The beginning of this new decade had everyone at CYW motivated for big things. Improved equipment, new technicians and even implementing new ways to communicate with you. Then we were quickly told to take a step back and stay home. With local and state guidelines changing by the week, our top priority was to keep you up to date on any information on opening up the boating season all while keeping everyone as safe as possible.
This was and is a challenge for all businesses. Our goals are to do our best and deliver a positive experience in order for us all to forge ahead.
Office and Yard Operations: We Miss You Guys!
A critical aspect of our business is thriving on people dropping by the yard and office so we can see you face to face. Whether it’s to work on your boat, check out a new one, or simply to say hello. We love seeing all of you!
This year we needed to set up strict guidelines for everyone dropping by. Appointments were required in order to limit the amount of people in an area at one time. Masks were also (and still are) required to enter the premises. Luckily, all of you understood the severity of the situation and we are so grateful for understanding and cooperation. Thank you.
Service: Hurry Up and Wait
We worked on your boats daily. This year we still had service requests come in and we had to think twice on how to get started. We integrated the necessary protective equipment and sanitation operations in order to get work done. We had every intention of launching boats based on a “normal” schedule and minimizing delays was our top priority. The good news? We were still able to expand our service team to help!
CYA Education Courses:
How do you hold classes in a pandemic? Very carefully. We know that boating education is important, especially for new boat owners and boaters who require certifications. While we were forced to hold off on-the-water sessions, Captain Scott did find a way to hold in-classroom sessions safely. To hold us over, we were able to introduce virtual classes, which ended up being a big hit for students! Eventually, we got back in the classroom by setting up seating areas 6ft apart and following CDC guidelines. Because this proved to be safe and successful, we were able to move forward even further and got back on the water.
That’s a Wrap
All in all, this was a challenging year for everyone. Together, we all learned a new way of life very quickly. Our Chicago Yacht Works family worked together, and extremely hard, to make boating better for you. We learned that we are capable of overcoming the impossible.
We’re so glad we had a boating season this year and that all of you were able to enjoy it as much as possible. It’s time to ramp up for 2021 and we look forward to kicking off boating in the spring!