Shocked at my depreciated value

Any dealer that will not service new customers (that did not buy their boat from that dealer) is really missing the boat. I can't think of an easier way to earn new customers that will buy from you in the future. A good dealer will leave little reason for a buyer to go elsewhere for the same brand.
 
admin said:
Any dealer that will not service new customers (that did not buy their boat from that dealer) is really missing the boat. I can't think of an easier way to earn new customers that will buy from you in the future. A good dealer will leave little reason for a buyer to go elsewhere for the same brand.
Click to expand...

You certainly got that right. Some of these sales practices amaze me. We bought our boat on a whim 250 miles north of where we live. The selling dealer asked me if I had been shopping for a Tiara in my home port. I told him no, the truth, which I'm sure they verified. That was about it. We negotiated back and forth for a week and when he reached his rock bottom price, I added additional canvas, transom art and a synchonizer and said take it or leave it. He said no but called back two days later and said if you're stiil interested you can buy the boat with your additional equipment for the price we quoted. We get great service there and the Tiara dealer where I live did warranty work. For the right price, I would buy a boat from him too. I do give him some service work. And my storage marina has done warranty work during the winter. All of this contributes to a pleasant ownership experience, good will and it's good for business too. There are a lot of petty business owners who don't know Jack when it comes to growing a business.
 
Thanks for sharing your experience with Tiara, although since we own Sea Ray boats and work with Sea Ray dealers, I'm not sure how service of a lower volume brand helps.

Also, I am afraid you guys are missing the point. It isn't that Sea Ray dealers will not service customers that did not buy from them, but rather that Sea Ray is extremely conscious of customer satisfaction and measures its dealers to a large degree upon that fact. Therefore, Sea Ray dealers are going to service their own customers before they service customers who purchased boats from competing dealers. Most dealers love all service business......it all pays the same...so customers who bought boats elsewhere are told that you may have to wait until our customers service needs are met. In peak times, they may also be told "We are sorry; we are only servicing our customer's boats".

Perhaps we are discussing a service capacity issue rather than an arbitrary business practice.
 
When you sell more than you can service, someone has to be "blacked out" or forfeited and that would and understandably be the buyer from anywhere but that dealer. I was told directly "if you didn't buy it here, it doesn't get fixed here" Honest and I can respect it, however much it hurts. Although they were helpful in giving me a name of a sub contractor. Think about how many new boats were sold in one season, now factor in all the boats sold in the past 5 years in a particular dealership.( oh dont forget about all the used boats they sell and warranty for up to 90 days) There are not enough service man hours in a season to get it all done. One big juggling act. Its like this in all the brands. Welcome to boating.

Frank is right. service capacity issues.
 
Last edited:
One SR dealer I know uses "first come, first serve" as a rule. He says every one understands what it means and it keeps the bitching very low.
 
Sounds like mismanagement of the service dept to me to turn customers away. If a customer moves to a new area and brings their boat with them, and their nearest dealer gives them that attitude I really doubt they will buy that dealer's brand when its time to move up. Trust me, I realize some dealers have this practice, but the good ones do not. Or possible there are some good ones out there that simply have no interest in growing any more. I also realize that some dealers simply care about maintaining their CSI score, giving preferential treatment to the customers that can rate them. With the boat industry in its current state, hopefully more dealers can be proactive about servicing everybody and not simply looking for a CSI score.
 
Also, I am afraid you guys are missing the point. It isn't that Sea Ray dealers will not service customers that did not buy from them, but rather that Sea Ray is extremely conscious of customer satisfaction and measures its dealers to a large degree upon that fact. Therefore, Sea Ray dealers are going to service their own customers before they service customers who purchased boats from competing dealers. Most dealers love all service business......it all pays the same...so customers who bought boats elsewhere are told that you may have to wait until our customers service needs are met. In peak times, they may also be told "We are sorry; we are only servicing our customer's boats".
We are not missing the point, just pointing out that excuses like we are "too busy" are nothing more than symptoms of a poorly run business. Most enlightened business owners figure out a way to staff up when the busy season hits so they can add incremental income to their income statements.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I don't know about "mismanagement", Jim. When the dealer has a service capacity of 580 man-hours in a week in the summer (10 technicians x 58 hours) and a need of 1200 man-hours/week to give a 2 week turn time on boats, what would you have them do? I just know that if they cannot fix my boat because they are working on boats sold by other dealers/brokers, I would be furious. Were I in the same position, I, too, would service the customers who generated my sales rather than those who chose to patronize other dealers/brokers.

I know the obvious answer is to add technicians, but it isn't that easy in today's enviornment. With today's technology, the average guy with good mechanical skills isn't good enough. To maintain master dealer status and to do (get paid for) warranty work on various brands.....many dealers sell more than Sea Ray boats and also service Honda, Yamaha, Westerbeke, Onan, Northern Lights, Kohler etc. either pre-rigged or installed on other brands.....the technicians must be trained and or certified. The dealer either must home grow and pay to get them trained or steal them from other dealers.

Seasonality complicates it further. You cannot "inventory" a $15-25/hour guy for the 5 months slow months just because you needed him in the summer. If you did, the hourly rate for service would be $200 instead of $100.

I don't defend the system. However, rather than just complain about it, I find the better approach is to try to understand how it works and why, then figure out how to work with in it to get the service work I need done. We do that by scheduling what we can for slow times and by supporting the local dealer where it is cost effective, and that includes buying my boat there. This method works for me and other CSR members who use the same process, but did not buy their boats at the same dealer.
 
SR dealers can sell new boats of prior year models out of their territory. If you're interested in a new 2006 boat, look around the country. Surely there's one out there.

My local SR dealer has had a good business selling '06s to Canadians. He's prepping a 34 ft Sundancer now for shipment to a buyer in New York.

Dennis
 
If a service department is *so busy* that they can turn customers away, then what incentive to they have to perform good work? If a customer gets ticked off, there are three more clamouring at the door to be overcharged. . . .

I bought a brokered, older, SeaRay through a dealer. Before delivery, I racked up a substantial service bill. Through my first summer, I used the dealer exclusively for service. I never received anything like a "customer satisfaction survey" . By the time fall came around, I was looking frantically for new service options. I was successful.
 
comsnark said:
I bought a brokered, older, SeaRay through a dealer. Before delivery, I racked up a substantial service bill. Through my first summer, I used the dealer exclusively for service. I never received anything like a "customer satisfaction survey" . By the time fall came around, I was looking frantically for new service options. I was successful.
Click to expand...

It's good that you had choice and could go somewhere else for what you needed. Service makes all the difference in the world. With good service, boating is a pleasure. It sounds like the Florida market would benefit from more competition. Sounds ominous for owners to "have to know the system and work within it." It's nice being able to fax a work order to the marina and get a good result for a fair price without a hassle.
 
Or better yet. . .call the mechanic's vm on Sunday night and say "come fix my boat"; and by Friday have the boat ready to run!

I think if I was locked into a single repair option, I would get out of the hobby.
 
comsnark said:
Or better yet. . .call the mechanic's vm on Sunday night and say "come fix my boat"; and by Friday have the boat ready to run!
I think if I was locked into a single repair option, I would get out of the hobby.
Click to expand...



I agree. I use a guy who used to work at the factory building boats, and he comes to my dock for stuff I don't have time to do. I find myself using him more and more. The convenience is wonderful. He has built up quite a following and has added staff to keep up.
 
Yes, I started the "mobile mechanic" routine when dealing with JetSkis. One day, I brought my Jetski in for service without an appointment. Silly me! "Can't look at it for a week" "No prob. Don't need it for a week -> so I can just drop it in the back?". "$50 per day storage". "Ummm. I don't think so".

Disgruntled, still towing a jetski, I drove home. A block from my house, I see a van with a big jet ski logo on it. Hmmm. Pull up, walk up to the guy, say "How's it going? Got a spare hour after you finish this job?" "Sure. . . be over to your house in an hour".

His charge was within $5 of the dealer's charge. I haven't towed that Jetski for 5 years. Bought a second jetski; of a different brand. Never been to the dealer. Don't even have a trailer for this ski.

For winterization and spring tuneups, my current mode is to have the Mercruiser mechanic show up at 9am; and the jetski mechanic show up at 2pm. Get it all done on my scheduled with minimum fuss.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,229
Messages
1,428,966
Members
61,120
Latest member
jingenio
Back
Top