Service Strategy

SERVICE LEVEL ASSESSMENTS

Mercury Marine continues to make changes to improve the support we provide directly to its existing dealer network. In addition, we continue to work cooperatively with our dealers to help them improve their organizations and to experience enhanced-service profitability. Once signed as a dealer you can expect this same attention to detail.

This process begins with assessments of the existing service operation at each dealership. This process will be the same for a new dealer sign-on as well. Our Technical Account Managers (TAM) use a database template called a Dealer Service Development Plan (DSDP) as a checklist when performing the assessment.

Based on the assessment, Mercury assigns a “category level” for each dealer. The starting level is called “Mercury Service,” with “Mercury Certified Service” as the intermediate level, and “Mercury Premier Service” as the highest tier. Dealerships qualify separately for MerCruiser and Outboard products, and multiple-location dealerships must qualify separately at each location. It is important to know that every dealership in the U.S. and Canada is eligible to earn the Mercury Premier Service dealer rating. However, the dealership must first meet all established critera. We will objectively and consistently apply the criteria to all dealers during the assessment process, and no exceptions will be made. The value of the assessment process comes from the list of service improvement opportunities identified for development action at the dealership.

SERVICE LEVEL RATINGS

All dealers will have a service level based on Mercury's Dealer Service Development Plan (DSDP). As stated previous the levels are “Mercury Service,” “Mercury Certified Service,” and “Mercury Premier Service.”

MERCURY PREMIER SERVICE CRITERIA

Each service level has a specific set of criteria that must be achieved in order to earn the rating for that level. The details of the criteria are included in the DSDP assessment form. A summary of the key criteria for the Premier Service level follows:

1. Possesses all necessary tools, test equipment, service manuals, and parts books as recommended to adequately service all contracted Mercury products.
2. Achieves an overall 12-month service CSI score of at least 85%
3. Employs a minimum of one Certified (or Master) technician who is active in the service shop and is current with all technical education including advanced classes.
4. Fully utilizes MercNET for parts ordering, product registration, warranty claim submissions, and ( U.S. only) Mercury Product Protection contracts.
5. Provides timely service for all Mercury Marine consumers regardless of sales origin.
6. Offers extended service shop hours of operation and mobile service as appropriate for the local market.
7. Use, display, and stock an adequate inventory of Mercury Precision parts to service engines sold in their local market.
8. Maintains a clean and neat Service facility. Special tools and service literature must be displayed, well organized and easily accessible to the technicians.

MERCURY PREMIER SERVICE DEALER BENEFITS

Mercury Marine provides various financial and support benefits to the service operations of dealerships. Generally, the better the dealership's service Department operates, the greater the benefits from Mercury Marine. For example, labor rates paid to the perform warranty service work increase as the dealership's service competency increases.

CONCLUSION

Our customers need servicing dealers who are focused on providing excellence in customer service. Mercury is committed to working with all dealers to upgrade their service capabilities and to providing incentives to those who demonstrate the highest level of proficiency. We believe that excellence in service keeps customers loyal and earns referral business through word-of-mouth advertising. Dealerships' sales and profitability grow as a result. Remember the old saying that, “the Sales department earns the first sale to a customer and the Service department earns all the future sales.” We encourage all dealerships to honestly and critically evaluate their current service operations and to identify and implement changes to improve them. We would be delighted to have all Mercury Marine dealers achieve the Premier Service dealer standards.