Five-star service

Good service can be hard to find in this day and age. Sometimes, it's tough enough to speak to a live human being on the phone, let alone get the results you're hoping for.

That's why I'd like to pass along an outstanding example of customer service I had this week. It came at a place called the Motor Clinic in Bloomington, a factory-authorized service center for MinnKota electric trolling motors. Back in February, I bought a reconditioned MinnKota Maxxum bow-mount trolling motor for the Crestliner fishing boat I had recently purchased.

I worked with one of the shop's technicians, a guy named Terry Nordby. He's been at it a long time and really knows his stuff. When I described my boat and the type of fishing I do, he recommended the Maxxum with 80-pound thrust. He did the wiring of the motor for my boat and got it ready to go. There was some question about the shaft length and whether I might need a longer shaft. But, Terry said not to worry. "I'll take care of you," he reassured me.

Starting last week, he did. First, he helped me diagnose a problem with the battery wiring. There was a bad fuse on one of the wires and it blew while I was running the motor on Lake Calhoun. Terry said to replace all of the fuses with breakers. I did and the problem went away.

Next, I discovered that the shaft was, in fact, too short. When I put my two oldest boys in the back, the front of the boat came up and the prop of the electric motor was barely under the surface. So, I called Terry and he said to come down to the shop to exchange this motor for another one with a longer shaft.

So, I came in on Wednesday and he pulled out another Maxxum with a 62-inch shaft, the longest one available for that motor. He did the wiring, mounted the quick-release plate and even helped me slide the motor onto my bow. He got it all done in about three hours, even though he was very busy with lots of other work.

When I thanked him at the end, he merely smiled and said, "I told you I'd take care of you."

He did, indeed, and I called one of the shop managers and told him the story, then wrote a letter to the company president, Steve Baumann. I'm sure Terry's not looking for recognition, but I think service like this should be acknowledged. Thanks to Terry, I look forward to enjoying the rest of the fishing season.