Often, change can be scary, especially in the Florida Keys where being a local business often comes with extreme customer loyalty and comfort.
On the flip side, change is often a good thing. A fresh vision brings improvements and upgrades essential to running a thriving and profitable business.
It’s been almost a year since ownership changed hands at Markey Marine Service in Key Largo. The previous owner, Dave Olmstead, started the business over 30 years ago and created a loyal customer base for a much-needed service in the Keys — boat and engine service and repair.
Luis Valladares, general manager, joined the team in May, bringing a wealth of experience from the automotive and powersports side of mechanics. He, along with the owners of EMC Group, primarily partner Eric Rutherford, have been diligently working towards increasing customer service, experience and boat repair. EMC Group owns six auto repair locations in the Broward area.
“We have heard, ‘There are so many changes.’ And we understand,” Valladares said. “‘There are new faces, so will I get the same service? Is my boat going to come out all right? Who can I trust?’ We understand the trust factor and how important it is. You usually take your boat to someone you trust.
“The owner was originally down here on vacation and had a not-so-great experience with their boat getting serviced at another shop, so they wanted to offer the local community a better option,” he continued.
Markey Marine specializes in offering a concierge service from beginning to end. The service begins with the customer pulling their boat into the canopy area; the service department walks around the boat and converses with the customer, taking pictures and videos and understanding the issues. They then work out an estimate and call the customer with the details.
With the concierge service, they will also clean the vessel and the customer may also receive a complimentary gift bag. The team will also check the boat with the customer when they come to pick it up versus a self-service pickup as other shops do.
“We spend time assessing what needs to be done versus just dropping it off and wondering what’s going on,” Valladares said.
Another example of Markey Marine’s service is if you are on vacation or this is your weekend home, and your boat is on the dock, they will trailer it to the facilities and back. They also offer test runs on the water depending on the service needed.
“Our number one goal is customer service,” Valladares said. “We want the customer to feel confident that issues were taken care of. And we have had many surprises at our level of customer service.”
If there is a particular service a customer has been coming to Markey Marine for over the years such as borrowing a trailer, having a conversation to continue that service is considered.
Markey Marine has made changes to operate more efficiently and profitably, but they are still very open to ensuring their customers are happy and that they can get the level of service they had with the prior owner.
Markey Marine has also implemented significant and positive changes to their warranty and financing options.
“We now offer a three-year warranty on everything we do. Outside of operator error, we will stand behind our work for three years,” Valladares said.
“We also work with Synchrony Bank for financing options for clients who may need some help in their boat repair payments,” he continued. “In addition, we currently have assistance to help with the finance charge for up to two years. We have some different options that we can review.”
They understand that many captains, and even boat owners, may be unable to afford various repairs in one shot but need their boats to run their business. Offering finance solutions is an opportunity to help with that challenge.
In addition to a new Yamaha or Mercury engine, Markey Marine offers all boat services, such as oil changes and repowering. They can also help with your audio and Garmin GPS needs, bottom paint and fiberglass repair. If one of their five mechanics cannot do the service, they will outsource to a reputable and insured company to take care of it for you.
“We try to hire and source from the Keys as much as possible. The only time we go outside of the Keys is when it’s not feasible,” Valladares said.
They also understand the importance of relationships and community, having joined the local chambers and Rotary and supporting other organizations.
“We never want a customer to feel abandoned after working with us. When they walk through the doors, they are part of our family,” Valladares said. “Yes, things changed, but for the better.”
Markey Marine is open Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. More information is at markeymarine.com, and on Instagram @markey_marine_service.
