Set the schedule

Your service department is slammed in the summer and slow in the winter. While there’s nothing you can do to change the seasons, you can try to change when your customer’s schedule service. Sail and Ski Center (Ranked 12 in 2006) has used a marketing campaign designed to change the customer’s boat-servicing habits to move what it calls “low-hanging-fruit work,” like oil changes and other routine maintenance, from the summertime to the off-season.

The dealership gives every customer that buys a boat a brochure detailing when they should have their vessel serviced, including an annual fall service visit. Infograms and other mailings are also sent out periodically. These efforts have not only drummed up business for Sail & Ski through the winter, they’ve also freed up service capacity during the summer.

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