20; Costa Mesa, Calif., April 24; Seattle, Wash., April 27; Biloxi, Miss., May 1; Tampa, Fla., May 2; Ft. Myers, Fla., May 3; Ft. Lauderdale/Miami, Fla., May 4; Atlanta, Ga., May 11.
To register, call 1-877-GO-ADVTG (1-877-462-3884), or visit www.brunswickadvantage.com.
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