Posts Tagged ‘Parade of Boats’

My First Show!

Saturday, January 22nd, 2011

For the first time in my life, I went to the Minneapolis Boat show last night as a spectator…not an exhibitor! It was truly a strange feeling…Wayzata Marine was one of the original dealers in the Minneapolis show…and for 41 years we were a participant. I saw and spoke with many boating industry veterans from in-town and out-of-town…the majority of what I saw on display was fish boats, pontoon boats, and towboats. Occasionally, I would see a runabout or a cruiser, but the show has changed into much more of a fishing and pontoon show. Another interesting thing that I noticed in a very short time was that even though the show had shortened its daily hours and was open one less day, the salespeople were already tired and treating customers poorly! As a spectator, it was hard to tell which companies were really to be trusted. Organizations that I knew to have relatively no service department or showroom looked to be just as respectable as organizations that had the facilities and personnel to treat boaters the way they deserve to be treated.

The best part of our Parade of Boats is that customers get the full attention of our dealership and the opportunity to see our entire operation that they are choosing for their purchase. I really believe that most boats manufactured today range from adequate to good, but the difference between happiness and frustration is the dealerships ability to prepare and service the boats. What customers often don’t understand is that boats only break three months out of the year in Minnesota, but dealerships must staff for 12 months to service them. Dealers must prioritize their resources and help the customers who are most important to the dealership. To do so, the dealership must have the right people and parts to quickly and effectively fix and maintain your boat. Enjoyment without frustration is our goal for every customer…it isn’t easy…and on a rare occasion we fail…but…we are 100% committed and dedicated to superior service…we will do everything in our power to make our customers boating experience the best anyone could ever offer. That is, and always will be, our priority and promise to the customers who put their trust into Wayzata Marine.

Dave

Where’s the boats?

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

Well, there won’t be very many at the boat show this year! The eight largest home town metro dealers have made the decision to join the “Parade of Boats” this year. This new format is ultimately better for people wanting to buy a boat. It allows customers to see the full scope of a dealer’s commitment to customer satisfaction. It allows for a customer to see every boat in the dealer’s inventory; new, demo’s, used and brokerage. There are no long lines to see the boats, no parking hassles, no admission cost, free food, free seminars, and free prizes given away daily.

Buying habits have changed. People are more likely to buy a boat with a longer term perspective than they did a few years ago.  Although people are concerned about price they are also concerned about long term service, convenience, and long term value. All of our manufacturer’s are on board to help us give you the best possible price.  It is better than boat show pricing!  We can use all of our allocated boat show budgets to lower prices even farther than before!  All of the dealers participating in the Parade of Boats are locally owned with long histories of excellent customer satisfaction.  We are proud to be associated with so many wonderful boating families and look forward to an incredibly fun and successful Parade of Boats.

Dave