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CHICAGO (June 1, 2016) – The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) announced today an expansion of the Marine Industry Customer Satisfaction (CSI) program to recognize marine dealers that excel in customer satisfaction. This new award category, which takes effect with the first announcement of dealer recipients in early 2017, will recognize marine dealerships who rate 90 percent or above in overall customer satisfaction in the sales and service category.

“With the launch of the dealer category in the Marine Industry CSI Awards, we are pleased to now recognize marine dealers who provide outstanding customer service and satisfaction,” said Robert Newsome, vice president of engineering standards for NMMA. “The Marine Industry CSI program showcases the commitment of manufacturers and dealers to their customers by creating an exceptional boat ownership experience.”

Dealers can be recognized with a Marine Industry CSI Award if the following guidelines are met:

• Dealers must sell boats or engines for a Marine Industry CSI participating manufacturer. Boats or engines sold for non-participating manufacturers will not be included in the determination.
• Dealers must score 90 percent or above on the “Overall Satisfaction” with dealer sales and service questions in the current Marine Industry CSI program surveys. The 2016 survey period runs January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016.
• Dealers must receive a pre-determined minimum of single brand or aggregate of brand responses in order to be considered for the Marine Industry CSI Award. Winners of the award will be announced in early 2017.

In 2017, the program will expand to include a dealer portal where dealers can access aggregated satisfaction data for all the brands they carry in the program.

“Since 2003, the NMMA has recognized participating boat and engine manufacturers for superior customer satisfaction. With the addition of the Dealer Award, the Marine Industry CSI program now recognizes dealers in the marine industry for their exemplary customer service as well,” added Steve Pizzolato, CEO of AVALA Marketing Group, administrators of the CSI program.

For more information about the Marine Industry Customer Satisfaction Index program, visit www.newnmmacsi.com or contact Steve Pizzolato at [email protected] or 636.343.9988.

About the NMMA Marine Industry Customer Satisfaction Index Program
NMMA’s Marine Industry CSI Program provides a uniform measure of customer satisfaction across the full range of boats, engines and dealers in the recreational marine industry. Manufacturers and dealers can gauge customer satisfaction with their products and service experience and compare these satisfaction rates across all recreational boating segments. The program conducts two surveys with new boat and engine customers during the first year of ownership. The first survey is sent shortly after the time of boat delivery, and the second is sent nine months later. Together, the two surveys track customer satisfaction with the product, sales experience, delivery, and service process as well as product quality. AVALA Marketing Group provides independent collection, tabulation, and reporting of the customer satisfaction data on behalf of the Marine Industry CSI Program and recreational boating industry.

About the National Marine Manufacturers Association
The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is the leading association representing the recreational boating industry in North America. NMMA member companies produce more than 80 percent of the boats, engines, trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters and anglers throughout the U.S. and Canada. The association is dedicated to industry growth through programs in public policy advocacy, market statistics and research, product quality assurance and promotion of the boating lifestyle. For more information, visit NMMA.org.