(1:30) As we make our way north this spring, we have been stopping in to chat with quite a few marinas. It's important to me to understand how we are helping our Sponsor marinas succeed and where we can do better. In the course of doing this I found several things that I could be doing better. My discovery leads to a lesson for you on two levels - one theoretical and one practical.
(1:21) First, it's dangerous to assume that your customers know and understand all you have to offer. It's important to never stop promoting your strengths, particularly ones that set you apart from your competition. I discovered that I was falling short in getting the message out about updating fuel prices in the ActiveCaptain database. We have some simple yet powerful ways of doing this.
(1:13) I found that most marinas either didn't know or didn't fully understand the several options they have for keeping their fuel pricing up-to-date. There is no other piece of data in ActiveCaptain that changes more frequently than the price of fuel. If you compete based on your fuel price then it is imperative that you make sure your price is current and accurate. We offer a variety of ways to do this which brings up the second lesson.
(1:05) Every marina was familiar with our Monday morning fuel update emails and happily informed me that they get them each week. However, when I pointed out that their fuel price was X weeks old in the ActiveCaptain data, I usually heard, "Well, that's because the price hasn't changed." And that's a problem - a price has little meaning unless your customer knows how current it is. If you carry fuel, look at your marker. Notice that the price is always associated with a date - the date it was updated. So even if you haven't changed the price, it's just as important that you change the date. Fortunately, we've made this trivial.
(0:55) If you look closely at the fuel update email, you'll see that there are two links. It's important that you select one of them every week. The one on the right is familiar to everyone. Clicking this takes you to your fuel update page where you can modify your fuel price and even update your slip pricing. But the link on the right is equally important.
(0:47) Notice it says "Prices Correct." If your fuel price has not changed, click this link and we will automatically change the date associated with your fuel price to the current date. There's nothing more to do. This tells boaters that the price is still good. Making sure you select one or the other will keep your fuel price current on a weekly basis.
(0:40) But what if updating your price once a week isn't enough? If fuel is a truly important part of your business, you may want to update your pricing more often. I've seen some marinas that update it daily. Keeping your fuel pricing fresh tells boaters that this is important business for you and that you are staying competitive.
(0:33) Of course, you can always go to your marker on the website, select the Fuel tab and enter a new price and date, but there are some better ways. ActiveCaptain Sponsors can quickly and easily update their fuel and slip price anytime by going to their Sponsor page. On the righthand side, we show the current fuel and slip pricing listed in the database along with each price's date. If your pricing is old we even issue you a warning in red - think of it as a gentle nag from me. You can easily update your prices by selecting "Update Prices" to go to your fuel update page, or you can select "Update Dates to Today" if your pricing hasn't changed but you want to quickly change the date.
(0:16) An alternative method is to keep a copy of the fuel update email so you can open and access it at any time. Those links don't only work on Monday mornings! I've even had marinas who have created a shortcut or bookmark to their fuel update page so they can go to it whenever they want.
(0:09) If fuel is an important part of your business, make sure boaters always have your most current pricing and the only way I will know it is current is from the listed date. It's quick, it's simple, and it will bring you more business.
(0:02) And that's the marina minute.
(1:04) I've written about the importance of a boater's first interactions with your marina. Often this is with your dockhands whether communicating on the radio or handling lines as a boater pulls in. Not long ago I overheard a radio exchange that got me thinking about this critical component of the boater's experience.
(0:58) It was a blustery day at a marina that has strong river currents. As a boater approached and began his communications with the dockhands, he began asking a series of questions. He wanted to know the wind strength and direction at the marina. He said he was new to his boat and was concerned about the conditions. He asked if the current, which was running strong, was any less at the slip, and what was the direction.
(0:49) As I listened I was quite impressed with the care the boater was taking to gather important information before he entered the marina and was in tight conditions getting into a slip. The conditions were certainly tricky. The dockhand described where the slip was and the boater asked, "Do you think it will be difficult getting in there?" The dockhand responded, "Well, that depends on your skill level."
(0:40) Wow, I really can't think of a worse reply. Best case, the boater may feel insulted by that remark. Worst case, he might feel challenged to try a maneuver he is not comfortable doing. That could easily wind up being a bad day for the boater which will mean an even worse day for the marina.
(0:33) Boaters come in all levels of skill and confidence. And every one of them deserves to be treated with respect. Every last one of us was new and inexperienced at one time. There is no shame in that. This particular boater in acknowledging his inexperience was showing great wisdom. He will likely become an accomplished boater quickly and boat for many years to come.
(0:25) Which leads me to my most significant point. A new and inexperienced transient boater coming into your marina should be viewed as a golden opportunity. This is a boater who is learning and discovering the places to go. He hasn't developed habits about where he stops. And you have the opportunity to give him an exceptional experience that will make him want to return. That will make you a part of his new habit.
(0:13) So while all boaters should be treated with respect and professionalism, take extra time with that newbie who may feel a bit nervous and need a little more guidance. Answer his questions respectfully and help him increase his confidence. This is an investment in the future. The average long-range cruiser cruises on his boat for 10 years. Handle him well today and you will be rewarded with his business for years to come.
(0:02) And that's the marina minute.
(1:12) I've written about the role that specials should play in attracting boaters to your marina. Discounts should be offered for only one reason: to change a boater's behavior. Remember, you don't need to change behavior when you are full or overbooked. When you need more business, that is the time to provide incentives for me to come in.
(1:03) Timing is critical to ensure you are getting the most out of your discounts. But the offer itself is as important, if not more important. After all, if you expect me to do something different than I was planning, you'd better make sure your offer hits home. Think of it as the bait that will draw in the boater. Before you can determine what your offer should be, you need to think about a few things.
(0:56) First, it is imperative that you have a clear idea of what you are trying to achieve. Are you looking for boaters who are new to your marina? Do you need to fill in business at specific times? Are there new or underutilized services you wish to promote? Are you targeting transients or longer term slipholders? You must know what you want to accomplish before you know what to offer. You also have to know how you will measure the results.
(0:47) Next, you need to understand the audience you wish to target and the motivations needed to change their behavior. If your offer is not perceived as valuable and relevant to them, it will be passed over. Think about the target, what they need, what's important to them, and then come up with an idea that's relevant, timely, interesting, and genuine.
(0:40) If you're looking to fill your storage space, you might offer a free month when the boater pays for X months. Alternatively, transients might be attracted by a free dinner at your restaurant. You could introduce your boatyard capabilities with a free short haul for new customers.
(0:34) Make sure your offer is concise and clear. Simple is better. Simple makes me read your offer and allows me to quickly understand it. Be bold about what I save. It's fine to tell me the price but then follow up with, "that's a savings of..." Don't make me figure it out.
(0:28) Give me a clear call to action and set a deadline. "Must reserve by" or "Only 5 slips are available" will motivate me to take the next step so I won't miss out. Plus it allows you to control your discounts so they are more likely to achieve your goals and maximize your revenues.
(0:22) Your offer must communicate clearly and concisely the thing that is special and what sets you apart from your competition. Your offer must be sufficiently appealing to make me stop and take note. It should motivate me to take action.
(0:16) Don't forget to consider other businesses you might partner with to sweeten the deal even more while benefiting each of you. Consider combining dockage specials with service work to fill in the downtimes for both businesses. Or help introduce a new restaurant to the transient community with a dock and dine special. Be creative, be unique, and stand out.
(0:08) Special offers can bring you new business and incent boaters to use you during slow periods. This can boost your revenues and bring you more exposure. That's good for business.
(0:02) And that's the marina minute.
(1:06) I've recently published a couple of Minutes on marina WiFi. Response has been strong. I think there is little doubt that good, fast, reliable WiFi is necessary if you want to be a preferred marina to all boaters.
(1:01) From talking to many marina managers, everyone sees the importance of being able to stream video along with having reliable web access to pay bills and communicate with friends and family. We've now been involved with a couple of marinas cutting over to new technology and the new WiFi setups we have been involved with have performed even better than we expected.
(0:53) So that got me thinking about other advantages of super fast WiFi - advantages to you, the marinas. WiFi becomes a marketing tool in ways you might not have thought about. And I'm not just talking about promoting fast WiFi for boaters.
(0:48) Consider this. If boaters are now able to stream movies into the boat, watch YouTube, and use the full capabilities of Skype, well that means you can stream video out as well. Think what can be done with some well placed webcams at your site.
(0:43) First, cameras can become an amenity you can promote to your long-term and transient boaters. The ability to look in on my boat from home or other locations is not only comforting but is an added safety measure. We did just that this past winter when we left the boat to travel to relatives for the holidays.
(0:38) The marina we choose to leave the boat at not only had security gates but they also had a variety of webcams placed around the marina. We could go to their website and select the webcam near our boat and then zoom and pan to zero in on her. My husband left an AC light on in the pilothouse so we could easily confirm that the boat was still getting shore power. He checked it every night.
(0:29) That's a simple and inexpensive way to give me a reason to leave my boat at your marina. Another terrific use is as a direct marketing tool for your marina.
(0:25) To the joy of quality businesses (at the expense of poor ones), the internet has provided consumers with a better way to get the real story. In the same way that paper guidebooks written by self-proclaimed experts have been replaced by the real experiences of actual boaters, your glossy brochures and professionally crafted photo shoots are being replaced with real photos on blogs, Facebook, and YouTube.
(0:15) You can take part in this as well. Let prospective customers look around your marina using your webcams. They'll know they're seeing the real deal and can check back at various times to see what's happening.
(0:10) Of course, this requires having confidence in your facility. The fact is if you are concerned right now whether you want to let boaters take a peek at your marina, any day, any time, then you have some work to do. If you know that your marina can pass that test, then be proud and show boaters what you've got!
(0:02) And that's the marina minute.
(1:05) Whenever I run across a marketing or sales experience that grabs my attention, whether good or bad, I start thinking of how that might translate into something marinas can use or learn from. We spent a week at Marineland Marina, a terrific small marina that does so much right. When they let us know about the Tuesday morning farmer's market, we made plans to attend. Then in a communication with a fellow boater who'd passed through the week before, we were told to visit the "muffin man."
(0:54) Tuesday morning as we walked down the dock to the market we passed boaters with containers of muffins. We just had to see what this was all about. We met Hugo who makes dozens of different kinds of "Vegan and Gluten Free Muffins." Now I know that many of you are wrinkling a nose. But then you probably haven't met Hugo.
(0:47) Right away he begins chatting in the most pleasant way and without you realizing it, he has determined some critical information. Are you Vegan, counting calories, or just looking for a tasty muffin? Do you live nearby or will you be moving on? This information lets him know what to offer you. He has long stainless-steel tongs and quickly begins tearing off pieces of various muffins offering a taste. He tells us they freeze well and gives instructions for freezing them for later. He notes that my husband is interested in the calorie count and rattles off the calories for each muffin sample he gives.
(0:34) The bottom line. We went there to purchase two muffins for breakfast and walked away with enough to fill the freezer. And at $27 a dozen I still feel great about my purchase.
(0:28) So what can you learn from this? First, Hugo had an excellent product. Without that the rest would have been just showmanship. Then he gave every customer the feeling that he cared about them and their needs. He wasn't just selling terrific muffins, he was selling a healthy food option, or a Vegan lifestyle, or a reasonable calorie count, along with a wonderful taste. He focused his sell on what was important to me. He had the confidence in his product to give some away knowing it would lead to more sales.
(0:17) You can use these same skills when bringing in boaters. When you are crafting your promotional message think about the many different reasons boaters might come to your marina. Don't hesitate to offer specials during down times to bring in new boaters allowing them to "sample" your product. Be confident that they will come back and tell others when they experience what you offer.
(0:09) Understand the needs of boaters as individuals and try to meet those needs. Make it easy for them to get what they are looking for. Learn from these interactions to craft and modify your promotional messages to focus on what boaters care about. Give me an exceptional experience and I will not only return but will tell others.
(0:02) And that's the marina minute.
(1:04) I live on my boat. It is my home. So when I pull into a marina whether for a night, a week, or a month, that becomes my neighborhood. It is the place where I will shop, eat, take my canine crew for a walk, and maybe even use a doctor, dentist or hairdresser. Are you making sure that every transient feels welcomed to your neighborhood?
(0:57) I remember when I was growing up that there was a sort of ritual that took place whenever a new family moved into our neighborhood. If you were born after the 1960's it may seem quaint or old fashion but it was real. Women from the neighborhood would visit the new family. Over coffee they would get to know each other. And yes, there was often a cake or cookies involved.
(0:48) An important part of the meeting was an exchange of useful information about the area - we'd call that, "local knowledge" today. Which grocery store was best, who were the good babysitters, and information about upcoming events. It helped bring the newcomers into the neighborhood and made them feel wanted and welcomed.
(0:40) Now I'm not suggesting that you meet every transient boater with a cake and expect to sit down for a chat. Although a cake would certainly get you an invite onboard my boat.
(0:35) I was reminded of this ritual recently as we pulled into a marina and were politely and professionally greeted by the dockhands. We had been there before with a big draw being the nearby dog park. I thought how perfect it would have been if one of the dockhands seeing our two dogs straining over the bow would have said, "Welcome! Did you know there's a nice dog park right nearby?"
(0:26) That simple gesture would have made me feel truly welcome and special and told me that they really wanted me and my crew to enjoy our stay. It would have been a preamble to the Welcome Packet I would receive at check in.
(0:19) There are so many different ways you can add that personal touch. I've writte about farmer's markets. "How long are you staying? There's a great farmer's market - or local theater or craft fair - tomorrow."
(0:14) It could simply be, "If you're looking for a place to eat, we have some great suggestions in our welcome packet." Or, "Don't miss our downtown, it's lovely." Or even, "Let me know if you have any questions about the town."
(0:09) Make sure you are aware of what is happening nearby so that you can let boaters know. Treat me like a welcomed member of your neighborhood and I'll come back to visit again and again. I'll also let other boaters know what a welcoming place you have. And that will translate into more business.
(0:02) And that's the marina minute.
(1:04) It seems pretty obvious that if you provide the things your customers really want, your business will improve. Old customers will keep coming back and word of mouth and positive reviews will bring in new customers. Something I have often mention in Minutes is the importance of thinking beyond what is offered at your facility. Make sure to take in the nearby town and surrounding area. Any service offered within walking distance or accessible by courtesy cars and public transportation is a service you can promote to cruisers. The needs of cruisers are as widely varied as cruisers themselves and can sometimes be hard to predict. The best way to learn is to listen to their requests.
(0:48) But there is one need that is universal no matter what a cruiser's age or inclination or special needs. We all need to acquire food on a regular basis. I've probably belabored this point enough that you know to include the locations of nearby grocery stores in your welcome packet. Each listing should include distances for walking and/or information about available transportation.
(0:40) Something we are seeing more and more frequently are local farmer's markets popping up. As we all become more conscious of what we eat and its impact on us and our environment, local farms and other businesses are organizing to offer their fresh products directly to consumers. Keeping good, fresh produce onboard is a challenge for any liveaboard, so this is great news for cruisers. But only if we are aware of it.
(0:31) Make sure that you know about farmer's markets that are accessible to cruisers. Have directions, times, and other information available in the welcome packet, on your website, and in your ActiveCaptain marker. Easy access to a farmer's market can influence my decision to visit your marina and even cause me to extend my stay.
(0:22) If the market is out of reach via walking or public transportation, try organizing car pooling with a sign up sheet. Most marinas we visit have long term liveaboards who often offer transportation to transients. It's a great way to meet interesting people.
(0:19) Will this really make a difference? Yes it will. We always look for farmer's markets when deciding where to stay. It's often the small but significant things that influence boaters' decisions. Make sure they have the information they need to select your facility. That will bring you more business.
(0:02) And that's the marina minute.
(0:56) One question that often comes up when we are talking about WiFi performance with a marina is, "Why can Hilton and Starbucks and other businesses provide good reliable WiFi but we seem to have problems?" The answer is that marinas and boatyards are different in some significant and important ways.
(0:48) The most obvious difference is that you provide WiFi service out in the elements. Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night shall keep the WiFi... you know the quote. Things like wind, rain, and even temperatures can cause interference in an outdoor WiFi setup, particularly if it has not been designed and set up to work in this harsh environment.
(0:40) There will often be components that must reside out in the elements exposing the equipment to extreme temperatures and moisture. In many marinas there is saltwater which is even more corrosive. Even if you are able to place your equipment undercover, it is still more exposed than devices installed in a hotel or coffee bar.
(0:32) Then there are the ever changing conditions of boats coming and going. Think of a sailboat alone at a dock who's WiFi signal is great until they become surrounded by two large double-decked power boats that block their signal.
(0:27) You might have covered slips with metal roofs causing interference or a large storage or work shed between the boater and the signal source. Few marinas sit in a densely packed basin but are more commonly spread out along the water.
(0:22) Now let's assume you can provide a strong reliable signal out to the dock. What happens when that boater who was sitting in the cockpit surfing the web wants to go below and surf from the iPad in their stateroom? Will the signal remain strong as they move below?
(0:16) It is no wonder that systems designed for orderly, predictable, indoor applications fall apart when tried in a marina setting. You are different. You need designs, equipment, and layouts that have been designed to satisfy the complexities of your environment. You are different, so make sure your WiFi provider has experience in marina installations because it doesn't matter how many hotels or doctor's offices or Starbucks they have worked on. If they don't understand your unique situation, they will not be able to offer the service your customers demand.
(0:05) Satisfied customers means more business for you.
(0:02) And that's the marina minute.
(1:30) We've seen quite an increase in new ActiveCaptain Sponsors lately. I work with new Sponsors providing Getting Started information and helping them take full advantage of all that ActiveCaptain offers. This past week it occurred to me that it was a good time to remind everyone of the ActiveCaptain tools a marina can use to help bring in more business. So whether you are new to ActiveCaptain or one of our earliest supporters, take a minute to make sure you are doing all you can.
(1:19) The Marina Minute newsletter/blog provides a short weekly message covering some area that I feel can help marinas be more successful. If you are reading this from your inbox, you are either already signed up or someone has forwarded it to you. You can sign up for the weekly email by clicking "Join our Mailing List" on the right. You can always find past Minutes on my blog: www.themarinaminute.com
(1:09) The Marina's Guide to ActiveCaptain is a document covering ActiveCaptain's features with an emphasis on how they can be used by marinas to increase business. It includes directions for the most common functions a marina should be using. You can find a pdf version of the document here:
http://activecaptain.com/sponsors/marinasGuide.pdf
(1:02) The Fuel Update Email is sent out every Monday morning and is a reminder to update your fuel information. If you carry fuel and are not receiving this email, let me know and I will help you get on the list. It is important to respond to the email every week, even if your fuel price has not changed as all pricing has a date. Of course, you can always change your price by going to your marker or saving the Fuel Update Email to use any time. Sponsors can update pricing on their Sponsor page.
(0:51) The Wednesday ActiveCaptain newsletter goes to all users and is the best way to stay up-to-date with what is happening in the ActiveCaptain community. It's important for you to be familiar with what we are communicating to boaters. We're covering areas that are important to your customers which should make it important to you. You can sign up for the newsletter by logging into the ActiveCaptain website, selecting "My Account" in the upper right, and clicking the "Subscribe to newsletter" checkbox.
(0:39) Boater Messaging provides a private and secure way for you to communicate with ActiveCaptain users. Every boater who leaves you a review, good or bad, should receive a message from your marina. You can find instructions for sending a message at the link below:
https://activecaptain.com/sponsors/captainMessage.php
(0:33) ActiveCaptain Sponsors have access to special promotional tools including a Promotional Message (Pro-Op), Cross Promotion text, and Time Sensitive Boater Specials (Co-Op). Make sure to utilize these features to tell boaters why they should bring you their business. It's important to remember that your messages are not static and can quickly and easily be changed to fit your season, special events, or to experiment to see what makes an impact. Please contact me if you have any questions about using your Sponsor features.
(0:22) ActiveCaptain Reviews are the most valuable feature of ActiveCaptain for boaters and marinas alike. It is the honest and uncensored reviews of fellow boaters that makes ActiveCaptain data the number one resource for boaters. It is the same reason it should be your number one source as well for finding out what you are doing right and where you can improve. Make sure you know what the community is saying about you, read your reviews. ActiveCaptain Sponsors can utilize their customized Review Cards to bring in even more boater reviews. Contact me if you need more information.
(0:06) Make sure you are familiar with the resources we offer. Let us help you bring in more business!
(0:02) And that's the marina minute.
(1:19) What do you think was Apple's fastest growing product in 2013? If you guessed the iPhone, you'd be wrong. And it wasn't the iPad, the iPod, or i-anything else either. It was Apple TV which generated $1 billion (yes, "b") in sales last year, with sales nearly doubling over 2012. This should get your attention. The world is digital and it's not going back.
(1:09) One of our boat projects this winter was to replace our entertainment system on our boat. We had a couple of goals - high definition, HDMI components, using equipment that was smaller and used less power, and installing a Smart TV system.
(1:02) If you're not familiar with Smart TV, it's a television that receives normal over-the-air programming but also directly connects to the internet over WiFi. It lets me watch TV, movies, browse the web, keep my photos, and much more. In short, it allows me to cut my ties to cable and satellite TV. Of course there are ways for "dumb" TV's to become smart through the addition external boxes such as the Roku...and Apple TV. This is a mainstream trend and not something geeky or technical.
(0:52) Users of Smart TV will be placing an even higher demand on your WiFi. The good news is that you can offer far more performance than they need by diverting money you spend on cable to your WiFi setup. In general, you'll actually save money doing this. I know many of you are thinking that cutting your cable TV capability will cause a revolt. But that's not necessarily true, and here's why.
(0:42) Fewer and fewer transients are utilizing the cable connections offered by marinas. We know this from talking to marinas and boaters, and from observing how many boats actually have a cable running out to the dock. This trend will continue and only accelerate in the future.
(0:35) We have heard from marinas that their long term/yearly slip holders, particularly if the marina is their home port, are the most frequent users of cable. For those customers, there is a fantastic solution that will give them more and better functionality at a reduced cost to the marina. It's the perfect win-win situation.
(0:26) There are devices, such as SlingBox, that allow boaters to remotely view and control their home's cable, satellite, or digital video recorder system from their boat over the internet. What that means to the boater is they can have access to all of the entertainment options they have at home. That includes any premium channels such as sports, HBO, etc., that the marina is unlikely to provide. Plus they can do cool things like watch a DVD they've placed in their home player or watch shows they've saved on their DVR/TIVO. These are things they can't get at the marina today but will soon want.
(0:14) All of these features hinge on having exceptional WiFi which is possible and affordable today. Now is the time to begin getting ready. Don't guess - find out how many boaters are actually using your cable setup. We'll help you educate boaters about the advantages of "cutting the cable."
(0:06) Begin planning for this new generation of WiFi. It's coming and if you don't offer it, your competitors will.
(0:02) And that's the marina minute.
(1:05) Even the most compelling message can fall short if your timing is off. Do you know when potential customers are perusing your data? It may not be when you think. The right message at the right time is key to success.
(0:59) To gain the maximum benefit you need to reach me when I am planning my cruising and this typically happens far ahead of time. While it is certainly possible to deliver a message or offer so compelling that I would change my plans later, it is far easier to fit into my original planning process.
(0:52) We have an interesting perspective as we watch the activity in the ActiveCaptain database throughout the year. I'll use the US east coast snowbird migration path as an example route, something we are extremely familiar with. First, let's look at the physical movement of the snowbirds.
(0:46) At our homeport in Maine, summer is obviously the busiest cruising time. And the activity increase stretches down through Long Island and south as cruisers search for cooler summer temperatures. Movement begins south in the fall with a bunching of cruisers in the Chesapeake Bay and mid-Atlantic as they wait for hurricane season to end in the south. Then there's a rush south as they search for warmer temperatures with many ending up in Florida, the Bahamas, and Caribbean for the winter. It all reverses in the spring as the heat and hurricane season moves cruisers back north again.
(0:32) However, this timing of activity is not what we see happening in the ActiveCaptain database. While the activity levels have a similar ebb and flow, the planning being done is happening much earlier.
(0:27) Looking at the same general areas, we see activity increases occurring 3-6 months before the boats start moving. For example, the boaters viewing ActiveCaptain data in the Chesapeake Bay starts to pick up in the winter and peaks in the early spring. Florida area viewing is busy in the summer/fall and actually reduces a bit in the winter. This happens because cruisers have already made their decisions about where they will be.
(0:17) If you want to have the maximum impact for your marketing message, you need to be getting it out when cruisers are actually forming their plans and not only when they are implementing them. Getting into a boater's plans during the formation period is when you'll get a boater to stay with you for weeks or months instead of just overnight too.
(0:10) I was reminded of this when one of our more savvy partners, Atlantic Yacht Basin, began promoting summer storage in February. That's smart timing. Many snowbirds look for a safe place to store their boat during hurricane season so they can travel back to their home ports. It's something we have done several times ourselves. Wait another couple months and most of us will have already made our decisions and you'd be too late at attracting us.
(0:02) And that's the marina minute.
(1:00) We all makes mistakes from time to time. Having the attitude that you don't make mistakes is not only unrealistic, it is harmful to your business. Handling a mistake well can actually increase loyalty and help you succeed. Here are some things to keep in mind the next time your business stumbles.
(0:53) 1. Own up quickly. Boaters actually understand that things can go wrong. After all, they've made mistakes too. It's difficult to get angry at someone who quickly and honestly confesses to making a mistake. So apologize and tell them what you will do to resolve the problem.
(0:47) 2. Understand what went wrong. The only way to fix a problem and ensure it doesn't happen again is to first understand why it happened. Key to this process is an environment where your staff is encouraged to come forward when mistakes are made. It should be a learning process for everyone with the mistake acting as a catalyst for improvements.
(0:38) 3. The buck stops here. Even if a problem occurred through no fault of your own or maybe even because of something the boater did, there is nothing to be gained by placing blame. Frankly, I wouldn't care who created the problem, I'd just want it fixed. Do that and you're my hero. Always focus on what can be done to fix the problem and keep it from occurring again.
(0:29) 4. Write it down. When you are in the midst of a problem it may seem you will always remember it but it's easy to move on to other tasks and forget. It's important to record what went wrong before moving to the next task. Include information about how it was resolved and any procedures or training that should be modified. That is the best way to move forward and ensure you don't make the same mistake twice.
(0:20) 5. Commit that it won't happen again. Use every mistake to learn and improve. Determine that you will make the necessary changes to prevent the same problem in the future. Let your customers know this and you will project your commitment to customer satisfaction. It's not actual perfection that will keep them coming back, it's the honest pursuit of the highest standards.
(0:11) In the end, your customers will remember how well you handled the problem rather than the actual problem itself. Treat every business stumble as a golden opportunity to show your customers that you have integrity and are committed to customer satisfaction. Use it to improve the way you do business and keep your customers coming back.
(0:02) And that's the marina minute.
(1:01) We were not surprised that last week's discussion about WiFi generated a big response. We also wrote about WiFi in our weekly ActiveCaptain newsletter which generated even more input from boaters. It is obvious that this is a topic that hit home on both sides. That makes it all the more important that we look to find a solution. As I mentioned in last week's Minute, I want to use some of the upcoming Minutes to help clarify WiFi issues and hopefully help us all to reach a better solution. This week the subject is WiFi security.
(0:48) I doubt I have to address the importance of online security when lately all one needs to do is turn on the news to hear about another computer security breach. We ran a series in our ActiveCaptain newsletter beginning on November 2010 pointing out the dangers of open WiFi and offered ways for boaters to mitigate those dangers. But still today, marinas and boaters have little idea about the potential risks when connecting to an open WiFi system. Or how simple it is to make the system much more secure.
(0:37) Our ActiveCaptain series dealt with the potential security risk a boater faces when they connect to open WiFi. Open WiFi is when you connect to any WiFi hotspot without entering a password. The password must be at the time of WiFi connection too, not part of some login process. And to make it even more confusing, there are multiple acronyms for encryption settings: WEP, WPA, WPA2, and others.
(0:29) The real problem began in October of 2010 when freely available software made it trivial for the average 14 year old to grab passwords, cookies, and emails through an open WiFi hotspot. Boaters can protect themselves using a VPN service and we've written about it numerous times to boaters. Today, few have VPN's and they have no idea about the risk they are putting their information in. But you can protect them.
(0:21) The right solution is for you to have a WPA or WPA2 password on your WiFi hotspot. It costs nothing extra for you. The actual password doesn't matter and can be displayed for everyone to see. Just having the password for WPA or WPA2 encrypts users from each other even with the same password. It also allows you to control who gets onto your WiFi which might be important to you.
(0:13) There's a marketing angle with WiFi passwords too. With a little imagination you can use that password to promote your branding. For example, how about making it "ThankYou"? Or something you are promoting, like "Sunsets", "PamperYourself", or maybe "BestBeach". Use a phrase you'd like boaters to think of when they think about you. Let your customers know that you're watching out for their security when they're away from home. That's a message that will keep more of them coming in.
(0:02) And that's the marina minute.
(1:21) We love spending time talking with marina owners, managers, and staff. It's always an interesting exchange of ideas and experiences as we help them better understand the needs and expectations of real cruisers and they help us understand the issues they face trying to meet those needs. Our hope is that marinas will improve and become more successful while cruisers (us included) have more and better choices.
(1:12) Beginning a couple of years ago we started hearing more and more unhappiness about marina WiFi. It came from marinas and boaters alike. Should marinas charge? Should streaming video be banned? Is it fast enough? What about security? It has been an important topic at 95% of the marinas we've spent time with over the past year. Seriously, 95%. It's likely an issue at your marina.
(1:03) This isn't surprising as we've seen a huge increase in the number of devices onboard and much higher connectivity expectations. Many marinas have older (only 3-5 year!) WiFi systems that are showing their age at a time when smart phones, iPads, and smart TV's are causing more demand for high speed internet. We're also at a point where there's an influx of cruisers that are more comfortable with all of these technologies. As these things come together, we find ourselves in the middle of a WiFi Perfect Storm.
(0:52) When we began cruising nearly 12 years ago, many boats had one laptop onboard that often ran a navigation program and might occasionally be used for email if you could get to a cafe or library. Early on we began accessing free WiFi most often from nearby homes or businesses. No one worried, or maybe understood, about security then. We were one of the first boats to have our own long range WiFi antenna allowing us to access signals from miles away. We had to build it ourselves from commercial parts.
(0:41) Fast forward to boaters in 2014 and you will find boats that have at least 2 laptops (and often more), one or more internet smartphones, tablets, and even a smart TV that all connect to WiFi. Many have off-the-shelf long range WiFi capabilities. Not only have the number of devices increased many times over, the connectivity speed needed for those devices has grown exponentially. It's no longer good enough to access email once a day. Boaters want (need?) access to news, weather radar, and online movies and Skype to visit with family. And the needs continue to expand with things like Facebook and eBoatCards providing new ways to stay in touch with others.
(0:27) Fast forward to marinas in 2014 and you have aging installations that are having increased problems meeting the demand. The systems installed appear to have little growth or scalability design to allow them to meet today's needs let alone next year's. And we know that demand is not going to decrease next year.
(0:19) Increasingly marinas have been turning to us for guidance. While ActiveCaptain keeps us busy more than full time, we believe this issue is critical and are working to find a solution. The full solutions will come from multiple directions: a) educating boaters on how to best use their equipment, b) finding companies capable of offering the right solutions, and c) helping marinas understand how they can readily afford it, if not save money over what they're doing today.
(0:09) WiFi is a genie out of the bottle. It won't go back in and is here to stay. But I believe I can help you understand how to manage the genie and bring you more business. Stay tuned for more minutes about thriving in this Perfect Storm.
(0:02) And that's the marina minute.
