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View Full Version : New owners - please read re: Build pics



wolfeman131
03-22-2012, 03:59 PM
It's been great to see all the new owners that have ordered boats posting on the board to get this season kicked off! Glad you're here and hope to see a ton of pics of you, your families and the new boats once they arrive.

In past years, and at the start of this build season, some folks would request and receive pics of their boats during the build process. It was great to follow these threads and I too greatly enjoyed seeing the progress on my Mojo.

Unfortunately, the factory has reached a peak level for Spring builds and it's going to be nearly impossible for them to continue to provide build pics. It's my understanding that each boat is assigned an order number and your name is not associated with the boat as it moves across the factory floor. So when you, or your Dealer, emails a request for pics of Mr. X's boat, it's a multi-step process to find the order number associated with your boat, track that specific boat down on the factory floor, take pics, upload/email to the right address, etc.

I know some will be dissappointed but I'd guess you would prefer to have your boat delivered sooner than a few pics along the way.

dusty2221
03-22-2012, 04:40 PM
Why not just tag a name along with the order number? Seems simple enough.

How is ole order number Wolfe23654Mojo coming along?

:)

501
03-22-2012, 04:55 PM
I have to say that the build pics was one one of the BEST things about getting my boat built new in 08. I can honestly say when you spend $60,000 or more this is one of the nice little perks that makes it worth it! Maybe they can make an exception for those on the board? Its good advertising for Moomba!

wolfeman131
03-22-2012, 05:01 PM
I hear ya & there are probably plenty of great ideas that we can come up with to try and solve this, but I think it comes down to 2 things that are going to be hard to overcome at this time of year:

1) no set process
2) lack of manpower

Maybe I can find out some facts about how many boats are being produced during this time of year, how many shifts are running, etc. so we can all better understand the difficulties involved. I do know that the folks at SC are very sorry that they can't fulfill all of the requests.

I think my Mojo may be heading to the ATL next week! :)
Just in time for me to be heading out of town for Spring Break! :(

ian ashton
03-22-2012, 05:02 PM
Is it scary that I know what my boats order number was?

OB0234

Its scribbled all over the backside of a bunch of stuff.

02Outback
03-22-2012, 05:30 PM
As a photographer, they can hire me and I will take pictures all day long and send them out to the appropriate people. Attend boat shows, events, etc etc etc.

Rick, just sayin...

wolfeman131
03-22-2012, 05:35 PM
I have to say that the build pics was one one of the BEST things about getting my boat built new in 08.

I don't think they were building as many in '08.

I've made a few suggestions to help "automate" a process for them. Maybe they will be able to do something, but it might not happen this year.

KG's Supra24
03-22-2012, 08:58 PM
I'm going to play devils advocate here.

Being someone who is in the service industry I can see how much of a headache it would be to track everything needed. the request being sporadic would make it even more of a pain. Their goal is to build your boat quickly and accurately, taking pictures adds nothing but difficulty to that goal.

I think it would likely be something that is done for everyone or noone. I doubt they had anyone dedicated to the task. If it were me, its a perfect intern job. Let someone who loves the industry be around it when temporarily needed and little cost involved.

Let's be honest, it maybe cool but it doesn't add value. Would you choose one boat over another BC you can get pics of it being built? Huh 501, would you? ;)

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Greg C.
03-22-2012, 09:10 PM
It would be cool to see the actual colors we chose for the boat, but understand the challenges. No worries here, but the anticipation is killing us.

wolfeman131
03-22-2012, 09:20 PM
its a perfect intern job.

Ha! That was one of my suggestions! I also volunteered to interview the UT co-eds. :)

501
03-22-2012, 11:21 PM
It wouldn't make me choose one brand that's for sure. But I can tell you that receiving those pics when my Moomba was built was a real high light and I remember bragging to people that even though Skier's Choice is a big company, they took the time to persoanlly send me pics of the boat being made. It gives customers the "warm and fuzzies" and makes them feel that they are special. The cost to pay someone to take pictures and email them would take say an hour per day for a few months during spring/summer. I don't know, I personally don't think that the money paid to someone to do this is wasted, I consider it well spent. You could hire a young high school kid and it would be like second nature for him to do take digi pics and email them.

It's just my opinion but I think they should find a way to do this for the customers who really want it.

wolfeman131
03-22-2012, 11:31 PM
I searched over on the 'bu & MC forums and couldn't find any build pics. Do any other manufacturers provide build pics for every owner that requests them?

SC certainly could find a way to get it done but I'd rather not have that cost passed along to me.

I think we got spoiled by SC.

jpetty3023
03-22-2012, 11:42 PM
The dudes over on WW post build pics all the time. I don't spend a lot of time there, seem mostly like arrogant arses(IMHO), but nonetheless they post often with builds

wolfeman131
03-22-2012, 11:44 PM
What brands?

I saw ragboy's pics of his Tige, but his site is sponsored by them, so I wouldn't define him as a "normal" customer.

jpetty3023
03-23-2012, 12:00 AM
I wanna say maybe MB if my memory serves. Lemme take a peak and I'll get back to ya. Maybe most of them were Tige' pics and yeah I don't guess he's a "normal" customer

jpetty3023
03-23-2012, 12:04 AM
Maybe they sent these out before things got to busy but it's a great write up with even better pics

http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=792158

KG's Supra24
03-23-2012, 12:05 AM
It could def be done but I see both sides.

501, just giving you a hard time since you bought elsewhere

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wolfeman131
03-23-2012, 12:10 AM
Yeah, I peaked over there, got caught up in a few of the over-the-top brand bashing threads and quickly ran back here. I saw another Tige thread, no MB and those are some great pics of the Supra! Not sure who that guy is, but it doesn't sound like that is his first SC ride and notice that the pics last pics were from the start of the month.

Regardless, if they could, I'm sure they would. I'm just trying to save some folks the frustration and provide a bit of explanation.

rdlangston13
03-23-2012, 12:12 AM
The dudes over on WW post build pics all the time. I don't spend a lot of time there, seem mostly like arrogant arses(IMHO), but nonetheless they post often with builds

I agree, seems most wake world people are people who just like to show off and talk each other down.

sandm
03-23-2012, 01:00 AM
Really seems to me that skiers is missing an opportunity to differentiate themselves. Tell me that its that difficult to post a tag with the name and a floor super to take 10 minutes each day to email a pic. Dont need 10 a day, but 1 or 2 would certainly be easy......

I get labor costs, but i really think this is a missed opp here. As a mgr in retail with ever shrinking productivity expectations, id find a way...

chawk610
03-23-2012, 07:07 AM
I agree Sandm, you do have to set yourself apart these days. However, if SC is like every business in America, (post office excluded), they are running a bare bones crew. I know in my business we do with 12 guys what we did with 20 back in the late 90's. That being said, if I EVER get a chance to have a boat built, I will want pics.

wolfeman131
03-23-2012, 08:34 AM
Really seems to me that skiers is missing an opportunity to differentiate themselves. Tell me that its that difficult to post a tag with the name and a floor super to take 10 minutes each day to email a pic. Dont need 10 a day, but 1 or 2 would certainly be easy......

I get labor costs, but i really think this is a missed opp here. As a mgr in retail with ever shrinking productivity expectations, id find a way...

You just highlighted EXACTLY why this isn't as easy as you're trying to make it sound. How many boats do you suppose are on the floor at any given time? Pick a number. I'll say 25. So, thats 25 boat build emails times 10 mins per boat or OVER 4 hours per day spent email build pics.

Go further. What do you suppose a floor super gets paid? I'll take a guess again and say $75,000 per year salary. That works out to about $36/hr. So, that's $144/day, $720/wk or $37,440/yr for somebody to take pictures!

Sure, I'd like it if I had gotten a pic a day to see the progress on my Mojo. But, as I said before, I'd rather have to forego this than have the cost SC incurred rolled back into the cost of my boat. I'm not going to pony up the extra coin to buy a Tige just so I can get a few pics.

sandm
03-23-2012, 10:01 AM
Agreed drew, but how many if them are presells vs dealer stock, andi dont think anyone expects pics every day. I would assune theres a salaried floor mgr that could find time for the few that would want them.

Again, if that person is walking the floor most of the day supervising, how hard can it be with todays tech. To snap a puc and have an admin orhimself shoot off a quick email. I would hope that skiers subscribes to somesort of "fish" philosophy and have fun at work, andif so, they can find the time... Heck turn it into a photo op of the skiers guys building each step and make them proud to do it with a quick note saying "engine being installed by xxx". 10 years from now, those pucs at the plant will be priceless.

WaterBullDawg1980
03-23-2012, 11:43 AM
Doing it for each individual boat/owner is not realistic, but it would not be difficult to take some pictures of various boats during the build process and upload them somewhere. You could walk that floor, take the pictures, and upload them on here in half an hour. Now for each customer that would be asking too much. " Just sayin"

KG's Supra24
03-23-2012, 12:17 PM
I see it the exact opposite way as most of you. Having to track down boats and line them up with email etc would be a pain. I'd think its easier done by everyboat, not on a pick and chose basis.

Put a camera over certain stages, snap a picture from the computer, and hit send. It would all need to be automated in my opinion.

Also, what about the workers on the floor. "Hey can you stop working on that while I snap a pic for this boat owner." "Hey will you look pretty or get your finger out of your nose so I can snap this pic." .... all the while they are thinking does that a$$ not have anything better to do than look at pics of his boat being built.

Even pics upon delivery of the boat would be easier than filling continuous weekly build pics.

I agree it can be done, not doubting that. I see the cool factor in it, yes. Is it that big of a deal? To me, no. At the end of the day it adds little to no value.

wolfeman131
03-23-2012, 12:37 PM
Put a camera over certain stages, snap a picture from the computer, and hit send. It would all need to be automated in my opinion.

Yep, another suggestion that I have made is to install some web cameras along certain stages. Dealers provide secure logins and ip's and owners can try to keep up on their own. I agree, if they do it, it has to be automated.

jpetty3023
03-23-2012, 12:41 PM
Occupy SC factory


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bergermaister
03-23-2012, 02:44 PM
Yep, another suggestion that I have made is to install some web cameras along certain stages. Dealers provide secure logins and ip's and owners can try to keep up on their own. I agree, if they do it, it has to be automated.

Awesome - like at theme parks where they snap your pic as you go roaring by on the roller coaster then you can see it in the lobby when you exit!

KG's Supra24
03-23-2012, 04:02 PM
Awesome - like at theme parks where they snap your pic as you go roaring by on the roller coaster then you can see it in the lobby when you exit!

Yes, and then pay big money for that picture :rolleyes:

501
03-23-2012, 05:34 PM
Ok I think people are making this out to be way more complicated Then it needs to be. 4 points along the processes. Hull, motor, interior, finished product. Boat #4444 goes down the line with an attached email address. At each point the worker snaps an email on an ipodtouc, click email, done. 30 seconds. They can cc a certain dept with these pics as well. Total real time for the whole boat is about 10-15 min. On a 60,000 boat. Ya, I don't care what people say, I thought it was a great idea for those who want it and take a lot of pride in a new boat and it creates brand loyalty. Plus those pics get posted up all over the forums as free advertising for SC.

KSmith
03-23-2012, 06:37 PM
I'd go with digital stills from each station once per day post to a webpage. So if there are 20 stations then 20 cameras mounted at an elevated location for a decent picture of the boat currently occupying each station, and a webpage with 20 image controls ready and waiting for the new images files to be dropped into the daily photo folder... it could be a scheduled task that fires off the cameras and loads the resultant picture files to the daily photo folder.

I do agree that having the build pictures taken and available would be really cool, maybe not having to email each one but a more generic process.

Jon
04-06-2012, 01:58 PM
Send me and email with your name, model, dealer, order number, and spray date and I will do my best to send pictures.
[email protected]