BLue Water Rally

[Onyva]

We have just returned from the 2005/7 BWR and would be happy to share first hand experience with others thinking of joining one in the future. Best way of doing this would probably be to send, as an attachment, a copy of the customer care survey (summary) conducted at the half way stage last August (2 pages). If anyone has any other suggestions, please shout as I haven't used this site for two years and am a little rusty!

 

[jonic]

Hi Glenn

Please send me your thoughts to my email address found in my link below.

Thanks

 

[gfbalduc]

Hi Glenn,

I'm about to leave with the 2007/09 BWR, so it's maybe a little late to ask for feedback at this stage, but I would be interested anyway! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Could you send it to my e-mail address (see profile, or the website in my signature).

Many thanks!!

 

[ccscott49]

I have PM'd you with my e mail address, thanks for any info you can give.

 

[Carling]

I have also PM'd you. I would be very mucjh interested in any information you could give me.

 

[ccscott49]

He seems to have disappeared, anybody get any info from him? If you did, please let me know.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Have a look here

Looks very interesting.

 

[rallyveteran]

The Blue Water Rally may be the best thing you ever do. but it may not... Look at:

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/878832/page/0/fpart/all/vc/1

among other threads

Rallyveteran

 

[Onyva]

Ok I think I have now, rather belatedly replied to everyone and apologies for the delay but 1) I had to go back to the boat (pc) for the file, and 2) after being away for two years we are on complete overload at the moment. Anyhow, just in case anyone else is interested I have copied the summary below. In terms of personal overview: the other ralliers, their support, camararderie and availability at the end of the ssb, were FANTASTIC. This is what the rally is all about. In terms of downsides: the weather (awful - we pretty much sailed all the way to Oz and motored all the way back!), the timescale (way too short for a circumnavigation - most people spent their time "in port" repairing, servicing, re-fueling, washing etc etc and were permanantly exhausted) and, in general terms, a pretty poor service from BWR themselves.

Here's what the rest said at the halfway stage:-

Executive Summary

Introduction
This Survey was carried out by participants of the 2005/7 Rally during October 2006 (feedback was restricted to one questionnaire per yacht)

Response rate was just under 50% (“participants” in this survey therefore refers to those who responded)

Not included in the survey were yachts that either recently joined the Rally or that had pulled out of the Rally along the way (e.g. Alera, Riff Raff, Clarabella, Fai Tira, Wildbird to name but a few) or indeed those that sunk (Fleur de Mer)!


The purpose of The Survey
To help “BWRL” understand which aspects of their service are valued & how they can be improved

To provide a top line view of the (2005/7) Rally to potential future participants

___________________________________________________________________________________


The following key strengths, weaknesses & opportunities
were gleaned from the written responses in questions 14 – 17

Key Strengths
Camaraderie & support from other participants
The supply of spare parts from the UK

Key Weaknesses
Incorrect or out-dated information
Support at formal Stopovers (from “BWRL”)
Lack of flexibility (from “BWRL”)

Opportunities

1. There is a very strong feeling that support at Stopovers could be improved with more pro-active support. Half the comments related to this area in fact. The most common suggestion being for the BWR support person to arrive at least a few days in advance of the fleet to iron out any problems (e.g. with berthing), and to confirm or correct any outdated information (13 mentions)

2. Provide weather information to Net Controllers for the major ocean crossings (4 mentions)

3. Clarify exactly what is and what is not included in the service / fees, particularly at stopovers (4 mentions)

4. Solicit more formal feedback from yachts / skippers after each leg. This would provide opportunities to both improve future services and to update outdated / incorrect information e.g. The Rally Guide (4 mentions)

5. Provide a more meaningful, more up to date & more inclusive website – for many yachts this is the only means of “updating” friends & family on a day to day basis (4 mentions)

6. Introduce a more flexible timetable, and perhaps rate card, into “the offer” i.e. allow yachts to dip out of one Rally and join the next (2 mentions)



The following is a summary of the results from questions 1 -13 (the scoring system used is at the bottom of the page)

Summary (figure in brackets = average mean scores from questions 1 - 13)

•Half the yachts appear to be quite happy with the rally in general and its overall time frame (2.4). The other half appear not to be. Interestingly nobody would recommend the BWR to their friends

•Participants were clearly not satisfied with the quality of service provided by “BWRL” (1.6) and felt the quality of service was decreasing. Personally speaking, there has been a marked improvement since Kupang

•Overall, participants were unhappy with the quality of briefings. Routing scored the highest (2.3) and weather the lowest (1.6). Weather is a constant theme in the feedback…….

•In terms of “BWRL” support at stopovers:-
- there was a relatively high level of satisfaction for handling of mail & spares (2.7)
- a high level of dissatisfaction with berthing arrangements (1.1)
- only one yacht was happy with “social events” & trips organised by “BWRL”, although had this question
been by stopover there would be a very high level of satisfaction in places e.g. Tahiti & Singapore
- very mixed feelings over paperwork (2.3), re-filling of gas bottles (1.9), re-fuelling (2.4) &
Panama (2.0) with approx 50% happy / 50% unhappy

•In terms of “BWRL” personnel:-
- Richard came top with almost 70% of scores being 3 or 4. The only real “negatives” were to do
with his knowledge & pro-activity, although from the written feedback this would be significantly
improved if he arrived at stopovers well in advance of the fleet arriving rather than on the same day.
The same goes for Tony and Peter……
- Tony was next with average scores of between 2.0 - 2.4 (over 40% of scores were 3 or higher & almost
50% of yachts regarded his service as satisfactory). One exception was an apparent lack of flexibility! (1.4)
- Next was Peter with 4 of the 7 questions scoring between 1.6 & 1.7. Just under 20% of scores were 3 or
higher)

The Scoring System Used
4 = very good / very happy / very satisfied / very high level of service / very impressed
3 = good / happy / satisfied / above average level of service / impressed
2 = not good / not happy / not satisfied / below average level of service / not impressed
1 = poor / very unhappy / very unsatisfied / poor level of service / appalled

 

[Onyva]

Hi Jonn. Did send you a pm but was "returned to sender". Please see summary of survey results below - and enjoy thye med!

 

[Onyva]

Hi Colin - also sent you a pm as requested but also rejected. Please see summary of survey results below.

 

[BernardClarke]

Glenn, well done for taking this initiative. Do you think it worthwile conducting a full post rally survey using the distribution list from the reunion email? In view of the YM support to BWR I think that the Yachting Fratanity would benefit from some real customer feedback from past rally participents. Bernard 'Golden Eye of Chichester'

 

[BernardClarke]

Hi Glenn, typo correction should be 'fraternity' Bernard

 

[Onyva]

I am sorry Bernard - I've only just seen your mail - 2 months later!? And yes I do believe people would be interested, although it proved to be quite hard work last time round with very mixed emotions e.g. some ralliers were worried about upsetting BWR (Ltd)..........anyway, how are you doing!? Do you still have my email address? Cheers Glenn