seeking opinions/thoughts etc

[monkey_trousers]

testing the water here.

I've been asked to put a proposal together for a website by a large marine safety company

currently they service mainly offshore industry and coded/commercial sector

their idea is to encourage people to keep track of their safety equipment - pyros, liferafts, beacons, jackets etc

free service, folks can register on the site and create their personal inventory of all the kit they've got on board that is date critical, so the system can send them an email 2 or 3 months ahead of the expiry date of their pyros, raft service date etc etc

would that be something that would appeal to the leisure market? Do you think its a good idea?

I'm not gonna turn the work away if they press the button on it, but am curious to see what the uptake/response might be

 

[gjgm]

not sure many leisure craft have enough equipment to merit this. RYA is just suggesting that the number of flares can be reduced due to other safety measures now available, and anyway, most people keep flares past their date, I suspect. I might take a run through of bits and pieces at the beginning of the season, but thats about it.

 

[sarabande]

Outsourcing this task is outsourcing risk, and unless there is going to be some form of performance warranty (e.g. an indemnity if the French find you have some OOD flares) or a very restrictive contract that the safety company is not responsible for any such matters) then I'd prefer to stick to managing my own risks.

I presume that the hope is to remind someone that the liferaft needs a service, and then provide that service ? It's a form of guardienage really.

I can't see much take-up from small boats, and big ones will have a professional crew anyway.

 

[stefan_r]

Limited excitement from me...

At the beginning of each year I'll have a wander through all my kit, and food, , suntan lotion, charts and whatever else as a bit of a springclean/readiness preparation.

In that shufty I'll see what needs renewing...having something accurate to the day...not so much.

I can see it being helpful as a bigger application - recording kit, serial numbers - more of a theft-related site...but I have all that stuff in a spreadsheet anyway...

 

[SandgroperWA]

Limited excitement from me...

At the beginning of each year I'll have a wander through all my kit, and food, , suntan lotion, charts and whatever else as a bit of a springclean/readiness preparation.

In that shufty I'll see what needs renewing...having something accurate to the day...not so much.

I can see it being helpful as a bigger application - recording kit, serial numbers - more of a theft-related site...but I have all that stuff in a spreadsheet anyway...

I am in a web development company down under and I think the key to its success would be how you promote it and wether the WIIFM is enough to warrent the punter in filling it out. I doubt it. People need to be 'incentivised' to do anything with out reward. Cheers

PS Maybe run it with a competition if they are keen.