SOUTHOLD, N.Y. – Having the confidence of 24/7 on-water assistance can be a factor that ensures a life-long love of boating. Knowing this, Sea Tow Services International and BiT Marine Software have partnered to give boat dealers throughout the country the opportunity to provide their customers the peace of mind Sea Tow offers with just the simple click of a button.
The new relationship is a long-anticipated collaboration between Sea Tow and BiT Marine, the leading provider of Dealer Management System (DMS) software to boat dealers throughout the United States.
Beginning today, any boat dealers, both used and new, that use BiT’s Online DMS, will have the option of clicking a button to automatically enroll a boat buyer in Sea Tow’s Sea Care Program. Enrollment will provide anyone buying a new boat with a free 95-day Sea Tow trial membership, or with a 60-day Sea Tow trial membership for customers buying used boats. The service applies to boats of all brands up to 65 feet in length.
“It’s common for dealers to offer Sea Tow membership via the Sea Care Program to boat buyers, but the process was not as streamlined as we would have liked,” said Kristen Frohnhoefer, president of Sea Tow Services International. “This partnership makes it easier for both the dealers and the buyers, but it also gives them greater confidence in enjoying their investment knowing that help is only a phone call away, if needed.”
Under the old system, a person purchasing a boat would have to manually fill out a separate form to sign up for Sea Tow’s Sea Care program. Today, BiT Marine has integrated the forms into the dealer’s overall purchasing software allowing the new owner’s information to be auto-populated – enrolling them in just seconds.
Ed MacFawn, President and CEO of BiT Dealership Software met with Frohnhoefer last year and has since looked forward to the prospect of doing business with Sea Tow. He noted that the partnership will make it easier than ever for boaters to find peace of mind, ensuring they can enjoy the things that make the hobby so appealing, instead of worrying about a breakdown or problem.
“This collaboration is very consistent with BiT’s mission of helping boat dealers succeed,” MacFawn said. “By providing dealers with an easy way to offer all their new and used boat buyers a free trial of Sea Tow’s membership and service, dealers using BiT’s cloud DMS and their customers both win.”
About Sea Tow
Founded in 1983, Sea Tow Services International Inc. is the largest on-water assistance fleet for boaters consisting of nearly 100 franchise locations across the United States with additional locations in Europe, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Headquartered in Southold, N.Y., Capt. Joe Frohnhoefer established the family-owned company to provide non-emergency assistance to boaters on the water after the U.S Coast Guard stopped servicing non-emergency calls. Known for their “distinctive yellow boats”, Sea Tow’s network of dedicated US Coast Guard licensed captains, crew, and support staff, are standing by 24/7 to serve its members and other boaters in need. Sea Tow also responds to emergency events, natural disasters, environmental response and oil spill cleanup. For more information, please visit seatow.com
Serving Boaters Since 1983
About BiT Marine Software
BiT Dealership Software, Inc., headquartered in Knoxville, TN, is a leading provider of dealer management software. The company serves hundreds of businesses and thousands of people in five countries. Founded in 1985 as a provider of software to boat dealers, marinas and boat yards, BiT has expanded its product offerings and we now also help powersports, RV and outdoor power equipment dealerships to succeed using BiT software. For more information, visit: www.bitmarine.com
