Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

[WillyBWright]

Customers and Dealers are frequently at odds when it comes to fixing things. Most problems are dealt with amicably and fairly, but then there's the occasional horror story. Here's an example from a Dealer's perspective...<br /><br />A customer came in a while back with a Force 85Hp block. He wanted a mechanic to check the bores for wear. "Okay, leave it for a few days and we'll get to it ASAP." That wasn't good enough. He needed it checked "Right Now!".<br /><br />"Sorry, but this is our busy season and we're trying to get some boats out that were promised already. If you leave it, we can check it within a few days." Still not good enough. So the customer stomps off in a huff.<br /><br />Came in the following season Real crabby! "My motor blew up and it's your fault!"<br /><br />"How is it our fault? You did the overhaul yourself."<br /><br />"You wouldn't measure the cylinders when I brought it in and I had to put it together that way."<br /><br />"We were busy. We had customers there waiting for us to finish their boats which they left and waited their turn. If you had left your block, we would've fit it in it later that day or the next. It doesn't take long."<br /><br />"It's still your fault my motor blew up!"<br /><br />"Sorry! But we don't guarantee YOUR work." The Service Manager walked away and the customer eventually went away, but not before shouting plenty of very choice words.<br /><br />I'm not looking for comments or solutions, just stories. If you're a Dealer, I'd like to hear some of your worst horror stories. I'd also like to hear some from the Customer's point of view. No generalized character assasinations allowed and no commentaries please. Only specific stories. "Just the facts, ma'am."

 

[Tinkerer2]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

Not what you're looking for because this is positive, but I wanted a hull checked and rang my friendly local man yesterday who said he was too busy but bring it in today (Saturday) which I did. <br /><br />We had our usual chat about boats for a while and he checked out the hull and pronounced it fine. <br /><br />When I asked him how much I owed him he said nothing and, despite being told I was happy to pay quite a bit for the peace of mind he'd given me, he wouldn't take anything. <br /><br />This bloke is a multi-millionaire who runs a huge boat sales and parts enterprise through another big outlet with lots of employees unlike the small and seemingly crappy one-man business he runs near me that most people think is his only enterprise. <br /><br />I'm always happy to wait for this type of outstanding service. <br /><br />If they have the part I'll buy from him or his big outlet, even though it's an hour's drive away, because they're good people and I trust them.<br /><br />For the benefit of U.S. members, there is an old saying here in Australia which was the motto of a popular flyspray many years ago: "When you're on a good thing, stick to it!".

 

[zzzzz]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

being service manager at a marina,I've heard lots...a good one from two weeks ago- a local guide comes in for an annual service and needs the boat by Tuesday for a charter Wednesday...no problem-we do the service,,call him,he picks up boat...calls Wednesday morning screaming " %&*^% I had to cancel my charter cause the boat won't run and on and on %#*##!!...."Sir-lets check a few things? cranking good?-"like crazy but seems like no spark !!".......is the safety lanyard on??-Sir...Sir...??"never mind!!" and then a click...the lanyard gets everybody at least once !

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

Tinkerer2, I'm starting a flip-side thread. Look for "Going the Extra Mile".

 

[OBJ]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

Something similar to zzzzz....two steady customers went halfs and bought a new 25 Rude from my shop. I told them to bring the boat in and I'll mount it and run it in for them. Tiller steering. So I did. They came back, I went over the engine and set up and showed them how to hook up the fuel line. Zack says "That's OK, I've been boating long enough to know what I'm doing." Alfonse his buddy says yea. Off they go.<br /><br />Two days later they come back not very happy and yelling about the lemon they got. I asked what the problem was. Zack says they launched and started the engine, it died and would not restart.<br /><br />I said lets take a look. First thing I noticed was the primer bulb to close to the engine. Fuel line hooked up backwards. Reversed and started. Course the two started yelling each other. No thanks to me or apology which I didn't expect. <br /><br />Ya' gotta love this business to stay in.

 

[zzzzz]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

Yep-ya' gotta love it...2 customers at our counter..the first guy scratches us a check for $7000 for new engine and was very nice and full of thanks...2nd guy was quoted $25 to rewire something and it actually came to $40 and all he wanted to do was yell ....ya gotta love it

 

[Forktail]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

Was there a point to your thread Willy?<br /><br />So far there's three service techs bashing customers. Nice.

 

[OBJ]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

What bashing Forkail? I didn't say anything bad about my two customers. In fact, Alfonse still comes in to chew the fat. Zack passed on a couple years ago. And I didn't see any bashing by zzzzzz and Tinkerer2 gave nothing but good kudos to his wrench. Maybe I read it wrong? Don't think so.<br /><br />I think what Willy is looking for is how we, as trades people handle difficult customers. We've all had our share I'm sure. And maybe, just maybe we can all learn a little from what others have done to remedy difficult, even unfounded situations. And there is nothing wrong with sharing some humorus situations also.<br /><br />Nuff said.

 

[Walt T]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

Want great customer stories? Got lots of them. Once I worked all night overhauling a Cobra. Customer gets his boat, takes off for a long weekend. Comes back with 'that look' on his face I knew I had screwed something up. Says his drive quit after about 2 hours of running. Doesnt yell, says his weekend worked out okay they had friends there and used their boats. I mean really, we've all been there it sucks when your boat breaks out on the water in the middle of a good time. <br />Anyway The drive is trashed, I mean it's junk inside. That's what I get for working all night I say to myself, bite the bullet and put another drive on. He gets his boat back that same day with my apologies. Turns out I left a thrust washer out, and he still brings his boat around. I dont pull all nighters anymore, I cant afford to.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

I'm looking for stories from either side of the service counter, Forktail. Bashing is not allowed (I haven't seen any yet), and responses to the stories are not solicited. Just stories. My point is that we're all here because of a problem. Something on a boat isn't working. We can get together and solve the problem, or we can take sides and attack eachother. The latter doesn't get the boat fixed. Calling techs "incompetent" and consumers "ignorant" won't get anything positive accomplished. A consumer/service relationship should be a cooperative one, not an adversarial one. Maybe a few stories from each side will help us understand eachother.<br /><br />Walt's story reminded me of one. A customer brought his boat to be checked over prior to a vacation. He brought it back afterward crabbing about how he couldn't get it on plane and he was none too happy that it worked fine before he brought it in and ran badly on his vacation. As I always do on a boat that comes in for service, I removed the bailer plug to keep rainwater from building up. It drained...and it drained...and it drained...25 minutes. I can't believe the trailer springs held up from all that weight. I checked the motor, it ran fine. I called him and he picked-up his boat. No charge.

 

[willxuout3]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

dieselwalt:<br /><br />I wish you had been my mech...we could have worked it out. I'm a resonable guy and am not looking to take advantage of anyone. I expect the same from the people I deal with daily. Hell, I've made my share of mistakes over the years...once my boss had to back up something I left out...it cost him about $4000 bucks, He never said a word to me or the clent. I thougth the client was unresonable and was taking advantage of my boss...years later that same client still gives us work as well as recommending us to others. "Treat other people like you want to be treated" I did'nt get that from the 1st dealer. As it stands now I'll never take my boat back to the 1st mech, nor will anyone I know. Lots of business lost there as I know quite a few boaters that will never take their boats to him.<br /><br />WillyBWright: You should go back read my posts concerning what transpired between the 1st dealer and myself. I tried to work it out with them without accusing them or being hostile. To this day I never even raised my voice when trying to work it out (I felt like SCREAMING at them) but, as you are aware nothing gets resolved when people are screaming at each other.<br /><br />Let's face it..mechanical things WILL breakdown. However, as a qualified marine ob mechanic you are getting paid for knowledge of ob's. I was not attacking the character of marine mechanics. There are some realy good ones out there and alot of really bad ones. At least my associates learned from my experience.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

Sorry Willxuout, I'm ignoring the second part of your post. We're just relating stories here. I'm glad your boss didn't fire you for incompetence. Not sure what it has to do with dealer/customer relations in a marine context, but it proves everybody's human.<br /><br />But we're not here to revisit your unfortunate situation. We can do that under General Outboards. Next...

 

[Walt T]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

there's customers that think I'm a complete idiot. Cant make them all happy, but If I am right I'm not going to let a customer take advantage of me. I've done tune ups then the customer goes out and spins coupler and expects me to pay for it. Some people you cant reason with.

 

[11 footer]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

A while back I took my 11-Sport BW to a outboard repair place that is local. I wanted the steering replaced and he had six weeks to get it done before I take the boat to Maine for the summer. He promised that he would get it fixed in time.<br /><br />I come back five and a half weeks later to find my boat the same way it was when i left it, just needed to be washed because he moved it under a friggen pine tree. The ******* didn't touch it, I wound't minded as much but he didn't even call and tell me it wasn't going to get done.<br /><br />I ended up takeing the boat to Maine anyway and I found a guy up there who did it in two days

 

[JoeW]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

When I first got my project boat, I would frequent one of the local dealers for parts. The parts were really overpriced, but I wanted to develop a relationship with these folks in case I needed to ask questions. So I kept going there. Finally, one day I asked this dealer what the trick was to getting the control box lever off. He quoted me $127.00 to take the lever off and would not answer my question. Needles to say, that was my last visit to that dealer. I got the answer in about 15 minutes on this forum.

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

I post this because I think some of you dealers will find it interesting.<br /><br />Part of the problem is that too often both sides don't trust each other. Customers think dealers are out to screw them (we've all seen the TV reports with the hidden cams) and the dealers think customers are out to blame them for things they are not responsible for.<br /><br />I know a really good mechanic with a really interesting working practice. He interviews his customers before he accepts their work. Once he accepts you as a customer he keeps his word (done on time, etc.) and stands behind his work. He builds mutual trust up front and he leads a less stressful life as a result.

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

Before I knew how to fix my boat, I took it to the dealer after it had no spark. He was told to "fix it". Guy returned it and it ran, but ran like crap. It had the spark now, but he returned it with the carbs gummed up and the key switch wouldnt start it (had to use a jumper). It was taken back again and he was told to fix it. He never called back and it sat there for 6 months (I was overseas). I called him up and he said it needs the carbs rebuilt. I said I thought we told you to fix it, but never mind now, i am coming to get it. We just pulled up one weekend and hauled it away. As we were pulling out of the lot, they tried to hit us with another bill for the second visit in which they did absolutely no work!!!!<br /><br />I later rebuilt the carbs myself and found out the reason the key switch wouldnt work is cause my wiring harness melted (probably what caused the loss of spark in the first place).<br /><br />Anyway, this major dealer in Houston treated me like I was bothering him and he never even took the time to diagnose any problems. My brother reccomended him as that is where he had bought his 23 ft Sea Ray cuddy. Now neither of us will ever buy anything from him and I tell all my friends about the poor service.<br /><br />Everytime on the phone the guy acted like I was bothering him. A suggestion to dealers is that you should train the service guys to think of the customer when he is on the phone. I would rather the guy say, let me get your number, I'll take a little break, and call you back when I can think a little bit clearer.<br /><br />Ken

 

[TPD211]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

And there I was.....<br />The proud owner of 2 used PWC's. Bought them from a local delaership. 1 a Yamaha the other a Sea Doo. The Sea Doo seized an engine shortly after I bought it. The delaership forgot to tell me they installed another engine in it. I ran it like a regular jetski, not breaking the engine in. Of course it seized. OK, they replaced that engine, it seized also, they didnt purge air from the oil line and it had bubbles in it. It seized after I stopped running pre-mix in it for the break in. I took the ski back to them, they replaced the motor again, it seized on THEM, they replaced the motor again. Had the skis for 8 months, the Sea Doo was at the dealership for 4 1/2 of them. Each time I got the Sea Doo back, it was covered with oil/grease stains. The engine well under the seat was now gouged in several places due to wrenches, etc. bouncing off of it. Bolts were missing from mounting points, they lost the PTO cover and exhaust tube under the seat. They replaced them of course. <br />It took me hours to clean the ski and wax it to bring the color back to it. The seat was covered in black stuff I had to scrub off. The owner bent over backwards after I slammed them on a Sea Doo site that has over a million hits a month. He threatened me with slander, I countered its not slander if its the truth. He backed down as I had everything done so far documented. <br />I sold the jet skis to buy the deckboat.<br />I should have bought a boat in the first place, wife and I had a mid-life impulse when we bought the jet skis. Were much happier on the boat.<br />BTW, the Yamaha ran like a champ but the Sea Doo was a rocket when it ran, top speed of 65.<br />My point is this, you never know what kind of treatment or service you are going to get from a business. Forums like this help to vent and to ascertain information about dealers, shops, etc. to make informed decisions. I'm like the rest of ya'll, I work hard for my money and do not like to get taken from lousy service, etc.

 

[DJ]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

This not boat related, but I'll throw it in for thought.<br /><br />A long time ago, I worked as a Service Advisor and then Service Manager for a larger Oldsmobile and Toyota dealership. The dealer also had, in seperate locations-nearby: Honda, Mercedes, Cadillac, Volvo, Nissan.<br /><br />The difference in attitudes between the import buyer and domestic buyer were stunning.<br /><br />For the most part, the domestic buyer was not interested in spending a dime to maintain the vehicle. Especially at a dealership. On the other hand, the import buyer would ONLY have the dealer do the work and couldn't wait to pay for it.<br /><br />I could never figure that out.<br /><br />In addition, the Toyota people (corporate) wouldn't even consider an after warranty adjustment unless the the customer had all of their services done at a Toyota dealership.<br /><br />The domestic rep's. did not have that privelege of discrimination. I am told, by the people I used to work with, that it is still very true today. Go figure.<br /><br />As far as boats go. I think the majority of boat/engine service departments are a very unfreindly place. (disclaimer-I said the majority-not ALL) I have purchased several new boats. I have yet to find a service department that I felt welcome in. I chose the dealership based upon the rig I wanted and the lesser of the unfreindly service facilities. The attitudes of the department personnel were atrocious. I always felt like I had to bend over backwards to get them to pay any attention at all to me-the customer. And, I'm not one to complain. Having been in similar situations, I can offer empathy-to a point.<br /><br />I think alot of this has to do with pay and incentives. I am probably more than qualified to run a service and parts facility for any major boat dealer. I would NEVER do it, however. I do not think there are many dealer/owners out there that appreciate what a good fixed operations manager can do for the business as a whole.<br />The same USED to be true for automobile dealers, that cannot be said today. At least NOT the vast majority.

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: Dealer / Customer Relations Horror Stories

i recently bought a used(i.e, worked) 1973 glasstron 16foot bowrider with 1972 elctric shift 55hp evinrude. motor is hot, i know this when i get boat, but boat is nice and clean. steering cable is frozen and splashwell mount for steering needs replaced. so i bring it to GREYBEARDS marine in st.pete, fl, yes i want all to know there name and avoid them...i purchase a 1970 85 hp motor with new waterpump for$350 and have him install and fixx all problems previously described...says will be done in 2 or 3 days, ... on tuesday(2 days later) went out of town for a week without telling me...weeks go by and i keep calling and he keeps saying" a few more days, justa lil wiring to do and were done".. so i check up late at night on my way home, i find beer cans in the boat, food, garbage, and its been exactly the same since we dropped it off.... after 7 weeks and still nothing... i stole my own boat with a set of bolt cutters( i bought him a new lock ) and had my credit card company refund my money against his wishes... ill never let that happen again !