If your vessel has special requirements, such as deep water or unusual shore-power needs, make sure you investigate these variables before completing the yard selection process.
Develop the relationship and build trust. If there’s any doubt in your mind or you’re just the cautious type, start with a small, in-water midseason project before embarking on a major winter-long refit. An oil and fuel filter change is ideal for this type of initial contact. If this goes well and if the staff and management meet your expectations, then move on to bigger, more complex tasks, such as hauling, storing, repowering, electrical repairs, winterizing or commissioning.
Communication is the key
Nothing will spoil this cherished and fragile relationship faster than a lack of communication. Good, frequent communication is the key to preventing and solving problems. I have an unofficial rule in our yard: If I anticipate the invoice will exceed a given price, say $1,000 for argument’s sake, I respectfully request that the customers get either a fax machine or an email address, if they don’t have one already. As a boatyard manager, I send and receive a minimum of 20 to 30 emails (fewer faxes these days) per day to and from active customers. The beauty of this method of communication is the record. It makes clear what was said and produces an archive for the boat’s file.
If the project is a long one, say three months, set up a communication schedule — with reports once or twice a week, for example. Communication may be more or less frequent, depending on the complexity of the task. Nothing is more frustrating to boatyard workers and managers than not being able to get in touch with a customer. Respond to calls, faxes or emails from the yard as soon as possible. If work on your boat stops because a decision needs to be made, it reduces efficiency, increases cost and negatively affects the morale of those doing the work. If you are traveling or are out of your home or office frequently, make sure the yard has your cell phone number. Don’t allow more than 24 hours to pass before responding, and apply the same rule to the yard’s responses to your inquiries. Again, this is the beauty of emails and faxes. You can respond to an important question even if you get the message after arriving home late from a long day. Some of my customers have established a contact threshold, “I trust you to know what to do, so don’t call me unless it’s more than $1,000,†for instance. Your limits will depend on the level of trust you build with the yard and its staff.
One final word on electronic communication: There are times when a phone call or face-to-face conversation is necessary in order to be clear about some aspect of the work needed. Electronic communication is great, but it often fails to transmit an important sentiment, or occasionally, it conveys an unintended sentiment. Beware: This can lead to difficulties and miscommunication. If a problem arises and email doesn’t appear to be solving it, a quick phone call may be in order.
Put it in writing
The clearest way to communicate your wishes and expectations is to put them in writing. Everything you say to the yard’s service writer or manager should be backed up in written form. Many of my customers preface or follow up every telephone or in-person conversation with an email, letter or fax. Any boatyard manager or service writer should welcome this. There is never any doubt about when these customers are dropping the boat off, what they expect to have done, their understanding of the quoted price for quoted work, when they expect to pick the boat up, and on what setting the refrigeration and air conditioning should be left. This may seem extreme, but it leaves little room for disappointment. Do it in writing.
Along the same lines, don’t ever grab the service manager in the middle of the boatyard, where he or she is clearly unarmed (no pencil or paper), and attempt to add five or 10 items to your work order. Unless the manager has a phenomenal memory, he or she should politely put off your suggestions until you’re in the office, and even then you should be handing over a clearly written or typed list. Be sure to include any special instructions, such as, the engine intake seacock is closed, the engine won’t start unless the light in the head is on, or the fridge is full of cold cuts, make sure the boat is plugged in after being hauled!
I remember a first-time customer who drove into the yard eager to arrange for a complete refit on his classic wooden 44-foot ketch. We’d never met before; however, in the course of 10 minutes, he had dictated more than $150,000 worth of work. I pressed him for a written list including when he wanted the work completed, what type of bottom paint and varnish the boat currently had, and what horsepower and brand of new engine he wanted. The entire conversation took place through his open car window. This is not a great way to begin a working relationship with your boatyard, and it unfairly sets you and the yard up for failure. Let the yard know what you expect and when you expect it; be clear and concise; and prepare a written list.
Of quotes,estimates and guesstimates
Definitions for these terms vary from yard to yard and from owner to owner. My personal take on these terms and the definitions I follow in my business are as follows. A quote is, with few exceptions, a fixed price. An estimate can vary considerably, usually within an agreed-upon range. Determine the range before agreeing to proceed. This range may be a matter of opinion or, depending on the state, a matter of law. Guesstimate is a term I reserve for jobs that are not safely estimable and can vary by as much as 50 or 100 percent from the figure given. Keep in mind, not all tasks are quotable or even estimable. Troubleshooting and what I call exploratory surgery are rarely quotable. The latter often must take place prior to creating a quote and is frequently applicable for electrical and some mechanical repairs.
Provided the yard offers fixed price quotes, a customer advantage to be sure, try not to abuse the quote process. Remember, it takes the yard time to prepare a fixed price quote. The rule in my yard is that if I think it will take eight hours or less, I typically opt not to do a quote. With a few exceptions, such as expensive electronics, it’s usually not worth the time or risk required to prepare this type of detailed quote. An estimate, however, is a viable option in these cases.
You may look forward to leaving a boatyard after a seasonal lay-up or the completion of a large project. Wouldn’t it be nice to look back on the stay as pleasant and productive, feeling as though you got what you paid for and established a good relationship to boot?
Following these steps will help make that picture a reality. The relationship you form with your boatyard should be strong and long-lasting, making for a resource you can call upon, perhaps from a distant cruising ground or foreign harbor, for assistance with repairs or parts, or just for advice.
Nothing will spoil this cherished and fragile relationship faster than a lack of communication. Good, frequent communication is the key to preventing and solving problems. I have an unofficial rule in our yard: If I anticipate the invoice will exceed a given price, say $1,000 for argument’s sake, I respectfully request that the customers get either a fax machine or an email address, if they don’t have one already. As a boatyard manager, I send and receive a minimum of 20 to 30 emails (fewer faxes these days) per day to and from active customers. The beauty of this method of communication is the record. It makes clear what was said and produces an archive for the boat’s file.
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If the project is a long one, say three months, set up a communication schedule &mdash with reports once or twice a week, for example. Communication may be more or less frequent, depending on the complexity of the task. Nothing is more frustrating to boatyard workers and managers than not being able to get in touch with a customer. Respond to calls, faxes or emails from the yard as soon as possible. If work on your boat stops because a decision needs to be made, it reduces efficiency, increases cost and negatively affects the morale of those doing the work. If you are traveling or are out of your home or office frequently, make sure the yard has your cell phone number. Don’t allow more than 24 hours to pass before responding, and apply the same rule to the yard’s responses to your inquiries. Again, this is the beauty of emails and faxes. You can respond to an important question even if you get the message after arriving home late from a long day. Some of my customers have established a contact threshold, “I trust you to know what to do, so don’t call me unless it’s more than $1,000,” for instance. Your limits will depend on the level of trust you build with the yard and its staff.
One final word on electronic communication: There are times when a phone call or face-to-face conversation is necessary in order to be clear about some aspect of the work needed. Electronic communication is great, but it often fails to transmit an important sentiment, or occasionally, it conveys an unintended sentiment. Beware: This can lead to difficulties and miscommunication. If a problem arises and email doesn’t appear to be solving it, a quick phone call may be in order.
Put it in writing
|
The clearest way to communicate your wishes and expectations is to put them in writing. Everything you say to the yard’s service writer or manager should be backed up in written form. Many of my customers preface or follow up every telephone or in-person conversation with an email, letter or fax. Any boatyard manager or service writer should welcome this. There is never any doubt about when these customers are dropping the boat off, what they expect to have done, their understanding of the quoted price for quoted work, when they expect to pick the boat up, and on what setting the refrigeration and air conditioning should be left. This may seem extreme, but it leaves little room for disappointment. Do it in writing.
Along the same lines, don’t ever grab the service manager in the middle of the boatyard, where he or she is clearly unarmed (no pencil or paper), and attempt to add five or 10 items to your work order. Unless the manager has a phenomenal memory, he or she should politely put off your suggestions until you’re in the office, and even then you should be handing over a clearly written or typed list. Be sure to include any special instructions, such as, the engine intake seacock is closed, the engine won’t start unless the light in the head is on, or the fridge is full of cold cuts, make sure the boat is plugged in after being hauled!
I remember a first-time customer who drove into the yard eager to arrange for a complete refit on his classic wooden 44-foot ketch. We’d never met before; however, in the course of 10 minutes, he had dictated more than $150,000 worth of work. I pressed him for a written list including when he wanted the work completed, what type of bottom paint and varnish the boat currently had, and what horsepower and brand of new engine he wanted. The entire conversation took place through his open car window. This is not a great way to begin a working relationship with your boatyard, and it unfairly sets you and the yard up for failure. Let the yard know what you expect and when you expect it; be clear and concise; and prepare a written list.
Of quotes,estimates and guesstimates
Definitions for these terms vary from yard to yard and from owner to owner. My personal take on these terms and the definitions I follow in my business are as follows. A quote is, with few exceptions, a fixed price. An estimate can vary considerably, usually within an agreed-upon range. Determine the range before agreeing to proceed. This range may be a matter of opinion or, depending on the state, a matter of law. Guesstimate is a term I reserve for jobs that are not safely estimable and can vary by as much as 50 or 100 percent from the figure given. Keep in mind, not all tasks are quotable or even estimable. Troubleshooting and what I call exploratory surgery are rarely quotable. The latter often must take place prior to creating a quote and is frequently applicable for electrical and some mechanical repairs.
Provided the yard offers fixed price quotes, a customer advantage to be sure, try not to abuse the quote process. Remember, it takes the yard time to prepare a fixed price quote. The rule in my yard is that if I think it will take eight hours or less, I typically opt not to do a quote. With a few exceptions, such as expensive electronics, it’s usually not worth the time or risk required to prepare this type of detailed quote. An estimate, however, is a viable option in these cases.
You may look forward to leaving a boatyard after a seasonal lay-up or the completion of a large project. Wouldn’t it be nice to look back on the stay as pleasant and productive, feeling as though you got what you paid for and established a good relationship to boot?
Following these steps will help make that picture a reality. The relationship you form with your boatyard should be strong and long-lasting, making for a resource you can call upon, perhaps from a distant cruising ground or foreign harbor, for assistance with repairs or parts, or just for advice.
