St Kilda Boat Sales - US report reveals 'dealer experience' is everything!
21 February 2011
US report reveals 'dealer experience' is everything!
A REPORT by US-based Foresight Research has highlighted the influence dealerships play on new boat purchases. The report, The 2010 Boating Industry Dealership Experience Influence Report TM, is one in a series of in-depth reports on marketing communication channels that have the greatest impact on purchase.
The data source for this report is the 2010 U.S. Boating Industry Marketing Communications Influence Study TM, commissioned by marine industry organisations led by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). This study surveyed 3,295 people across the US who purchased a new boat in an 18-month period ending August 2010.
Each new boat buyer in the national study rated 11 different forms of marketing on how much each contributed to their eventual boat purchase. The different forms included all types of advertising, print and electronic editorials, brochures, events such as shows and seminars, the dealership experience, internet searches, social media and television programming about boating. Across all the marketing channels studied, the calculated share of sales influence from the dealership experience ranked highest overall. The internet, boat shows, print articles and brochures round out the top five sources of sales influence.
These top five sources provide 59.6 per cent of the total sales influence from marketing communications. Depending on the buyer’s activities however, the order of the influences may change. For example, among buyers that attended one or more boat shows prior to purchase, the boat show provided the most influence followed by the dealership experience.
New boat dealers may be interested to know that female buyers and prior boat owners express more influence from their dealership experience than males and first time buyers. Additionally, female buyers exhibit a much higher degree of loyalty to a given dealership. Female buyers seek out dealers differently than men. Male buyers often find out about a dealer by driving by a location close to home while females seek recommendations, read dealer ads and seek dealers at boat shows.
“Based on the data from recent buying experiences of thousands of buyers it is clear that the dealership is a lot more than a distribution point for boats,” said Ron Hein executive vice president of Foresight Research.
“The dealership experience provides a great deal of rational and emotional input which buyers need to formulate or finalise their purchase decision. To be most successful a dealership must understand what attracts buyers to the dealership, what are their needs and expectations and what key messages need to be communicated.”
While all buyers are looking for great pricing and deals, the reputation of the dealership ranks as the second highest factor in dealer selection, even above the dealer’s service capabilities and inventory. The dealer’s website is important especially in attracting first time boat owners.
Buyers are most positively influenced by a dealership that is a comfortable place to shop with accessorised boats on display. Female buyers mention the service department capabilities more often as a key influencer. Interestingly, financing available is rated as highly influential among only 24 per cent. The results also show that dealership salespeople must be knowledgeable and professional above all else and that first time buyers particularly value someone that instills trust and provides recommendations.
“Providing a great dealership experience is common sense and something good dealers work on every day. This dealership experience influence report clearly shows that different buyers expect different things. Manufacturers and dealers must recognise and embrace this to be most successful, particularly during this struggling economy,” said Hein.
"A good customer experience is what's really important to us" at St Kilda Boat Sales. "Our honesty, our product knowledge and our understanding of the customers' needs are particular focal points for us'. Our whole team, both Boat Sales and our Service Centre, are focussed on "exceeding customers expectations", each and every-time, says Darren Finkelstein, Dealer Principal.
Just ask Richard Thorp, leading Architect who lives in Sydney, he purchased a Used Caribbean 26 Flybridge Sports Fisherman from us. Following his expereience with our dealership, Richard wrote us a lovely thank-you email, he writes; "Darren at St Kilda Boat Sales even sent me photos of the boat loaded onto the trailer, plus a detailed list of what needed to be re-assembled. He followed up, you might say, and has been in touch to make sure that I am a happy customer.
The point of this is simply to say that the experience of dealing with " St Kilda Boat Sales" has been both personally enjoyable and professional in the extreme. I don't buy boats all that often, but this time around, it's been a pleasure.
Please read our other customer reviews and testimonials from both buyers and sellers, focussing on their experience in dealing with our team at St Kilda Boat Sales and Sevice Centre:
Please go to: http://www.stkildaboatsales.com.au/reviews--testimonials