Combining Personal Touch with Hands-on Internet Instruction
Yamaha Marine University’s (YMU) new two-day Yamaha Partner Orientation (YPO) workshop features the give-and-take of expert instructors combined with computer-aided training. YMU proved its new format for dealer orientation as winter ended, graduating 117 dealers in time for the boating season.
The workshop enables new dealers and key dealership employees to become familiar with the Yamaha Marine Business System (YMBS), accessed via the Internet. All students work on Yamaha-provided computers on which they log in using their own dealership accounts to learn the many functions of the system.
“Revising our two-day orientation for new dealers meant they were able to navigate our systems, ask questions and get answers immediately. Adding the hands-on computer training really helped,” said Martin Peters, Yamaha Marine Group manager communications and dealer education.
Held at Yamaha Marine Group’s Kennesaw, Ga., headquarters, each workshop is limited in size to keep instructor-dealer interaction optimal. YMU held four YPO sessions during February and March.
“This year, we saw an increase in the number of dealer principals attending as a result of our new curriculum, said Peters. “ Two of our key presenters from Yamaha Marine University, Noel Osborne and Valerie Ziebron, help the dealers learn more about finance and service management. At the same time, they give the dealers a taste of what they will learn if they attend the upcoming YMU Symposiums in November and December.”
For more information, interested dealers should check with their district marketing managers to schedule attendance.
Yamaha Marine products are marketed throughout the United States and around the world. Yamaha Marine Group, based in Kennesaw, Ga., supports its 2,200 dealers and OEM partners with marketing, training and parts for Yamaha’s full line of products and accessories and strives to be the industry leader in reliability, technology and customer service. Yamaha is the only outboard engine brand to have earned NMMA’s C.S.I. Customer Satisfaction Index award every year since its inception. For more information, call (800) 88-YAMAHA.
By: Walker Agency
