Shep Browns/Goodhue...
 

Planned my day around my scheduled 9:00 am launch. Called first.

"We're running behind. We'll have to call you later when we can get to it".

At 3:00 pm...

"We can't get to it today. We wouldn't mind if you could wait until next week. We've only got one tech working".

I want it tomorrow morning.

"Well, we'll see what we can do".

Would have been a nice day to be on the Lake.

We were supposed to get ours the 12th and haven't seen it yet. Not from them though.

Could ruin a 1-2 week vacation.

Since Goodhue has taken over Shep Browns, they delayed my launch twice. The 1st time was for two weeks because of a computer software glitch. I suggested they use file cards and re-enter the data when the computers work...Nope.

Many have suggested their lack of staffing...I suggest their over scheduling. They've been working for a few years with inadequate staff, yet continue to schedule as though they're not understaffed. Knowing they probably won't lose many clients, they're increasing profits substantially.

My family has done business with "Shep Browns" since 1961 without any problems. Goodhue, so far, is not impressive. I am no longer going to use the Shep Browns name and let the Goodhue name earn their own goodwill, or lack-there-of.

OH!...And they want to substantially expand their operation...YEAH RIGHT!

Perhaps next year you can tell them a date that is a week earlier than you really want it.

If they can actually deliver on time just defer it until you are ready.

We set our launch date early and called ahead to confirm. Small delay getting underway. Every marina around the lake has so many more vessels to accommodate versus a couple of years ago. Everyone at Sheps/Goodhue and elsewhere are doing the best they can to keep up with overwhelming demand.

Nope. They scheduled more than they can accommodate, and this facility is wanting a major expansion to a larger facility they can't currently serve adequately?

Unfortunately the Lake has changed for me since my introduction many years ago, as so many other things...

When I owned my business, and we couldn't accommodate the demand, we stropped marketing. We never wanted to sacrifice reputation.

Goodhue launched my boat this morning with a ton of apologies...

Thats great you will have it for the weekend. :)

Unfortunately over the last 5 years there has been a boom in the boating industry. Many of the Marina's are struggling to keep up with all the business... This years high water has made for issues as well.... Can't get boats delivered when there is no dock to tie it too..... the boats then come back to the marina, where they are then in the way.... it is a cascade effect...

I am hearing Irwin's is very backed up as well. Someone I know in our marina can't get their boat until the 28th, which was much later than desired. I had problems of my own in the past trying to get a boat out of there.

Winnisquam never fails me, they are always ahead of schedule. They are my trusted go-to. I keep 2 boats with them and they are always ready for ice-out.

Got a call before I picked my boat up that there was a starting problem and they had to replace the battery... Battery replaced.

Had a nice ride back to my dock. Shut the engine off and now it won't start.

Called Goodhue and am told they'll either send a tech over to my place or have it towed back to Goodhue. Waiting for their call.

Yup...Life on Golden Pond.

Same
 

Same experience here for well over a dozen years now…

Dan

I will agree that Winnisquam is good, however I found their pricing High, when I stored my boat with them... Particularly when it came to spring start up...

Goodhue came through...
 

As behind as they are, they sent a tech out to fix my boat. They had put a new battery in it before launch and the battery was faulty. The tech, Ryan, had to make two trips. I was very fortunate I was not stranded on the Lake and made it to my dock.

Two thumbs up and thank you Steve, the new service manager on the job for only one month. He told me his specialty is turning around "problems"...and he did it for me.

No Issues at WOW Winnisquam on Winni
 

Picked our boat up on time Sunday (1PM) and in perfect working order from the great folks at Winnisquam on Winni / WOW! 3 young men helped us launch our Bennington and we spent only 15 minutes at the marina, this is a well run business.

Can't say enough about Chris, Service Mgr and Sadi, Assistant, both are fantastic. They tell it like it is, honest good and hard-working quality people; they never disappoint!

Thank you WOW!

If they weren’t so cheap and paid a little more they’d have plenty of help. I took a job as a tech at another marina after interviewing at Sheps and was offered over $10 more an hour to start.

I heard that Shep's/Goodhue service manager, who quit last year to go to MB Tractor, tried to return. He wanted a one week vacation and they offered three days. He said no...

A one week vacation is usually five days off with pay. So they could not come to an agreement over a two day vacation difference?

These outfits that are swamped should not feel ashamed about farming out a few jobs.

I specialize in mobile marine electrical and have ZERO interest in taking food off another person's plate.

I say if it means getting your boat on time, yards should Pass the work on!

Keep the contact confidential (i recommend it)
Get the quality Service when they need it
Mark it up, or not, do whatever

but end of day, I bail them out, the shop looks good, the client is happy and i'm just a nomadic ghost floating around Winnipesaukee doing what I do; helping to alleviate the yard's loads. -------> Boom like that! One and done. On to the next.

Perhaps it is a pride thing?
Or simply unaware of the alternative seat-eject option?

I'm from the coast, and In my mind of 30 years in the industry, techs and yards are one family. We help each other out and we respect each other's client base.

It doesn't hurt to pass the torch to the little guy if they can bail you out an do the job correctly, quickly and for a reasonable price.


NWMI, llc :cheers:

Lakes Region Marinas
 

I notice and hear about delays a lot! Have you noticed huge valet expansions yet service departments stay the same? Plus, good help is hard to find!

Sign of the times. For two years now, stern drive maintenance was scheduled in the spring and has not been done until late summer, fall. Normally the marina would charge the batteries, do a preseason checkup and take a spin at first launch. They didn't last year and failed this spring.

Shep Browns
 

I bought my boat from Bill Littlefield when he owned Sheps. Steve Hinchey was a service Manager but moved on to Lakeport Landing when Goodhue bought Sheps. They were fantastic. Once Goodhue bought Sheps I moved on. A service manager at Sheps told me this spring his opinion they were selling too many boats as the service dept could not keep up.

Hard to say without knowing the details.
I have weeks of vacation, but taking even a few hours for a dentist or doctor's appointment is a major ordeal. Even taking a 30 minute lunch is nearly impossible.

So the manager may have had the paid time coming to them... but was just not allowed to use it.

The laws in 2023 prevent that from happening.

If the lumber yard that employs you has such a policy, i will boycott them!

I had eight weeks paid vacation (twice annual allotment) and was refused even one day off to bring my wife to the hospital for wrist surgery! Don’t ya love corporate America!

Our annual allotment has to be given back if it goes unused.

But the problem isn't really that they refuse me, it is more along the line that any time I take off has to be made up in double the production when I return.
Short staff in comparison to elevated demand.

So I work my way through customer calls/contacts, so they know that I'm not ignoring them... just need a bit more time to get the information to them that they need or to process the orders.

For years I never used all my vacation. At first I could carry it over year to year. Then I could carry over up to 2 weeks but they would buy back any unused, then a week carry over, then use it or lose it. At the end, as I neared retirement, I started using everything. I decided that if the business came to a screeching halt while I was out then I was being grossly underpaid!!


Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

The customers don't come to a screeching halt.
They just have to wait until I get back.

For some... very patient... others not so much.

The business was here before me, and should be here long after I'm dust.