Lamb’s Yacht Center Puts People First

Imagine the changes Jacksonville, Fla., has seen since the ‘30s. Now imagine the changes made to Jacksonville’s premier marina, Lamb’s Yacht Center. Throughout the years, the full-service marina and boat yard have seen growth in every imaginable way. But one element has not changed: The family-owned facility still puts people first.

Lamb’s Yacht Center has been owned and operated by the Lamb family for three generations, and Bronson Lamb, III, has been at the helm for almost 30 years. Even with its long history of dependable service and its vast storage facilities, what sets Lamb’s apart from so many other marinas is its unfailing commitment to relationships, both with customers and with employees. “What makes us stand out is the fact that we are owner operated, and that means that we have a genuine interest in our customers and employees,” said Bronson Lamb.

Lamb believes that cultivating relationships with customers is essential. It generates both business and a sense of community. “We know the value of satisfied customers,” said Lamb. “We also know that there is more to a marina than the service center.” The employees at Lamb’s involve the customer in every aspect of their project. Because of this fact, Lamb’s guarantees customer satisfaction. “We can guarantee satisfaction because we pull ideas from our customers along the way,” said Lamb. Customers are kept constantly informed about the progress on their boats through constant communications with the Yacht Center, and they are encouraged to make suggestions and give their input.

“What we’re really trying to do here is identify with people,” said Lamb. “We always treat everyone the same way, regardless of who he is. One minute I could be talking to a local fisherman and the next minute I could be having a conversation with the CEO of one of the largest companies in the country, and it wouldn’t matter. Everybody gets the same treatment.”

One of the primary reasons for first-class customer service at Lamb’s Yacht Center is the quality of the employees and the relationship they have to the company. First of all, they are experienced. Of the 34 employees at Lamb’s, the marine carpenters have an average of 15 years of experience, marine mechanics have 12, and marine finishers have 10. There is also an average of 20 years of experience in both parts and administration.

In addition to the experience of the employees at Lamb’s, their devotion to the company also adds to the quality of the work they do. “It’s vital to nurture your employees,” explains Lamb. “Work needs to be a place that our people enjoy coming every day. It needs to be a place where they can talk about things and bring their problems.” With monthly cookouts and an annual Christmas party, Lamb’s encourages employees to spend time together in a non-work environment. The entire staff also attends a retreat every few years to discuss visions for the future of the company. “I try to pull and mix insights from everyone at the company,” said Lamb. Employees even have extra incentive to look forward to their paychecks every week. Each paycheck contains a helpful message to support and encourage the employees.

Employees also undergo extensive training exercises to keep them on top of safety issues and procedures. These exercises include monthly or bimonthly drills where employees are reminded of the location of fuel cutoff valves, oil retainment booms, fire extinguishers, and other safety equipment.

Lamb’s additionally stresses the continuing education of its employees. They regularly attend seminars to keep them aware of the most recent changes in the industry, including ABYC electrical schools in Rhode Island and the International Boat Building Exposé in Fort Lauderdale.

Lamb explains that in addition to helping employees lead happier lives, the employee programs at Lamb’s Yacht Center also help business. “When a customer comes up to the store and sees the person who’s been working on his or her boat hitting baseballs with his son instead of leaving to go to a bar with the guys, it said something about the quality of our company.”

Growth in Service and Storage

The Yacht Center primarily serves powerboats in the 30-foot to 90-foot range. The company specializes in repowering, refinishing, hull work, and mechanical work. Lamb’s also does contract work for Jacksonville Fire and Rescue and other government agencies. “The layout and design of our service facilities make it easy to do complex work,” said Lamb. “Often we’re the only service facility within 100 miles capable of performing such difficult tasks.”

Having run the company for 27 years, Bronson Lamb has seen numerous changes in the face of Lamb’s Yacht Center. “In 1971, we supplemented our original wooden dock with a large covered concrete dock,” explains Lamb. “We also redesigned and covered our service yard.” The same year also saw the addition of two 30-ton and one 40-ton Alganac boat hoists. The company then added a pre-stressed concrete sailboat dock in 1976 and 10 80-foot slips to the concrete dock in 1982. “Those additional slips were a gamble for us,” said Lamb. “We weren’t sure if they would stay occupied, but we now have a waiting list for all of our storage facilities.” Lamb’s currently has 150 covered wet slips and 85 uncovered.

In 1987 several employees traveled to Hong Kong to look into stacking crane systems. Upon their return, Lamb’s built a 220-boat dry storage facility with a custom-built Abell-Howe stacking crane. While the dry storage facility was sold in 1992 to become Lake Shore Dry Storage, relations with the new company have proven prosperous.

Faithful Stewards of the Environment

Located on the Intracoastal water-way and the St. John’s River, Duval County alone is home to some 30,000 registered boats. While Lamb’s is only a ten-minute boat ride from downtown Jacksonville and a municipal Riverwalk, which is a major destination of boaters in the area, the marina is also close to countless tributaries and creeks that are home to exotic Florida wildlife such as manatees, alligators, and great blue herons.

With all of the water travel that the Jacksonville area sees, the St. John’s River feels the effects. But Lamb’s Yacht Center takes extensive measures to do its part in maintaining the cleanliness of Florida’s waterways. By participating in the Florida Clean Marina Program, Lamb’s supports an organization that issues certification to marinas that meet certain environmental standards.

Apart from the Florida Clean Marina Program, Lamb’s has taken its own measures to keep the environment clean. The company recently removed its underground fuel tanks and installed state-of-the-art above-ground systems that are easier to monitor and eliminate the risk of ground water contamination. New, more efficient piping with leak detectors has also been installed. Lamb’s also reduced the number of fueling stations and installed a “closed loop system” that recycles water used to pressure wash the hulls of boats, preventing sediment and paint chips from getting into the river.

“While in the short term environmental protection may cost more,” said Lamb, “in the long run there won’t be any more business if the river isn’t properly cared for.” In fact, the state of Florida leases submerged land to marinas, meaning that the river itself is the property of the state of Florida. “That means that we are stewards of that land, and it’s our responsibility to take care of it,” said Lamb.

Lamb’s also takes part in the local community, sponsoring several local sports teams as well as the Hubbard House, a safe house for abused women and domestic violence victims, and Safe Harbor Boys’ Home, a program for boys who have been orphaned or abandoned and need shelter. “That’s really why we’re here, after all,” reflects Lamb. “We’re not just here to fix boats; we’re here to help people.”

While Lamb’s Yacht Center may not be the largest marina in the Jacksonville area, the spirit of the company lies in its unique devotion to its customers and its employees. “I almost look at it as a kind of mission,” said Lamb. “When customers look at what we’re doing here—and they know that we are truly part of the community—it makes everybody feel good.”