| Dreadful customer service is what I experienced | | | | "Who in the group has ever owned a boat?" That |
| when I charted a Sarasota fishing boat a few | | | | would've gotten Rudy talking up a storm. |
| days after Christmas. The plan was simple and | | | | Once again - they couldn't care less. |
| was designed to provide six people with fun, fish, | | | | They both smoked continuously. My |
| and of course a few good fishing stories. | | | | brother-in-law, Danny, just quit smoking five |
| I invited my father, Rudy, my brother-in-law, my | | | | months earlier. |
| niece, her boyfriend, one of my neighbors and | | | | Whenever the first mate had to repair a hook or |
| with me we had our group of six. | | | | replace the bait he oftentimes had to cut off |
| We hired a 41 foot custom Fitz Sportfisherman. It | | | | some fishing line. Guess where the cut lines ended |
| should be noted that it was not inexpensive. It | | | | up - yup right over the transom into the Gulf of |
| was $650 plus a 20% tip for the four hours in the | | | | Mexico. That's a no-no! |
| sun on the Gulf. Obviously we expected good | | | | On a boat, a bathroom is called the head. The |
| customer service. | | | | head on this boat had no running water. Yuk! |
| The boat was scheduled between 1 PM and 5 PM | | | | The head on this boat also had no toilet paper. My |
| and we were told to be there 15 minutes early. | | | | niece really appreciated this oversight. He stopped |
| We arrived 30 minutes early. Don't forget I wrote | | | | for cigarettes, why couldn't he pick up some toilet |
| the book, "57 Ways To Take Control Of Your | | | | paper? Double yuk! |
| Time And Your Life." | | | | The captain said 80% of his business was repeat. |
| The boat showed up at 1 PM from the morning | | | | He also said his business was down. His business |
| charter. They were late and there were no | | | | isn't down because of the economy - it's down |
| apologies. We finally left the dock at 1:35 PM. We | | | | because he has no clue how to treat his paying |
| took a five-minute detour to stop for cigarettes | | | | customers. |
| for the captain and first mate. Both the captain | | | | The captain also didn't explain the tipping policy. It |
| and the first mate looked like they had worn the | | | | turns out the first mate's earnings are 100% |
| same T-shirts and cutoffs for days. Looks like | | | | dependent on the tips he gets. |
| customer service may not be a high priority for | | | | They just had attitudes - unfortunately the wrong |
| these guys. | | | | kind. |
| My father and I over the years both had boats | | | | We ended up catching six good-sized fish. The trip |
| of our own. His was a 36 foot and mine was a 26 | | | | back to the dock gave us a spectacular sunset to |
| foot cabin cruiser. I bring this up because I know | | | | watch - so all was not lost. We made the best of |
| from personal experience how slippery a wet | | | | the worst! |
| boat deck can be. Our Caprtain and first mate | | | | If little things mean everything what the captain |
| both were shoeless. This is an accident waiting to | | | | and his first mate offered was indeed very little. |
| happen. | | | | In fact that's why I'm writing this letter. |
| They were careless and couldn't care less! | | | | There's a lesson here for all of us. |
| In fact the Captain did his best to demonstrate | | | | It's not what you think about what you do. |
| his nautical skills by steering the boat with his | | | | It's not what you think about the service you're |
| shoeless feet - what a sight. Actually it made me | | | | providing. |
| want to puke. | | | | It's not what you think about how good you are. |
| At the start of the fishing trip I told the Captain I | | | | It's not what you think that matters at all. |
| was building a website about Siesta Key Florida. I | | | | In fact what matters most in most businesses, |
| said, "Show us a good time today and I will | | | | including charter fishing boats, is what the |
| feature your boat and services prominently on | | | | customer thinks. Plain and simple. |
| my new website." He said not convincingly, "I'll | | | | This customer thinks this Captain and his first |
| show you a good time today." | | | | mate should explore a new line of work that |
| Neither the Captain or the first mate asked us a | | | | doesn't involve any contact with customers |
| single question. | | | | period. Like washing Lighthouse windows off the |
| In this situation they could have established lots of | | | | coast of Maine in the winter. There are more than |
| rapport by asking questions like: | | | | 60 lighthouses along Maine's craggy down east |
| "Where are you folks from?" | | | | peninsulas. |
| "What kind of fish are you most interested in | | | | There is never any excuse for dreadful customer |
| today?" | | | | service. Good service gets rewarded and dreadful |
| "What kind of fishing trips have you taken in the | | | | service gets penalized and that's the way it's |
| past?" | | | | supposed to be. |