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Whats wrong with the marine industry in this country.


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Why is it at this time of year most industry repair shops are closed?outboard shops in particular.Sure they have families etc but what a opportunity time to make extra cash and increase customer service. never understand why they shut in the height of the season.

Diesel shops etc

in our industry we are no holidays until january the 10th customer service,grab now as in winter we struggle a little bit.

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Depends on how you look at it. Leading up to Xmas, everyone is nuts and exhausted. Everyone has families too. After Xmas day, how many boaties actually have issues that they need service? Sure there are a few, but are there enough to warrant opening a business. If you talk to yards, they are usually pretty much empty early new years. Not enough work to keep them busy at all.

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noticed today in our area we have 3 outboard shops and 2 marine diesel shops all closed to 5th january,must make good money pre christmas. Even if they offered a after hours number with surcharge?as most are owner operated.

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Depends on how you look at it. Leading up to Xmas, everyone is nuts and exhausted. Everyone has families too. After Xmas day, how many boaties actually have issues that they need service? Sure there are a few, but are there enough to warrant opening a business. If you talk to yards, they are usually pretty much empty early new years. Not enough work to keep them busy at all.

 

In my experience (and many moons ago I supervised the night-shift in a truck workshop) the people who complain the most about lack of service options over holiday periods are those that leave it until the last minute to try and get their work done and miss out. 

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so I take it from above comments that marine industry is in good shape to be able to be closed for 2 weeks,yes there is things we should do before holidaying but when away and need a part to get home is the issue.

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It is not just the marine industry, just about everyone is closed - I drove thru Albany this arvo and almost all the trade outfits are closed.

As Wheels said, everyone has been flatout up to Xmas - I had my gas system finally finished on Xmas eve and that job had been on the guy's books for weeks, so you can reasonably expect he is going to want to use his own boat over Xmas rather than sit round waiting for a possible job.

There are exceptions, especially when you have a captive audience - back in the 80's when most people had compressor driven fridge/freezers, the Paihia fridge techo used to park his van on Opua wharf Boxing day and not leave for 3 weeks, with his pocket well and truly recharged for his own holiday.

If you are stuck out on the water with a problem, first option is to go for a row (or motor) around the bay targetting boats that look like they are owner maintained, you will more than likely find someone who can help and in no time have a support committee of technical advisors...

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Yeh - I just managed to break one of the tear drop windows while cleaning it and what I can't understand is why no one is answering my call into 0800-plasticmajicman at 2245 hrs on Friday the first of January! Just very poor service I have to say!

I just hope the bugger can be bothered gettin in his Ferrari and driving back to Auckland from Bach Omaha to open the door on Monday morning!

 

(F**k - anyone recommend a good acrylic window manufacturer?)

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The marine industry has the same problem as every retail industry.... CUSTOMERS!

You left off a few words rushman. "CUSTOMERS" that expect you to be open over the only few days a year that everyone actually gets a chance for a break. Apart form the trading laws requireing everyone to not open on Easter Friday, Christmas and NY are the only other days out of 365 that you actually can take a break. I think it is likely an Auckland thing as well. When we first arrived in Auckland, we couldn't believe things like Banks were open on a Sunday etc. Everything is open all the time up here and I think people get used to, or expect every service to remain open for them.

        I was one of those that went to an outboard repair place a few days before Christmas, but had every expectation they wouldn't be able to help and didn't mind one bit when he said no way. I told him I totally understood and no problem, I just figured it worth a try. Couldn't do it any earlier because we had just arrived up from Blenheim. In general talking, I asked how busy they were and he said NUTS!!! . Heaps of last minute large Outboard Sales and every buyer wanting it fitted before Christmas Eve. To me, that is stupid if you think you are going to buy such an item last minute and then expect it fitted.

Anyway, I bought the parts I needed and did the job myself and it all worked perfect.........Being a real pain in the A as my outboard now working great is somewhere out at sea, hopefully having a better time than we did last night.

 

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I recently had to have a windscreen replaced in the car... Cracked vertically right in front of the driver

 

Call to insurance... "Call company XYZ and arrange a time"

 

Call to company XYZ booking centre... "We can fit your windscreen in two weeks time, we are flat out, someone has been breaking every windscreen in the street with a hammer"

 

After two weeks of driving the other car, the day arrives and the technician apologises for the delay as "the company makes us take holidays at this time of year so we are a bit behind"

 

Holidays I can understand... Telling porkies to explain the delay is not a good look.

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