The Search for Good People
A single suggestion that will stop the stress.
Which area of your service team would you like to improve?
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Ugh, your transmission alarm is going off again. Isn’t that the third time this month? Maybe that mechanic referral you got from your pickle ball rival in Miami Beach isn’t the guy for you. I have a simple suggestion to help you find your next vendor. Ask the industry.
Whether you’re in Miami Beach, San Diego or Sag Harbor, it’s increasingly difficult to find reliable technicians you can trust. In this post-Covid boom era of boating, there are more owners than ever before, which includes more first-time owners than ever before. On the other hand, the number of quality service technicians has stayed consistent; the only possible change is an uptake in “gamers” – those who play pretend in trade for your hard-earned coin. For all my economists, the supply and demand curve leaves us in a shortage. Welcome to boating’s New World.
Equilibrium? I don’t think so. We’re in a shortage of good yacht service providers.
So, how do we find quality service providers?
I see a lot of owners inquiring with their fellow boaters, but there’s one major flaw there, and my apologies if you are the exception to the rule:
Boat owners pay bills; they rarely examine quality.
I’ve been in the biz long enough to draw the conclusion above. In a world where quality work can save you loads of money and maximize your time on the water, owners are rarely the ones examining the work quality of their providers. At the same time though, I’m a firm believer that owners shouldn’t have to examine quality. As the owner, you should get to your boat, fire the engines and go. The last thing you want to do is spend 20 minutes reviewing the wiring work of your electrician or the bilge cleanout of your detailer. You just want to trust its done, pay the bill, and move on. But where do you find quality work in a service shortage? Ask the industry.
While your pickleball adversary may own a nice boat, they are exactly like you: expect to hop on board, crack a beer, queue the tunes, and let the mind wonder. They are not worried about work quality just as you’re not worried about work quality. Consequently, your pickleball adversary may not be your best referral source, but do you know who is? Your electrician. Your painter. Your fiberglass guy. The guys who are on boats all day, 60 hours a week, building relationships with fellow providers they like to work with.
If you’re new to boat ownership and you don’t have a litany of service providers, start from square one: your marina. Your marina office should hold the insurance of service providers approved to work on property; these providers who’ve submitted insurance are the ones who respect the rules and do everything by the book. Start with them. They should be able to get you started with a referral for an electrician, a detailer or a mechanic.
It’s getting harder and harder to find people who show up on time, do good work and charge a fair price.
Here’s a few tips on finding the right kind of people for your next job:
Marina offices can usually refer companies who play by the rules, are timely, yet slightly more expensive than average. Although trustworthy, their referrals tend to have longer wait times. If you’re someone who needs structured workers who follow the rules, marina offices are a good place to look for referrals.
Marina dockmasters can refer great washers/detailers. Dockmasters see what detailers come and go in the early hours, see how intently they clean and how frequently their staff turns over.
Electricians and mechanics are always working together on big projects. They can refer each other.
Captains and yacht crew carry, clean and stow soft goods (upholstery, canvas covers, sunshades, etc) all the time. They know best for what holds up to the elements. If you see a boat with nice stuff, chat up the crew for a referral.
*Disclaimer: These methods aren’t perfect! There are plenty of people out there getting kickbacks for referring work, including dockmasters. If kickbacks are involved, it may affect the quality of referral. Stay alert out there.
You deserve to have a good group of people working on your boat. Trustworthy. Loyal. Helpful. Fair. Timely. While it’s not rocket science, it’s certainly not anything any owner wants to deal with.
Stop counting on your friend’s for referrals. The industry knows better.
Any topics you want us to consider for a future ‘Yacht Takes’? Email assist@rnmarine.com.
