Winnisquam Marine

[Electric Blue]

:eek: I bought some tune up parts from Winnisquam Marine. They were recommended to me because they had a good reputation for customer service. Not so much.
I will never go back there again (nor do they want me to I'm sure)
I purchased the following items:
2 caps, 2 rotors, 16 iridium plugs, 16 plug wires, 10 quarts of oil, 2 oil filters,2 sets of anodes, 2 water separator filters.
I spent alot of money at that store. I had a mechanic at my marina install the tune up parts, as my boat is on Winnipesaukee. The boat ran horrible, right out of the gate. I could not get both 6.2 MPI's past 3400 rpm at full throttle. They normally spin out at 5,000 rpm WOT. The engines were running very rough and had no power. I immediately returned to the dock. Total run time about ten minutes.The mechanic checked the water separators. They were fine. We checked the parts list and discovered that Winnisquam marine had given me the wrong cap and rotors. We put the old cap and rotor's back in, both engines spun up to 5,000 rpm. When I tried to exchange the wrong new parts for the right ones, I was told too bad, they are now "used parts." No exchange, no refund. I tried to explain to Ryan that it was their fault not mine. He told me "well with parts you never get it 100% right." Gee really ? I thought thats why they invented part numbers. Oh well. My bad. He blamed it on my mechanic. No accountability. He would not hear it. Ruined weekend for me and my guests. He didn't care. It got heated..I left. Thanks for nothing Ryan. You're a really great guy. Keep up the good work, I'm sure Winnisquam Marine will get it 100% right someday.

[RailroadJoe]

Not only should they have refunded your money they should have also paid for the mechanic who replaced them. People like this are the ones we don't need for any reason. Thanks for the heads up.

[Irrigation Guy]

Did he ask for the serial numbers of the motors to find the right parts or just wing it?

[Electric Blue]

I gave the parts guy both s/n's. Ryan is the owner's son. He had final say.

[Irrigation Guy]

I gave the parts guy both s/n's. Ryan is the owner's son. He had final say.

These guys do have a good reputation from what I have noticed. I am very surprised they didn't make it right. Sometimes the initial attitude in times like this sets the tone for the outcome, sometimes not. I surely have no way of knowing.

It shouldn't have ruined a weekend though as the old parts proved serviceable.

[secondcurve]

These guys do have a good reputation from what I have noticed. I am very surprised they didn't make it right. Sometimes the initial attitude in times like this sets the tone for the outcome, sometimes not. I surely have no way of knowing.

It shouldn't have ruined a weekend though as the old parts proved serviceable.

How much did the parts in question cost?

I've had good luck with these folks. Sounds like some type of misunderstanding.

[Belmont Resident]

These guys do have a good reputation from what I have noticed. I am very surprised they didn't make it right. Sometimes the initial attitude in times like this sets the tone for the outcome, sometimes not. I surely have no way of knowing.

It shouldn't have ruined a weekend though as the old parts proved serviceable.

Many on Winnisquam use them because they are the only show on the lake.
From what I was told, and this is from an older person who’s been on Winnisquam for ever, once the original founder got out and the sons took over things started going down hill with customer service. Now with the current owner they have that take it or leave it attitude.
I know over the years there have been others who have posted comments on poor customer service as well.

[diz]

Many on Winnisquam use them because they are the only show on the lake.
From what I was told, and this is from an older person who’s been on Winnisquam for ever, once the original founder got out and the sons took over things started going down hill with customer service. Now with the current owner they have that take it or leave it attitude.
I know over the years there have been others who have posted comments on poor customer service as well.

I think the owner you're referring to is the one that ran service. The other long time owner is still there. I bought a boat there two years ago and I'll have to admit that, once the sale is made, the follow up stuff does seem to fall through the cracks.

[raydoe1]

The father has the same attitude.
I bought a new Four Winns there in the year 2000.
I love the boat and I still have it, but I will never
go back to Winnisquam Marine again.

[JDeere]

I bought a boat from them too. There was a through hull fitting that was leaking. They told me it would be weeks before they could repair. Took it someplace else and it was fixed in 15 minutes. I never went back to them for a boat, service or anything else.

[BroadHopper]

I can't understand why anyone will go to a marina for parts. Marinas have huge mark ups added to the parts. I usually go to NAPA auto for all my marine parts. They are top shelf and the ignition wires have a life time warrantee. I notice many of the marine dealers in the area gets their parts from NAPA. It's a lot cheaper!

If you live near a West Marine store, more power to you! Great selection of all boating gear. Sign up for their 'loyal customer card'.

[gtagrip]

I too had bought a bought from them in 2001 a Vista 245. It was maybe a week after the fact and the boat would not start. Called them and asked if they could send someone over to West Alton Marina. They were having a "Open House" that particular weekend and was told no one in the building could leave as they needed to take care of all the potential customers/buyers. I said to them, "I am already a customer"! After some more back and forth, they reluctantly sent someone over. :rolleye1:

[LIforrelaxin]

Winnisquam Marine, Is starting to get too big for their own good. As they gobble up the competition on Winnisquam. However I have never had a gripe with them......

However Electric Blue, you have plenty of blame to lay around. Your mechanic should have realized that he had the wrong parts.

Bottom line this sounds like a rush job from beginning to end....

[codeman671]

My overall experience with Winnisquam has been very good. Ryan was responsive on the sales side, and I feel like he has been easy to work with, aggressive on price, and accomodating for pickups and deliveries to the lake. When I wasnt happy with the performance of my boat, he took it back, tried different props and got it to a better overall running range for our intended use. Warranty issues have been handled promptly, they even swapped out parts this spring such as gaskets around the docking lights and 4 polished corner castings that he felt were corroding early (I never even noticed them being an issue).

Sometimes he is a bit slow to get a response from, but I am busy as well and don't get upset by that. Personally, I think he is a good guy and has shot straight with me from day one. I'd buy from him again, no questions asked.

We had a bit of confusion on my early season launch date, and the spring cleanup was not great (asked for a quick clean, which is what I got, but the price was a bit high in my opinion), but certainly nothing upsetting.

I've had issues with a few marinas around the lake for various reasons and would not sugar coat it if I had been unhappy. I am surprised to hear the troubles of others regarding Winnisquam.

[Woodsy]

I can see both sides... I totally understand your frustration as I have def ate my share of parts that were wrong or I didnt need... but

No offense Blue, you tried to save some $$ and have a mechanic friend do the work for you. If you were using the mechanic at your marina he would bought the parts at the marinas parts dept. He would have been able to return the parts if they were wrong. He also should have noticed the parts were different when he was replacing them. Winnisquam Marine isnt the only place to get Mercruiser or Volvo parts (its all GM) you can get the same stuff at NAPA, Robbins, VIP etc. Your mechanic should have picked up the parts himself and then the onus would have been on him. Winnisquam cant take the parts back because they cant resell them or use them... why should they eat the $$? yes, they made a mistake but your mechanic compounded that mistake by INSTALLING the parts! Had he not compunded the mistake they prob would have taken them back.

The real problem here is with your mechanic....

Woodsy

[Rangervx]

i run an auto repair business and i agree with Woodsy for the most part...but the parts guy should have just eaten the cap and rotor for the sake of customer service and apologized. word of mouth can ruin a business...AND forums like this as well. being that the guy was the owners Son...he should have known this. the cost of a cap and rotor (very little...even if performance parts) vs. your reputation is a no brainer.

[Charlie T]

Winnisquam Marine, Is starting to get too big for their own good. As they gobble up the competition on Winnisquam. However I have never had a gripe with them......

However Electric Blue, you have plenty of blame to lay around. Your mechanic should have realized that he had the wrong parts.

Bottom line this sounds like a rush job from beginning to end....


The mechanic has NO BLAME here. I'm surprised he even agreed to install parts that he didn't provide. That is like going to a restaurant with your own piece of meat and not only complaining because it didn't taste good but trying to hold the restaurant responsible because you gave them a cut of meat that didn't suit your taste!

The bottom line is if you provide your own parts the installer should be absolved of all responsibility for them. If the customer provided parts don't work, you pay the mechanic to install them twice, once for the original installation and once for the reinstallation of the replacement parts.
If customer provided parts fail, the customer pays the mechanic to diagnose the failure and to install new parts.... including the price of the new parts.

The standard in most industries is that the company who does repairs sells you both the labor to do the repair and the parts. The mark up (profit) on the parts sale helps pay for the liability for warranty labor at no charge due to a parts failure. That is just the way it is. Why would you expect the mechanic to do no charge warranty work on something he didn't provide?

CT

[Grandpa Redneck]

We are still quite happy with Winnisquam Marine, sometimes stuff happens, its a fact of life, nobodys perfect. Whenever things have gone a little off key, the team at Winnisquam has always made things right. We would still recommend them to anyone.

[MV1]

I can't understand why anyone will go to a marina for parts. Marinas have huge mark ups added to the parts. I usually go to NAPA auto for all my marine parts. They are top shelf and the ignition wires have a life time warrantee. I notice many of the marine dealers in the area gets their parts from NAPA. It's a lot cheaper!

If you live near a West Marine store, more power to you! Great selection of all boating gear. Sign up for their 'loyal customer card'.

BH couple of weeks ago I called NAPA for cap/rotor kit for my 4.3l MPI was quoted $145.18 for parts....called local Marina and Merc parts for same engine were $97.50...not all marina's overcharge

[codeman671]

A few years go I had a BMW m3 convertible . It needed a starter. The shop that I took it to ordered the part, then sat on the job for a month and chickened out on doing it. It is a nightmare of a job. I pulled the car, took it to another place to have it done. Since at that point the shop had the starter, I purchased it from them instead of waiting for another one to be ordered on a lead time and provided it with the car.

Long story short, the shop installed the starter which turned out to be a factory reject. The BMW dealer that the part came from warranted the part, but the shop that did the job got me for 2x the labor as it had to be done twice. It was a 6-8 hour job each time...

The moral of the story is that if you supply your own parts, it's on you... The comment by someone stating that winnisquam should have paid the mechanic is foolish.

In this case the mechanic is at fault in that they installed parts without verifying they were correct. You also carry fault in that you went to pick up the parts and did not verify the parts you picked up against the list.

I wasnt there so I don't know if they really didn't provide you with what you asked for, all I can do is comment on your own admissions.

Installed electrical parts in general are usually non-returnable anywhere if taken out of the box. Doesn't matters if it is auto, Rv, power sports or marine.

[meredith weekender]

We bought a 214 Fun Ship from them in 2002 and got outstanding service. They serviced that boat and did all work promptly until we sold the boat in 2007. In addition, they installed an aftermarket GPS for us in 2003 and when we had problems with it in 2004 they sent a tech over to the now closed Burger King to meet us and fix the issue. when we bought our boat Ed was the owner and to my knowledge he still is. When it comes time to rep,ace the Crownline, we will give them another shot at our business. Maybe u should call and talk to the true owner.

[WinniMarine]

I figured that with this post that I would finally sign on to the Winnipesuakee Forum and have my input. I do follow the forum and read many of the posts but I have never felt the need to jump in and say anything because most of the posts are very good about Winnisquam Marine. I can tell you that my family tries very hard and cares greatly about the customer.

My dad got into the marine industry because he enjoyed boats growing up and he had the opportunity 36 years ago to start Winnisquam Marine. I have grown up around the marina and enjoyed boats since I was a little kid. I started working at Winnisquam Marine when I was 14 years old and have worked in every aspect of the marina. This includes the Gas Dock, Rental Boats, Cleaning Crew, Technician, Showroom, Sales, Financing and Management. I graduated top of my class from UVM in Business Administration and Management Information Systems and had many different job opportunities and offers but knew that I wanted to be at the marina because boats are what I enjoy. I like seeing customers and friends get out on the water and enjoy it just like I do. I participate in the Marine Industry in many different ways including being President of the New Hampshire Marine Trades and going down to the State House on a regular basis fighting for what I feel is good for boaters. I have also helped manufactures put on seminars about sales or customer service as we have one of the highest Customer Satisfaction Indexes in the country.

I mention these things because I am an avid boater that enjoys being in the industry and I do everything I can to make the industry better. My Dad, Sister and I are at the marina daily overseeing everything to try to help as many customers as best as possible. We have a great group of customers and have very few complaints or problems. We do get very busy and can be running around like crazy but that’s just because we are trying to get as many happy boaters on the water as possible. We have hired more employees this year in all departments and we bought the old Adam’s Marine to have more space in order to better assist our customers. We have grown quickly because of the great brands we carry and the great customer service that we provide. This was the busiest spring we have ever had and we our doing our best to ramp things up to handle everything and are finally getting there.

Anyways, in regards to the first post about the part that I would not take in return… There were many factors that impacted my decision. First off, the parts were used and had been in his boat. There are no returns on used electrical components. The parts were looked up at our dealership based on the information that the customer provided to us but the person that he has do the work needs to look at the parts and make sure that they match up. When we are the ones providing the service, our technicians need to match the parts up and make sure that they are the same. The customer demanded that I just put them in another customer’s boat and sell them as new. I told him that is unethical which it is. Anyone here can agree on that!!! The customer also had no receipt and had picked up the parts last fall. He bought them at a discount price because he knew one of our employees and wanted to do the work himself to save money. We can’t be responsible for that. The customer was horrible to my employee. He set the used parts on the desk in a greasy box with a bunch of other used parts and when my employee told the customer that he couldn’t take them back the customer started Screaming and Swearing at him demanding his money back. He was being a bully which I would expect a lot more out of a Massachusetts State Trooper. He was threating and demeaning to both my employee and myself which isn’t acceptable. He asked me to do things that were unethical like putting the parts on other customer’s boats and demanded that because we are a huge corporation that we “eat” the parts for good customer service. We are a small family business that provides jobs to many employees and families. We can’t just give things away because a customer doesn’t match up a part when he installs them. That just doesn’t make sense in any respect. We give away parts/labor and do many other different things to provide good customer service but this situation it just would have been a bad decision. He told me that he would post bad things if I didn’t give him his money back which was just another way he threatened me to try to get his way. It was very unprofessional!!! His attitude and manners were so bad that I was going to call the police; my other employees that were present couldn’t believe the situation and have been talking about it since then. This type of customer is what makes it so businesses have to institute tighter policies and they increase the cost of doing business which will impact all the other good customers negatively.

Sorry my post was so long but I take everything personal because it’s a family business and I care. My family works very hard and we don’t want a few bad ones to affect our business negatively or any of our many great customers…

Ryan Crawford
Winnisquam Marine

[secondcurve]

I figured that with this post that I would finally sign on to the Winnipesuakee Forum and have my input. I do follow the forum and read many of the posts but I have never felt the need to jump in and say anything because most of the posts are very good about Winnisquam Marine. I can tell you that my family tries very hard and cares greatly about the customer.

My dad got into the marine industry because he enjoyed boats growing up and he had the opportunity 36 years ago to start Winnisquam Marine. I have grown up around the marina and enjoyed boats since I was a little kid. I started working at Winnisquam Marine when I was 14 years old and have worked in every aspect of the marina. This includes the Gas Dock, Rental Boats, Cleaning Crew, Technician, Showroom, Sales, Financing and Management. I graduated top of my class from UVM in Business Administration and Management Information Systems and had many different job opportunities and offers but knew that I wanted to be at the marina because boats are what I enjoy. I like seeing customers and friends get out on the water and enjoy it just like I do. I participate in the Marine Industry in many different ways including being President of the New Hampshire Marine Trades and going down to the State House on a regular basis fighting for what I feel is good for boaters. I have also helped manufactures put on seminars about sales or customer service as we have one of the highest Customer Satisfaction Indexes in the country.

I mention these things because I am an avid boater that enjoys being in the industry and I do everything I can to make the industry better. My Dad, Sister and I are at the marina daily overseeing everything to try to help as many customers as best as possible. We have a great group of customers and have very few complaints or problems. We do get very busy and can be running around like crazy but that’s just because we are trying to get as many happy boaters on the water as possible. We have hired more employees this year in all departments and we bought the old Adam’s Marine to have more space in order to better assist our customers. We have grown quickly because of the great brands we carry and the great customer service that we provide. This was the busiest spring we have ever had and we our doing our best to ramp things up to handle everything and are finally getting there.

Anyways, in regards to the first post about the part that I would not take in return… There were many factors that impacted my decision. First off, the parts were used and had been in his boat. There are no returns on used electrical components. The parts were looked up at our dealership based on the information that the customer provided to us but the person that he has do the work needs to look at the parts and make sure that they match up. When we are the ones providing the service, our technicians need to match the parts up and make sure that they are the same. The customer demanded that I just put them in another customer’s boat and sell them as new. I told him that is unethical which it is. Anyone here can agree on that!!! The customer also had no receipt and had picked up the parts last fall. He bought them at a discount price because he knew one of our employees and wanted to do the work himself to save money. We can’t be responsible for that. The customer was horrible to my employee. He set the used parts on the desk in a greasy box with a bunch of other used parts and when my employee told the customer that he couldn’t take them back the customer started Screaming and Swearing at him demanding his money back. He was being a bully which I would expect a lot more out of a Massachusetts State Trooper. He was threating and demeaning to both my employee and myself which isn’t acceptable. He asked me to do things that were unethical like putting the parts on other customer’s boats and demanded that because we are a huge corporation that we “eat” the parts for good customer service. We are a small family business that provides jobs to many employees and families. We can’t just give things away because a customer doesn’t match up a part when he installs them. That just doesn’t make sense in any respect. We give away parts/labor and do many other different things to provide good customer service but this situation it just would have been a bad decision. He told me that he would post bad things if I didn’t give him his money back which was just another way he threatened me to try to get his way. It was very unprofessional!!! His attitude and manners were so bad that I was going to call the police; my other employees that were present couldn’t believe the situation and have been talking about it since then. This type of customer is what makes it so businesses have to institute tighter policies and they increase the cost of doing business which will impact all the other good customers negatively.

Sorry my post was so long but I take everything personal because it’s a family business and I care. My family works very hard and we don’t want a few bad ones to affect our business negatively or any of our many great customers…

Ryan Crawford
Winnisquam Marine

Ryan:

Thanks for your response. I agree that the historical posts regarding your business have been complimentary and you were certainly more than fair with me when I bought my boat in the spring of 2009. I'll certainly be back the next time I am in the market. Keep a positive attitude... unfortuantely you can't make 100% of the people doing business with you happy. No one can!

[Jonas Pilot]

Ryan:

Keep a positive attitude... unfortuantely you can't make 100% of the people doing business with you happy. No one can!

That's true secondcurve. Hopefully the persons who were unhappy won't lie about their experience.

[codeman671]

Thanks Ryan! I had a feeling that there was more to the story.

Funny how the poster failed to mention that these parts were purchased LAST FALL,were brought back covered in grease, and with no receipt. By reading his post one would think this all transpired in one day.

I don't know anyone that would take used, greasy electrical parts back.

[Charlie T]

. He was being a bully which I would expect a lot more out of a Massachusetts State Trooper.
Ryan Crawford
Winnisquam Marine

You know Ryan I agree with almost 100% of what you said...... All of it until you had to take a unnecessary cheap shot at Mass State Troopers. I'm not a cop but I think it was totally out of line for you to demean an entire group to prove your point. I happen to know a Mass state cop who is one of your customers. He is one of the nicest guys in the world..... unless you break the law. The cheap shot was not needed and doesn't reflect well on you.
BTW is it just Mass State Troopers you have a problem with ?

CT

[lawn psycho]

You know Ryan I agree with almost 100% of what you said...... All of it until you had to take a unnecessary cheap shot at Mass State Troopers. I'm not a cop but I think it was totally out of line for you to demean an entire group to prove your point. I happen to know a Mass state cop who is one of your customers. He is one of the nicest guys in the world..... unless you break the law. The cheap shot was not needed and doesn't reflect well on you.
BTW is it just Mass State Troopers you have a problem with ?

CT

I think you missed the point. A State Trooper, regardless of what State they represent should not yell and scream at an employee. You do realize how cheap rotors are don't you?

What I get out of this, is this guy seems to have an entitlement mentality. Yes, a common trait of troopers who have issues dealing with being challenged or questions. It's endemic in the profession.

I'm a DIY'er and every once in a while I get it wrong with part numbers, etc. I don't ask the dealer/vendor to eat my mistakes.

This is classic case where "you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar".

[Bryant239Dad]

That wasn't a cheap shot at all. Ryan simply said the guys was being a bully and and he would expect much more out of a Mass State trooper. Clearly he was saying, that he wouldn't expect that behavior out of a trooper.

I deal with Winnisquam Marine regularly and I rent a slip from them at the new marina across the street. So far, I feel the customer service is great.....and they have free popcorn, can't beat that

[Belmont Resident]

You know Ryan I agree with almost 100% of what you said...... All of it until you had to take a unnecessary cheap shot at Mass State Troopers. I'm not a cop but I think it was totally out of line for you to demean an entire group to prove your point. I happen to know a Mass state cop who is one of your customers. He is one of the nicest guys in the world..... unless you break the law. The cheap shot was not needed and doesn't reflect well on you.
BTW is it just Mass State Troopers you have a problem with ?

CT

Charlie have you watched the news in the last several years. Your friend must be one of the rare ones. State troopers in general have been getting a bad rap, drugs, alcohol, wife beating, and just plain disregard for the laws they are sworn to uphold.
Sorry Charlie as a law abiding citizen but no angle, I for one have very little respect for those wearing police uniforms.

[Jonas Pilot]

Maybe you should keep this in mind.

http://www.odmp.org/search/year/2011

[Grandpa Redneck]

I interpreted Ryans statement as Electric BLUE is a Mass State trooper and Ryan expected him to behave better.

[Belmont Resident]

How are the Maine State Troopers?



http://www.odmp.org/search/year/2011

Come on, you cannot dispute the fact that the news is commonly reporting on just what I posted.
No NH and Maine are not perfect either but how often do you see NH troopers in the news for wrong doing?
FYI been pulled over twice in ME and both times they thought better of it after encountering our 3 attack jack russels. :laugh:

[WinniMarine]

You know Ryan I agree with almost 100% of what you said...... All of it until you had to take a unnecessary cheap shot at Mass State Troopers. I'm not a cop but I think it was totally out of line for you to demean an entire group to prove your point. I happen to know a Mass state cop who is one of your customers. He is one of the nicest guys in the world..... unless you break the law. The cheap shot was not needed and doesn't reflect well on you.
BTW is it just Mass State Troopers you have a problem with ?

CT

CT,

Actually, it's the opposite of what your thinking.

I have a great respect for Police Officers and State Troopers. It's a high stress job that takes a very strong individual to handle. I have never had any issues with "the law" and we get along great with Belmont PD and Fire in the town that we are in. I also work directly with NH Marine Patrol which is now a division of NH State Police and I think they do a great job. I typically give Police Officers, Fire Fighters and Military extra discounts at the dealership. I can tell you that many of our customers are in these fields and they are some of the best people that I work with.

The reason I mentioned the fact that he is a State Trooper is simply because I am still in disbelief in how he has handled this situation as I exspect more from such an individual. He also kept mentioning that he was a police officer. Police are suppose to protect society from the "bully" but in how he treated my employee and then myself I just can't believe it. I have the strong feeling that individuals should uphold a certain level of professionalism and respect. As a Individual, Local Business Owner and President of the NH Marine Trades, I am respectful to other businesses and individuals and maintain a level of professionalism even if I'm not getting the answer I want.

I have worked at the marina for 17 years and talked to countless people. This was the worst I have even seen a customer treat my employee and myself. I am still processing everything this individual said and did. I don't like or deserve to be treated like that.

Please don't let this tread get off topic and insult Police Officers. That was not my intention and I respect what they do. It's a hard job that I would never sign up for and I think it's great that there are strong individuals out there that want to make our towns and cities safe...

Ryan Crawford
Winnisquam Marine

[BroadHopper]

Actually, I'm a bit jealous of state troopers in general. I often see them use their 'get out of jail' card whenever they get pulled over on the lake. :D

[WinniMarine]

JP (Blue),

Shoot me over the part numbers that you have when you get a chance please. I just found a recall on flat cap distributors that may apply to the ones you bought where even the correct part would cause the running issues that you experienced. The part number difference may be because the numbers have been changed by the manufacturer and you may just have the old part number. I will look into it and if that is the case the manufacturer will replace them under warranty.

Ryan Crawford
Winnisquam Marine

[Winnipesaukee Divers]

Ryan, that was an excellent response, looks like you go a lot from that business degree you have. As a fellow business man I too have to deal with the public and it's not easy. After 35 years of owning a successful business, I find the customer that are lawyers and police officers are by far the most difficult to deal with. It's too bad that "Electric Blue" had to stoop so low as to make this kind of post, it really show his true personality.

But then on the other hand, this was a great opportunity for you show what kind of business man you are. Up to this point I had only visited your web cam, seen your display at the boat shows and driven pass your place. I now see you as a guy I'd want to do business with, that's if I were still in the boating game.

Best of luck to you.

[jrc]

Ryan doesn't need my help but I've done business with Winnisquam Marine. I bought my current boat from them in 2008.

They always treated me very professionally. I would give them a 9 out of 10. That's a damn good rating, no one is perfect but they run a great shop.

No business owner is going to put up with people yelling at them or their employees, once you get to that point the customer is lost.

Now I also give police in general a 9 out of 10, again damn good, but there are some people who abuse their power. Sometimes by accident, sometimes on purpose. I don't know this blue guy, so I won't venture an opinion. Sometimes people lose there cool and do stupid things.

[LIforrelaxin]

Charlie have you watched the news in the last several years. Your friend must be one of the rare ones. State troopers in general have been getting a bad rap, drugs, alcohol, wife beating, and just plain disregard for the laws they are sworn to uphold.
Sorry Charlie as a law abiding citizen but no angle, I for one have very little respect for those wearing police uniforms.

Belmont Resident,

Don't let the reports of the bad cops ruin it for all the good ones in your belief system.

I know and have talked with many cops over the years. Some of which I have been proud to have called friends. Certainly there are bad eggs but no more then any other profession.

People seem to believe that cops should have a higher standard then everyone else. And when they are on the Job, that is true. However off the Job they are just like everyone else.

And at the end of the day like anyone else they are human.

I can understand Ryan's comments, knowing that someone was a cop, I to would stand in disbelief if I felt like I was trying to be bullied with the fact. I would expect more of any person... Bullying is not the way to conduct business police officer or not.

I think this is a said thing that has happened, I see plenty of fault to go around. I think it is great of Ryan to have taken the time to post here, and give a complete rounded version of the story.

[jetskier]

Hi all,

Interesting thread, albeit a bit off topic.

It seems as though (independent of behavior) that the marina owns the issue if they supplied the wrong parts based upon a correct request. Alternatively, if the customer supplied the wrong information, then the customer is culpable.

Jetskier:cool:

[sa meredith]

This thread hits a nerve with me.
Briefly....
I've always said/felt...any major item...boat, car, appliance, whatever. A consumer should stick to one place...sales/service/parts/maintenance, all under one roof.
May cost a bit more, but the right place will take care of you, appreciate the business, and assume all liability...thus giving the consumer an added benefit for their money..."peace of mind".
In this example, the consumer wants to save a few bucks, so he does his own diag/parts research, "knows a guy" who can get him a good discount on parts, and has still a third party install such parts.
And then, of course, "it's his fault" "no, it's HIS fault" "no wait, it's that guys fault".
In the end, how much did you save? People outsmart themselves in this world every day.

[VitaBene]

Ryan, well done with your responses. I hope you have a fabulous and profitable summer season!

[tbonies]

I have dealt with WM for years, including Ryan, and they/he are fine and professional. As with many threads like this, there is alot more to the story than the original poster provides. Sounds like he was trying to cut alot of corners and wanted others to cover for his shortcomings. Hopefully he learned a lesson. Keep up the excellent work Ryan.

[RLW]

I have dealt with WM for years, including Ryan, and they/he are fine and professional. As with many threads like this, there is alot more to the story than the original poster provides. Sounds like he was trying to cut alot of corners and wanted others to cover for his shortcomings. Hopefully he learned a lesson. Keep up the excellent work Ryan.

http://i44.tinypic.com/1499wms.gif tbonies, I just noticed that you are fairly new to the forum and glad you have joined us. Have fun and enjoy the Winni Forum while making many new friends.

http://i54.tinypic.com/2e56yqf.gif

[NoRegrets]

This thread hits a nerve with me.
Briefly....
I've always said/felt...any major item...boat, car, appliance, whatever. A consumer should stick to one place...sales/service/parts/maintenance, all under one roof.
May cost a bit more, but the right place will take care of you, appreciate the business, and assume all liability...thus giving the consumer an added benefit for their money..."peace of mind".
In this example, the consumer wants to save a few bucks, so he does his own diag/parts research, "knows a guy" who can get him a good discount on parts, and has still a third party install such parts.
And then, of course, "it's his fault" "no, it's HIS fault" "no wait, it's that guys fault".
In the end, how much did you save? People outsmart themselves in this world every day.

Totally an appropriate perspective. I like to learn new things and will attempt to accomplish somethings as a "shade tree mechanic". When I get in trouble or confused I will seek (and pay) for assistance. Many times it costs me more than if I had someone take care of everything, but, I would have missed the chance to learn. Knowledge does not come without cost.

[LIforrelaxin]

Has anyone else noted that Electric Blue has had nothing more to say??????

[laketrout]

There is always two sides to every story, cops are people they are not super human, they mistakes, I make mistakes, Marinas make mistakes.
Tis life, it seems as though both sides of this story were abit stubborn in this situation. Some famous corporate businessmen used to say " the customer is always right" that was then and people and times have changed. In my opinion I think the crappy economy has shortened many people's fuses.

My Marina Melvin Village is great but ya know what they messed up in the past, it happens. To err is to be human.

[Anchor Management]

don't even get me going on Winnisquam Marine. We have had the worst experience with them. Dock side staff, excellent!!! Inside sales, owner and family, disappointing. We bought our boat there last year and have been treated with such disregard ever since. I hate to say it but i am very dissapointed. They also need to communicate with each other, we found that is a big issue as well. Will not be doing business with them any time soon.

[Anchor Management]

We bought our boat from Winnisquam Marine last year and I just wanted to see really how many people have been dissapointed by them???
I was just so surprised to be treated with such disregard. Especially after a good percentage of their customers claim they are so great.
Without going into too many details last year we had a miscommunication over valet parking service we were receiving from them. Apparently we over stayed our welcome (quoting the owner) even though the sales person that sold us the boat said it would not be a problem if we get a couple more weekends out of the season. My husband was angry, we tried to rectify the situation even though we didn't feel it was our fault that our boat was on the marina property for two weeks past the verbal contract. We offered to pay for the two weeks, it was refused. This year we were denied marina docking (a benefit we were told came with purchasing a boat there) and also any further service that we might need on the boat. Needless to say while our boat was in their care last year, we ended up with a flat trailer tire, a broken Bimini bar, and a rip in our cover. All these things we over looked just so we can have a good business relationship with the marina. We are avid users of the lake and we would like to be able to do business with these people. Unfortunately we were turned down and sent away in a very rude way. I have to say buying a boat there was a big regret.

[SIKSUKR]

Another side in 1..2..3

[LIforrelaxin]

Anchor Management,

A flat tire, while that just happens and how someone could blame the Marina for that I am not certain...

As for your other complaints, I have a few questions you mention valet service, where they storing your boat on the trailer? If so was the boat being stored on the trailer in a field or in a building? who was responsible for covering the boat?

Also did you check the bimini top before purchasing the boat? How about the cover?

These questions are very important...

The bottom line here is that I don't think Winnisquam Marine would be that negligent as to break these things and just let you find them.

I did by my boat from Winnisquam, and was more then happy with their follow up to the sale. There are only two reasons, that my boat doesn't still go back to them... 1st is the distance.... Second, is that I get service that is just as good, but not as expensive. Do I think Winnisquam is the best marina, nope, but then agian I am sure I can find fault with any marina. Do I think they have some problems do to rapid growth? Yes I do....

Bottom line, I don't think Winnisquam Marine, is dishonest, I also don't believe they would knowingly break something and not make the situation correct. The made good on their Warranty for my boat, and even did more then expected, when I brought the trailer back because something was screwed up in the braking system. They didn't just rebuild the actuator, which is all I would have expected the replaced the coupler and actuator assembly.

[MAXUM]

Attitude is EVERYTHING when it comes to dealing with such situations.

As a customer, I always expect to be treated fairly, but it goes a long way to do several things. First, treat the parts guy with respect, as you are no better than he/she is. Secondly ask, don't demand. If I bring a part back I put it back in the box clean and in the same condition as I bought it. Yes most electrical parts are not refundable, but know what if you are nice about it never know what kind of deal you may get in return, if not a full refund. Finally any business isn't going to slap the hand that feeds them, unless you act belligerent. Foul language good grief is that REALLY necessary? Any customer that came to me with that kind of attitude would be the last person I'd be inclined to help out that's for sure!

[Anchor Management]

LIforrelaxin,

I do realize that flat tires happen, that was just one thing out of like 3 things that have happened and trust me we did not make a big deal of it. We replaced the tire and they replaced the bimini bar that they admitted to braking as well as the rip in the cover. We had valet parking which included the inside storage, so we didn't need to cover the boat. It was only when they started storing it outside they they threw the cover on and it ripped because it wasn't put on properly. All that really dosn't matter. We tried to pay for the extra time we were there and we were turned down and they treated us like we didn't belong there. This year we had asked them to look at an engine issue for us and they refused. Ed and his staff had informed us that they will no longer be providing any service for us. I really don't know any business that treats their customers that way. But i guess its a private business so they can do what ever they want. All i can say is that type of treatment is bad for business and word of mouth can go a long way. I am sure just like any other business they have loyal customers, i can only speak for the experience we had with them and it was definitely not a good one. Again, I am sorry i bought a 20,000.00 boat from them.

[Grandpa Redneck]

Seems kind of odd to me that Anchor management is a brand new member, and 4 of their first 6 posts are bashing Winnisquam, and the other 2 posts were nothing of any substance. ?
I still would recommend Winnisquam to anyone. They sure have a whole lot more people posting positve comments than the few sour grapes posting negative, and the positive folks actually have a posting history.

[Anchor Management]

Grandpa Redneck,

yes I am new member to this forum, I always followed this site but have never been a member. I admit I am angry, and yes i will spread the word because i feel when you make a big purchase from a company, you should have a good experience with that business. I didn't, and i feel my money should have went towards someone that deserves it and towards a place that continues to welcome me as a customer. These people turned us down flat. And for what???

Hey cheers to you for sticking up for them. It doesn't change my experience. And i know plenty of other boaters in the area that feel the same way i do, including some of their current and former employees.

[Anchor Management]

Seems kind of odd to me that Anchor management is a brand new member, and 4 of their first 6 posts are bashing Winnisquam, and the other 2 posts were nothing of any substance. ?
I still would recommend Winnisquam to anyone. They sure have a whole lot more people posting positve comments than the few sour grapes posting negative, and the positive folks actually have a posting history.

i had no idea you had to be an avid user of this forum or veteran member to speak your mind. Hmmm i find that a bit odd.

[mhtranger]

Why does everyone judge someones post by the number of posts they have? I thought forums like this are to discuss things openly?? I think people need to look at the content of the post and agree or disagree to what the poster has to say and move on. I could see if he was trying to sell a boat or something of great value with his fist post but because he wanted to let people know of HIS experience and is a new member like myself he gets jumped on.
Sorry just my .02
David

[Grandpa Redneck]

David, I didn't "jump on" Anchor management, I have been a rookie myself on many forums, this one just a little over a year ago. On most forums untill you have a few posts you are taken with a bit of scepticism, especially when 66% of your posts are joining in bashing someone/something as soon as you register. Quite often in that situation it is found to be the OP or friends, joining simply to add fuel to the fire.
That may or may not be the case here, but as I said it seemed odd to me.

[Jonas Pilot]

Why does everyone judge someones post by the number of posts they have? I thought forums like this are to discuss things openly?? I think people need to look at the content of the post and agree or disagree to what the poster has to say and move on. I could see if he was trying to sell a boat or something of great value with his fist post but because he wanted to let people know of HIS experience and is a new member like myself he gets jumped on.
Sorry just my .02
David

When a new member joins and bashes I can't help but think they joined just to try and harm the mentioned business. AnchorM admits he got tossed from the business. They must have really been fed up with AM to tell him he was no longer welcome there. They deliberately chose to give up any chance of future sales.

[mhtranger]

Guys I get all of what you said but thats part of what forums are for. If he chooses to sign up just to bash a business thats his choice. But guess what? He got people talking about said business..... good and bad. The whole point of this thread. I love all the input I get from these boards and most everyone is welcoming.
So back on track, I just bought a new to me bass boat and find threads like this interesting and informative. I boat in the northern part of the big lake and probably won't take my boat to Winnisquam but not based on this thread. But my girlfriends parents did buy a boat there and were more than happy with the way their transaction went.
David

[Anchor Management]

My husband and i bought a boat there because we love that lake, because the marina is close to the sand bar because buying a boat there gives us priviliges to the dock and because we heard good things about the marina. My husband was pissed when things went negative, we tried and i mean really tried to work it out but owner refused to do business with us. So the statement above about them being fed up with us is in my opinion over the top. If anything we should be fed up with them. Oh and by the way thanks to those that defended me above. Really who cares how many posts i have or when i signed up????

[SIKSUKR]

Its very rare for any business to ask that a customer not do business with them anymore.I think that speaks for itself.

[hilltopper]

Its very rare for any business to ask that a customer not do business with them anymore.I think that speaks for itself.

Agreed 100%. I would love to hear Ryan's side of the story on this one. This guy must have been a peach to deal with...

[Anchor Management]

okay, i don't know where my last post went...huh!!

Guys my husband and I bought our boat from them because we love this lake, we are on this lake every weekend during the summer, we also purchased from them because we heard good things about the marina and also because when you buy from them you get the docking privileges plus it's close to the sand bar. In my opinion suggesting that they were fed up with us is an exaggeration especially since we didn't feel we did anything wrong. We actually tried to fix what ever issue they had with us. Either or i just wanted to say that we were disappointed. I am a business person myself and i do what ever it takes to make sure my clients are happy and i never turn anyone away unless there is a serious problem...i.e. verbal abuse, threatening etc... Nothing like that happened here.

@ SIKSUKR, i agree with you, however your statement insinuates that winnisquam marine did nothing wrong. The only thing that we did wrong was leave our boat there for two weeks past the vallet contract which we tried to pay for. Do you think that is reason enough???? And trust me we were told that it wouldn't be a problem. Just like we were told by Ryan that they would look at the engine issue this year and ofcourse Ed over ruled that.
If you ask me i think Ed just doesn't care, i think they feel they have plenty of happy customers and this one unhappy customer isn't gonna break the bank. It's a shame!! That is just my opinion.

[GTO]

okay, i don't know where my last post went...huh!!

...i.e. verbal abuse, threatening etc... Nothing like that happened here.

@


With a screen name of "Anchor Management", this is not really supporting your argument here. Just saying

[Anchor Management]

@


With a screen name of "Anchor Management", this is not really supporting your argument here. Just saying

Anchor Management is our boats name, becasue out on the water there are no worries, and because when you are boating you can let go of the everyday stress and worriess....unless of course you need to make a stop at winnisquam marine. :laugh:

[Anchor Management]

@


With a screen name of "Anchor Management", this is not really supporting your argument here. Just saying


(thought I already replied to this...hmmm)

Wow....really? AM is our boats name. If you ara a boater you know that when you are on the water you tend to forget your everyday troubles. Stress free sort of say, unless of course you need to make a stop at winnisquam marine. :laugh:

[SIKSUKR]

The only thing I insinuate is that I can't see any company turning away any business without some just cause. Just doesn't make sense unless the business in not worth the trouble. So in your opinion you did nothing wrong. Then how do you explain them asking you not to return. Did they not like your haircut or the pants you were wearing? I have a hard time wrapping my head around "we did nothing wrong and they told us not to come back".

[NoBozo]

Some businesses, particularly those engaged in "Repairs," be it automobiles or boats, don't like it when you ask embarrassing questions of them. My last visit to a boat repair facility..16 or 17 years ago ended with the proprieter threatening to have me arrested when I asked him WHY a new gimbal bearing and a water pump in an Alpha 1, that he had just replaced, should cost $715. He had quoted me less than $300 a few days before.

I had asked him to save the old parts for me, which he did. I picked up the Old gimbal beariing ....which had a BIG gob of brand new grease smeared on it..no doubt to discourage me from touching it. I rotated the Old bearing in my fingers to FEEL the bearing as I rotated it. The bearing was PERFECT and didn't need to be replaced as they had done. I asked the guy about this. That's when he threatened to call the Police.

I PAID the bill, took the boat and left..and I've been TALKING about that place ever since. They are still in business....making a living ripping off unsuspecting boat owners. :rolleye1: NB

[Anchor Management]

The only thing I insinuate is that I can't see any company turning away any business without some just cause. Just doesn't make sense unless the business in not worth the trouble. So in your opinion you did nothing wrong. Then how do you explain them asking you not to return. Did they not like your haircut or the pants you were wearing? I have a hard time wrapping my head around "we did nothing wrong and they told us not to come back".

You must not have read my post, scroll up and read it again. I don't want to have to sound like a broken record. Although i have a feeling i will anyways. We stayed 2 weeks past the valet contract at the end of last year's season. Owners daughter said we could, owner said noone told us we could. She said/he said crap. Ed called my husband and freaked out told him we overstayed our welcome, We offered to pay for the 2 weeks, he said no thanks, we tried to fix what ever pissed him off. I don;t know what else you want me to say. I tried several times to communicate with these people and they just ignored us and sent me an email saying we will no longer service your boat. In my opinion i think they were mad that they had to replace my bimini bar that they broke and fix the rip in my boat cover. I understand these people go above and beyond for their customers. We had a good transaction last year when we purchased our boat. Things went south when we were having an engine issue, and when the bimini broke and of course at end of the season when they told us to get lost. END OF STORY!!!.

[Happy Gourmand]

Some businesses, particularly those engaged in "Repairs," be it automobiles or boats, don't like it when you ask embarrassing questions of them. My last visit to a boat repair facility..16 or 17 years ago ended with the proprieter threatening to have me arrested when I asked him WHY a new gimbal bearing and a water pump in an Alpha 1, that he had just replaced, should cost $715. He had quoted me less than $300 a few days before.

I had asked him to save the old parts for me, which he did. I picked up the Old gimbal beariing ....which had a BIG gob of brand new grease smeared on it..no doubt to discourage me from touching it. I rotated the Old bearing in my fingers to FEEL the bearing as I rotated it. The bearing was PERFECT and didn't need to be replaced as they had done. I asked the guy about this. That's when he threatened to call the Police.

I PAID the bill, took the boat and left..and I've been TALKING about that place ever since. They are still in business....making a living ripping off unsuspecting boat owners. :rolleye1: NB
That's when I pay with my AMEX card. Then I dispute the charge on my card. The offendor is usually willing to negotiate at that point.

[WinniMarine]

Fellow Posters,

Sorry it took so long to get back to this post, it's been crazy busy and I have made myself take some time off during the week to spend with my wife and 3 boys...

We made the decision last fall to no longer service Anchor Management's boat but upheld our obligations to the boat this spring. There was a series of events that led to that decision but ultimately the husband got himself kicked out of the marina. It wasn't until afterwards that they offered to pay for things but at that point it was too late. We felt this decision was in the best interest of both parties. We believe in respect and reason and that just wasn't the case here towards us. Trust me, we don't like turning away any business and this was the only customer last year that we decided to turn away and I still think it was a good decision.

Last fall the boat was brought in for a running issue that they thought was warranty. This was done after we decided to no longer service their boat but we still took it in and looked at the problem. The boat was stalling under 2,000 rpm. We started with a full Tune-up and Adjusted Timing. We then completely re-built the carburetor and found fuel that had gelled in the bowl and filter causing the low speed jet to run lean. A fuel issue is not covered under warranty but we took care of it anyways just for customer service and to not make the situation any worse. When I talked to Alecs this spring she told me that we had done warranty work that was still not right and I told her that if that was the case we would take care of it. I looked up the work order from last fall and found that not to be the case and they are most likely having a fuel problem again. The Ethanol Fuels are just no good and can cause many different running issues. It wasn't Ed said no, it was the fact that we fixed their boat last fall at no charge as a courtesy and this spring we are sticking with our decision to no longer service their boat. We did take the boat in this spring and replace the rear bimini bow because that had been damaged by us and we owed that to them.

The customer has also been texting one of employees asking him to work on the boat on the side which isn't right just as they were texting one of our dock boys last fall asking to get back in. It's best to keep our employees out of it; this was a decision by management.

We service hundreds and hundreds of boats a year and do our best. Everyone in my family loves boating and we want as many happy boaters on the water as possible. We have a great group of employees that we treat very well and in turn expect them to provide great service. We are here daily and oversee the marina. We can't make everyone happy no matter how hard we try. We look at every situation and make an educated decision on what to do. We do care and we try extremely hard but some customers are unreasonable...

Ryan Crawford
Winnisquam Marine

[RailroadJoe]

I think none of us can really make an honest decision without being involved in all the meetings. I guess there is always at least two sides to a story. Sorry I was harsh in my original post. Rash decisions sometimes prove wrong.

[NoBozo]

Fellow Posters,


Last fall the boat was brought in for a running issue that they thought was warranty. This was done after we decided to no longer service their boat but we still took it in and looked at the problem. The boat was stalling under 2,000 rpm. We started with a full Tune-up and Adjusted Timing. We then completely re-built the carburetor and found fuel that had gelled in the bowl and filter causing the low speed jet to run lean. A fuel issue is not covered under warranty but we took care of it anyways Ryan Crawford
Winnisquam Marine

You know what: As I stated earlier...I have NO sympathy for the robber barons in the repair..industry. However.. the symptoms and discovery of GEL in the Carbs makes perfect sence. It's ETHANOL my friends. I have been there....not with my boat but with a motorcycle that was used infrequently....infrequently..THAT's the problem.. $800 to FIX. The motorcycle had 4 Carbs and they were a bitch to remove. I sold the motorcycle AS IS.

Fair and Balanced...:D NB

[Belmont Resident]

You know what: As I stated earlier...I have NO sympathy for the robber barons in the repair..industry. However.. the symptoms and discovery of GEL in the Carbs makes perfect sence. It's ETHANOL my friends. I have been there....not with my boat but with a motorcycle that was used infrequently....infrequently..THAT's the problem.. $800 to FIX. The motorcycle had 4 Carbs and they were a bitch to remove. I sold the motorcycle AS IS.

Fair and Balanced...:D NB

I give up on the whole gas thing. If it is small enough to drain all gas out of it including the carb bowl for storage I do. If that is not an option I try and run it down to a low as possible and stabilize the crap out of it then fill it with fresh gas when it comes out of storage(boat). Bikes, sleds, mower, weed wacker all get stable in EVERY tank of fuel just in case they sit around for a while not being used.
An ounce of prevention for every ten gallons and it seems to work.
Can’t tell you how many people are having problems with power equipment that sits unused for awhile, I very rarely do.
2 stroke engines seem to be the most susceptible. I know between my wife and I we have gone through 3 2 stroke snowmobile engines when E-10 first came out.

[WakeboardMom]

Is "Anchor Management" the wife of "Electric Blue?" I apologize...I'm getting confused.

Ryan seems to be doing a good job of answering the concerns expressed here.

[tbonies]

Why does the screamer always leave key elements out of the story? Like others have said, it takes alot to get yourself kicked out as a customer of anything, especially of a marina. Congratulations. Sounds like it was very well deserved. I especially liked the text messages to the employees.:laugh:

[Anchor Management]

Well folks i have already replied to Ryan's post and for some reason the post didn't get posted. Maybe because the webmaster decided this thread is getting a bit out of hand. Either way I really just wanted to say that when our boat was being worked on we didn't feel anything was done out of courtesy, if something wasn't under warranty then in my opinion the marina should have said so, that is their job. We were never looking to get anything for free, we just wanted our boat to work, it was new to us. We had spent nearly 20,000.00 on it of course we wanted it to run smoothly. We had no idea they had made the decision last year to not service us any longer. Ryan claims there were a series of events that had my husband kicked out, we would love to know what those were. I can tell you that we never texted any dock boys last year. Why would we need to? We were still under contract and still using the marina. And as for the mechanic that he is referring to, we called him to see if he would like a side job, and that was after they refused to service us and at the suggestion of a mutual friend. I didn't think that would be a crime in the boating world... Turns out we the engine was stalling because the idle was too low. I'm surprised they didn't catch that last fall. We turned the idle up and the engine been running just fine ever since.

Guys, just remember there are always two sides to every story, I respect Ryan for trying to keep up the image of WM. That is his job. The only reason for my post was to share my experience. This within itself has been quite the experience, funny to see how some of you react. I am a business owner myself and I always try to remember that the customer is always right, at least that's always kept my clients happy.

I hope this post will get posted, it will be my last one.

[Shreddy]

The cat must have Electric Blue and Anchor Management's tongue...Appears that Ryan's side of each story holds strong. So, what have both Electric Blue and Anchor Management accomplished? They've attempted to demoralize a business while giving them great publicity and a chance to prove that they are cognizant of the issues around them. Seems like a sound business practice to me. Unfortunately, you can't make everyone happy...

[Merrymeeting]

Three different extended family members have purchased three different boats from Winnisquam over a period of 20 years. We've also had them serviced there many times. When the time comes to by a forth, we'll go there again.

[Shreddy]

The cat must have Electric Blue and Anchor Management's tongue...Appears that Ryan's side of each story holds strong. So, what have both Electric Blue and Anchor Management accomplished? They've attempted to demoralize a business while giving them great publicity and a chance to prove that they are cognizant of the issues around them. Seems like a sound business practice to me. Unfortunately, you can't make everyone happy...

I rescind my original statement as I received a PM that Anchor Management has attempted to respond but has been blocked from doing so. I cannot say I'm an advocate of this process on an open forum with a dispute like this in question. However, clearly this isn't my forum, but it surely is appearing to be one-sided.