BLOG: Has our marine industry heard of customer service?

Ok, I'm going to have a rant this week. I apologise now, but I need to say my piece or go mad by staying silent. Over the past few months, for one reason or another, I've had dealings with businesses in the marine industry. These have included boat yards, trailer manufacturers and fibreglass repairers. Unfortunately, the one common denominator that has been overwhelmingly evident has been a poor standard of customer service.

I’m not sure why this is the case. Surely, in the current economic climate businesses are reverting back to basics such as high standards of customer service to encourage repeat or referral business. In the majority of cases that I have been involved with lately I have been appalled at the outcome. I will say two things here. Firstly, I have eventually had good experiences in these dealings when I have been forced to look elsewhere for a supplier, but the negative experiences have far outweighed the positives. Secondly, I am not an exceptionally hard customer to please. I work in a customer service capacity and usually give more leniency to those in similar positions. I know at times how hard it is to please everyone. However, the one aspect that is non-negotiable is common courtesy. If you tell someone that you will call them, bloody well call them!

It is imperative in dealing with customers that you manage expectations. If the delivery of a new boat is quoted at 6 weeks and it takes 10 weeks, then a minimum level of communication is needed to manage that expectation. Customers get irate if they have to continually ring up to get progress reports on a late delivery. I find customers are usually ok if things don’t go according to plan, if they are kept in the loop. It’s not rocket science.

The issues though run far deeper than just a complete poor standard of communication. I have been lied to and snubbed as well. I needed to have my fibreglass boat repaired and took it to a local repairer I have dealt with before. I needed to submit a quote and report to my insurance company, which I was told would take a few days. Two weeks later and numerous phone calls on my part I was told it was coming,"I will do it tonight, I promise". In the end I rang to put them under the pump. I was told the quote "had" been submitted and the lie was so elaborate they even told me the amount of the quote and to give them a day's notice before bringing my boat in to complete the repair. No quote was ever received by fax or email, no response was ever made. I didn’t realise that business is so good out there that businesses are turning away repeat customers, and forever - I’m never going there again.

I really hope these are just isolated instances. What I am hearing though is many customers that deal with marine related businesses are receiving similar service. In fact, lately it is common to hear the phrase "it’s just how the industry operates". People are getting accustomed to the experience. The economic downturn hit the marine industry hard over the past couple years and one would think that a common sense approach to customer service is one strategy to insulate yourself from demise. Good reputations spread, but bad reputations spread faster.

Thank you to the suppliers who have given me glimmer of confidence. You will be receiving my business and endorsement.

Has anyone else out there experienced poor customer service from the marine industry?