In the spring of 2015 we were contacted by the owner of the 21m catamaran Imagine Heaven. He was referred to us by our long standing clients of the Lagoon 620 Crocodile Daddy. Initially he only wanted to sign up for our Crew Management service. He told us his 7 year old yacht was in need of a respray among other jobs. A superyacht consultancy company had refused to help him as they didn’t bother with yachts below 44m. So he automatically turned to the Pocket Superyacht Experts of Invisible Crew.
More than 2 years into our cooperation we asked him some questions. We were very proud of the answers and Mr. Bouwen encouraged us to make them public so we can help more owners that were in his position!
I.C: How did you come across Invisible Crew and what kind of services were you looking for exactly?
Mr B: A business relation of mine who also has a 20 meter catamaran recommended Invisible Crew to me. I told him that I had owned Imagine Heaven for 7 years already but now I was lacking the time and energy to follow up on the many aspects involved; maintenance, crew, exploitation,…
I.C: You have completely outsourced the management of Imagine Heaven to Invisible Crew. Do you feel sufficiently informed on options and involved in decisions, such as choosing subcontractors?
Mr B: I always receive a list of motivated options. I have choices and can make educated decisions.
When I do the math, I am convinced that with Invisible Crew, I even save costs. I’ve been saved from a whole number of unjustified, useless expenses. Invisible Crew’s information and network in yachting is much more expansive than mine.
I.C: In terms of crew management, where do you feel the added value of Invisible Crew comes in?
Mr B: It is not just a matter of finding the best staff, it is key to find crew that is coherent to the atmosphere, the size,… call it the DNA of the yacht. At Invisible Crew they sense this very well. They don’t overload you with a database of CV’s. They sensed what we needed and proposed a number of CV’s that fell into those criteria. To be able to do that, one really needs to understand both the supply and demand in the story.
I.C: Do you feel it is beneficial for the crew too?
Mr B: Yes, Invisible Crew selects a crew that fits the yacht, consequently the crew will feel good on that yacht. Crewing is not a straightforward job. So it is paramount to create a good environment for the crew itself.
I.C: How would you describe Jens Oomes and your interaction with him?
Mr B: Jens has worked on the other side of the story too. He is also very empathic. He will enquire and interview you to find out what you are looking for. He also knows how to keep the correct distance. He will not “bother” you if it’s not required. In my case he takes the liberty to take certain decisions which has always worked for me. He also requests regular evaluation. Not to contemplate the past but to take on lessons to make improvements for the future.
I.C: Who would you recommend Invisible Crew to?
Mr B: Owners of small to midsize yachts, Pocket Superyachts, who require a concierge, engineer, financial adviser and butler all rolled into one.
