Aftersales

[martin]

Is it me or is the already shameful service offered by "some" boat manufacturers getting worse.

I have had a number of small things that needed information about .

faulty windscreen wipers
replacement carpet piece
replacement Kitchen cooker vent fan

and just getting basic information out of them is hopeless.. windscreen wiper info took 6 weeks to come back with ...er ...it may be a PBC problem ..buy a new one!!

In most cases in I have just given up and put in the leg work to track down the right part and order it directly. Question is...is this really the sort of service we should be getting given our investment in these companies
I am beginning to consider changing brand next time I buy....god forbid I should need emergency information or something bought in a hurry !


Any one else had better luck ? is it just me?

 

[rubberduck]

I think it depends on who you talk to at most companies, start of at the normal level, then just go to the top. Sadly we all have staff, who shall we say "could do better". If the top don't get it sorted, then go public as I did with absolute a year or two ago.

 

[admillington]

Is it me or is the already shameful service offered by "some" boat manufacturers getting worse.

I have had a number of small things that needed information about .

faulty windscreen wipers
replacement carpet piece
replacement Kitchen cooker vent fan

and just getting basic information out of them is hopeless.. windscreen wiper info took 6 weeks to come back with ...er ...it may be a PBC problem ..buy a new one!!

In most cases in I have just given up and put in the leg work to track down the right part and order it directly. Question is...is this really the sort of service we should be getting given our investment in these companies
I am beginning to consider changing brand next time I buy....god forbid I should need emergency information or something bought in a hurry !


Any one else had better luck ? is it just me?

Do you have a Princess 50?

 

[jrudge]

I suppose without naming them who knows. Your profile shows a princess 50 so I assume princess!

Essex boatyards and Fairline have been in my experience fantastic ( granted some things should not have needed fixing in the first place) but the service, speed of response and so on is second to none.

Fairline have a customer liaison manager ( who came from princess!) so you have a single route into them should you need to contact them other than Via the dealer - which is actually pretty rare

 

[Nigelpickin]

Ancasta/Prestige have been fantastic. Emails are answered same day and warrantee issues are being handled the same way today as they were a year ago when I took the boat from them. Of course this is as it should be and it is a real shame that you are being let down.

 

[admillington]

Is it me or is the already shameful service offered by "some" boat manufacturers getting worse.

I have had a number of small things that needed information about .

faulty windscreen wipers
replacement carpet piece
replacement Kitchen cooker vent fan

and just getting basic information out of them is hopeless.. windscreen wiper info took 6 weeks to come back with ...er ...it may be a PBC problem ..buy a new one!!

In most cases in I have just given up and put in the leg work to track down the right part and order it directly. Question is...is this really the sort of service we should be getting given our investment in these companies
I am beginning to consider changing brand next time I buy....god forbid I should need emergency information or something bought in a hurry !


Any one else had better luck ? is it just me?

Assuming you have a princess, have you considered contacting http://landauuk.com/ who I believe are the UK service agents for Princess and maybe you will get better service from them than direct from Princess.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

As others have said, we kinda need to know which builder you're talking about. I had a new Princess 42 years ago, and the aftersales from PMYS at Hamble was excellent, and their head of customer service Pete Harwood is a top bloke. In fact I was chatting to him again just the other day at SIBS - and it is now five years since I sold the P42. Similarly, I've had great experiences with Essex Boatyards as the Fairline dealer. And in the case of Fairline, as jrudge says above, they also now have a dedicated customer liaison person based at Oundle.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Jimmy, just out of interest, do you still call Essex whenever something goes wrong with your boat? If so, how do they deal with your problems when you're so far away from their base? As you may know I bought my current boat from San Lorenzo in Italy and it came with a 12 month warranty. Whilst the boat was in range of SL's base, their service was brilliant but since I've moved the boat to Sardinia and out of range of SL's base, the whole thing has fallen apart because then they're reliant on independent service agents who perform at their own pace or more usually don't perform at all. I just wondered how Essex get around this problem?

 

[admillington]

Jimmy, just out of interest, do you still call Essex whenever something goes wrong with your boat? If so, how do they deal with your problems when you're so far away from their base? As you may know I bought my current boat from San Lorenzo in Italy and it came with a 12 month warranty. Whilst the boat was in range of SL's base, their service was brilliant but since I've moved the boat to Sardinia and out of range of SL's base, the whole thing has fallen apart because then they're reliant on independent service agents who perform at their own pace or more usually don't perform at all. I just wondered how Essex get around this problem?

EBY don't seem to mind just getting on a plane - Southend airport nice and close to them.

 

[jrudge]

Essex fly people out. They find this quicker and more reliable than subbing out stuff. Lovely chap called Pete probably has more air miles than most ! The Fairline factory also fly the Ipswich team out to fix boats under warranty.

The flight has a cost I suppose but this is probably better than paying the others guys margin.

 

[volvopaul]

Is it me or is the already shameful service offered by "some" boat manufacturers getting worse.

I have had a number of small things that needed information about .

faulty windscreen wipers
replacement carpet piece
replacement Kitchen cooker vent fan

and just getting basic information out of them is hopeless.. windscreen wiper info took 6 weeks to come back with ...er ...it may be a PBC problem ..buy a new one!!

In most cases in I have just given up and put in the leg work to track down the right part and order it directly. Question is...is this really the sort of service we should be getting given our investment in these companies
I am beginning to consider changing brand next time I buy....god forbid I should need emergency information or something bought in a hurry !


Any one else had better luck ? is it just me?

What your posting does not surprise me at all, a friend bought a new v39 this year and has had a shocking experience from the agent, it's been back more times for repairs that just don't get done, they have also damaged the boat cosmetically when carrying out other repairs, hence he went to SBS looking at other makes.

 

[boatingdave]

I am just about to take delivery of a replacement boat from EBY. Not new so we had EBY carry out a lot of refurb work on her. Went to see it today after all the work was complete. It was almost emotional! The standard of work was superb and they have stated that if we have any problems they will come out to the boat and fix. Proof of the pudding will be in the eating of course but confident so far. We had a bad experience many years ago with a boat from EBY and had the engines changed a couple of times but they did pick it up, fix it and deliver it back to us on more than one occasion. It was a protracted inconvenience but was resolved in the end, James even offered to change the boat for another one which we foolishly declined. It's a valid point about long term and longe range support.

 

[kanajobe48]

Hi
The thread has prompted me to email eby to resolve oustanding issues with the stock boat we bought from them. Up until now I would agree that they ( Trevor betts) has been brilliant, and I would still want to buy my next boat from them, ( a 50 targa would about do it but don't tell the Mrs) and I i have full confidence that the bit s and pieces that are required will be sorted. they come with full recommendation from me.
Nafe

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Jimmy, just out of interest, do you still call Essex whenever something goes wrong with your boat? If so, how do they deal with your problems when you're so far away from their base? As you may know I bought my current boat from San Lorenzo in Italy and it came with a 12 month warranty. Whilst the boat was in range of SL's base, their service was brilliant but since I've moved the boat to Sardinia and out of range of SL's base, the whole thing has fallen apart because then they're reliant on independent service agents who perform at their own pace or more usually don't perform at all. I just wondered how Essex get around this problem?

Yep. We lost a bit of the canopy frame during the summer, and I emailled James Barke, the md of EBY, to try and find out how to get a replacement. Bear in mind that I bought this boat off EBY just over five years ago. Anyway, I got a reply straight back with details of the OE supplier of the part, and I got on to them (and they replied as well - Flexicovers). As it happens, with the help of jrudge I ended up sourcing a complete replacement frame direct from the factory - but the point about long-after-the-sale customer service from EBY is still valid.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

but the point about long-after-the-sale customer service from EBY is still valid.

Impressive. Thats how to keep customers coming back. If only the rest of the marine industry had the same attitude

 

[oldgit]

One of our club members bought a 50ft F/L recently from EBY.
Problem with hull valves n bog plumbing
Fortunately we are only half a day away from the Crouch.
Took boat back to EBY.They lifted boat fitted new bits, back in action same week.

 

[martin]

As others have said, we kinda need to know which builder you're talking about. I had a new Princess 42 years ago, and the aftersales from PMYS at Hamble was excellent, and their head of customer service Pete Harwood is a top bloke. In fact I was chatting to him again just the other day at SIBS - and it is now five years since I sold the P42. Similarly, I've had great experiences with Essex Boatyards as the Fairline dealer. And in the case of Fairline, as jrudge says above, they also now have a dedicated customer liaison person based at Oundle.

Yes I do have a princess.. but the question was aimed more generally about aftersales across the industry. Do you think its good enough or could it be better. What could be done to improve it ?
I ask because throughout my years of boat ownership I have only found one company that does it right and that was surprisingly an American boat in that I had based in Marbella of all place. In the UK, I have yet to receive anything near that level of service in 20 years of boat ownership.

 

[MedMilo]

Another positive vote for EBY - bought a new 58 from James in 2007, unbelievably strong and seaworthy vessel, did nearly 1000 hours in 7 years. EBY did any warranty work without quibble and even did quite a few repairs free of charge when the boat was 4 or 5 years old because they thought whatever had broken shouldn't have done! Having been in business for 30 or so years I can honestly say EBY are probably the most professional and accommodating counter-party I've ever had the pleasure of dealing with. Ordered a new S65 from them at LBS last Feb and wouldn't have considered going anywhere else (though I didn't tell that to James when I was negotiating the price

 

[MedMilo]

In answer to the Op's general question about industry-wide attitude to aftersales I suspect it all comes down to economics. I think the builder needs innovate desirable new product and to build efficiently so they can leave enough margin in the sale for the dealer to make a decent slug. Then the dealer needs to take a long term, no nickel and diming attitude when it comes to service and warranty work on the basis that if they keep the customer happy they'll likely buy another boat in a few year's time - in which case a few man days and Easyjet flights are absolutely insignificant. Let alone if they start telling their mates about the excellent service they've received etc (or post positive stories on popular forums ) So the whole thing becomes a virtuous circle that is being funded 100% from a big fat healthy boat sales line. Of course it quickly becomes a vicious circle if you start to p**s customers off by being small minded and quibbling about stuff which seems to be the case with some dealers and manufacturers...

 

[Jim@sea]

Do you have a Princess 50?

In 1989 I bought a brand new Princess 33 delivered to a Marina on a canal in Northwich where I took it down the canal, into the M/CR Ship Canal and out to my mooring at Holyhead. On the way one of the gearboxes developed a serious oil leak. When I rang them they said "Bring it back"
(I should mention that this was not Princess themselves but a dealer who tried to sell me a demonstrator boat (which I rejected) whereas I had specified that I wanted the next new one out of the factory. However they cleaned up the demonstrator and passed it off as new)