Tag Archives: December 2015

2015 Best in Class: Best Service Department

Seattle Boat Company Seattle When it comes to getting the job done, there’s no doubt that Seattle Boat Company’s service department excels. It’s hard to argue with a technician efficiency rate of 111 percent. At Seattle Boat Company, a good service department is more than efficient: It is equally important, or even more so, to be productive. The combination of ...

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2015 Best in Class: Best Marketing

Action Water Sports Hudsonville, Mich. It’s like they always say: If you want something done right, you’ve got to do it yourself. This is the approach Action Water Sports takes with its marketing. All marketing for the dealership is done in-house, which allows the marketing team to make adjustments quickly and adopt new technology while maintaining steady traditional media production. ...

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2015 Best in Class: Best Industry Advocate

The Sail & Ski Center Austin, Texas The Sail & Ski Center has been a leader in the marine industry for years, and nowhere is that more self-evident than in its efforts to improve boating across the country and at home. The Sail & Ski Center is a member of several local boating trades associations, and the Sail & Ski ...

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2015 Best in Class: Most Innovative Dealer

Singleton Marine Buford, Ga. There may not be a dealer doing more to shake up the marine industry than Singleton Marine and its parent company, OneWater Marine Holdings. Since the beginning of 2014, the company has made big changes that will affect the company – and the industry – for years to come. First, in the fall of 2014, it ...

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2015 Best in Class: Best Boat Show Strategy

Pride Marine Group Bracebridge, Ontario Boat shows have played a major role in the success of Pride Marine Group as the company has grown to 11 locations. The Canadian dealer generates 45 percent of its leads through shows and events, and the Toronto International Boat Show alone is responsible for almost 30 percent of the company’s sales. With more than 38,000 ...

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2015 Best in Class: Best Training & Benefits

Strong’s Marine Mattituck, N.Y. At Strong’s Marine, training is not an annual occurrence – it is an ongoing necessity for the operation of the business. Strong’s invests heavily in its employees with a hugely competitive training budget for its relatively large full-time staff. “The cost associated with all training is 100 percent paid for by Strong’s Marine, including all travel ...

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2015 Best in Class: Best Digital Strategy

Parks Marina Okoboji, Iowa Much of Parks Marina’s success can be attributed to the boating lifestyle brand it has created for the dealership. This brand plays a heavy role in Parks’s marketing strategy and, as such, its digital presence. “It’s about creating a marketing plan that people buy into. … It is so fun to see our social media followers grow ...

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2015 Best in Class: Best Customer Service

Austin Boats & Motors Lakeway, Texas The best sales tactics and marketing promotions don’t mean anything without great customer service to back it up. A dealer can come up with plenty of creative ways to draw buyers into the showroom, but those raving fans only come from taking great care of the buyer before, during and after the sale. That’s ...

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Editor’s Choice: Candlewood East Marina

Candlewood East Marina Brookfield, Conn. Promoting the boating lifestyle is an important part of the success of Candlewood East Marina with its marina club and scenic waterfront location. Situated just an hour north of New York City on Candlewood Lake, Candlewood East Marina “enjoys one of the most ideal locations in New England,” says vice president Mitch O’ Hara Jr. ...

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Editor’s Choice: Marine Sales

Marine Sales Counce, Tenn. Being a Top 100 dealer means a lot of things. It means constantly improving your business, making tough decisions and planning for the future of your brand. What impressed me so much about Marine Sales was they were able to do all of these things and more in the span of one fiscal year, to the ...

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