Innovative strategies to maintain boater loyalty

by Colin Bransgrove 5 May 2020 10:14 UTC

Sandringham Yacht Club © Colin Bransgrove

During the COVID-19 crisis Australian club and commercial marinas and boatyards have had to think quickly to deal with the sudden drop in demand for boating and related services. Innovation in the re-deployment of staff has also been necessary.

Victoria and North QLD have been the hardest hit by COVID-19 according to Marina Industries Association (MIA) CEO Colin Bransgrove. "Victoria has the most restrictive of State government directives while in North QLD the decimation of the tourism sector is equally impacting our members across the region. Innovative thinking has been critical where there is some demand for services. Strategy adjustments in line with the changing circumstances is going to remain essential during what may be a long recovery phase."

At Sandringham Yacht Club in Melbourne, staff re-engaged under the JobKeeper scheme are doing a wide variety of tasks including marina maintenance, cleaning, free of charge member boat washes, home delivery of foods, groceries and take away food and they have also introduced podcasts, a drive-thru car wash for members coming down to pick up food and a very popular community connect offer - which has brought 50 Members businesses together. The Club CEO Richard Hewett said "the immediacy of the shutdown meant we had to move very quickly and remain very agile in our thinking and decision making - and our mission is to use our resources including staff in activities that connects us with our members in a bid to try and stay relevant and offer value".

At one Perth Yacht Club the learn to sail class that previously attracted 20-30 people is now offered as multiple small group classes with a ceiling of nine people to ensure compliance with the latest COVID-19 directives. Many boat yards are offering a range of value-add incentives to customers to bring forward boat maintenance and repairs.

To support the sharing of innovative ideas during the COVID-19 recovery the MIA is hosting an on-line meeting of members on the 13th May. Marina members from the Middle East to NZ will be participating. Further details on this and other MIA activities to support members during the pandemic can be found on the MIA website.

Record number of suppliers at Marinas24
A must attend event for marina owners and operators On the back of an exhibition sell out at Marinas22, space was increased by 25% to accommodate for the extra demand and to provide delegates with a broader range of suppliers to connect with. Posted on 23 Apr

Marinas24 - 300 delegates register - 6 weeks to go
The exhibition is 25% bigger than Marinas22 and with only a couple of booths remaining With six weeks to go, over 300 delegates have already registered for the Marinas24 International Conference and Trade Exhibition (Marinas24). Posted on 17 Apr

Marinas24 Day 1 Schedule: Lessons & Learning
The conference program is designed to address a broad spectrum of industry issues With just five weeks until Marinas24 opens its doors, anticipation is building for what promises to be our biggest conference and trade exhibition to date. Posted on 12 Apr

Marinas24 keynote: Designing Marina Precincts
Set to be the highlight of the conference Marinas24 will open in just under two months and with the conference program locked away, now is a good time to look at the content that will be delivered by a diverse line up of keynote speakers. Posted on 4 Apr

'SailorGirl' to provide live coverage of Marinas24
Nic Douglass will attend the entire event to deliver commentary The Marina Industries Association (MIA) has engaged marine media commentator Nic Douglass, aka Sailor Girl, to provide media support services at Marinas24. Posted on 19 Mar

Superior Soiree at HSW - Marinas24 closing event!
Send-off for Marinas24 delegates after two fulling days of conferencing and exhibition The Superior Soiree at HSW will send-off Marinas24 delegates after two fulling days of conferencing and exhibition. Posted on 6 Mar

Marinas24 Conference Program announced
The two-day program will tackle a range of industry issues The conference program for the Marinas24 International Conference and Trade Exhibition (Marinas24) has been finalised and is available to be viewed now at Marinas-24.com. Posted on 27 Feb

Early-bird registration for Marinas24 Conference
This biennial event will take place 27 & 29 May 2024 at the RICC Brisbane While there is still three weeks to register at this rate, the Marina Industries Association (MIA) recommends you book early to ensure you can attend all the ancillary events, as some are limited in number. Posted on 25 Feb

AMI celebrates induction of new CMMs and CMOs
This achievement was celebrated during the annual AMI Conference and Expo The Association of Marina Industries (AMI) proudly announces its largest-ever class of Certified Marina Managers (CMMs) and Certified Marina Operators (CMOs), with a remarkable total of thirty-six professionals successfully completing certifications. Posted on 16 Feb

CYCA's Clean Marina & Fish Friendly Accreditations
The Clean Marina program helps marinas to evaluate their environmental processes The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) has been awarded the International Clean Marina and Fish Friendly accreditations following a rigorous independent environmental audit. Posted on 13 Feb

Innovative strategies to maintain boater loyalty

Related Articles