MICD Program offers marine retailers increased ROI

MINNEAPOLIS — The Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program provides marine retailers across North America with the tools they need to achieve business and operational excellence at their respective dealerships. But the program offers dealers much more than just standards and processes; Certification grants dealerships access to a host of exclusive benefits designed to help them save money, earn money, further their professionalism, and maximize consumer exposure of their MICD status.

Certified Dealerships at any level of the program — Step 1, Step 2 or Five Star — are eligible to partake in benefits like access to leads through the Discover Boating Lead System; discounts on space at all National Marine Manufacturers Association-produced boat shows; business insurance stipends and cash back on premiums; cash back on the sale of extended service agreements; discounts on Professional Yacht Broker certification; and access to free, professionally designed marketing materials.

“Participation in the MICD Program is one of the most important and valuable investments a dealer can make in his or her business,” says Sonja Moseley, MICD Program director. “The benefits retailers can reap as a direct result of becoming a Certified Dealership are completely unique to the program and unavailable anywhere else in the industry. Our goal with Certification is not only to help dealerships run their operations in the most successful and profitable way possible, but also to offer them the tools, collateral and discounts that will serve to further advance their position in the marketplace and help bolster satisfaction and loyalty among customers.”

Certified Dealerships are granted direct access to consumer leads generated through DiscoverBoating.com via the Discover Boating Lead System, which MICDs can access on GrowBoating.org with their username and password. Additionally, MICDs will receive special recognition at any NMMA-produced boat show in the U.S. and Canada, giving them additional visibility among consumers and helping promote their Certified status.

Business insurance often is a big expense for dealers. Insurance giant CNA is helping take a bite out of this cost for MICDs by making Certification Program participants eligible for stipends at each program step, as well as offering up to 10 percent back on premiums for Five Star MICDs.

The CSI and financial benefits that extended service agreements provide dealerships cannot be overstated, and Marine Industry Certified Dealerships are entitled to rebates on the sale of these agreements through American Guardian Warranty Services. AGWS is offering cash-back rebates to MICDs on the sale of its Compass Marine extended service agreements based on three levels of criteria, two of which involve Certification.

Sales personnel at MICDs are able to further enhance their level of industry professionalism by becoming Certified Professional Yacht Brokers at a total savings of $550 per applicant to the CPYB accreditation program. The CPYB designation is the most prestigious mark of excellence for yacht sales professionals throughout North America.

Finally, Certified Dealers have unlimited access to a variety of free, professionally designed marketing materials — including professionally produced videos, press release templates, web and print ads, valuable sales and marketing tips, and more. Among the exclusive benefits, the MICD Best Practices Navigator gives Certified Dealers access to a 100-plus-page compilation of the best practices, strategies and processes that MICDs across North America employ at their respective dealerships to boost customer satisfaction and increase sales.

“The benefits we currently offer Certified Dealers are substantial, and the list is only continuing to grow and expand,” says Moseley. “The MICD Program is committed to making the value proposition for dealers enrolling in the program impossibly high.”

To review the complete list of MICD Program benefits, click here.