Grady-White Ten for Ten in Customer Satisfaction
CHICAGO, IL (September 12, 2011): The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) has again awarded Grady-White Boats the CSI Award, the trade association’s top recognition for customer satisfaction. 2011 is the tenth year of the association’s study of customer satisfaction among boat and boat engine owners. Grady-White has received the award in the category of fiberglass outboard boats every single year the study has been conducted.
Grady-White Boats has been recognized with the highest ranking for excellence in customer satisfaction in its category by every third party study ever conducted in the marine industry including these ten-in-a-row NMMA CSI awards and eight J.D. Power and Associates awards in a row. (Although the studies my be resumed in the future, the 2008 Boat Competitive Information Study and the subsequent 2009 awards recognition was the last study completed in the marine industry by J.D. Power and Associates.)
The marine industry’s CSI Award program honors participating manufacturers that actively measure customer satisfaction and pursue continuous improvement to better serve the customer. The 2011 award recipients achieved and maintained an independently measured standard of excellence of 90 percent or higher in customer satisfaction, based on information provided by customers purchasing a new boat or engine during the period between April 1, 2010, and March 31, 2011. Participating manufacturers must survey all new boat buyers during this period. For this reporting period, the program surveyed more than 40,000 consumers.
Grady-White received an exceptionally high benchmark score.
Award recipients will be acknowledged during the annual Industry Breakfast at the 2011 International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) 7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., Room C-201, second floor in the Louisville, Kentucky Conventions Center.
“As the industry has reacted to recent market realities these manufacturers have kept a keen eye on consumer satisfaction and quality,” notes Terry Leitz, NMMA’s director of CSI programs. “This focus will provide great dividends as value conscious consumers consider all aspects of ownership in their purchase process.”
For more information regarding the CSI program visit www.nmma.org.
Established in 1959, Grady-White builds a variety of versatile, high quality center console, dual console, express and walkaround cuddy cabin sportfishing and coastal family boats from 18 to 36 feet. The company has been under private ownership by NMMA Hall of Fame member Eddie Smith and the Smith family since 1968.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Gwen Edwards, Grady-White Boats
P. O. Box 1527 Greenville, NC 27835 E-mail: gedwards@gradywhite.com
Telephone 252-752-2111 Fax 252-830-8462 Web: www.gradywhite.com
