Eight weeks was largely Waiting, and now it’s finally happening again. Now, because shops and stores are allowed to open almost all boats look and buy again possible, and also the German tourism regions for guests to step way back.
float has made a survey of boat dealers from all over Germany and asked how to do it to Corona more. More than a dozen entrepreneurs answered our questions in detail. What knowledge brings the experience of the last two months for the future of the industry, we have summarized here.
“protective masks are ready for you”
Who wants to buy a boat, now back at the dealer a look. In compliance with the spacing rules of the boat tours and advice are allowed again. Even the first “open days” were held – with the note “the protective masks are ready for you”. We’ll get used to it.
mouth protection is compulsory © Baltic Sea Resort Float magazine
In the time before little went to The Showroom, and the Shop – entrance for employees only. No open houses, no traffic, no visitors. So it looked, until recently, when stationary boat trade in Germany, since Corona everywhere the public life.
We asked at the end of April and in the last week, what are the concrete, immediately perceptible effects of the Corona pandemic had on the boat trade. Some of the traders had closed their business entirely, others said only the test drives on site and at the shipyards. Until Easter, it was, as in the Maritime, wholesale, for many of the boat dealers in terms of revenue, very quiet.
The shipyard as the eye of the needle
Many international shipyards have the boat production is restricted or temporarily completely shut down. Thus, in the case of the large boat shows in the autumn and Winter presented the premieres already in place are not always available.
boats prior to delivery in the case of Jeanneau © Float magazine
shipyard availability was – and is until today – from brand to brand. Some manufacturers report to float a Extra Boom in certain brands after Easter. The reason is that Other shipyards were unable to deliver. In the case of other dealers, in turn, only smaller models run.
“For us, it was fortunate that we had ordered boats essentially already in place, as the Shutdown began,” says Catina Burchardi of aquamarine boats from Werder. “So, we were able to ordered boats as is actually always for our customers to prepare and cranes, and then under the distance rules also passed.”
Catina Burchardi © Kerstin Zillmer Float magazine Andreas Marz © MYM Float magazine If the customer is not permitted to Boot the
is Not always the deliveries, the shipyards were the eye of the needle: In some regions, could not be passed because of the entry restrictions, sold boats, says Andreas Marz of Müritz-Yacht-Management on a float request. He is situated in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania; the particularly strict regulatory state, it has only recently been open again for guests.
In Schleswig-Holstein, in turn, deliveries of rebooting, ran in the April “all according to Plan,” says Dines Pontoppidan Diamond Yachts in Laboe. “We have no delays, the shipyards deliver on time, and we will bring the boats into the water and handed them to the owners.” German boat manufacturers, such as Europe Marine market their boats also produced during the shutdown – and delivered easily, “since our consultations and deliveries take place constantly under the current protection measures,” explains Sybille Nuremberg of Europe Navy.
Nils Schürg © Blue Yachting Float magazine Sybille Nuremberg © Europe Marine Float magazine, The Top 3 customer questions
when are you going back out on the water? sailors and boaters asked shortly before the Start of this season, regardless of whether a boat purchase decency. The Top 3 questions of potential boat buyers in the last eight weeks were occupied mainly with our own ship:
- Can produce the shipyard still?
- we Get our boat?
- when shall I come?
In the case of larger ships, which were already paid, and asked for intensified future owner now, whether your Deposit is protected by a Bank guarantee. And if the boat is, the current Situation has cost more later. A lot have asked where you can go boating. Many deliveries have been in the short term – from the planned course abroad in Marinas spent diverted in our waters, because it was not certain whether you can drive in the holiday area at all.
Many boat deliveries were in the short term to domestic © Lars rice mountain magazine Float stay-at-home, online
Corona go fell right in the middle of the time of the downstream business to the boot Dusseldorf and the mostly cancelled spring fairs. The impact of the closures intercept, has made the trade, what did starting in mid-March, the majority of the citizens: at home and go online.
Diligently been digitally equipped and posted: from Social Media campaigns and newsletters to raise awareness of the situation up to a virtual 360-degree Tour of the real Showroom. “We have dosed sent information on the Homepage and via Newsletter about our products,” says Richard Gründl, multi-brand dealer for Jeanneau and Zodiac in the North.
Corona generated charm-Offensive,
was The essential message of the silent weeks: “do Not exert pressure and breathing,” explains Nils Schürg of Blue Yachting from Bremen. Dines Pontoppidan commented: “The majority of customers are pleased to hear from us.” – even if not in the short term to the financial statements.“
Richard Gründl © Gründl boat import Float magazine Dominik Entzminger © Boat Solutions Float magazine
The entire style has become more careful, and it can be assumed that the usual contact with the customer will change in the future. Dominik Entzminger, chief of the Boat Solutions on the Ammersee, with the Corona-crisis, the Chance for a “friendly and eco-conscious interaction between the customer, dealer and supplier”. Include now in the fast-track procedure introduced Tools in the boat business, also with new techniques such as video conferences and shipyard webinars. “I am determined,” said Nils Schürg, “more Online Meetings with my clients and travel less.”
New Tool: the video conference © Chris Montgomery Float magazine, there is No clear Trend – or is it?
Many traders are expecting a real Run on new boats in the course of this year – provided that the Corona-pandemic tightened up again. This Boom has been used already. The reason is simple: holiday travel abroad, especially expensive long-distance travel and the boat Charter, is likely to be for some time only with the pull-UPS possible. Here is the situation from week to week, and thus the behaviour of Boaties who want to on the water changes.
“It could generate for our customers a response: Now more than ever,” says Richard Gründl. Whether there is catch-up stores in the new boat range, also depends on the delivery times of the yards for the season. And so some suspect the used boat market will first start again. “Customers will increasingly upgrade their existing boats and, therefore, an investment in a new boat, move on.” is Björn Eismann of Premium Boating in Potsdam, is convinced.
No clear Trend, there is the assessment of how well-2021 could be from the point of view of the boat dealer. “This is a look into the crystal ball,” says Andreas Marz. The views vary widely. They range from the expectation of “a sustained recession” that will hit the boat market “as hard as for the financial crisis”, as Oliver Kulzer of Kiel water from Werder to concerns.
boat and Fun Inwater in Werder © Kerstin Zillmer Float magazine
On the other hand, the expectation of the boot Düsseldorf 2021 “has been a turning point of the situation”. Then, as Nils Schürg says, “will focus clients might be more to life” Already in September, the Cannes Yachting Festival to take place regularly, so in any case, the expectation of the organizers. The German autumn boat shows in Werder, Friedrichshafen and Berlin are so far in the Plan.
The industry is online
One thing is clear: The industry migrates to sustainably and quickly in the direction of online in the own organization and in the marketing. This is the realization that almost all of the interviewed entrepreneurs as a development opportunity from the Corona theme. “The boat trade will spread more and faster on the Internet”, says Andreas Marz.
The content with which customers are addressed, it will always be digital: with information available online, Social Media, Videos. Aquamarine boats from Werder operates as one of the few companies in its own video channel on Youtube. Here are the new models from Prestige, Marex and Jeanneau with a filmed Board will be presented tours.
in The boat industry goes online © Campaign Creators Float magazine
You will develop the digital Marketing, says Pardo and Saffier-importer Dines Pontoppidan: “at The Moment it is off the direct approach is the only possible channel.” And in the future, thinking: “Here we are working on new solutions that will be with us even after the crisis.”
This article was written by Stefan Gerhard
*The post “What is my boat dealer actually do?” is published by float magazine. Contact with the executives here.
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