North Saanich Employee Owned Firm Offers Full Service For Yachts
3C Yachts shop truck
NORTH SAANICH – “Refreshing”, as stated by a customer of 3C Yacht Services, is an appropriate term used to describe their business philosophy.
During the Covid layoffs, several ex-marine workers developed the idea for 3C, with Raymond Albers leading the pack. As front line workers, they saw the issues within the industry and came up with better ways for the system, for both the customer, and for the company.
General Manager Raymond Albers
A mobile full service company specializing in 40-100 ft yachts and providing full service was created. A web portal was developed, which allows for much better communication between the customer and the people working on each boat. This web portal allows the customer to see pictures, and read the descriptions allowing the customer to understand each step of the work, and issues found along the way.
People can comment on each picture, thus creating and documenting dialogue between the customer and technician, and allows for the customer to make the decisions rather than just accepting decisions by someone else. The web portal also provides all aspects of their project, which they can follow along ensuring they are in control of their project, with no surprises when they receive their invoice.
Albers, RSE, ACSM – is a red seal heavy duty technician, with a background in business management (ACSM) and IT (IBM Education and Dell) and is a proponent of education. His philosophy really shines through with 3C as their belief is that each customer should know who exactly is working on their boat – not just a company, but the actual person.
3C’s motto of “Pride in Workmanship/Pride of Ownership” is embedded into all work done by the skilled people within the company.
3C was created in 2020, with the idea that it is an employee owned company. The idea was to create an environment that would foster the best of people, and create the highest quality of work and in their ‘pride of workmanship’.
Inside an engine room worked on by 3C team members
“Living and working in the best part of Canada, we really needed to build a balanced work life environment. Work is not the usual 8 to 5, but each task has a deadline, and there is no boss to babysit. We work individually, and also a team to get things done creating more of a family environment including the customer in the family!”
Even though 3C is in its third year, Raymond says it is really still a new company.
“We are dealing with growth in a very controlled way by keeping within our ‘budget of work’ so that we are not overtaxed, which allows us to continue doing the best job possible”. With the major labour shortage, 3C have made the decision to stay small, and pursue perfection versus quantity of work.
With that, Raymond notes that the company is looking for others to become part of the 3C team.
“If people are at the top of their field, a perfectionist, then maybe they want to look at joining the 3C family,” he says. “We pay the highest in the industry, flexible work hours, and shares in the company are offered to those that are a great fit, to become a partner in the family.”
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