WTH

[BI Pirate]

I just had some friends come over to visit for the first time with their three young children. They paid the expense of boat tickets, dog ticket and parking and then had to pay $15, $5 per Igloo cooler containing their lunch while on the boat. They thought it would be a fun experience and something to occupy to kids to have a picnic on the lake. What idiot at the boat company thinks that is going to market "Ride The Boat" for families?
WTH

[JFPowers]

I would call that modern day Piracy , Mr Pirate!

M

[Dave P.]

How big were the coolers?
Just wait till next season, the toilet paper is going to be in vending machines.....10 sheets for a quarter!
Dave

[BI Pirate]

Small carry on coolers. Next will be backpacks, diaper bags and old peoples' walkers. Pirates pillage and plunder we don't nickel and dime customers to death.

[steveandelaineonbeaver]

Pirate / Rob a man of your mature years should know better than to post trash without checking first.

Since no one in the forum post was involved in the conversation I can imagine one person from the party was at the counter and asked if they had anything beyond luggage, like freight items, coolers, golf clubs, etc. This is almost surly a misunderstanding that can be cleared up without negative PR on the forum. The correct move Rob would be to call Tim McQueer Pres of the Boat Co and ask a simple question. He can be reached at. 888.446.4095


Bottom line – it’s not Boat Co policy to charge for lunch coolers. A refund may be in order. Make the call Rob and correct your error.

[BI Pirate]

Hey Retired Chamber Guy, etc, etc, No error, it happened. You might want to check their policy and get back to all of us. I wait with bated breath.

[steveandelaineonbeaver]

Don't doubt that it happened. Read more carefully Rob. The error was likely that of a young summer employee. Make the call and get your friends a $15 refund. There is no charge for small lunch coolers. Make the call and find out. I did.

[BI Pirate]

Hey Retired Chamber Guy, etc, etc, Call it incompetence, poor training, no supervision or carry on cooler policy, they got charged, period! Unfortunately first time visitors now last time visitors with a bad experience which means we all lose. Reimbursement has been made. I reimbursed them for tickets, parking and coolers because of my embarrassment by the boat company and my inviting them to visit Beaver Island. Would still like you or someone to post the cooler policy for carry on in as much as they said other people shared the same unfortunate experience of being charged. Post it or shut up. I'm not and they are not making a call to beg for $15. Who is going to let all the others who were over charged that they should make a call? What is the carry on cooler policy or are you just blowing smoke up my shorts?

[Kim Connaghan Jones]

Thank you BI Boat Company for putting all of your information on the internet...it was so easy to find!



PRICING
Consistency is important and our goal is to work toward uniform pricing that can be consistently applied to all of our customers.
Sample pricing 2019:

Box – Medium (Banana Box) $3.60 each
Box – Small $1.85 each
Cage – 1/4 full $25.00 each
Cage – 1/3 full $35.00 each
Cage – 1/2 full $45.00 each
Cage – 2/3 full $55.00 each
Cage – 3/4 full $65.00 each
Cage – full (96 cu. feet) $72.50 each
Cooler – varies depending on size
Totes – varies depending on size

[BI Pirate]

Ms Connahan Jones, Thanks for the policy on pricing. My cannon fire smoke continues to clear a bit. In talking to our friends tonight from New Jersey, they were charged an additional $15 of which the carry on cooler with lunch was $5. They simply felt that after paying for parking, passenger and dog tickets they were being nickeled and dimed for other items, especially the picnic cooler. And, they are used to east coast prices. There was a gentleman at the next table who did confirm with them that he too had been charged $5 for a somewhat larger cooler he brought aboard. We were happy to pay for their boat experience to have them visit us on the Third Coast. Beaver Island is not an inexpensive place for young families to visit.
Now for Retired Chamber Guy, etc, etc. It's not nice of me to get my elders starting their golden years too excited. I am sending you my friend a bottle of my blood pressure pills with my best wishes.

[Kim Connaghan Jones]

Mr Pirate, I find that if you go to the source of the problem, more is accomplished than with mere words on a forum.

[BI Pirate]

Ms Connaghan Jones, Your point is well taken and I fully agree. However, don't assume my last post exonerates the boat company from the experience that our friends encountered. They were still charged $5 for a carry on cooler with their lunch which apparently should not have been the case. They also felt additional charges exorbitant given the price of tickets, parking, etc. The initial face to face perceptions often out weigh the facts that are experienced in any first hand, real time situation. I think the takeaway and opportunity here is there is room for improved direct customer service with the boat company and that the customer should not bear the responsibility of knowing its policies or having to contact them for an error and refund. The customer is not always right but the customer is always the customer and that should be the point to remember.
The good news is there is no mention in the company's policy of charges for golf clubs (or tennis rackets) as my learned friend, Retired Chamber Guy, etc, etc, mentioned earlier.
My Suggestion: If taking the boat, hide your lunch in a golf bag and carry it onboard for free.
Room for PR improvement? I think so!

[steveandelaineonbeaver]

Hey Robert,
Shame on you for starting this ridiculous thread! Stick your BP pills where the sun doesn't shine. As stated prior it is NOT the policy of the Boat Co to charge for small lunch coolers. Someone made a mistake.
Steve

[PScott]

So Steve, you think the Pirate is Robert? Based on what?

[BI Pirate]

Hey my learned friend, A bit testy are we? Try real hard to use some logic before telling me where I can tuck my BP pills or being ashamed of a thread that shines a light on a real BI PR problem with visitors using the boat. I'll type real slow so you can try to follow my logic.

Go_ back_ to_ Ms Connaghan Jones'_ post_ listing_ the_ boat_ company's_ published_ pricing_ list_ for_ their_ staff_ consistency_ and_ tell_ me_ if_ a_ customer_ comes_ up_ to_ the_ counter_ with_ bag_ of_ golf_ clubs_ and_ asks_ how_ much_ to_ take_ them_ on_ the_ boat_, do_ they_ charge_ a_ banana_ box_ price_ or_ a_ tote_ price_ or_ just_ make_ something_ up?

Are you still with me Retired Chamber Guy, etc, etc? Tell me if I'm typing too fast for you. Do you see my point that there is room for staff customer service training so they are consistent and don't have screw ups as in mistakenly charging for carry on coolers with lunch in them. YOU SCREW UP, YOU STEP UP! The boat company screwed up, period. And, what makes you such an authority of boat company policy and defender of their screw ups?


Post Script: Note on the boat company's printed Consistent Pricing policy for staff there are no prices for any size cooler or tote. Additionally, there is no mention as to whether customers are charged when sending coolers as checked luggage on the rack or carried onboard. Some consistency??? Let me go back to, WTH, and let my learned friend respond as to why mistakes happen.


Post, Post Script: Good reply below Doc. We are in sync on why it is important to keep the customer first in all matters regarding the boat's service to include pricing. Who tracks the numbers of passengers each year? It would be interesting to see the trend over the years if anyone can post it here.