With a goal of building the strongest boat owner communities in the industry, Nautic Global Group is utilizing the latest technologies, engagement strategies and communication tools to completely revitalize the existing Owner's Club programs for its Rinker, Hurricane, Polar Kraft, Sanpan, Aqua Patio, Sweetwater, and Parti Kraft brands.
"We have seen the incredible power of social media to engage our owners one-on-one, whether it's sharing tips on operating their boat, handling customer service questions or giving them a chance to communicate with other owners," said Marketing Director Steve Tadd. "As an extension of that, it makes sense to create a cohesive `on-domain' community to encourage communication among owners, as well as with our employees, vendors and suppliers."
Ultimately, the new Owner's Clubs are designed to significantly improve the overall customer experience. Their revitalization will potentially reduce support costs at the dealer and manufacturer levels, as well as improve product development through owner feedback, both of which will contribute to the success of this goal. In addition to the latest in easy-to-use forum technology that promotes sharing across a variety of social mediums, the overall engagement strategy includes a comprehensive archive of basic boat-handling tips and product-specific documentation, as well as targeted photo and video contents.
"Boat owners, especially first-time owners, are put in a position of learning an entirely new vocabulary, and they can face challenges they might never have thought about," said Tadd. "We want to help make that process as easy as possible. For every call or email we get from new owners, you can bet there are still other questions that don't get resolved, simply because [customers] don't know where to go. There is a great focus in the industry on providing resources for general boating questions, but when you get to each individual brand level, we believe these tools will enhance their ownership experience and provide a better sense of community."
To launch and manage the new programs, Nautic Global Group has expanded its relationship with industry veteran Steve Rosenberg and his social media company, Avid Custom Media. Rosenberg, the former publisher and editorial director for Boating World magazine, has hosted and produced more than 200 product and instructional videos across Nautic Global Group's brands over the past two years, as well as handling a number of content-related projects for the company.
