BEST SERVICE
To go from one store to three full-service dealerships in a two-year span posed a significant challenge for Buckeye Sports Center . But for over 60 years they have proved they can meet – and beat – challenges , and the expansion is no exception .
Buckeye Sports Center is located just off the major highway that connects Cleveland , Akron and Canton , Ohio . They are within a 40-minute drive of three million people , several inland lakes and Lake Erie .
The main showroom is 17,000 square feet with a 12,000 square foot auxiliary showroom . The service facility is 12,000 square feet and they have a 35,000 square foot heated storage building just two miles away .
Buckeye also has a location in Indianapolis that is over 80,000 square feet and can display 90 boats .
And they have a brand-new service , sales , and storage facility in Huron , Ohio , half a mile from Lake Erie .
“ Our biggest problem right now is to continue to grow the staff to keep up with the growth of the business in a way that continues to create a great customer experience ,” stated Buckeye president Bob Armington , the third generation in the family-owned business .
One key hire they highlighted is a dedicated tech that pre-checks boats as they arrive from the factory . It has not only sped up how quicky they can get boats photographed , videotaped , and online , but they also do a quality check and address warranty issues faster than before as well .
Armington added that one of the best things they have done in regards to personnel is develop from within . In sales , service as well as the front office , Buckeye has started people at entry level positions , given them a steady amount of training and let them move up the ladder .
“ This not only gives them opportunity for advancement and a desire to stay but also brings them up in our culture , so they continue to be a good fit with our company ,” Armington said .
Continuous training has always been one of the keys to success for Buckeye . Case in point , they revamped their tech apprentice program , pairing up entry-level techs with veterans , that resulted in the development of new techs .
Previously , Armington said the company wasn ’ t too clear on the timeline for the apprentice program , and in several instances , they promoted people too early due to tech shortages .
Now , however , they enter the program knowing it will be a nearly twoyear long process , before they can attain an 80 % efficient mark on their own , which is the standard they must meet to become a full-fledged tech .
The pay structure was also revamped to an aggressive hourly wage plus the apprentice gets a percentage of what each tech that they work with bills out .
“ This has actually helped in keeping them happy and motivated over the learning period because in theory they make more helping people versus what they would make if left on their own ,” Armington added .
Buckeye calculates individual tech efficiency weekly , posting it beside the time clock , and managers go over results with techs during the Monday morning service meeting .
They can see how their productivity compares to past weeks and their peers . Buckeye breaks out billed hours by retail , warranty and internal ( prep , new boat detailing , unloading and repairs that can ' t be charged to warranty ). They also compare their tech ' s efficiency to other 20 Group members to look for deficiencies or areas that need improvement .
They have continued to raise the base hourly rate for techs , as well as pay 2 % to 3 % of their billed hours in a commission each pay period . Techs also receive a year-end Christmas bonus each year based on profitability .
All of these measures have helped increase billed labor revenue as well as allowed Buckeye to achieve an average tech efficiency of 91 % as a percentage of hours worked .
“ The extremely high value we place on our team is proven by our culture of teamwork , high retention , and employee satisfaction ,” said Armington in closing . “ All these factors are what set us apart from our competition .”
20 february 2025 www . boatingindustry . com