Map out your company’s future

We are deep into Top 100 applications here at Boating Industry, and we are getting excited to finalize the list and present it at the gala and in our December issue.

When I started in the industry, I jumped in head first with Top 100 applications, and reading about the best practices from the top dealers in North America truly helped set the standard for what it means to run a boat business.

A great example of this comes from Seattle Boat Company’s application this year, in which the company discussed its goal planning for the business. Not only do they develop roadmaps for their whole company, but each department has an intricate roadmap to help understand departmental missions, values and goals.

I love the term “roadmap” for goal planning. If you plan to drive your business toward success, you need a map to reach your destination. All of Seattle Boat Company’s roadmaps begin the same, with the company’s mission, vision and values. Those all fuel the company’s key goals, strategies and critical processes, providing a foundation for departmental goal planning. Next comes the execution, created by determining each department’s individual major programs and the objectives for the year tied to supporting those programs.

The whole of the dealership’s goal planning is best summed up in the company’s vision, found in the foundation of the roadmap:

“As the country’s best choice for access to fun on the water, SBC’s seamless teams take great pride in delighting new and loyal customers with a full array of high-quality recreational boating services and products. Its excellent financial performance enables it to provide a great environment for its people and make meaningful contributions in the community.”

Everything the dealership does and plans is built upon this simple vision. It fuels every aspect of the business and employees can see, through their departmental roadmap, how what they do flows into achieving this vision.