By employing skilled technicians, committing to a clear
vision and exercising professional management, a young boatyard strives to
rise above customers' expectations
When Richard Strauss and David Ort founded Island Coast Boat Works, Inc. (ICBW)
in April 1999, their dream of building the best boat repair facility in
south Florida was met with a simper and a ho-hum welcome. "Just another
garage operation" was the local government agency's perfunctory
evaluation, says Bob Wellman, ICBW director of sales and marketing.
Unfazed by the put-down, Strauss and Ort buckled down to work with a
mission to build a repair service center that exceeds customers'
expectations and increases the boat repair industry's level of
respectability. Wellman says it was a Herculean task, but one that led the
company to a path of tremendous growth. Within the first four to eight
months, the company outgrew its compressor, dumpster and parking lot.
In 2000, Island Coast Boat Works, Inc., once mistaken for being a small,
backyard-type repair shop, moved to a 14,000-square-foot property in the
North Cape Industrial Park in Cape Coral, FL. The company now employs 24
full-time seasoned managers, boat builders and technicians, and boasts
that its expertise in fiberglass structural repairs, including stringer,
transom, deck and hull replacement, is known all over south Florida, and
as far away as the Turks and Caicos Islands, Abacos in the Bahamas, Puerto
Rico and the entire Caribbean basin.
Plans are under way to establish a satellite operation, expand and
maximize potential profit centers, and explore new areas of
specialization.
Like ER physicians
Wellman credits the company's success to its
skillful and creative workers, whom he describes as "like emergency room
physicians."
"Every boat repair is unique just as every injury is different," says
Wellman. "But thanks to the creativity and skills of our repair
technicians, boats that are wrecked, damaged or torn apart get a new lease
on life. He adds that it is not unusual to hear customers exclaim, "How
were you able to do that?'' after they see a finished work.
Wellman says that some boats that were brought to ICBW also were in fires
and looked so bad nobody would think they could be salvaged or could look
good again. But ICBW took on the challenge and, according to Wellman, the
results were "most gratifying."
Wellman asserts that boaters take a lot of pride in their boats and are
very particular about the quality of work a repair facility puts into
them. This is why ICBW makes sure its technicians reach their maximum
level of expertise by making available to them training and continuous
education in the field of boat repair and restoration." We offer the
training and we pay for it," says Wellman. "The individual improves
himself, makes himself more valuable and he has greater opportunities for
growth within the organization."
Where the bucks are
ICBW derives the largest percentage of its
income from contracting with major boat manufacturers to do warranty work.
If something goes wrong with a customer's boat during the warranty period,
ICBW does the repairs for the boat manufacturer.
"Sometimes it is impractical to ship back a boat where it was made; other
times a manufacturer has limited space in their plant for warranty work,"
explains Wellman. "Our goal is to help manufacturers get their customers
back on the water as quickly as possible and at the most reasonable cost
to them."
Doing insurance repairs is the second biggest source of revenue for ICBW,
followed by custom work and design modification.
Trust is what binds ICBW and its partners, according to Wellman. "We take
our relationship with the manufacturers, insurers and customers seriously
and we make sure the repair process runs smoothly," he says.
The process involves taking digital photos of the area or areas to be
repaired, developing a written estimate of the cost of the repair and
sending the estimate to either the boat manufacturer or insurance company.
The manufacturer or insurer studies the proposal and decides to either
give it the go-ahead or the thumbs-down. Often, ICBW clinches the deal.
Once ICBW gets the boat and the technicians see some damages that were not
immediately visible, they notify the manufacturer or the insurance company
before they go further with the repairs. "They may tell us to not do
anything or they may ask us for a written estimate," says Wellman.
The actual work on a boat begins with it going through a comprehensive
18-point systems check upon arrival at the ICBW facility and again when it
leaves the shop. All work, says Wellman, is done to American Boat & Yacht
Council (ABYC) and U.S. Coast Guard standards.
It is this dedication to quality, professionalism and excellent
craftsmanship that makes ICBW customers satisfied, says Wellman, noting
that some customers joke that ICBW's trait to do more than it has to is
"disturbing."
A look at industry challenges
While ICBW has come a long way from its humble
beginning nearly four years ago, Wellman says that he believes the
company's biggest challenge, and that of the other more established
service centers, has yet to be conquered.
"The real problem is the non-regulation in the boat repair industry," says
Wellman. "There is an army of one-man-and-a truck mechanics, and many of
these individuals have no training or insurance coverage."
Wellman expresses concern that these operations also do harm to the boat
repair industry's reputation. "If you hire someone to fix your boat and
something goes wrong, you may not see this person again," says Wellman.
In contrast, established boat repair businesses like ICBW have liability
insurance, says Wellman, and offer workers attractive benefits and
compensation packages. "We have people who are trained and certified - the
customers can have peace of mind," he says.
"We have a portfolio of before and after photos that shows the magnitude
of the work we can do. A lot of people can do minor repairs, but they may
not be able to pull engines or gas tanks out of boats or cut into boats,"
explains Wellman. He says that in many cases boats leave the ICBW facility
sturdier than when they first came out of the factory.
Still, some boaters take risks and go for the mechanic who offers the
lowest cost, which often is a costly mistake, says Wellman. "We do a lot
of corrective work in our facility because people went for the lowest cost
and it didn't work right," he adds.
To protect customers from run-of-the-mill mechanics and unscrupulous
repair shops, Wellman believes that there is a need to establish an
industrywide standard of performance and reliability for boat repairers.
But while Wellman pushes for the implementation of stricter licensing and
regulation requirements for marine professionals, he also is apprehensive
that some restrictions imposed by the state, especially those that are
aimed to protect the manatees, might affect the growth of the industry.
"But we're working on a program that will be able to lessen the impact of
these restrictions on our business," he adds.
In for the long haul
However, the real focus of the company is on
its long-term expansion and development, says Wellman. "We will expand our
mobile fiberglass repair capabilities. We have certified technicians and
fully equipped trucks that can service marinas and docks any time," he
says. Wellman adds that the mobile repair service was the company's profit
center at one time, but now is just a part of the total operation. "But we
are expanding it," he says.
ICBW also is poised to build a satellite operation to meet the needs of
its growing clientele. It also will continue to build custom boats albeit
on a very limited volume. In addition, ICBW will be more aggressive in its
marketing efforts, says Wellman.
According to Wellman, one strategy that has worked well for ICBW is its
strong presence at many industry shows and conferences. In fact, it was a
boat show that paved the way for Wellman and Strauss to get to know each
other.
Wellman, an engineer by profession, spent 21 years in the marine industry
selling and marketing marine transmissions. He decided to take an early
retirement, but he eventually got bored. At the Fort Myers Boat Show last
November, Wellman approached Strauss and asked if ICBW could use his
services. "It was a very busy show; Strauss was meeting a lot of
prospective clients," recalls Wellman. Nevertheless, Strauss expressed
interest in Wellman's capabilities, thought the timing was right to hire a
sales and marketing director and told Wellman he was a good fit for the
job. One week after the show, Strauss offered Wellman the position.
"The relationship is great," says Wellman. "We enjoy what we do." |
