This post stems from several complaints this blog has received regarding seasonal boaters receiving punitive and arbitrary bills after Oct. 31 or before May 1.
The bottom line is that if you do not store your boat at OHM for the winter you must have it removed from the marina by no later than Oct 31. lest you receive a bill in the mail for the daily transient rate for your slip for the number of days you stay in your slip after Oct. 31. This can add up to big bucks for the uninformed.
A large number of boaters do not haul out at OHM because of various concerns ranging from: staff attitude and handling of their boats, to raccoons, to theft/lack of security, to just plain old preference for another winter storage location.
The complaints we heard stemmed from bills sent out after the Oct.31 in seasons past. Some boaters who did winter their boats at OHM moved their boats within a few days. For their transgression against the marina they received daily bills at transient rates for the few days "extra" they docked at OHM after Oct 31. The bills came several weeks after the fact, without notification to the customer nor consent of the customer and amounted in some instances to several hundred dollars of entirely punitive fees to those boaters.
Logic would dictate that there would be some leeway and flex on BOTH ends of what is a seasonal endeavour. However, if management insisted on charging for those days then:
1. The boaters should have been notified by phone or email that the marina intended on sending them invoices. A grace period should have been granted AND/OR
2. The rates should have been prorated to reflect the average daily rate for a seasonal boater, not the daily transient rates.
The aforementioned 2 points amount to "customer service 101" management/customer compromises.
To add insult to injury, when these boaters protested they were simply informed that they had to pay the transient bills or not be able renew their slip rentals for the following year.
Furthermore, management has taken a hard and fast approach to anyone wishing to dock ahead of their arbitrary May 1 start date insisting any seasonal boater who does not winter their boat at OHM must pay the daily transient rate in advance of May 1. Again, customer service logic, good business practice, just plain common sense would dictate some leeway "at no charge" or if management absolutely insists, prorating the daily charges to the seasonal rate.
The taste boaters are left with is, unless you winter your boat at OHM then management is going to put you in the penalty box.
We disagree wholeheartedly with this entirely insulting and arbitrary approach and any one who has had the remotest of involvement with customer service related business would indeed echo the sentiment.
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2 comments:
At the beginning of this season which by Management's Standard begins May 1st the following reductions in service existed.
1. Main Washroom/shower building close and locked on weekends.
2. NO, absolutely NO staff on weekends working.
3. 2nd Washroom building with all toilets clogged.
4. Gas/pumpout closed on weekends.
When management was confronted their response was that they had no plans to have any of these services available until the May 24 weekend to try and save money. My response was then I will be receiving several weeks of discounts as they were the ones that stated the season begins May 1st. To me that means full service for my full price paid. The following weekend everything above was open and operational. Aparently I wasn't the only person complaining. I still bought gas for about $0.20 less my first week of boating elsewhere.
My boat is gone from the marina so I can safely comment without fear of reprisal
Lets face it, the staff hates her,
The boaters hate her, the only question is who does she have an embarrassing nude picture of to keep her job? Get that picture and you solve all the problems
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