Fifty-six boat and engine manufacturers were recognized at the 2006 International BoatBuilders' Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) in Miami Beach yesterday morning for excellence in customer satisfaction by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), as part of the association's Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) program. The awards were presented during the annual IBEX Industry Breakfast on November 3 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
The Marine Industry CSI Awards program recognizes participating companies actively measuring customer satisfaction to pursue continuous improvement. Award recipients achieved and maintained an independently-measured standard of excellence of 90 percent or higher in customer satisfaction over the past year, based on information provided by more than 50,000 consumers purchasing a new boat or engine during the period between July 2005 and June 2006. A minimum of 25 consumer responses are required to quality.
Below are a few of the companies who were honored this past year for their efforts to increase customer satisfaction levels in the boating industry:
AMERICAN SUZUKI MOTOR CORP.
Outboard Engines
AQUA PATIO
Pontoon Boats
BENNINGTON MARINE
Pontoon Boats
FOUR WINNS
Deckboats
Fiberglass Outboard Boats
Sterndrive Bowrider Boats
G3 BOATS
Aluminum Outboard Boats
GLASTRON
Fiberglass Outboard Boats
Sterndrive Bowrider Boats
HARRIS FLOTEBOTE
Pontoon Boats
HONDA MARINE
Outboard Engines
KAYOT
Deckboats
LARSON
Sterndrive Bowrider Boats
MANITOU PONTOON BOATS
Pontoon Boats
PREMIER MARINE
Pontoon Boats
REGAL MARINE
Deckboats
Sterndrive Bowrider Boats
Sterndrive Cuddy Express Boats
SEA RAY BOATS
Deckboats
Fiberglass Outboard Boats
Sterndrive Bowrider Boats
Sterndrive Cuddy Express Boats
Inboard Express Cruiser Boats]
Inboard Fishing Express Boats
Inboard Flybridge Sedans & Convertible Boats
Inboard Motor Yachts & Trawlers
SEDONA MARINE
Pontoon Boats
SWEETWATER
Pontoon Boats
VOLVO PENTA OF THE AMERICAS
Sterndrive Engines
YAMAHA MOTOR CORPORATION USA
Outboard Engines
"The fact we have more CSI Award recipients this year than ever before validates industry efforts to improve product quality and customer satisfaction across the board," says NMMA president Thom Dammrich. "These 56 companies are leading the charge to make the best times in every boater's life every day they are on the water, and to make boating the number one choice in recreation."
NMMA launched its CSI program in 2001 to provide boat and engine manufacturers with an independently-measured, cost-effective tool to help improve customer satisfaction in the boating industry.
Since the program's inception, more than 400,000 surveys have been sent out to new boat and engine customers, allowing participating manufacturer companies to monitor customer satisfaction on an ongoing basis, and to benchmark themselves against the industry and their competitors. The program currently has 96 boat and engine brands participating.
The Marine Industry CSI program meets the 2007 model year CSI requirements of the NMMA Boat/Yacht Certification program. For manufacturers that are full participants in the Marine Industry CSI process, the included reporting also fills the dealer level CSI requirements of the Marine Industry Dealership Certification program.
For more information on CSI Award recipients, or to get involved with the CSI program, contact NMMA director of CSI Programs Terry Leitz at (312) 946-6212; tleitz@nmma.org.
