This latest entry of The UpSOLD! is courtesy of @shamusbaier and his customer service experience with Tipton’s Outboards in Lake Cowichan. A lesson on accessibility, engagement and knowledge.
I needed a new steering cable for my boat which I keep at a friend’s place up-island. I called the marine dealer in Duncan to see if they had the right one in stock before driving into town. The person on the other end of the phone clearly had no idea of what I was talking about, and amidst the clacking of keys as he searched the computer for god-knows-what, after 15 minutes he finally just told me to bring it in and we’ll see if we can match it up.
Then my buddy suggested I call Rod at Tipton’s Outboards in Lake Cowichan.
After just a few minutes of speaking on the phone, Rod had identified the part and size I needed, said he had it in stock and gave me the price. I went in to the shop where he good-naturedly grumbled about the weekend warriors in their Bayliners while escorting me to the shop floor before opening up the package to ensure all the parts and hardware were there, gave me instructions on how to remove the old mechanism (with a few old-fashioned tricks of the trade – “If it sticks, just get a buddy to pull on the wheel while you whack it with a hammer”) and then showed me step-by-step how to put the new one in. We chatted amicably about my new (to me) boat for a while and he gave me a few good tips to tackle some of my other projects. Did I mention all this happened after I walked in on a Friday at 4:55pm? What a difference between the owner-operator small business and the franchise dealership mentality.
Thanks Shamus for sharing the review. There’s far too much bad customer service out there, do you have any great experiences? Please share: russlol@theupsell.com
One Comment
We have used Tipton’s twice now since purchasing our used outboard motor. First for a tune-up and then for some other minor maintenance. Tipton’s service and quality of work is above all others we have found in the same industry. Keep up the good work and we will be sending more business your way.
Thanks again…Joe Duggan