This is going to be a bit long, and I apologize. We finally returned last night from Miami after some trip ordeals where some airlines could take a lesson or two from about anyone.
We would like to say Thank You, to each of you in the Bass Cat “Family”, for the support we have received! The most recent J.D. Power and Associates award is a Thank You from each of you! While only newly registered boat owners get to participate, each of you has a major part in this.
We can not express enough how much we appreciate the support you have all shown!
The data is comprised from those boat owners who have registered a 2006 or 2007 model within a 12 month window. There were a considerable number of you who participated, and the segments of Sabres, to Puma’s was broad based. So everyone had their voice heard again this year.
This is the points data that was produced on CNN MoneyLine, and we are not supposed to reveal the actual points standings. Though since they published them from notes they made during the presentation, we will be glad to copy and paste those comments below. Every dealer with a conviction to customer service should make a record of this data on all boat brands. It will not be available to view openly elsewhere, and it will help in your product line decisions. By this we mean other boat segments listed on the CNN MoneyLine article, such as Pontoon or Runabout, Cruiser and etc. Link to CNN MoneyLine Article on J.D. Power and Associates
The bold sentence in the paragraph from JDP, means that Bass Cat Boats has led the entire marine industry for three consecutive years in Customer Satisfaction. From Web Sites to sales experience, Customer Service to ride and handling we have led the Industry.
It makes one rather Humble to be honored at such a high degree in this fashion. I can tell you personally while the presentation was being given, I wanted to hide in a hole as they repeated “Again Bass Cat leads this category”, many times. This presentation is made with most all of the industry executives and owners in attendance. So it was overwhelming to hear only your companies name repeated in all categories with exception of one, where Grady White and Cobalt were ahead and they placed us in third in that one category. There are Categories of overall data, which is comprised from the individual Segment data, such as the “Bass boat segment”.
Bass boat segment: From J.D. Power and Associates
“Bass Cat ranks highest in the bass boat segment for a fourth consecutive year, performing particularly well in each of the five factors that determine overall satisfaction: ride and handling; fishing; design and styling; engine, and helm and instrument panel. The company also receives the highest overall index score in the study for a third consecutive year. Following Bass Cat in the segment are Ranger and Triton, respectively.
Customer Satisfaction Index Ranking: Bass Boat Segment
<font size="2"> All charts are based on a 1,000-point scale
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-weight: bold;">Bass Cat 935</span>
Ranger 892
Triton 872
<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0); font-weight: bold;"> Bass Boat Segment Average 870</span><br style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0); font-weight: bold;"> Skeeter 865
Stratos 842"</font>
Receiving this honor a fourth time places a larger target on our backs as we move forwards. It helps all of you to improve your resale turn and returns on your boats. Those second time owners are more assured that we will do our best, to handle each of them with a positive experience. As many of you know, there are no lines on new and old owners at Bass Cat. We care equally about all of your needs, and more are learning of this. Nothing has changed this at BCB, though more are learning of it.
Before someone else mentions it, you will also notice that Champion is not included in the study. They did not have enough registrations to be automatically included. Their last appearance in the study was 2006. Where they finished a very, VERY close third, to then second finishing Ranger, with Skeeter then Triton, Stratos, and Nitro from memory. Though since we no longer have that data, it is from memory on the Sk & Tr placement. Previous Data must be destroyed after the year ends.
We will continue to improve and strive forwards as we move through 2008, and on developments for 2009, and 2010 or beyond. That means we will selectively improve each models ride, equipment and features. All based on what we learned is more important to each of you. Often this comes with a cost, that must be balanced between costs and returns on each model. Otherwise all of our boats would have the same Equipment as a new Puma! Though affordability and more come into play there.
Other companies supporters will always question the validity of JDP results as they have for those past four seasons. Though if the award was a purchased accolade, how would Bass Cat outbid the owner of three competitive bass boat companies, or Yamaha, Bass Pro Shops and Brunswick’s Boat Group. That is a defensive measure that is only internal justification. We will summarize below for those who should choose to read on and learn more.
We just wanted to take a moment to say Thank You to all of the “Family”! From all of the Associates at Bass Cat, the extended staff those Great Bass Cat Dealers, Thank You!
Right now we are significantly into that next reporting year. So Back to Work! There is no time to rest on this one!
Sincerely,
Rick Pierce
JDP Description Summary:
There are 448 pages in just the Bass Boat segment data, and appx. over 700 pages in Just the Bass Segment overall with reports and results. As we review the data, it became and becomes obvious that some companies slid considerably while one did resurrect itself some, and another improved in areas. Though we can not comment on which major competitors slid considerably in satisfaction. One competitive companies Owner Loyalty and Dealership support saved them from a disgraceful fall it appears. So they have some things right, while missing in crucial areas.
Since we have access to the JD Powers data, those of us who have awareness of the intensity of the study, now believe in the results on any product. The data is real, is what we say to ourselves. Those items we know we need to address show up, and those we do right show as positives as well. It works is the fundamental answer.
We look at those standings when we purchase another unrelated product. We will use what JDP says when considering any product that we are inquiring on. The data is intense and scrutinized severely. Though we also caution to look at those small groups that do not meet criteria for inclusion in any awards category, though they are recognized in the information and the data.
Just because company A is not large enough to compete for the award, look at that data also as it may have enhancements you are looking for. Though we do depend on the data. One small Sport Boat is an example of that with an “F” on the label.
The data was the source of consideration when placing that docking cleat on the Puma and other Premium models. The data is real! Below is an example of one page of the data itself, and each page of data can be cross referenced inside itself, using JPD’s software, thousands of ways into other category cross comparisons. Such as Ride or Performance on Boat A to Fishing Decks on Boat B. We scrambled the data below to protect our confidentiality agreement with JDP. Though this is a representative of one sheet of data, and was copied from that data and altered.
Table XX-1
Q.X0 – DOES YOUR ENGINE HAVE SUFFICIENT HORSEPOWER TO MEET YOUR NEEDS?
*************************** BASS BOAT ****************************
SEGMENT BRANDS
TOTAL ==============================================
TOTAL UN- BASS
WEIGHTED WEIGHTED CAT NITRO RANGER SKEETER STRATOS TRITON
——– ——– —– —– —— ——- ——- ——
BASE: TOTAL ELIGIBLE xxxx xx3 xx0 xx2 xx88 xx95 xx16 xx84
100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
DON’T KNOW/NO ANSWER 1×1 1x x 1x 5x 5x – x0
1.8 1.8 1.5 1.5 2.7 2.0 2.4
BASE: TOTAL ANSWER 9xx4 x18 xx4 xx8 xx29 xx43 xx16 xx44
100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
YES 8xx7 xx5 x04 x14 Xx59 Xx03 Xx92 Xx84
95.5 96.0 97.7 87.7 96.7 94.5 98.4 96.4
NO xx7 x3 x xx4 x0 xx9 x4 x0
4.5 4.0 2.3 12.3 3.3 5.5 1.6 3.6
Now the question is, How do we improve from the previous year!?!?!??!?! 
LOL
