Yesterday, November 18, 2013, saw My-Villages, a top provider of marine mobile technology, announce that its Web and mobile-based communication and service coordination platform for boat owners as well as marine businesses, The Boat Village, is officially live for the start of the Marine Dealers Conference & Expo (MDCE).
Having completed an extensive, 12-month, invitation-only testing program with some of the industry’s best-known boat builders, equipment manufacturers and service yards, My-Villages has opened registration allowing owners and businesses to sign up for the company’s free, Premium or Professional editions of its digital collaboration tool.
The Boat Village Premium service and Professional edition are cloud-based technologies that run on any computer or mobile device, offering a two-way communications tool to exchange information with boat owners that can dramatically improve customer support. It provides access to the vessel’s equipment inventory, operating manuals, usage trends and other critical information, as well as automated maintenance reminders, electronic service requests and a dynamically updated service history. Images and video are supported, and technicians can provide real-time status updates on work in progress.
With this announcement and the company’s recent acquisition of DockMaster, the marine industry’s leading business management system, My-Villages now provides solutions that extend across marine business, from management all the way to the hip pocket of the customer. This end-to-end capability allows companies to truly connect, communicate and collaborate with customers in ways never before possible in the industry.
Manufacturers use The Boat Village as an information hub to educate customers on equipment and gain insight into how their products are used. Service facilities, including yards, dealerships, marinas and yacht management facilities use The Boat Village Professional edition to streamline and optimize service for their clients.
“At Hinckley, we are known for our technological advancements in boat building and are committed to delivering the same level of innovation in the service industry,” said James McManus, CEO of The Hinckley Co. “We recognize that to stay competitive and continue to be a leader in the marine industry, companies must engage with customers on a more proactive, expeditious and modern manner. With The Boat Village, companies no longer need to accept the status quo for product service.”
Regal Boats uses My Boat Village to give customers the latest technology to simplify boat ownership. “When we saw the ability for Regal owners to coordinate service electronically and share advice in real time, we knew this was something we wanted to offer Regal customers,” said Robert Denney, senior manager for dealer and customer relations at Regal Boats.
The Boat Village free service provides owners with access to the largest database of manufacturer maintenance recommendations in the industry, as well as advice, videos and other information shared by a community of boat owners and marine professionals. Because The Boat Village allows boaters to share knowledge, it functions much like an industry-specific social network. Individuals can create a profile, follow companies and fellow boat owners and share advice.
The free portion of The Boat Village was rigorously tested in cooperation with companies and organizations like Kadey Krogen Yachts, Westerbeke, Cummins, Marina Life and the ABYC. To test The Boat Village Premium service, the company leveraged its growing Innovation Partner Network—which includes companies like The Hinckley Co., Regal Boats and Saunders Yachtworks—to develop the product.
“Our industry partners really rolled up their sleeves and helped us develop The Boat Village,” said My-Villages founder and CEO Kevin Hutchinson. “We are extremely grateful for their feedback and time they have taken to help us build this innovative software service.”
Marine businesses can create a free account on The Boat Village and begin communicating with customers right away. To learn more about how to use The Boat Village to improve customer engagement and support, or to inquire about becoming a My-Villages Innovation Partner, contact info@myvillages.com.
