Sea Ray customer support

osd9

osd9

New Member
Oct 3, 2006
4,874
MidAtlantic
Boat Info
2003 410DA
Engines
Caterpillar 3126-TA w/ ZF 80-IV
In a different thread here on CSR, I offered to call SeaRay's 1-800 Customer support number for our friend Pete over in the Netherlands....

http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11403


If you look down towards the end of that thread, where I dialed the 1-800-SRBOATS phone number, I was advised to check the searay website or if I couldn't find the answer I was looking for to then email any questions that I might still have.

I was taken back by that canned voice mail message as I always appreciated being able to speak to a human from the factory for any first hand issues, problems or concerns that I had/have.

I'm not sure how to react to this other than my initial....WOW!!!

But, I can honestly say that if I were a new boat buyer (which BTW I'm not) I'd give a second thought of buying now knowing that I'd have to rely soley on local salesperson for any warranty issues and that my (only) escalation route were an .....email!
 
Boat sales are slow, so they cut back on customer service. Makes sense to me -- considering the parent company.

Best regards,
Frank
 
That's ok... Frank W. has me about talked into one of these:

Angela%20Marin%20Profile.jpg



http://www.marlowexplorer.com/61c-65e.htm

I bet they have live customer support...
 
fc3 said:
Boat sales are slow, so they cut back on customer service. Makes sense to me -- considering the parent company.

Best regards,
Frank
Click to expand...

I've got to disagree Frank.....I don't see cuting back on customer service as EVER making sense...cut back production..sure...cut back some models...yes...but customer service.....Nah...there's got to be more ways for the bean counters to cut back other than that....
 
Sea Ray customers servies is alive and well (I was on the phone with them today) and I have to say I have't experienced customers service from ANY other company as useful and helpfull as Sea Ray's.

I too called the 1-800 number (I used to call 1-800-648-2821) a coulple weeks ago and it was disconnected. Rather than flaming Sea Ray, I used my brain and figured they made a smart move to reduce costs = rid unecessary 800 numbers.

So I called 411 (information) and got their regular number 321.449.8628.

The same wonderful, helpful people answered happy to answer my many questions! :grin:
 
Hey mike...I ain't flaming anyone...I was just stating the facts. They didn't cut back an 800 number....it's still there...the message on recording was very clear...why not just post that non toll free on the canned message?
 
I called SeaRay CS last week regarding a canvas windshield cover. Got a nice lady that went off and asked about my question, came back and said this would need to be answered from the Merritt Island facility, then gave me the phone number. I called Merritt island and got to talk to a nice guy that said he would check and he got back to me the next day...they didn'y have the canvas!!!

Anyway, my experience with SR customer service has been very good, wish SR would lower the new boat prices and improve the inital quality though!!

Mike
 
Dom,
You'll be surprised and I agree that customer support should be the last department to cut. I’m in IT and we’re noticing huge drop in customer support. So, different industry follows the same methods to cut corners. I hope they know better and realize it’s the wrong direction. Poor customer support = even slower sales, IMO.
 
osd9 said:
...it's still there...the message on recording was very clear...why not just post that non toll free on the canned message?
Click to expand...

Interesting, curious I called both the old 800-number I had and the 800-SRBOATS. The number I had doesn't say disconnected anymore - it now gives the 321.449.8628 number I got from information.

If I had to guess, and its only a guess, the 800-number I had wasn't published in their literature. The 800-SRBOATS number (and I could be totally wrong) is in their literature and to help field calls they are promoting their website where prospective owners can read a wealth of information on new models and probably answer a lot of their basic questions?
 
I guess sarcasm doesn't carry into the forum.

When you consider the negatives vs, the positives, one of the big, huge actually, pluses for buying a Sea Ray is their customer support. It's one of the main reasons I still consider Sea Ray for the next boat -- despite Merc's numerous screw-ups.

Best regards,
Frank
 
What is going on is part of a re-organization and realignment.

One of the things Sea Ray learned is that some customers will call the factory about absolutley anything:

1. a snap came off my top can you send me a new bimini, but in blue instead of black?
2. how do I put water in my boat?
3. how do I empty my holding tank?
4. my boat doesn't have a mascerator switch?

You know, a lot of the same newbie questions we see here. Sea Ray was taking the time to answer every question even though the dealer should have been the one to handle the customer.

Customer service is there to answer questions the dealers cannot answer or will not answer to the customer's satisfaction, not to hold the customer's hand while he figures out that the pointy end goes on the trailer first.

Give them a chance and use the email system.........I bet you get better answers since the question will be directed to the right resource in Sea Ray.

And, for Gary, you are probably right.......since they only make, what 4 boats a year, when you call Marlow, David Marlow himself may even answer the phone if he not out running a chopper gun.
 
I think it is about the same as most other things you might purchase. Once you buy it you aren't quite as important as you were before you handed over the money.
I find the same thing with Harley Davidson...only they are REALLY bad. Try reasoning with your local H-D dealer.
Having said that though...I am happy with Sea Ray so far.
 
I think they should at least a separate number for the yacht owners. I can see them not wanting to waste time with someone that spent less than 6 figures on their products, but I have to send an email even when spending half a mil? Cut me a break..
 
I ran into this about a month ago and posted it somewhere around here. I thought I would be slick and tried hitting every button on my phone but to no avail, strictly just a canned message.
 
gerryb said:
.... I can see them not wanting to waste time with someone that spent less than 6 figures on their products, but I have to send an email even when spending half a mil? Cut ...
Click to expand...

IMHO - You start down that slippery slope you open up a whole new can of worms. Where do you set the limit at $100K, $500K, etc. Some people are going to say well if that is the way you are treated I don't think my next new boat will be with this company.:huh: Not sure but I would say a majority of SeaRay owners started with a small boat and upgrade over time to a larger boat. While we are talking about ways SeaRay could kill their reputation they could be just like some other companies that will only support the 1st owner of the new boat, not people that bought a used boat.:smt021
 
Last edited:
fwebster said:
What is going on is part of a re-organization and realignment.

One of the things Sea Ray learned is that some customers will call the factory about absolutley anything:

1. a snap came off my top can you send me a new bimini, but in blue instead of black?
2. how do I put water in my boat?
3. how do I empty my holding tank?
4. my boat doesn't have a mascerator switch?

You know, a lot of the same newbie questions we see here. Sea Ray was taking the time to answer every question even though the dealer should have been the one to handle the customer.

Customer service is there to answer questions the dealers cannot answer or will not answer to the customer's satisfaction, not to hold the customer's hand while he figures out that the pointy end goes on the trailer first.

Give them a chance and use the email system.........I bet you get better answers since the question will be directed to the right resource in Sea Ray.

And, for Gary, you are probably right.......since they only make, what 4 boats a year, when you call Marlow, David Marlow himself may even answer the phone if he not out running a chopper gun.
Click to expand...


Frank I love this post!!!!!!!!!!Made me laugh so hard I got all choked up. I always like to hear raw truth. I'm still laughing!
 
You fellows can assume ambivilance on the part of Sea Ray relative to customer service if you wish, but, since I keep my boat at a Florida dealer near the factories, I have met several of their guys. All I've met are absolutley rabid about solving customer problems and keeping us customers happy. There is no doubt in my mind about their commitment. There are, however, some common sense limits when customers ask for ridiculous things and for warranty coverage on horribly neglected, abused or damaged boats.

As far as separate numbers for different boats or classes of boat, well, you have that now and have had for as long as I remember. When you call the general number, you ask for customer service for your model boat, you are not connected to some Hindi speaking dude in Baharampur, India, but rather a customer service representitive at the factory where your boat was made and where the answer guys.....manufacturing and engineering ......are.
 
I send the e-mail to customer service, so let's wait. (miboats@searay.com)
Don't know if they react, because I am from the Netherlands.

In the Netherlands we have a company called Driessen.
Driessen is the company how does Sea Ray customer service and distribution for total Europe.
When you look at there site (www.searay.nl) you don't see much SeaRay....
The reason why there are not very successfully in Europe I
think.
When people buy such expensive products, they need a good customer service facility.
I agree with Frank W., that the local dealers must solve most of the questions and problems.
If they don't know the answer, they call Sea Ray.
If nothing can be done then, there should be a possibility that the customer can talk direct to a specialist from Sea Ray.
Otherwise they need to many people, where they should use their dealers.

Regards Peter.
 
I have used Sea Ray's e-mail twice now this year to get some specific information on my boat and both inquiries were answered in less than 48 hours. This along with a contact e-mail and phone number if I needed any more information.
Totally agree with Frank W. that using the e-mail system gets you to the right dept and the correct guys to answer your specific question.
Just my $0.02 worth.
Dan
 
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