When he decided to get his pilot's license and purchase a Cessna 206 Stationair to reach customers throughout the Pacific Northwest, Anderson took service to new heights for boaters who need support while cruising the San Juan Islands or other out-of-town destinations.
"It's basically like having a brick-and-mortar location anywhere inside Washington or Oregon or even as far inland as Idaho, Montano or Wyoming," said Anderson about the advantages of his on-call airplane. "Normally you would never have access to these jobs, so basically it expands your territory and the Volvo Penta support within the area." Coastal Marine Engine, a Seattle-based dealer that sells and services Volvo Penta marine solutions, has been in business since 1984. Anderson took the helm in 2018 and says his best days in business are when he's able to bring a superior level of satisfaction to his customers.
These days, when customers ask him to jump on a plane and fly to remote areas for assistance, he can arrive ready to satisfy their needs in about 40 minutes thanks to his Cessna. Prior to dedicating nearly a year to obtaining a pilot's license, his air travel often totaled at least 10 hours. At that time, Anderson had to gather his tools and head to the airport, where he faced weight restrictions that made getting necessary parts on board a frustrating challenge. Now, his six-seat plane can pack up to 1350 pounds of useful load and carry enough fuel to reach any location within flying range in the Pacific Northwest.
Anderson says he uses the plane an average of three days a week in the summer boating season to aid customers with everything from complex repairs to a routine maintenance, but he still calls his inaugural job completed with the help of an aircraft the most memorable. He ventured to Yellowstone Lake in Wyoming to service a Xanterra Travel Collection passenger tour vessel that had been sitting idle during the winter months in minus 20-degree temperatures. The company had just three days to fix a powertrain control unit that succumbed to moisture and get the boat ready to pass its annual Coast Guard inspection, Anderson recalls.
"They were so absolutely mind-blown that we could get there so quickly,” Anderson said. “If they had to re-schedule the inspection, it would have been another two months and they would have missed their entire season.”
It's situations like these that Anderson says he thrives on.
"I personally take pride in what we do," he said. "I want to blow their mind with quality, attention to detail and precision that is all top-notch.”
A Successful Network: Support, Service and SkillMembers of the Volvo Penta global dealer network rely on skilled experts like Anderson and his team members from Coastal Marine Engine to consistently provide high-quality service. In turn, Volvo Penta is dedicated to supporting our dealer partners – 3,000 marine and 900 industrial authorized dealers worldwide – and enhancing that service with superior products, parts availability and warranty coverage.
We give our dealers extensive and continuous training on the latest Volvo Penta technology, products and repair processes. In addition, they must comply with our operating standards, ensuring consistent high-quality experiences with customers.
When a repair or replacement is necessary, dealers are backed by a parts distribution network that includes warehouses around the world stocked with a reliable and readily available product line.
“I think they are fantastic products, and even more importantly, Volvo Penta stands behind their products and offers some of the best warranties you could possibly get in the industry,” said Anderson.
All Volvo Penta products are covered by the Volvo Penta International Limited warranty, offering repair or replacement of defective parts for the entire product for the first two years of use, with the option to add extended coverage of up to five years.
As a local dealer, Anderson leverages Volvo Penta's training and aftermarket excellence, along with his own high-flying ambitions, to keep his business soaring.
“Anyone can build an engine and create horsepower, but what's really important is how you support your product and how you stand behind it,” said Anderson. “I think Volvo Penta has been absolutely amazing to work with, and I'm very impressed.”
Learn more about Volvo Penta's service and support here.
To find a local dealer near you, check out our Dealer Locator.
