M&P Mercury Sales Ltd.: Continued growth, community involvement leads to success

With four locations around the Vancouver area, M&P Mercury Sales, Ltd. doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. 

All of M&P’s previous efforts to strive for the best landed them a No. 8 spot on Boating Industry’s Top 100 Dealers of 2017 list.

M&P’s headquarters, located in Burnaby, British Columbia, features three large buildings with a total of approximately 64,612 square feet. Building one houses M&P’s Feature Boat Showroom and a variety of administration offices. Building two plays host to the service and parts department. Lastly, building three features M&P’s Boston Whaler, Bayliner, and Mastercraft showrooms, as well as a conference facility, and amenities for employee use.

“Our boat showroom is recognized as the finest boat showroom facility in Vancouver’s Lower Mainland,” President Bob Pappajohn said. “The sales environment compliments the premium quality products that we represent.”

In the spring of 2016, M&P’s flagship location saw the completion of several large-scale renovations projects in both the dealer’s showroom and service department buildings. Upgrades to the facilities included a redesigned floor plan, an expansion and redesign of the accounting office, and the addition of two additional sales staff offices.

Pappajohn said that as a result of the renovations, the dealership received numerous compliments from customers on the seamlessness of the sale from start to finish. “Compliments that are certainly reflected in our increasing CSI scores,” he added.

A large, current focus for M&P Mercury Sales, Ltd. has been on their second location, M&P Yacht Centre, located in the Coal Harbour neighborhood of downtown Vancouver. The location boasts a large on-the-water display, which features 19 cruisers and yachts, three additional 50-foot side-by-side boat slips, and a 5,000 square foot floating plaza.

“We have transformed this area into the ultimate yacht feature display,” Pappajohn said.

The staff at M&P Yacht Centre is continuously looking for ways to improve the already popular dealership, in order to create the best possible customer experience for every customer through the door.

The yacht division of M&P has also undergone major expansion of the brand the location offers to include major European names while broadening the range of offerings in the 40-foot to beyond 100-foot range, Marketing Manager Esther Reich said.

In the fall of 2017, M&P Yacht Centre announced that it became a Sunseeker dealer, followed by announcing in early 2018 that M&P was also a Monte Carlo Yachts dealer.

Reich also told Boating Industry that M&P will soon be officially announcing themselves as a Beneteau dealer, specifically stocking the Swift Trawler range. “It’s something we have not been able to offer before,” Reich said. 

“This is been a huge step for our yacht team, as we have had a much bigger presence promoting these products and inviting our clients to view and explore these products at North American shows this 2017/2018 Boat Show Season,” Reich said.

Aside from Boating Industry Top 100 Dealer accolades, M&P’s four locations and passionate employees have earned them a pair of additional awards, including a 2017 Mercury Service CSI Award and a 2018 Boating Industry Canada Employer of Choice Award. “Both of these awards are huge focuses for our whole team right now as we continue to grow,” Reich added.

With eyes set on continued growth, M&P was recently selected to participate in Canada’s Growth Driver Program, a three-year, intensive program seeking to assist small- to-medium companies in achieving more growth. “We are in the beginning stages of the program – we began in January, 2018 – and are very excited to continue to improve and grow exponentially over the next three years,” Reich said.

When not busy selling boats or making upgrades to its facilities, M&P is active promoting the business name and increasing visibility.

M&P is a key sponsor for Reel West Coast on television, which features local British Columbia fishing and two key celebrities, retired hockey players Brendan Morrison and Willy Mitchell of the Vancouver Canucks. As a key sponsor, it is M&P’s RH aluminum boat powered by Twin Mercury motors that is being used by the team in most of the spots. The show was taped in 2017, but aires continuously in re-run.

“It’s been a great way for us to get more involved in the fishing community, and being positioned on one of the most beautiful coasts in the world, it’s also a great way for us to help promote the beauty of boating in British Columbia,” Reich said.

Pappajohn also said M&P has a proud history of local charities and getting involved in various community events, including a Boat for Hope charity event, the Children’s Wish Foundation, as well as taking part in various charity fundraisers. Pappajohn said M&P provides paid time off and admission fees for those on staff who participate with charitable organizations and events.

From upgrades and expansions to its facilities, to its involvement in the community, M&P refuses to stop growing and making a big name for itself.