BEST TRAINING
From re-writing job descriptions to staff additions , New Jersey ’ s Off Shore Marine , Inc . took to increased training efforts to handle both continued business growth and the nuances of being in a brand-new facility and service lot . “ 2023 was the year that brought the dream to reality . Having outgrown our facility a decade before , a 2021 16-acre land purchase laid plans in motion for building an entirely new 13,000-square-foot dealership completed in August of 2023 ,” said owner Sherri Cecchini .
In 2023 , Off Shore Marine moved from approximately two usable acres of land and about 7,000 combined square feet of showroom , employee lunchroom and admin office space to a new dealership property with 16 acres that includes two building lots with 11 usable acres . The new building offers 13,000 square feet of space that breaks down into 6,000 square feet of shop area , 5,000 square feet of showroom and parts , and 2,000 square feet of second-story administrative offices , parts room and lunchroom / meeting space .
With its strong training efforts , Off Shore ensures that all of its departments and employees alike create customer experiences to the highest level of satisfaction across the board .
By implementing and completely utilizing a blend of internal and off-site training opportunities , not just for its management and sales team , but across every department and every aspect of the business , Off Shore works to create a company culture of continuous learning , improvement and growth overall , leading to unprecedented success , even in times of challenge .
“ Off Shore Marine has worked hard to create a company culture that fosters a team environment and pride in the workplace ,” Cecchini said . “ This equates to low employee turnover , great Google reviews , high employee satisfaction scores and high customer satisfaction scores .”
Training and creating that company culture and cohesion begins on day one for any new employee joining the ranks at Off Shore Marine . Personnel are introduced to the Off Shore culture with its “ First Day / All Day ” training
orientation facilitated by the owner and complete with Off Shore business philosophies , policy and employee handbook review , fellow employee introductions , explanation of chain of command and job responsibilities .
Beginning with leadership , training is at the forefront of culture at Off Shore Marine . Recognizing the nuances of succession planning , much of Off Shore ’ s training in management revolves around leadership training for the next generation of Off Shore leaders , with a mix of 20 Group meetings and a multitude of other leadership and management training opportunities .
Within the sales department , Off Shore ensures its sales team is ready for everything , by including new product training for each OEM the business represents . In addition , the sales team at Off Shore participates in off-site sales training programs , like those offered by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas and the online Glenn Roller Sales Training sessions .
In the service department , Off Shore doesn ’ t stop training at just simply hitting the necessary OEM certification training . From internal training opportunities to in-depth OSHA , hazardous materials and beyond training , Off Shore aims for efficiency , safety and a stellar workplace experience from top to bottom .
While training takes place over the entire year , Off Shore kicks off each boating season with a special meeting to go over policies and procedures to ensure everyone is on the same page , as well as hosts meetings regularly to continuously learn from each other in terms of best practices when it comes to providing the best experience for customers at every level .
Overall , training and processes were key to leading Off Shore Marine to a 20 % increase in productivity and helped the business weclome 115 new sales and service customers to the Off Shore family in 2023 .
18 february 2025 www . boatingindustry . com