SVN solovelanet

30 SVN Solovelanet Global Vita da velista Divide et impera The mistakes made by major yacht builders Market by Jean Bonnet A t boat shows, when we hear managers of major yacht builders saying "we have sold everything" or "there is no longer even one boat available", we instincti- vely think that the market is doing real- ly well and that in October the production of major shipyards such as Bénéteau or Dufour is already sold out, but this is not the case. The "sold out" of which these executives are talking refers to dealers' purchases. Over time, shipyards have abandoned the idea that the "Customer" with a capital C is the yacht owner, i.e. the one who will use the boat, and at present they only see their end customer in the dealer who buys boats at the beginning of the season. A con- venient customer to deal with, because he cannot discuss: it is the builder who decides about prices and discounts, and if the dealer disagrees, he will be replaced. This can be done because dealers are no longer required to be able to manage customers and to provide a high-level service. A dealer is a sel- ler of boats, period. If he is also professional enou- gh to provide after-sales service, all the better, but if he does not, he will not suffer any consequences as long as he continues to buy the agreed quantity of boats. The yard doesn't even care if sales territories are respected or not: these have now become abstract ideas that no one takes into consideration any more. All this is creating many problems in the market. Many buyers fall for an extra discount point and pur- chase from the first comer, only to later find themsel- ves alone to face delivery delays or the problems that all new boats have, and realize that, to get out of the mess they put themselves into, they will have to spend much more money than they saved in the purchase. In the long run, such a situation is going to discourage people from approaching the purchase of a new boat, and perhaps then builders will realize that it is always the end customer who changes the game. Decisions are always made by those who will actually have to sail with the boat, and if they deci- de that a certain yacht brand, however famous and coveted, is no longer capable of providing a servi- ce that gives them peace of mind, they will move to another builder's product. (Divide and rule)

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