Software’s role

The business of operating a marina has changed over the years and involves more than just offering storage for boats. Today’s marinas are fast-becoming the centers of boating in the community, offering new convenience-based services. It is important that marina management be able to communicate these services to new and existing customers. Technology and software can help in that communication process. As the marina becomes the service center for all aspects of boating, it is important to have a system in place that will track the benefits of those services to customers and to the bottom line. When looking at a marina’s problem areas, a software solution should be aimed at improving staff efficiency and customer service.

Each year, marina operators spend thousands of dollars on repairs and maintenance, including the tools to perform the work, and this is just to maintain the condition of the property.

If marina operators start to think of software as a solution or tool, it will help them understand the benefits software can add to the business. If they view the antiquated processes through which they conduct business as being broken, then software can become the tool that can be used to fix and improve that process.

It is important to note that the software system should not change the way marinas conduct business. It should adapt to and improve the efficiency of the operation, and this point is crucial to the successful implementation of a software solution.

There are two basic ways that a good software solution can improve a marina’s business; the first is to limit expenses and the second is to increase revenue.

The most obvious benefit of a solid business solution is doing more work in less time. For example, with a software solution, a monthly invoice becomes a push-button task accomplished in a few minutes rather than the hours or even days it takes in some marinas. In other instances, marinas will have the ability to handle bookings and operations at peak times with no extra staff because the software will have significantly increased staff efficiency.

As a supplier of software to marinas, there have been some installations that allowed several marinas to increase their staff’s operating efficiency so as to require one less employee. It has often been said that employing one staff member for an entire year is often two to three times more expensive than the cost of purchasing a good software solution.

These are just a few examples, but they highlight the new ways marinas should think about how software can improve their business operations. It is not all about nice pictures and fun graphics; it’s about concrete evidence on how the solution can save money for the marina business.   Continue »

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