GOODT

I strongly belive that the customer SHOULD be able to talk directly with the tech!!!!! its very reassuring to the customer when he talks to the tech, no long and drawn out conversations but a tech can explain what was wrong and why it took x long to fix and how it happened better the a service writer can most service writers are not mechanics
as for giving a customer advise fixing his own boat for the most part we wont do that its right up there with borrowing tools.

Ms PatriYacht

I think we just got spamed

VeeCat

Tell them that ALL of the mechanics are in boats working and not available by phone. You should try to help them yourself, you are the SERVICE MANAGER. These are the people that sign work orders and are ALL potential SERVICE customers. These are the people that YOU NEED to talk too. Answer thier questions along with a price quote. If you can't answer the question that they have, OR they are do it yourselfer's tell them about the great forum sections in OFFSHOREONLY.com In a friendly way. Foremost of all is your ATTITUDE. You are in the SERVICE BUSINESS.
Just an opinion,
VeeCat

X-Rated30

A good service manager would send an invoice when he ships parts, so the customer can pay for them.

throttleup

Well, we all know how it works in the propeller industry. I have run countless theoreticals and perform prop fittings over the phone all day long. This has been our practice from day one.

Julie

GOODT

veecat im sorry but I dont agree with you except on the doit youselfer..the boats we work on are performance boat that people spend more on then most people pay for houses and I belive that the customer has every right to talk to the person that is going to work on there boat! Ive been doing this 25 yrs and above all else the customer is # one. I know that I dont want someone whos been in the trade for 1 or 2 years and has never seen a blue motor before working on my boat do you??? and if you dont talk to the tech how do you know who is working on it.... yes there are the papers on the wall but guess what that and a dollar gets you a cup of coffee

GOODT

Idont know what labor rate you all charge or pay but where I was before I started on my own was charging 95 an hour, for that the techs can spare 5 mins here or there to talk to a customer just so long as it doesnt get to long winded

VeeCat

If the Customer has purchased a boat from you,
or his boat is in the shop
or if it has been in your shop
Then
Yes the customer should be able talk to the tech that is working on his boat.
Otherwise the TELEPHONE is the Service managers domain.
The service manager can answer almost any question that a customer has. If he or she can not answer the question, he or she should find out for the customer. The key being CUSTOMER. ANYONE that calls your business is a potiential customer. Anyone that has a boat is a potiental customer. It is the service managers job to make the transition from potiental to CUSTOMER. The service manager should handle the phone calls properly. The service manager sells SERVICE. He is a SALES person like it or not. Not the mechanic that is upside down in the bilge, sweating, bustin a nuckle and not really interested. Mechanics/Tech's are sales people also but secondary and can not do thier job if the Manager does not do his. The service manager can tell you if they are GOOD with Blue 500EFI's, Outboards or 1200 Cobra's. He can tell you who will be on your boat and when. Like the post said 10 20minute calls, these should be treated as service/sales calls by the Service Manager. The guy with a pair of Blue 525's with a buzzer going off that came from your shop get's anything he wants right now. If it did not come from your shop handle it properly and he will become your CUSTOMER. He Called YOU.
Again just an opinion,
VeeCat

blownincome

Had that and this one .. Guy call in the spring wanted to know how to summerize his boat said he had reinstalled all the block drains and hoses our person on the phone said sounds like you got everything check for leaks. he went to the water started the boat never opened the motor box and was off.. only problem was he did not turn on the sea cock valve overheated and smoked his exhast muffler and impeller (then blamed us ) New policy no advice given over the phone!