poor broker response to enquiries

[PaulR]

over last week or so have emailed several brokers re boats they are advertising - 2 nil response to date, 1 an intial response but then when I replied to their email to make arrangements to view - no further response received yet (more than a week ago ), the 4th in contact -now viewed their boat twice and ongoing discussion and very open honest approach so far including explaining from the outset that the boat is on a reserved option with an overseas buyer until this weekend .
Seems strange that given their business is selling boats such a poor response from most - all central south coast based, is this typical?

 

[l'escargot]

I have emailed two brokers in the last week to sell my boat and neither have replied. Do they all have other jobs or something?

 

[Aries]

I have been trying to buy in the UK and met many brokers. Lack of marketing, selling and presentation skills from all of them - almpst as if they don't care if you buy a boat or not. Neither the sellers or buyers interests were being looked after.

As what we wanted was not available in the UK, we found some in Holland. The reaction from there was wonderful. E-mails responded to (in perfect English); telephone calls back when arranged - absolutely different to the response in the UK.

Can I suggest you look at www.botenbank.nl and be surprised at the prices - use 1.45€ to the £ as an approximate exchange rate.

Contracts are under Dutch Law, but they are controlled by their Governments Department of Consumer Affairs. I think the contracts are much fairer than those in the UK.

A very satisfied customer of the Dutch.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

yup,

Having bought a new boat in April, I was somewhat bemused at the lack of interest/attention/customer care shown by brokers......

 

[wizard]

As a word to the wise - always advertise your boat privately at a realistic price, make sure it is clean and tidy and be ready to show it at all convenient times.

Over the years this has always worked for me - you should only use a broker as a last resort !!!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Par for the course, I reckon.

Marine industries seem to employ only those people who would find it difficult to get a job anywhere else.

 

[PeteCooper]

It is not just the marine industry. Many firms in all walks of business have websites with e-mail contact addresses which are completely ignored.

 

[DorsetPete]

Agree wholehartedly with the general lack of interest from UK brokers.
I went to Holland and bought my last boat - a Nauticat - and not only was the broker like a breath of fresh air the price was very refreshing too.
Good fun bringing it back to the UK too!
Check out www.devalk.nl
Not only are they great brrokers who will answer any query you may have but as I said above the prices are very keen AND the boats are generally in much better condition.
Good luck

 

[Koeketiene]

Can second De Valk - a pleasure to deal with.
Bought Guapa through them. They could not have been more helpful.

Even got a bottle of bubly on completion of the sale.

 

[ms1]

Ive never found a brokerage (or a marina for that matter) that has learnt how to communciate via email despite addresses slapped all over their web sites.

 

[Nick_Pam]

I was told by a broker, who finally (begrudgingly) showed me over a boat last weekend, that they treat any email enquiries as "tyre-kickers"!!

When I pointed out that as a generalisation, people who had money in their pocket to purchase a boat also had demanding jobs and personal lives, and so used the internet as a way of filtering out the "good" from the "bad", he professed to never having considered that angle before.

Nick

 

[Grajan]

Aye its a marine sickness, don't care attitudes,expensive spares / chandlery prices, long lead times ( 5 weeks to look at a cable problem) brokerage boats in disgusting conditions but marked at pristine prices, will our cottage industry ever get its act together or is that the root of the problem?