Does Service Matter? Industry Pitfalls, Top Brands, and Big Dreams
Great service is few and far between in our world, but a few brands know what they’re doing.
I wouldn’t call the boating world a service-driven industry. Sure, brands bend over backward to get deals closed, but once the champagne is popped and the handshakes are done, after-sales support often feels more like pandering than true customer care. It sounds bleak, but it’s not necessarily villainous, it’s just the reality of the business. Boats are expensive to design, build, and deliver. Many brands are so focused on making it that far, there’s little left on the plate for meaningful investment in service infrastructure.
So, who actually does it well? I can only speak from personal experience: Wajer, Sanlorenzo, and Vanquish get credit where its due. These brands manage to put out a great product and a great service experience, but for every one of them, there are dozens who still sell a ton of boats without a notable service program. Which begs the question: Does service really matter in our world?
The Theory On Lackluster Service
I’m about to justify why your service experience might be less-than. Skip if you prefer not to hear the industry’s explanation for mid service.
Here’s an uncomfortable truth: I’ve never had a client repurchase a boat specifically because of a brand’s service program. Our broad industry isn’t yet built out to drive such repeat business like automative can do.
Part of the problem is structural. Much of the service a dealer provides depends on the factory’s warranty stance. And luxury boat builders, for all their polish, are more “mom-and-pop” than multinational. They’re successful, sure, but the machinery needed to deliver global-scale, premium service and warranty support is costly. Most day boat brands spend everything on engineering and distribution, leaving service as an afterthought. Not because they don’t care, but because resources are finite.
Dealers face their own uphill battle. Unlike the car industry, where dealers own exclusive territories backed by regulation, boat dealers in the U.S. operate with no such protections. They can’t control service the same way. Their only leverage is how many boats they agree to take. Not taking what the factory wants this upcoming year? Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Add in waterfront real estate prices and the high cost of running service yards, and you start to see why proper after-sales support is rare (or outsourced).
Take a hypothetical: a shiny new brand launches a $2M flagship and lands 10 U.S. sales in year one; a success by any measure. If those sales are spread across four markets, service proximity becomes impossible to maintain without spending your profits. Assign more dealers to solve the coverage issue, and suddenly nobody makes enough margin to fund proper service staff. And even if a dealer does step up, the whole system can collapse if the factory drags its feet on warranty fulfillment (a common frustration). The answer is to acquire major funding to float the first few years of growth, but that rarely happens.
For seasoned boaters, none of this is surprising. Most accept iffy service quality as the cost of entry. Yet for those brands that power through early growing pains and invest in real service systems (Wajer and Vanquish being prime examples) the payoff is clear. They’re winning precisely because they’re breaking the cycle.
Is Service Really That Important?
Maybe this is all just in my head. I’ve seen brands thrive despite reputations for mediocre service. That leads me to wonder: maybe buyers don’t value service as much as we think. Maybe it’s a “nice to have” but not a “must have”. If you’re an owner of a popular brand, take a second and think about the service program you’re offered, whether you enjoy it, and if it plays a role in your decision to buy again with the same brand.
It doesn’t help that boating is a fragmented industry. All your boat’s systems (engines, hydraulics, sound, electronics, cleaning, soft goods) come from a different vendor anyway. With so many moving parts, maybe customers don’t expect a single brand to keep it all stitched together.
Still, I want to hear it from you: Has great after-sales support kept you loyal with any brand? Or is it always about the boat itself? Drop me a submission in the form below sharing your best experiences.
The Dream Service Experience
If I could script the perfect service playbook, it would look like this:
At Closing:
The brand rep walks you through not just the features, but also the common fail points and what to do when they pop up. Transparency up front, no surprises later.
You’re offered an annual service plan with flexible payment options: upfront at a discount, seasonally if you move around, or monthly for smoother cash flow.
That plan includes:
Monthly onboard systems checks
Pre-scheduled engine and generator services
Pre-scheduled yard periods for cleaning, polishing, running gear service, and prop speed (if desired)
Stocked replacement parts guaranteed to be installed within 48 hours of failure notification (pending the infrastructure to do so)
During Ownership:
A mobile app connects you to your boat with full transparency:
Track and schedule maintenance
Access registration, insurance, schematics, and manuals
Monitor vitals like batteries, bilge activity and alarms in real time
Buy upgrades and accessories directly
Connect with other owners and dealers worldwide
Live chat with a brand rep for service or troubleshooting
Are you getting this type of service program? Who from? Drop me a message in the form below.
What Leading Brands Are Achieving
I’ve shared enough of the negative, here’s a few valuable after-sales services worth highlighting:
Wajer’s Connectivity App
A tech-lover’s dream, letting owners monitor everything from GPS location and anchor status to onboard AC and battery levels, right from your pocket.
From Wajer’s website
With the Connectivity app, your Wajer is always with you - right in your pocket. GPS tracking shows exactly where she is, so you can check in anytime and know she’s safe and sound. Planning a trip? Cool things down with the onboard air conditioning before you arrive, or lower the swim platform to make boarding a breeze. Keep an eye on everything in real-time, from anchor status to technical updates and performance stats.
Sanlorenzo’s iPad Service Portal
With each boat comes an iPad dedicated to the submission and management of service work and warranty claims. It’s a small gesture in the grand scheme of the build cost, but the transparent submission and management system keeps crew and factory honest throughout the ever-important process of long-term yacht maintenance. Half of the warranty battle is making sure owner and factory (regardless of yacht size) are acutely aware of claim status at any given time. The iPad system addresses the requirement for transparent communication head on.
Prestige Marine’s Dedicated Warranty Coordinator
Good service doesn’t only come from the brand. The sales team at Prestige Marine in Miami, FL dedicates a team member to the management of client warranty claims with the purchase of a new vessel. Whether your new boat’s factory is industry-leading or piss-poor, its always nice to have someone fighting the fight on your behalf. This is especially valuable should you not have full-time crew on your boat. Even though a warranty is great to have, its rarely a breeze to manage.
Closing It Out
Service in day boating isn’t easy. It’s costly, logistically complex, and therefore, tough to find. As a connector-of-dots in our world, my ear is always “to the ground” to learn who is winning and losing in the service game. It helps me guide my clients—especially those who expect premium service—to the right brands.
Now, I want to know what you think. Does good after-sales service really matter to you?
Drop your thoughts in the feedback form below.
Have you had a service experience
that kept you with a brand?
ON THE HUNT FOR YOUR NEXT BOAT?
Let’s use the value-based approach in this artcile to find your next boat.
To get started, email me at Reed@RNMarine.com.
About the Author
Reed Nicol is a licensed yacht broker with experience in all corners of the marine industry. He’s worked as an executive and sales director in yacht manufacturing and distribution, has structured commercial charter operations, and designed and executed notable refits. Read more about Reed’s marine journey, his love of helping 1st time boaters and his entrepreneurial spirit here.
Reed Nicol [Licensed FL Yacht Broker #11926]
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