Business Must be Booming in Brundall

[kfurbank]

Judging by the off hand attitude of some of the businesses!!

I phoned a marina in Brundall to enquire about a mooring for the next year and got the answer phone so left a message explaining that I was looking for a mooring for the next year and leaving my details. 9 days later and no response!!!!

Last Monday I emailed Peachments to see if they do engine servicing and if so could they give me a quote. I explained that I was after more than just an annual service with the tappets and injectors being looked at. I got a read receipt back within about 10 minutes so know that the email was read, but still no response 7 days later!!!

I really don't understand this attitude of some businesses.

 

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Keith,

You have to remember that this is Norfolk you are talking about.

Regards

Alan

[JennyMorgan]

Norfolk's laid back attitude is part of what makes Norfolk what it is. If folk don't like it . . . . . . . . 

[kfurbank]

Exactly Peter, but people in Norfolk still need to be employed!!! and fed!!! It shouldn't come as any surprise when people take their money elsewhere, and if I'm being brutally honest, "If folk don't like it....." is also an attitude that gets my back up. Norfolk is not some quaint distant land. It is part of the UK about time you realised that.

[JennyMorgan]

Keith, Norfolk is part of the UK, in some respects something of a pity. As for 'backs up' I will admit that Alan's comment 'You have to remember that this is Norfolk you are talking about' got mine up, not that that really matters. Norfolk is Norfolk, and long may it remain so. I really don't think that we need the big city's grab, grab and grab business model up here.

I was in an office a couple of years ago when a loud mouth clever dick customer barged in and started criticizing the company's lack of urgency. I admired the boss's response, he calmly tore their contract up and told the now ex customer to go elsewhere!

However, I do object to the cherry picking attitude of some yards and marine businesses. I was told by one broker that any boat under £25,000.00 wasn't worth getting out of bed for.  

[VetChugger]

Keith is right. There is a big difference between laid back and simply rude. Wonder if Norfolk's finest might change their tune when these companies go t*ts up?

Take your business to the hairy monster at Wayford.

[johnb]

I usually assume that they've heard about my cheques!

[kfurbank]

Peter, I think the difference in this case is a lack of urgency I can sort of understand, especially if the company if lucky enough to have enough other business, but total arrogance, or ignorance is unforgivable. It doesn't matter where you are, it is common courtesy to reply whether you want the business or not!!!!!!!

[JennyMorgan]

1 minute ago, VetChugger said:

Keith is right. There is a big difference between laid back and simply rude. Wonder if Norfolk's finest might change their tune when these companies go t*ts up?

Take your business to the hairy monster at Wayford.

There is a big difference between laid back and simply rude. 

Can't argue with that! No excuse for bad manners.

[NorfolkNog]

Try having a word with Paul at Swancraft Keith. I'm sure he could help on both counts! 

[JennyMorgan]

2 minutes ago, kfurbank said:

Peter, I think the difference in this case is a lack of urgency I can sort of understand, especially if the company if lucky enough to have enough other business, but total arrogance, or ignorance is unforgivable. It doesn't matter where you are, it is common courtesy to reply whether you want the business or not!!!!!!!

Agreed 100%.

[kfurbank]

Howard,

Swancraft are on my list to contact when I'm next up there. Since the A11 has been improved it makes Brundall as convenient a mooring spot as using the A12 and heading to WRC or St Olaves. I contacted Peachments because the engine is a Nanni and that is where I normally get my spares from. Off course if the engine needed to be replaced on this or any future boat I own, then I would think long and hard before choosing Nanni. In the meantime its back to ASAP Supplies for parts then.

[NorfolkNog]

I'm glad Swancraft are on you lisrt Keith. I've posted elsewhere about the new moorings which are looking very smart. All facilities, water, electric pump out etc. 

In the 12 years I hired from them I received nothing but excellent, friendly service. A great yard to deal with. When the numbers come up I would be straight round there. Also being near the 'top' of the dyke they are very handy for the station, also Wards and Peachments close by too. 

[johnb]

Guy was sorting through his glove compartment is a certain county (not Norfolk or Suffolk-I am essentially a coward). He found a receipt for a shoe repair some 5 years old. As he was passing the shop, he thought he would pop in on the off chance they may still have the shoes. He presented the ticket, assistant disappears for a few moments, comes back and says "Yep-they'll be ready on Thursday".

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

10 hours ago, johnb said:

10 hours ago, johnb said:

Guy was sorting through his glove compartment is a certain county (not Norfolk or Suffolk-I am essentially a coward). He found a receipt for a shoe repair some 5 years old. As he was passing the shop, he thought he would pop in on the off chance they may still have the shoes. He presented the ticket, assistant disappears for a few moments, comes back and says "Yep-they'll be ready on Thursday".

Guy was sorting through his glove compartment is a certain county (not Norfolk or Suffolk-I am essentially a coward). He found a receipt for a shoe repair some 5 years old. As he was passing the shop, he thought he would pop in on the off chance they may still have the shoes. He presented the ticket, assistant disappears for a few moments, comes back and says "Yep-they'll be ready on Thursday".

I heard the same joke by Ronnie Barker in Porridge, still funny though.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

11 hours ago, kfurbank said:

Judging by the off hand attitude of some of the businesses!!

I phoned a marina in Brundall to enquire about a mooring for the next year and got the answer phone so left a message explaining that I was looking for a mooring for the next year and leaving my details. 9 days later and no response!!!!

Last Monday I emailed Peachments to see if they do engine servicing and if so could they give me a quote. I explained that I was after more than just an annual service with the tappets and injectors being looked at. I got a read receipt back within about 10 minutes so know that the email was read, but still no response 7 days later!!!

I really don't understand this attitude of some businesses.

 

Hi Keith, why not try Maffetts?. They do engine services, and full re-builds, so i`m sure they would be able to do your Nanni. I think if they do a full sevice, plus the extra checks you mention, they may also garuntee your engine for 12 months. I think John (Hockham Admiral) might be able to give more info, as he`s had Friday Girls engine serviced there. And i think their charges are very reasonable too?.

Their number is   01508 520344.

 

[johnb]

I can never remember where I heard jokes, Ronnie Barker and Porridge still make me laugh. I guess many of us know what is coming next, but still watch. I am happy to acknowledge the original.

I can't think why this joke always comes to mind when I am in.............no, I not going to say it!

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

I`ve just googled Maffett Diesels, and their hourly rates are £20.00 per hour, and Graham will also travel to your boat, subject to your home yard allowing other services to work on your boat in THEIR premises, which incidentally Brooms don`t allow.

[Baitrunner]

I have had similar experiences with independents as well. 

I do think there is so much work around for good engineers they can be choosy. 

Even with the bigger companies I have even had to chase them for invoices. Now that is laid back!!

[Chelsea14Ian]

Try Dave at Cove where our boat is the Marina,and Dave and Dave are very good and helpful.Grayham at Maffett works on our boat always does a good job.Yes it is Norfolk I agree but not to be rude.

[Oddfellow]

This is such a common problem throughout. It is typical of email too. 

I emailed a marine parts supplier three working days ago enquiring about trade pricing. Nothing. Nadda. 

Somebody sent a facebook message to us last night at about 11:15. I'd responded by 11:30. 

Sure, things slip people's minds, I know this more than most as I have the annoying ability to forget what I was doing or where I put something within 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - gone. But business enquiries are absolutely vital to the survival of your business, surely? 

I doubt that any of these delays or lack of replies are deliberately rude, but the business clearly has no mechanism for dealing with the enquiries properly and ensuring that they are followed up. 

Which reminds me. I need to talk to a man about a boat.....

 

 

[ExUserGone]

I used the contact form on the lofrans website to enquire about windlass parts and was refferred to peachments automatically, to their credit I had a follow up email from peachments very soon afterwards and very helpful.

In regards to the "any boat less than £25k not worth getting up for" I can see some truth in that, when I was selling Leo Magill the plan B was to go to a brokerage, I'd looked around NYA at brundall and concluded Leo would be totally belittled and overlooked beside all the gin palaces there so the backup plan was to head for the aforementioned hairy monster at wayford where it would fit in better, if a broker generally aims for the higher end of the market the lower spenders won't look there in the first place so will just clog mooring spaces, as it was I sold Leo private in the timescale required so got to spend what the broker would have charged.....

As for emails that never get replied to, Grrrrrr! Better to pick up the phone.

[marshman]

I think the problem is a bit more fundamental than that!!

I was not aware that Peachments did servicing?? As far as I can see their website does not mention it and whilst they have engineers i think they are busy with other things. My guess is that they might have looked at it and thought it did not apply to them!! If you emailed Next and asked the price of pork chops you might not get a reply!!

And moorings - if you are getting 5/10 enquiries a week , which is probably the norm by just looking at posts here and elsewhere, would you bother? They KNOW that most are just general enquiries and will come to nought! Sadly there is just one and only one guaranteed way to get a marina place and that is to get on your bike and just go there!!

The trouble this day and age is that everyone thinks they deserve a reply to every single enquiry but if you get 10 abortive emails a week, and you are full, are you going to reply ? Probably not!! I do realise that this appears discourteous but its so easy to bang out emails, but in reality, this leads to a lot of "junk" and some places just do not have the time to deal with it!!

 

 

[kfurbank]

Marshman,

With regards to Peachments, they sell Nanni engines which as mine is a Nanni is the reason I enquired of them whether they do servicing and if so could they give me a quote. A simple we sell, but don't service engines would have been good enough. Better than that, a simple we don't do servicing, but can recommend these local engineers even better. 

I could have got it wrong, but I'm sure someone who had a new engine supplied by Peachments told me it went into them for it's first service under warranty. That being the case it would seem logical if looking for engine servicing on a Nanni to go to Peachments. Maybe I'm not being Norfolk enough and should have gone to a Volvo dealer?

With regards to moorings. Brundall Gardens Marina have a little Red banner across the top of their home page saying they have moorings available. Obviously ones they don't want to rent!!!!! or perhaps they have rented them and have been too laid back in updating their web page, but then that's their mistake not mine, so they should still have returned the call no ifs or buts, Norfolk or not.

http://www.brundallgardensmarina.com/ 

You may be right that some businesses get a lot of enquiries, but if you supply an email address, or phone number or any other contact method then you should monitor and respond to it. The two businesses above have not only lost my business, but in addition any word of mouth from me will be negative and perhaps lose them even more. Ignoring advertised communication methods makes very bad business sense.

[kfurbank]

Just to put things in context. We were out on the boat weekend before last and as some may remember it was very cold. We rang ahead to our destination to make sure they were doing food and to book a table. Being out of season we thought it wise to ring ahead. The phone was answered promptly and politely and we made our booking and explained that we would be arriving by boat and also looking for a hookup if possible. No problem was the reply and as your eating with us there will be no charge for the electric.

We arrived outside The Waters Edge Bramerton and whilst we were still mooring up, Lee the landlord came out and greeted us with a tub of salt in hand and salted a path across the decking, which was icing up, to the restaurant.

We have always received good food and good service from Lee and it is one of the reasons why we try and visit in Winter when trade can become more difficult. We were pleasantly surprised that even in January and given its location nearly all the tables were full.