A catastrophic engine diagnosis recently left me having to rid myself of a car I was hoping to keep for at least another five years. I found another vehicle that suited me, but the delivery experience reminded me of something that often goes overlooked in industries like ours that deal in expensive products: after-the-sale customer care.
My salesperson at the dealership was friendly enough, and I was amped about my purchase. Once I’d closed the deal with the finance and insurance manager, I was handed the keys, given a handshake, thanked for my business, and pointed outside toward my shiny, new midlife crisis.
I am a tech-savvy person — I worked at the Apple Store part-time for seven years — but when I got into the complicated SUV to drive it home, I was utterly lost. The gearshift was electronic and required an extra step to put it into drive. The driver’s seat was programmed into some alien driver profile that I had no idea how to access. The climate control, which does have physical buttons, was locked into touchscreen-only mode. Even the side mirrors needed input to unfold. And don’t get me started about the parking brake.
I know, first-world problems. And the experience certainly didn’t leave me soured on my purchase. But I did end up spending most of the afternoon in my driveway getting things set up. Two weeks later, I am still figuring out things. For example, I am not sure why the menu for adjusting the lane-departure warning settings needs to be three pages long.
The SUV’s complexity, much like many high-end boats today, got me thinking about the Covid-fueled, new-boat bubble and the millions of fresh boaters we welcomed into the fold from 2020 through 2022. I spoke to a handful of these people during the fall shows, and not all of them were happy. One gentleman from Florida told me at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show that he wasn’t taking his boat out as much as he wanted because he was terrified of the launch ramp. I found another frustrated new boater at the U.S. Powerboat Show in Annapolis, Md. He was considering selling his new cruiser because he found himself intimidated by even the simplest on-board systems. Both boat owners told me they were simply handed the keys when they purchased their boats.
Now, I know it’s not our collective job as an industry to educate an entire swath of new boaters, especially looking at the dealers who sell the dream. I worked as a service manager for a couple of years at a large dealership, so I understand that the avalanche of buyers left many dealers scrambling just to deliver boats, much less provide new-boater training.
Still, I think we can do better. Soundings Trade Only contributor Alan Jones has noticed the same trend I am seeing. His feature, which you can read on Page 36, discusses his own experiences with frustrated new boaters who came on board during the pandemic. He also talked with industry experts and found some possible solutions that may be useful to dealers struggling to help newcomers find their footing. It’s an interesting read.
I’m also thinking about previous interviews. About 10 years ago, I spoke with a pontoon dealer at a press event on Lake Wawasee, Ind. That dealer hosts new-owner orientation events that allow one product expert to help and answer questions for as many as five new owners at a time. Another dealer, in Ocean City, Md., used to offer monthly launch-ramp lessons for groups of up to six people.
These events are much like the classes I used to teach at the Apple Store, where as many as 10 people could come in — for free — and get all of their iPhone or iPad questions answered in a short hour. And it didn’t take a staff of geniuses (that’s what they called us) to ensure these folks felt comfortable and capable.
My hope is that dealers consider their delivery practices and include enough staffing time (and possibly additional compensation) to their sales and service staff to provide the ultimate aftercare experience. That way, we’d have a better chance of retaining these precious new boaters, instead of losing them to easily resolved frustrations with their boats.
Additionally, dealers can point new boaters to resources at local boating clubs, with the Coast Guard and BoatUS, and from state marine police. All it takes to achieve that goal is working up a document that can be given at delivery time, providing the buyer with a list of places to find help. It’s minimal effort for maximum return.
And yes, I eventually figured out how to unlock the parking brake. I may still need help with the auto-parking feature. The struggle is real.
This article was originally published in the March 2024 issue.
