Business View Magazine | May/June 2022

67 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 5 Building a customer-focused team The Omaha Marine team currently includes 20 full-time employees which will grow by three to five seasonal experts during the busy spring and summer seasons. Davis participated in an effective hiring campaign over the winter which helped to bring in new professionals that replaced a handful that left because of retirement or family factors. Turnover is generally low, with many employees having been with the company for multiple years. When it comes to hiring, candidates are required to be knowledgeable, technical professionals who have a strong background in the boating industry, when possible. While Omaha Marine has a strong supply of technicians, Davis acknowledges they could always use more, as finding team members with in-depth mechanical knowledge can be very difficult. Staying on top of industry trends requires ongoing in-house training that Omaha Marine provides its team members. Much of that is handled online, however, each boat manufacturer has its own programs which require onsite training at specific sites around the country. Davis says many of his colleagues attend these programs to ensure they remain certified with that manufacturer. Employees also make a difference in the way Omaha Marine is branded around the community. While the winter of 2020-21 saw no boat shows or industry events because of COVID, Davis and his team invested in the Omaha and Lincoln shows that returned last winter. Needless to say, there was pent-up demand with a two-and- a-half hour wait for the public to get into the Omaha show on a Saturday this winter. Omaha Marine even sold 90 percent of the boats it displayed at the show, which before COVID would have been unimaginable. OMAHA MAR INE CENTER