A BOAT sales business has beaten a host of multinational rivals to a major customer service award.

Gibbs Quay Boat Sales, headquartered in Poole, won the customer service award at the Dusseldorf Boat Show in Germany.

Testimonials from customers won it the prize at the 2023 Motor Boat Awards, run by Motor Boat and Yachting magazine, which was open to all businesses in the sector.

Comments included: “The after-sales experience has totally matched the pre-sales experience, dealing with minor niggles and providing us with unlimited technical advice.”

Don Bissessar, who bought the company in 1986 and moved it to its present HQ in 2012, said: “Our policy has always been that customers are our best ambassadors. If we treat them as well as we can they are likely to speak well of us.

“One sale we had was from someone who had heard two passengers on a cruise discussing how they had both bought boats from us.

“We go to all the major shows to display the motor boats we are selling – we are the sole UK distributors."

He added: “Our boats go up to 60ft in length and we work with first time boat owners as well as more experienced ones.

“One great asset is our premises and boat yard in Poole near to the Twin Sails Bridge where we have room for boats to be displayed.

“The award is our latest and probably one of the most significant.”

Hugo Andreae, editor of Motor Boat and Yachting magazine, said: “The judges based their decision not just on the number of nominations – which would favour big companies – but also on the quality of service provided.

“This year, we had more nominations than ever before, with several previous winners making it through to our shortlist of finalists, proving that good customer service isn’t just a passing phase but permanently ingrained in the culture of the best companies.

“Gibbs Quay Boat Sales has a long track record of looking after its customers and particularly of helping new buyers take their first tentative steps into boating – a daunting prospect for many.”

The 2023 Motor Boat Awards were sponsored by Sleiper with the customer service award sponsored by Garmin.