Southampton Boat Show

[Pinnacle]

I went yesterday - spoke to the totty, explained I wasn't in need of a dealer and was on the 65 minding my own business in about 4 minutes

They clearly recognised a boat owner!

 

[Whitelighter]

They clearly recognised a boat owner!

I suppose when one owns a Ferretti it opens doors...

 

[Pinnacle]

I suppose when one owns a Ferretti it opens doors...

You and Deleted User!!!

 

[Whitelighter]

You and Deleted User!!!

Except his is (much) nicer than mine

 

[Portofino]

The gate keeper -irritation
There's a possible solution I saw it work @ Ferretti preview recently @ Monaco .
When you arrive you fill in a one size fits all form -fair enough identifies if you are an owner -which boat , where you keep it -etc .
Lady then uploads it to lap top and issues you with a Ferretti card .
Off you go
When you show up at a another stand -you flash your card ,they get you up (presume intergrated IT) on the lap top ,
Welcome you on board calling you your name .
A sales guy may arrive ,but not anybody -one more suitable to your profile ,

If he does arrive he,s holding a print out of the initial form ,so no need to keep repeating your situation -like -just looking
View to change in 12/12 - or in the what ever ft category etc .,open or FB -etc,etc -he,s got all that .

So thinking aloud with intergrated IT ,a smart card or app on your phone - you just flash that .
Data analysis post show could tell rhe organisers. Where you where @ what time -ie which stands etc
Moving further ahead with Tech. -you could complete your initial profile form -on line and get an app .

Any how I was told the Ferretti card was also live if I took it Cannes -cos same tech was used .It was
Thinking more ahead -you could edit it yourself to reflect any changes from year to year ,show to show .

Just a thought

 

[Blue Sunray]

Pete, this is the old Fairline gatekeeper system which, frankly, I thought had gone now because it puts a lot of people off, including me. The big problem is (at least in the past) that you always have to wait for 'your' dealer to become available and I was often told in the past that I had to make an appointment to come back when he was available. Well, no thanks, I will decide, not some bimbo on the front desk, whether I want to be shepherded around a boat by a salesman or not. The stupid thing is that the most popular stands such as Sunseeker and Princess don't operate this system and their sales don't seem to suffer as a result

I think some exhibitors should remember that the average punter has paid a lot of money to travel to the show and buy an entrance ticket and they don't deserve to be qualified if they just want to go on to any boat and dream

:encouragement:

 

[Whitelighter]

You mean one of these



It works very well, and provided a light lunch at Düsseldorf this year

 

[petem]

See jtb's post#70. The perception is somehow you are not welcome. I appreciate that may not be the intention, but as they say my perception is their reality.

All I can do is to reiterate what I've already said a number of times. The reception is simply to ensure that anyone who is remotely interested in buying a boat is dealt with efficiently. It's certainly not there to deter people from looking at the boats. If you don't want to leave your name then just tell them, the welcome you'll be given is just as warm (as lots of other people have testified).

Everyone always cites SS as running a great stand but I was there on Saturday and the queue to see the boats stretched from the top of the stand to the bottom. If I was genuinely interested in buying a boat I'd be pretty peeved.

And Princess, OK so you can walk straight on to most of the boats (the 75 or whatever it was was appointment only) but it's pot luck whether you'll actually be talking to a salesman from the dealership where you intend to keep the boat. What good is it speaking to the Barke brothers when you want to keep your boat in Italy or wherever?

I get why people are put off by closed stands, but they really shouldn't be. And the alternatives are flawed as well.

 

[petem]

You mean one of these

View attachment 60049

It works very well, and provided a light lunch at Düsseldorf this year

Name looks a bit iffy. Did you pinch it from someone else?

 

[Portofino]

You mean one of these

View attachment 60049

It works very well, and provided a light lunch at Düsseldorf this year

Yes thats it
We were provided with light refreshments on a Pershing 108 and offered more else where .
Point is -no irritation -just cut straight to the boats Qs

 

[Firefly625]

I am genuinly stunned that people get worked up by what others are wearing.
Is this some sort of inverted snobbery? I cant tell you what any of the boat dealers were wearing (OK, I think the sunseeker guy who had a chat with me about the M52 was wearing a blue shirt, but I cant be certain).

Oh, as the only person to mention shiny suits I guess I am the one to have "genuinely stunned" you! But rest assured jez I very rarely get worked up, I have a more interesting life than that. It was a tongue in cheek comment only..

 

[Firefly625]

James. You are touching on a thought process re my constant state of confusion with the fake tan brigade. I came to a clear conclusion as I have said in here before ( it did not go down well but hey ho) but that whole scene does not fit the ever changing, windy , often cold and general climate of GB. They are selling a boat that does not fit with GB boating very well in my humble opinion, for example when I see a large sun pad at the aft section of a boat, I just think.......why?

If it was the Med......well that is a whole different story, spent six summers in Puerto Banus on board a boat so I know that scene fairly well

Yes Paul, I think we are on the same wavelength. But way of the general forum views..

 

[petem]

Yes Paul, I think we are on the same wavelength. But way of the general forum views..

You do realise that a lot of those boats with big sunpads are actually ordered at the show and delivered to Mallorca and far flung places like that ?

Personally, I'd rather that than be stuck in some pokey cabin trying to avoid the rain.

But it takes all sorts doesn't it.

 

[Firefly625]

You do realise that a lot of those boats with big sunpads are actually ordered at the show and delivered to Mallorca and far flung places like that ?

Personally, I'd rather that than be stuck in some pokey cabin trying to avoid the rain.

But it takes all sorts doesn't it.

Of course, never said that was not the case.

 

[petem]

Of course, never said that was not the case.

No but you said you were on the same wavelength as Paul Saliss who said "They are selling a boat that does not fit with GB boating very well in my humble opinion, for example when I see a large sun pad at the aft section of a boat, I just think.......why?"

If there's another point you were trying to make then I'm afraid I didn't get it.

What I saw at the boat show was a huge variety of boats to suit all tastes and the industry should be applauded for that. I'll happily admit that the ones with the big sun-pads are the ones I aspire to. But I can understand that type of boating isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Pete

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Except his is (much) nicer than mine

All Ferrettis are class, Jez!

 

[girlofwight]

Last year the incredibly rude woman sitting in the Aquastar who looked me up and down and threw her eyes into the air probably took the biscuit.. Funny enough I didn't bother looking at the AS this year so she certainly did her job.

I see you, and I raise you... Two years ago, a shortlist of two builders, AS being one of them. Three hour factory visit, Guernsey, we weren't even offered a glass of water, let alone a cup of tea. Guess what... We didn't buy from AS... I didn't want a red carpet, but a hot drink on a cold winters day would be nice.

 

[Firefly625]

I see you, and I raise you... Two years ago, a shortlist of two builders, AS being one of them. Three hour factory visit, Guernsey, we weren't even offered a glass of water, let alone a cup of tea. Guess what... We didn't buy from AS... I didn't want a red carpet, but a hot drink on a cold winters day would be nice.

Incredible. But at the end of the day you ended up with a lovely Hardy 42, no regrets there I'm sure.

 

[Bigplumbs]

The gate keeper -irritation
There's a possible solution I saw it work @ Ferretti preview recently @ Monaco .
When you arrive you fill in a one size fits all form -fair enough identifies if you are an owner -which boat , where you keep it -etc .
Lady then uploads it to lap top and issues you with a Ferretti card .
Off you go
When you show up at a another stand -you flash your card ,they get you up (presume intergrated IT) on the lap top ,
Welcome you on board calling you your name .
A sales guy may arrive ,but not anybody -one more suitable to your profile ,

If he does arrive he,s holding a print out of the initial form ,so no need to keep repeating your situation -like -just looking
View to change in 12/12 - or in the what ever ft category etc .,open or FB -etc,etc -he,s got all that .

So thinking aloud with intergrated IT ,a smart card or app on your phone - you just flash that .
Data analysis post show could tell rhe organisers. Where you where @ what time -ie which stands etc
Moving further ahead with Tech. -you could complete your initial profile form -on line and get an app .

Any how I was told the Ferretti card was also live if I took it Cannes -cos same tech was used .It was
Thinking more ahead -you could edit it yourself to reflect any changes from year to year ,show to show .

Just a thought

I honestly don't think we need to live life by mobile phone and invent Apps for the simplest of things

 

[paul salliss]

Yes Paul, I think we are on the same wavelength. But way of the general forum views..

Hi James, I know you are correct, I am not entirely daft, and to be honest I don't post on here much any more, but the forum has given me some good advice from time to time and I am most grateful for that