Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/688632
14 | Boating Industry | July 2016 www.BoatingIndustry.com MARKET INTELLIGENCE weren't sure or didn't pay attention to the type of gas they used. In the same survey, 66 percent said they will use the least expensive grade of gasoline whenever possible and 60 percent assume that any gas that is sold at a gas station must be safe for all of their vehicles and equipment. Our respondents also don't believe their customers are knowledgeable about ethanol, with only 3 percent saying that their customers know a lot about the issue. Nearly three-quar- ters think their customers either know nothing (15 percent) or only a little bit (58 percent) about ethanol. On the other hand, most in the industry con- sider themselves fairly well-informed: 66 percent know a lot about ethanol issues, while only 8 per- cent said they know nothing or only a little bit. Service tech challenges More generally, we also took a look at the ser- vice tech shortage that has been so talked about in the industry as we rebound from the recession. Of those companies that have a service de- partment, 60 percent said it is very difficult to find qualified service technicians today. Another 29 percent said it is somewhat difficult. Only 5 percent said it was easy. The challenge has also gotten tougher than it was five years ago, readers said. Twenty-eight percent said it is much more difficult, while an- other 32 percent said it was somewhat more dif- ficult. Still, 36 percent said it wasn't any more difficult than it was five years ago and 4 percent said it was actually easier. 87% HAVE SEEN ENGINE DAMAGE CAUSED BY ETHANOL Yes 87% No 13% Have you HAVE YOU SEEN ENGINE DAMAGE CAUSED BY ETHANOL IN YOUR BUSINESS? Source: Boating Industry survey, April/May 2016