With today’s slow sales, every dealer should be attending Dealer Week in December. This power-packed event is presented by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, and every year, I see so many dealers known to be highly successful. There’s really no secret to their successes.

Essentially, these are dealers who recognize it’s critical to invest time and money to stay ahead of the competition. They subscribe to the idea that when you stop learning, you’re going backward. So they take advantage of opportunities to advance their knowledge and head for Dealer Week, which is scheduled for Dec. 8-11 in Orlando, Fla.

Dealer Week focuses on marketing, sales and management expertise, and “Outperform” is the theme this year. The schedule of events provides dealers with the tools needed to succeed in today’s business climate.

“From the large, early-bird registrations, we expect we’ll see a record attendance of nearly 1,000 dealers from across the country,” says Mike Davin, vice president of industry relations at MRAA. “And there’s already a record number of exhibit booths booked for the event, so there’s no doubt Dealer Week will be a productive gathering of marine retailers and the companies that partner with them.”

The conference boats an extensive lineup of in-depth educational sessions and networking opportunities. They are all designed to help dealers connect with and learn from others who can boost their success. The schedule features educational tracks, workshops, keynote presentations, roundtable discussions and learning labs.

I’ve said it in the past, but it deserves repeating: Every dealer that sincerely wants to grow cannot afford to miss this year’s Why every dealer doesn’t grab such an opportunity is beyond me.

How Do Customers See Your Dealership?

Let’s face it, seeing the dealership from the customer’s viewpoint isn’t easy and likely doesn’t come naturally. But it’s worth it. And now, when business is slower than we’d like, is a good time to take a hard look and see what your prospects and customers see.

So suggests Micah Solomon, a customer experience consultant, speaker and bestselling author of Can Your Customer Service Do This?

It’s a given that every dealer has a point of view about his or her business, the customer experience and the quality of their customer service. But for marine businesses, that point of view could be off by 180 degrees. It can signal a failure to experience how the dealership feels, looks, tastes and even smells from the customer’s viewpoint. It’s amazing, sometimes even chilling, how different this perspective can be.

In assessing how customers perceive the business, it’s important to review and eliminate things that are intended to be simple but are actually confusing or difficult. For example, does the dealership website violate common usability rules and expectations? Or is the entrance to the dealership partially blocked by products and/or racks of marketing materials?

The point is to make visiting the dealership easy, not arduous. For example, it’s not smart to put a customer into a bad mood by the time he or she even gets into the showroom because it’s hard to park conveniently up front, Or the signage isn’t clear. Or the hours are incorrectly posted on the website or showroom door.

Particularly important is eliminating elements that make a dealership come across as untrustworthy. Sometimes this can be inadvertent. For example, a pricing sign that leads the prospect to assume it’s all inclusive but isn’t. Signage should always be very clear. Those that proclaim “from as low as $$$$” should also include statement such as “Boat, as shown, is $$$$.”

Also, whether tax, title and delivery are included. And remember, prospects are likely to have researched prices online before arriving. That frame of reference, good or bad, will have them make a quick judgment about a dealer’s trustworthiness.

Solomon makes several suggestions to get started. First, the reality is that there’s no “we’re there now — we’re done” in customer service. It’s a process that should continue.

Next, try something like parking where your customers park. If it’s not near the showroom entrance, perhaps because the staff has parked there, then you know what’s needed. Next, enter the showroom through the same door prospects enter. See exactly what they see. Is there a message? Is it inviting and welcoming? Does it reflect the excitement of boating?

Take time to sit down and read what your customers or prospects may be reading, such as online reviews of your boat brands or the dealership. It’s also smart to take time and read what people are saying about the competition. Recognize a customer’s journey to your dealership likely did not begin on your website or in your showroom. And regularly log in the same way customers log in (no insider override) to check your website.

Solomon offers a lot more insights and suggestions in his book, but his recommendation that every dealer make a point to look at the dealership like a customer can definitely be a step toward sales success in times like these.