Re: Stringer Pushing through bottom of Boat?
This type of service is something I have come to expect in Germany, but it is hard to take when I see it in the “Customer is King” country, the U.S..
I was at a Marina/Outfitter/Boat builder with a friend in Frankfurt (Germany) last week and was told to leave and come back after lunch, to pay for the handfuls of stuff he wanted to buy. It was 10:55 AM. He said he had all that he needed and we would pay and leave. She said it was to late they had rung out the register, we should have come earlier, and we should leave. She first rang out the register, and then told us they were closing. The store is family owned for 4 generations, and she is the family, so don't blame this one on cheap employees.
He just said we would go to the other Marina for what we needed if they weren't interested in taking his money, and she said do what you want, but before you go, replace all that you have that you wanted to buy back on the shelfs. This would have taken at least 15 min. she had time for this, but not time to ring him up. He dumped it on the counter and said she could do it, she said not to come back. We won't, ever. Ever is a longtime.
Their were at least six such shops here eight years ago, most more than over 40 years in business, now there are two.
There are only two (Marine/Outfitter/Boat builders ) left here now and they both cry in the press about how bad the industry is, and their need government help, and then treat the few customers they still have left like this.
They don't open till 9:30 and at 11:00 they close for 3 1/2 hours for lunch, then reopen for 2 hours. Take it or leave it. Like it or not.
There were those that said baineyg was just being a pain, and that the boat would probably be loaded with tons of freebies and extras when he got it back.
Well he didn't get any extras and they didn't do what I would call a professional job in preparing the boat to be turned over to him, the owner.
Had this boat been bought by a first time buyer those items not being re-installed correctly would have been not so easily to locate and diagnose. Leading to further dealer problems. He has now become (through no fault of his own) one of those customers no one wants to see in their shop, a problem customer.
BPS and Tahoe get a “D-” on this one at best!
If this is the state of customer service in America now, I can only say the industry should dress warm, real warm.
The customers you burn today won't be back tomorrow. They won't be passing down the joy of boating tradition to their children (the next generation, as our parents did) , nor will they be bringing in friends and colleagues to the boating past time. They will all be telling horror stories of getting ripped off and treated badly in the process.
I am sorry baineyg had to go through this, but I thank him for taking the time to post the progress of the ordeal.
May this be the end of your frustration baineyg, and the start of a great boating season.
Cheers and happy boating.
P.S. Yada yada yada ;-)
