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MARINE TECHNICIANTODAY | SUMMER 2015
W
ell we’re now full speed ahead for this season, but some of our
friend around the country are having a hell of a time with the
weather. From the torrential rains in the Southwest, Midwest and
East Coast, to the severe drought they are experiencing in California, it looks
like a rough boating season for many. For those of us who have been fortunate enough to have
experienced calmer weather, our thoughts and prayers go out to those less fortunate.
With difficult weather conditions comes slow business, and this has an impact on the entire
boating community. Let us not forget that this not only impacts marine businesses, but it also
has a direct impact on the boater as well. Their planned time on the water may be significantly
reduced, and unexpected mechanical problems can shrink that time even more. This leads to
more frustration and short fuses. So make sure your lines of communication are especially good.
Miscommunication can lead to problems that can impact your customer relations.
Miscommunication is the focus of my Management Tips article in this edition of Marine Technician
Today. Focus on making things right when something goes wrong. In most cases you can
strengthen your relationship with customers if you handle problems properly. This is a practice
that should be standard operating procedure in your business. Remember, anyone can look good
during the sales process, but it’s the people who handle themselves properly when things go
wrong that make a positive impression in your customer’s eyes. So don’t run away from problems,
run at them and turn them into opportunities.
Another focus for AMTECH this season is to determine how we move forward with training this
winter. As you know, the last few years we have had a shortage of technicians willing to travel to
attend training. Many members have complained about the cost of travel and the lost time away
from the shop. When the AMTECH board recently suggested we establish online training for the
classroom portion of our training courses, we met with resistance as most technicians wanted live
training, and not online training. This has caused AMTECH a dilemma. Do we or don’t we? We need
your help in determining what it is AMTECH members want. As you know, AMTECH will provide
what its members require, but we first have to know what form of training is needed.
A training schedule will be sent out shortly, but we’ll need a strong commitment in advance from
our members if we are going to proceed. So be sure to give us your thoughts on training for
2016. If for some reason you don’t receive a request from AMTECH in the next 60 days, be sure to
contact the AMTECH office and let us know what you think.
I wish all of you well this boating season, and I hope to see you personally at one of our upcoming
training events.
Joseph J. De Marco
President/Executive Director
Todd Larson
Vice President
Wisconsin Indianhead
Technical College
David Eastwood
MCTINA Education Committee Chairman
Carteret Community College
John Bernier
North Atlantic Marine Services
Matt Gruhn
Marine Retailers Association
of the Americas
Robert Hoard
Retired marine instructor Oakland Tech
and former Mercury Marine instructor
Art Johnson
WyoTech-Daytona
Conrad Kreuter
Moriches Boat & Motor
John Mosetti
Boats Unlimited Performance
Larry Porche
Brunswick Boat Group
Darren Ragsdale
Jasper Engine and Transmission
Richard Schneider
API Marine
Henry Schreiber
Master Tech Marine Services
JarrettYoung
Yamaha Motor Corp.
BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Greetings!
AMTECH is a nondiscriminatory
association open to all regardless of
race, religion, or national origin.
