Lakeport Landing business

[sum-r breeze]

Originally Posted by Little Bear

On what do you base this assessment/opinion?

Personal experience with both businesses. I wouldn't be this opinionated without direct interaction with both.

The Breeze
Wave 'cuz I'll be wavin' back

[BroadHopper]

I have personal experience with both businesses. My family and the Irwins grew up together. Although Blizzard is a 'late comer', he has the family's trust and have given us plenty of business.

They are both trusted businesses with similar philosophies. The siblings are the differences, with more modern philosophies that my generation may or may not agree. Everyone is entitled to their opinions.

I have bought boats and supplies from both businesses. Irwin appeals to the middle class while LL appeals to the upper class as far as sales, yet LL has lower gas prices, lower slip and storage fees. Both have excellent maintenance facilities, Bruce and Ron are excellent to deal with, but major repairs and troubleshoot goes to Dave's Motorboat Shop.

I have never had experience with PBM, although Paul and Jack has a few 'choice words' about Kevin. I am sure Kevin has a few words about their business as well. That is what competition is all about.

Business is game. Pick you battles ladies and gentlemen!

[sum-r breeze]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

I have personal experience with both businesses. My family and the Irwins grew up together. Although Blizzard is a 'late comer', he has the family's trust and have given us plenty of business.

They are both trusted businesses with similar philosophies. The siblings are the differences, with more modern philosophies that my generation may or may not agree. Everyone is entitled to their opinions.

I have bought boats and supplies from both businesses. Irwin appeals to the middle class while LL appeals to the upper class as far as sales, yet LL has lower gas prices, lower slip and storage fees. Both have excellent maintenance facilities, Bruce and Ron are excellent to deal with, but major repairs and troubleshoot goes to Dave's Motorboat Shop.

I have never had experience with PBM, although Paul and Jack has a few 'choice words' about Kevin. I am sure Kevin has a few words about their business as well. That is what competition is all about.

Business is game. Pick you battles ladies and gentlemen!

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with the upper class/ middle class assessment of the cliental. Irwin marine sells entry level boats but it also sells Meridian Yachts one of which is the largest (and probably most expensive) in MVYC. This diverse boating customer base ensures that when someone gets into boating as a young family, who can only afford "so much" boat, they will continue as customers as their financial position improves with age. Irwin treats their trailer boat customers with the same caring and appreciative attitude as they do with the big end sales. I know because I've been on both ends of that spectrum. People in the service business need to think along the lines of how the person on the other side of the counter would like to be treated. I use a saying frequently in my business "You can always tell the type of business you are dealing with when you go to them with a problem." Think about what has transpired and how you can make things better instead of denying and stonewalling the solution. A satisfied customer will tell three people...a dissatisfied one will tell three hundred.

The Breeze
Wave 'cuz I'll be wavin' back

[Rich]

Originally Posted by sum-r breeze

"You can always tell the type of business you are dealing with when you go to them with a problem."

I'm glad you have had great dealings with Irwin, perhaps it was in the past?

I had a major problem brewing with one of their sales persons, I emailed all the current owners and upper management about it. Not one even took the time to say "What's going on", or "Sorry this is going on", nor even a "Thanks for being a customer".

So now I believe those that say that the sons are not running the business the same way as their father did. Just my opinion from doing business with them in the last 3 and 4 years.

Some on their staff are great, but their upper management seemed that they couldn't have cared less. Oh, I wasn't making a small purchase from them, just sayin!

I haven't had any business (yet) with Lakeport Landing, so I can't comment on them at all. But based on my personal experience with Irwin, I'm happy to tell anyone that asks that I wasn't happy with the way they handled my transaction (and several aspects of delivery). I'll give them the benefit of change, because the sales person I was dealing with is now gone, and this can only be an improvement for them. But their upper management didn't care at the time to look into what was going on, so as long as they are still in control, I don't believe their reputation is as great as they once were.

So I'll repeat your quote:

Originally Posted by sum-r breeze

"You can always tell the type of business you are dealing with when you go to them with a problem."

Exactly!

[sum-r breeze]

Originally Posted by Rich

I'm glad you have had great dealings with Irwin, perhaps it was in the past?

I had a major problem brewing with one of their sales persons, I emailed all the current owners and upper management about it. Not one even took the time to say "What's going on", or "Sorry this is going on", nor even a "Thanks for being a customer".

So now I believe those that say that the sons are not running the business the same way as their father did. Just my opinion from doing business with them in the last 3 and 4 years.

Some on their staff are great, but their upper management seemed that they couldn't have cared less. Oh, I wasn't making a small purchase from them, just sayin!

I haven't had any business (yet) with Lakeport Landing, so I can't comment on them at all. But based on my personal experience with Irwin, I'm happy to tell anyone that asks that I wasn't happy with the way they handled my transaction (and several aspects of delivery). I'll give them the benefit of change, because the sales person I was dealing with is now gone, and this can only be an improvement for them. But their upper management didn't care at the time to look into what was going on, so as long as they are still in control, I don't believe their reputation is as great as they once were.

So I'll repeat your quote:


Exactly!

Sent you a PM with some contact info

[Rich]

Thanks for the PM

[sum-r breeze]

Originally Posted by sum-r breeze

Personal experience with both businesses. I wouldn't be this opinionated without direct interaction with both.

The Breeze
Wave 'cuz I'll be wavin' back

No change... same story......balls or not