by Daniel Kubera

Page(s):  1

(Feb. 15, 2010 / Lake Forest, IL )... The marine operations of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC) are taking aggressive new steps to promote growth throughout its marine dealer network by launching one complete dealer certification program, with the most comprehensive menu of best business practices ever offered by Brunswick for all Brunswick boat brand dealers. The program gives dealers the insights to achieve operational excellence to drive long-term growth and profitability. Brunswick's new dealer certification is a major new addition to the broad set of profit-enhancing dealer programs offered by the company's dealer services arm, Brunswick Dealer Advantage.

"Sharing our best dealer practices across our entire marine dealer network offers significant opportunity for growth. Our certified dealers consistently outperform the market in sales, customer satisfaction and profitability" said Brunswick Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dustan E. McCoy. "By adopting the most successful business strategies through our new certification program, our dealers will be able to offer a superior customer experience and bring overall dealership performance to a new level."

Brunswick Dealer Advantage offers 17 leading business services for Brunswick Canada marine dealerships, all designed in some way to help them attract more retail customers, improve employee satisfaction, enhance operations and lower costs. The new Brunswick dealer certification program has business solutions that address all these areas and more.

Brunswick has been a pioneer in marine dealer certification for more than a decade. Until now, Brunswick dealer certification has been offered primarily by select boat brands. Now, Brunswick has taken all the best dealer practices from the Boat Group certification programs and combined them with the latest certification requirements from the industry certification organization Marine Five Star Dealer Certification (MFSDC) to offer all of its boat dealers the ultimate collection of tools for ongoing improvement and growth, all from one source, Brunswick.

The new Brunswick boat brand marine dealer certification program also allows dealers to brand their business as being certified by the marine industry leader. Since 79 percent of surveyed boat buyers prefer to buy their boat from a certified dealer, being certified by Brunswick offers dealers an important marketing advantage. Dealers can also promote MFSDC certification since it is included in all three Brunswick programs.

"Our new certification offers the ultimate collection of best practices from across the industry" said Brunswick Boat Group President, Andy Graves. "We see this year as an opportunity to solidify and expand our dealers' market position by among other things offering them new thinking that fuels growth. By tapping into our new, industry-leading certification program, our dealers will be well-positioned in 2010 and beyond."

The new Brunswick program offers three levels of achievement that the Brunswick boat brand dealer can choose from based on what best fits their business. Brunswick Five Star Dealer serves as the foundation, while Brunswick Master Dealer is the advanced standard of excellence level and Brunswick Ambassador Dealer is reserved for Brunswick-exclusive boat brand dealers with Brunswick Master Dealer Certification.

The Brunswick Five Star Dealer must meet a variety of exclusive Brunswick developed dealer requirements plus all MFSDC industry standards. The new program offers tools, guidance and certification on major areas like customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, employee training, facility appearance, sales, service and parts processes, market planning, performance tracking and much more. It's an ongoing process with updated standards and re-certification each year.

The Brunswick Master Dealer program takes certification to a whole new level with best practices and in-depth processes for every facet of the dealer's business. The certification team reviews and guides the dealer on how to improve or create everything from a long-range business plan, customer service index plans by department and service quality checks to marketing planning, gain/loss budgets, a CPA audit, effective weekly management meetings and a whole lot more.

Finally, the Brunswick Ambassador Dealer program is the highest level of certification, reserved for the boat brand leaders who are Brunswick-exclusive and have also managed to attain the Brunswick Master Dealer certification.

"Brunswick Certification is a perfect complement to Brunswick Dealer Advantage" said Scott Ward, president of Brunswick Product Protection and director of Brunswick Dealer Advantage. "Both programs have the same goal in mind ? dealership growth and profitability. Dealers who are already certified will attest to the fact that the investment in time and effort to become certified is recovered quickly through proven process improvements which produce greater profitability. Certification is good for the customer, good for the dealer, and ultimately good for the industry."

There are currently no limits or restrictions on participating in Brunswick certification or the multiple Brunswick Dealer Advantage business services. All dealers in good standing are eligible. Dealers can choose whatever type and number of programs that best fit their unique business needs. Sign-up is only a phone call away as dealers can contact Brunswick Dealer Advantage to set them up, or contact the chosen program partner directly to enroll. During Open Access, a companywide promotion running through June 30, 2010, all business services are available to every Brunswick dealer. The Brunswick Foundation Scholarship program for dealership employees' sons and daughters is the only program requiring a set level of Brunswick product sales during Open Access. Dealers can learn more about Brunswick Dealer Advantage by calling 1-877-462-384 or visiting the brunswickdealeradvantage website .

About Brunswick Dealer Advantage
Brunswick Dealer Advantage offers a broad range of dealer services designed to enhance the long-term profitability of Brunswick's dealer partners. In Canada, there are 17 business services focused on four areas: attracting more retail customers, rewarding employees, enhancing operations and reducing cost. Retail marketing services include Mercury Product Protection extended service contracts, BoatTrader, iBoats, Channel Blade internet marketing services and BoatingStore boat parts sales. Employee rewards include Synergy Benefits Consulting retirement planning services, CLIS and Aviva Traders personal auto and home insurance and discounts on GM automobiles and Brunswick Billiards products. Operation enhancing services and cost reduction programs include Brunswick boat dealer certification, 20 Groups on business management, Synergy Benefits Consulting succession planning, savings on Arthur J. Gallagher business insurance, CDW technology products and more. For information on all Brunswick Dealer Advantage programs, visit the brunswickdealeradvantage website or call 877- 462-3884.

About Brunswick
Headquartered in Lake Forest, Ill., Brunswick Corporation endeavors to instill "Genuine Ingenuity"(TM) in all its leading consumer brands, including Mercury and Mariner outboard engines; Mercury MerCruiser sterndrives and inboard engines; MotorGuide trolling motors; Attwood marine parts and accessories; Land 'N' Sea, Kellogg Marine, Diversified Marine and Benrock parts and accessories distributors; Arvor, Bayliner, Bermuda, Boston Whaler, Cabo Yachts, Crestliner, Cypress Cay, Harris, Hatteras, Lowe, Lund, Meridian, Ornvik, Princecraft, Quicksilver, Rayglass, Sea Ray, Sealine, Triton, Trophy, Uttern and Valiant boats; Life Fitness and Hammer Strength fitness equipment; Brunswick bowling centers, equipment and consumer products; Brunswick billiards tables and foosball tables.