Marina Dock Age, July/August 2005

Seek Solutions, Not Programs
Changing the way marinas look at software
By Tim Keogh

It seems that every time an industry conference takes place, a hot topic of discussion is marina management software. Although this is a positive trend towards improving the overall performance and professionalism of the marina industry, there’s no consensus on the subject.

For marinas, purchasing a software solution is a major investment that should be part of a well thought out plan to improve the way a marina conducts business. There are a number of programs on the market, but finding the right one is not as easy as one might think.

As both a buyer and seller of marina software, I would like to offer a unique perspective on the subject of marina software. Here is the way marina operators should view their software, define the questions they should be asking themselves when making software purchasing decisions, and describe the benefits a good software solution can and should provide to their businesses.

Terminology

When speaking about software, marinas need to use the term “solution,” and not “program.” Although this may seem like splitting hairs, it really isn’t. This is an important distinction that can help change the way marinas think about software and management tools.

There is a difference between a software program and a software solution. When people think about software programs, they often think about the games that can be played on their computers, such as solitaire or Super Mario Kart. In other words, programs are for entertainment and development is focused on graphics and pictures.

When thinking about software solutions, people think about changing data and numbers into information that can be used to make informed business decisions. A software solution is a technology that has been developed to solve problems associated with the operation of a business. A software program looks nice on the surface, but provides little in the way of useful information.

This shift in terminology is not trivial. When marina operators start to think about software as a solution, they will find themselves moving past superficial ideas. They will start to ask important questions about the business of owning and operating a marina.   Continue »

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