The Program: MARINE INDUSTRY CUSTOMER SATISFACTION INDEX AWARD PROGRAM

The Marine Industry Customer Satisfaction Program 

In 2001, member companies of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) created the Marine Industry Customer Satisfaction Index (Marine Industry CSI) Program to improve the overall customer experience and support long-term growth opportunities for the industry.  

Prior to the implementation of the Marine Industry CSI Program, most member companies did not have a formal or consistent means of measuring customer satisfaction with their boats, engines, or dealers. And even if a manufacturer did have a formal system for measuring satisfaction, they had no industry reference point for comparison. The implementation of the industry CSI program in 2001 solved both these issues.  

The program has been administered by the NMMA’s third-party partner, Rollick, since 2003. Rollick provides independent survey data collection, tabulation, and reporting of customer satisfaction survey responses.  

The program includes two customer 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 typically sent 10 months later. Together, the two surveys track customer satisfaction with the sales and delivery experience, the service process, and product quality. The Marine Industry CSI Steering Committee established the questions for both surveys, basing them on customer feedback about the issues that most impact their overall satisfaction with the boating lifestyle. 

The Marine Industry CSI Program currently surveys more than 175,000 new boat owners annually from the participating manufacturers. The response data is shared with manufacturers to improve the quality of their products, develop support programs, track trends, and monitor/advance their customer satisfaction efforts. 

Each year the Marine Industry CSI Awards Program honors participating manufacturers that actively measure customer satisfaction and pursue continuous improvement to better serve the consumer. Manufacturers can win a Marine Industry CSI Award by achieving a 90% or higher standard of excellence in initial customer satisfaction over an annual award period. This measurement is based on responses provided by customers purchasing a new boat and/or engine. Participating manufacturers are required to survey at least 80% of their customers that purchased units during a calendar year to be eligible for an award. 

Program participants are recognized for their efforts if the following guidelines are met: 

• Companies must be participants in the Marine Industry CSI Program and adhere to the guidelines of the program in implementing on-going measurement of customer satisfaction.
• Participating manufacturers must survey 80% of new boat buyers during this period. 
• Companies must be a member of the NMMA to participate in the Marine Industry CSI Program.
• Consumer survey responses received within the calendar year will be used for award consideration.
• Participants must have received a minimum of 25 responses or more for each product segment in which they participate for an award.  
• For smaller manufacturers, under 100 units sold per calendar year,  must have a minimum of 15 responses for the specific product segment which they participate for an award.
• All participants must have a score of 90% or above (on a 100-point scale) on Overall Satisfaction with the boat or engine as appropriate.
• Recognition is based on responses from the Marine Industry Customer Satisfaction Index Program's initial survey.
• The Marine Industry CSI survey and awards program is committed to promoting an environment that furthers the efforts of NMMA member companies to increase consumer satisfaction with their products.

MARINE INDUSTRY CSI DEALER AWARD 

The Marine Industry CSI Dealer Award was established in 2016 based on input from the industry steering committee to utilize dealer data captured in the current Marine Industry CSI Program. 

The Committee wanted to not only recognize dealers based on individual brands they carry, but also, on an aggregate score of all brands they carry that participate in the industry CSI program. 

There are two (2) different dealer awards that can be given: Sales and Service. Awards are earned at the dealer location level.

Below are the criteria the industry has set for qualification of the Dealer CSI Award:

Sales Award - Based on initial survey, “overall satisfaction with dealer” question.

• Aggregate Brand Winner:  A dealer location has 10+ responses, received a 90% or greater dealer score, all dealer brands that had 90% or greater brand score (regardless of response count) are considered an aggregate brand winner.
• Brand Winner: (A dealer location either didn’t have 10+ responses or had less than 90% score so they didn’t meet the criteria/win on the aggregate level so we look to the brand level).
• If a dealer brand had 5+ responses and a 90% or greater brand score they are considered a brand winner.

Service Award - Based on follow up survey, “overall satisfaction with dealer's service” question.

• Aggregate Brand Winner:  A dealer location has 10+ responses, received a 90% or greater dealer score, all dealer brands that had 90% or greater brand score (regardless of response count) are considered an aggregate brand winner.
• Brand Winner: (A dealer location either didn’t have 10+ responses or had less than 90% score so they didn’t meet the criteria/win on the aggregate level so we look to the brand level).  
• If a dealer brand had 3+ responses and a 90% or greater brand score, they are considered a brand winner.

If you are interested in joining the CSI Program or have any questions, please contact our customer support team at csisupport@rollick.io