Boat & Motor Dealer : : : Business Solutions for the Boating Trade

2008 Boat & Motor Dealer of the Year
Customer training increase the joys of boating
by Jerome Koncel

Boating customers can’t really enjoy their new boats and the boating lifestyle unless they know exactly how to operate their vessels. That’s why educating the boating consumer is a critical and an ongoing process at Colorado Boat Center (CBC) in Loveland, Colo.

Start with the owner walk-through
CBC’s boater education efforts begin in earnest during the boat delivery process. Tom Smith, co-owner of the dealership with his wife Nancy, personally oversees the walk-through, pouring through every aspect of the boat.

During the walk-through, Tom teaches customers how to:
• prepare the boat for launching
• trailer the boat
• load the boat
• break in the motor
• pickup skiers
• operate the boat on the water.

No walk through is ever complete unless Tom turns on all the switches, covers the maintenance schedules, and takes the customers around to all the dealership’s departments He introduces them to the staff, and acquaints them with location of the parts and service departments.

DVD for reinforcement
Knowing that he has given the boater a tremendous amount of information in a short amount of time, Tom presents the boater with:
• A DVD that is a filmed version of the walk-through and includes a special section from a staff pro on how to use the boats. The DVD is updated periodically for the dealer’s specific lines of boats
• A Boater’s Handbook that is a written manual only a few pages long. It’s like a Boater’s Bible offering answers to a boater’s most frequently asked questions about boating.
• An invitation to receive individual training on the boat by appointment.
• A list of several classes held throughout the year and designed to further educate boaters on how to operate their boats, the rules and regulations of the water, and boating safety.

All of the classes are free to all of CBC’s boat-buying customers, their families, and friends.

One of the first classes during the year is a Boater 101 Certification class. Tom and Nancy took the instructor’s class in 2004, were certified as instructors, and now present this class to their customers.

Boater 101 Certification is a four-hour class usually held in March. It covers boating basics: proper boating equipment, tailoring, launching, loading and retrieving, lights and signals, knots, rules of the road, safety issues, and environmental protection. It should be pointed out the CBC sells 23-28 ft boats and nearly all of them, except for a few utility boats, come with a trailer.

Upon completing the class and passing an online examination, boaters are entitled to a 10 percent discount on their boat insurance rates.

Gender specific classes are popular
The two most popular classes CBC offers are gender-specific: Women Making Waves is for women only, and Men in the Know for males. The hands-on courses are taught at a local lake.

Last year, about 30 women took the Women Making Waves course, which was taught by guest instructor Marcia Kull, the founder of the course. Women learn how to trailer their boats, loading and launching, docking, and driving their boats. Each class is limited to three or four people so there is time to practice individual skills. Each class takes about four hours, so CBC offers morning and afternoon sessions to accommodate everyone.

In 2009, CBC will charge women $25 to register for the class. It will match that $25 with it own $25 donation, and present a check on behalf of the participants to the local Breast Cancer Society. “It’s just another way of giving back to the community,” Tom said.

Class participants receive a certificate, a laminated key chain, and have their pictures posted on the dealer’s Web site. “It’s a lot of work to put on the classes,” Nancy said. “But it so heart-warming to all the trainers when the attendees thank them numerous times over.”

More training options
The Smith’s son Eric is well-versed in boating and holds informal classes at the lake on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 5-8 p.m. These classes are open to all customers and their families.

In late spring, CBC hosts a “new boat owner’s demo day” on the lake. Open to all new boaters who have purchased boats from CBC, especially at winter boat shows, it’s another opportunity to make sure boaters get the most out of their purchases.

What makes CBC’s demo day different from others is that the service staff and the staff pro are on hand to tackle any minor issues that customers might be experiencing with their boats. Often times a little mechanical tweaking or correction of an operator error can eliminate a summer of frustration. “It’s especially fun and rewarding to show people how to get the best performance from their boats,” Tom said.

In addition to all the education and training, Tom and Nancy also give their business cards, with their cell phone numbers, to customers in case they need to call. Tom tells customers they shouldn’t hesitate to call either Nancy or himself, even on their cell phones. They are eager to answer any of the customer’s questions or concerns.

Tom and Nancy Smith believe any educated boater is a better boater. “It’s especially fun to show people how to get the best performance from their boats,” Tom said. “It makes a real difference in their overall boating experience.”

Boat & Motor Dealer’s 2008 Dealer of the Year COLORADO BOAT CENTER
At a Glance:
Founded: 1990 Location: Loveland, Colorado Annual Revenues: less than $5 million Products: Sells new and used boats • Services and repairs boats • Sells financing & insurance		Boat Brands (6): Crestliner • Glastron • Hurricane • MB Sports • Moomba • Supra Engines (5): Evinrude • Honda • Mercury • MerCruiser • Volvo Penta