Chief Executive Officer, President & Director, Marinemax
Search every verified William Mcgill interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. William McGill, Executive Chairman and CEO of MarineMax, has emphasized the company's focus on customer service and the boating lifestyle over short-term financial results. In a 2018 interview, he stated that MarineMax does not "chase the quarterly earnings" and instead evaluates acquisitions based on cultural fit. McGill described the company's strategy as "not growth for growth's sake" and noted that MarineMax measures customer satisfaction through Net Promoter Scores, which he said score in the "60s and 70s." He also highlighted the company's approach to service, saying that if a customer has a problem, "it's our problem" and that the company "runs to it." McGill has repeatedly described boating as a "life-changing" experience that brings families togetherikuha. In a 2015 message, he said that "people need boating" regardless of economic conditions, and in a 2016 Thanksgiving message, he stated that the company's team "change[s] people's lives through this thing called boating." During a 2013 interview, McGill discussed MarineMax's use of mall stores to reach potential customers who are not yet boaters, describing them as "considerers" with a "water gene." He noted that the company hosted over a thousand customer events called "getaways" annually. In a 2020 earnings call, McGill reported strong same-store unit growth and said the company was in communication with manufacturers about product availability, describing the situation as a "high-class problem."
“We don't chase the quarterly earnings; we don't chase short-term thinking. We look at acquisitions and say does it make sense, is the culture right? It's all about culture and helping customers select the right boat, teach them how to use it, and service them.”
“We're on track to be an excess of a billion in revenues this year. The economy goes up and down, but people are going to boat no matter what's going on. This family connection to boating is so strong that even if customers lose their car or house, the boat would be the last thing they give up.”
“Our strategy is not growth for growth's sake. If we find the right dealers or marina locations with the right culture, we'll do it. It's a win for MarineMax, the customers, and the dealers.”
“We measure our customer satisfaction through Net Promoter Score, which we call 'fans.' World-class companies score 40-60%, and MarineMax scores in the 60s and 70s even after 5 or 10 years because we own the problem and communicate with customers no matter the news.”
“If a customer has a problem on their boat, whether caused by the manufacturer, the customer, or us, it's our problem. You run to it, you don't walk to it, and you communicate what you're doing to fix it.”
“We're selling a lifestyle, not just a product. Boating brings families together and changes people's lives. That's what empowers our team members and makes what we do meaningful.”
“We've rolled together close to thirty private dealerships and taken it public, and it's working. Everyone's still having fun, and that's an accolade to our company.”
“We focus on manufacturers that provide premium products that support a premium experience for our customers. Brands like Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, Ocean Alexander, and others are part of our portfolio because they deliver quality and innovation.”
“The biggest change in the industry is that more retailers are providing more services. Technology has evolved with joystick docking and mixed navigation making boating easier and more enjoyable.”
“My key to success is surrounding myself with good people. If you surround yourself with good people, your life gets easy. Surround them with bad people, and it is really hard.”
“We just finished our fiscal year at the end of September and we had a very good year with a lot of exciting new products from the manufacturers which made us excited and I made many of you excited as well.”
“2016 is going to be an exciting year with many new things occurring from manufacturers as well as with our team to make your experience even greater.”
“It will be an exciting year only if we exceed your expectations.”
“On behalf of the 1600 team members at MarineMax and our stores, we're very excited about 2016 and wish you a lot of happy boating days out on the water.”
“I keep saying to our team that we change people's lives through this thing called boating and I'm sure that each of you can relate to that.”
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