When you promise Pocket Superyacht owners “worry-free ownership” like we do, you can bet you’ll always be looking at how things can be improved.
Pocket Superyacht owners are generally new to employing professional yacht crew. Pocket Superyachts are an entry-level size for professional crew. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
This is where Invisible Crew comes in, with mediation, soft skills, expertise and consultancy. We also help with logistics.
We have always advertised ourselves to owners. However, not every owner understands the value of our offer. Many owners think they “just need crew” and that any further support is unnecessary, or they prefer to take on the hassle of ownership themselves. Unfortunately, these are often the owners who need us the most.
We are seeing increasing demand from crew to involve us in the programme they are already working on, because they do understand the benefits. So perhaps it is time for us to tailor a service that can be offered directly to crew?
Just last week I had an inspiring conversation with an experienced Pocket Superyacht captain. He told me how he had to walk away from his last job. At the end of a first, successful season, the owners had asked him and his partner to agree not to spend any money on uniforms. The real kick in the teeth was the proposed salary reduction of €500 per crew member.
He went on to say that, had Invisible Crew been involved in the programme, the situation might perhaps have been salvaged. As it was, it ended in a lose-lose situation for owner and crew.
He told me this after I had shared the following thought with him:
It would make sense for crew to explain, during an interview with an owner, that they work with the support of Invisible Crew. Not only do we make that crew’s life easier with our support, but the owners’ minds can also be put at ease, knowing that there is further back-up available should something happen to their crew. This professional framework makes the crew more organised, confident and professional. And if, at that point, an issue such as the one described above arises, we are in a position to mediate. This is what we have been doing for the past ten years, and it has proven to increase longevity.
But mediation and repairing damaged relationships would not be the core of our offer. We could guide crew from beginning to end: from the start of the job hunt, through to professionally concluding a contract in order to take the next natural step up, and repeat.
We have a great deal of training material available that would make any Pocket Superyacht crew better at their job. It would also help them stand out during the interview and make their life easier once on the job!
It’s a concept we’ll keep brainstorming. All ideas and input are welcome!
