6 Tips for Explaining Marine Instrumentation Issues to Customers

Boat owners are the lifeblood of your business. That’s why it is important to carry the products they desire and need to enjoy the water safely. To earn repeat business, you must also be able to effectively interact with customers. For instance, you have to be able to troubleshoot problems, find solutions, and communicate the value of your products and services. Here are six tips to help you explain marine instrumentation to your customers more effectively.

One of the best ways to build rapport with your customers is through personalized interactions. For repeat customers, address shortcomings from previous interactions or build upon prior dialogue. If you have a new customer, make sure they have a positive first impression of your company. Show how you can diagnose their issue today and instill the customer with the confidence that you can handle any other issues they may face in the future. This increased familiarity is more likely to create pleasant interactions and repeat business going forward.

Knowing your products inside and out will enable you to make the best recommendations for your customers. This knowledge can also reduce call transfers, wait times, and other frustrations. This is all due to the reduced time it will take to supply the customer with the information they require.

Communicating with marine manufacturers and suppliers isn’t always an efficient process. Knowledgeable contacts, such as engineers, may be preoccupied with other work, located in different time zones, or otherwise unable to respond quickly. Even simple tasks like confirming thread sizing for a customer can take weeks.

Communication

Oftentimes, your customers need answers right away. This is especially true when they are replacing boat components or other marine instrumentation. If your customers have to wait a long time to get the parts or services they need, you are much more likely to lose their business to a competitor.

Mitigate delays in communication by making the process more efficient. Keep sources of information, such as manuals available to quickly respond to customer questions.

You may also want to keep a record of frequently asked questions and answers to avoid the need to research the same information multiple times. While these steps can improve your sales process, you should maintain strong relationships with your suppliers. This will help keep communication channels open and accessible. Finally, be sure to stay up-to-date with the latest information about boat gauges and marine instrumentation. Visit manufacturers’ websites and blogs on a regular basis to stay up to date on product updates.

While it’s essential to be a subject matter expert on your products, it’s also important to avoid talking past your customers. As the expert, you have the curse of knowledge, which can lead to miscommunication between you and your customers.

Never assume a customer knows the name of every gauge and instrument on their boat, even if they’re an avid boater. It’s common to become confused by similar terms like fuel sensor and fuel level sending unit, for example.

Begin any interaction with language that any customer can understand easily. If the customer starts using technical terminology, you can assume they have better knowledge of your products. However, they still may not know brands of boat components and marine instrumentation available or what distinguishes one product from another.

By meeting your customer at their knowledge level, you can optimize the customer experience. This will increase your chances for repeat business in the form of upsells and cross sells.

We communicate best when we listen to understand rather than respond. You should try to answer your customer’s boat maintenance questions in the order that they are asked.

The speed at which the conversation moves is dependent on a multitude of factors, many of which are beyond your control. Maintain patience and pace your answers to customer questions. Don’t be afraid to repeat important concepts or information. Conclude your interaction by asking if they have any additional questions.

Manufacturers of marine components have a wealth of information on their marine products. They are happy to assist you in communicating that information to your customers. Let the customer know that answers to their questions regarding boat gauges and sensors are often found in supporting materials. Emphasize the ease of using these resources, as customer service may not be available after hours, on weekends, or during holidays. On manufacturer websites, you may find the following resources: 

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Customers can usually find product installation details, part number locations on gauges and sensors, and parts manufacturers for their boat. They can also learn to troubleshoot many common mechanical issues.
• Product Data Sheets – These explain technical aspects of products in terms that most boaters can understand. For example, they could look up a specific gauge and find the product description, product type, product name, bezel, face plate, mounting dimension, protection rating, input signal, indicating range, operation voltage, background light color, connector, and movement type.
• Catalogs – These are useful for looking up products with corresponding part numbers, product series, product applications, materials, add-ons, and customizations. Customers with advanced knowledge may reference a product from previous encounters that corresponds to products in the catalog.

Customers frequently have limited knowledge about the products they require. In these cases, take control of the situation and make recommendations for gauges or sensors. You might base recommendations on:

• Industry best sellers.
• Trends.
• Ongoing sales/discounts.
• Product ratings.
• Location proximity.
• Past usages.
• Previous purchases.
• Quality improvements.

Finally, be ready to explain the selling points of the products you offer. You could highlight high quality, the reputation of the component manufacturer, or the fact that parts are made in the United States.

KUS is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of liquid level senders and boat gauge instrumentation. Our team manufactures components for the marine sector as well as other industries. We have a longstanding familiarity with the stringent requirements of the marine industry.

This allows us to offer a comprehensive suite of products to meet the needs of boaters, designers, and engineers in the marine industry. Explore our gauges and level senders and reach out with any questions. We can assist you in gaining the knowledge you need to solve the problems your customers bring to you. This will help keep them satisfied and your business profitable.