If You Were in Charge

[RicM]

Seeing as though there's no real boating to talk about at this time of year, and there's no real Albin company anyway, let's talk about what if. What if Albin was about to return to production, and you were in charge, what would you do first? How would you change the line? What would you WISH for?

[Legacy]

I'd streamline the number of different boats made, create easy to use owners manuals for each, whip quality control into place, build a much better website and sales materials, advertise appropriate for the target audience, work with the dealer network to hear what they need and want, develop an incentive program for employees and dealers as they hit various milestones and reward and work with the operators of this website to hear directly from passionate fans. But that's all!

[Mariner]

It's hard to say what one would change, since I have very little insight into how things already are (or were).

However, one would obviously want to apply whatever good business principles they bring with them. Mine include recruiting the best possible skilled labor possible for assembly and layup; using only high quality components, and making the most out of available resources through process design. I would outsource whatever can be accomplished at lower cost without a loss of quality, but keep everything else in-house. The company is too small for vertical integration, but it's still important to maintain control over quality. The company needs to take a completely different approach to customer service. You need to make the owners feel like when they buy the boat, they're joining a family. The company should organize rendezvous' and cruises, and take an active role in technical support. Other companies do this with great effect. Albin, as we all know, failed miserably.

As for the product line, I would try to focus a little more on boats that will actually sell. I know Albin has experimented a lot and created some great concepts, but very few of those experiments have paid off. Those experiments should be seen as concept inspiration rather than model lines that should be clung to until they're horribly unprofitable and then abandoned.

The successful boatbuilders have figured out that you can't survive as a one-model company. You have to capitalize on peoples' 2-footitis. Start by offering small boats, and work your way up in similar configurations while adding ammenities that your core market wants.

The 26' CC is a great concept. The idea of a diesel inboard center-console is something that I think has a lot of potential. It's a hard sell, but it's one that I think you can make if you produce and market it correctly. The first thing I'd do, is scale it down and add a 20' variant. Maybe it wouldn't even be diesel, but it would be an inboard. It would be an alternative to boats like Grady Whites and Boston Whalers. That will get a large market segment looking at the boats. At some point, they might want to step up to the 26'. Offer the 26' in both a Center Console and cuddy cabin arrangement. I know they already do that, but I think I would tweak the cuddy cabin model. It should be an inboard, not an I/O. Keep the 28' as-is. It's a popular model and with some slightly improved quality. Your competetition in that market is Sea Sport, Grady, and the like. I would probably drop the 31' and focus in the 35' TE. The 31' is too similar to the 28' and doesn't really offer much more in the way of comfort. The 35', however, is a substantial boat. The accomodations need to be top notch. Your competition in that market is Sabreline and other similar Downeast yachts. Those buyers expect the best quality, and are willing to pay for it. You need a 40' model, but the existing model is a horrible design. You have to design something that makes better use of the space. When I was on that boat at the boat show, I couldn't believe how a 40' boat could feel smaller than than every other 36' trawler out there. Yet somehow they managed to do it. Go with a more traditional aft-cockpit design. I would drop the entire Command Bridge line and re-use the existing 45' hull mold for a new, regular flybridge model. I know the people that own the CB's like them, but I don't the general public likes them. They are strange looking, and don't make sense to the average buyer. They want big windows in the salon through which to take in the view, and a high vantage point from which to navigate the shallows and spot fish.

Take that product line, step up quality control and customer service (big time), raise your prices accordingly, and I think people will buy it. Build on it, and you can develop repeat customers, which is the bread and butter of any business.

[RicM]

How about a one piece windshield on the TE's ? A single sheet of safety glass with 2 bends to fit the same profile but with no mullions to block your forward vision. Yes you'd loose the opening center window, but a sunroof style opening would probably suck in more fresh air both underway and at anchor.

[jcollins]

It's easy to say "it's easy", but it really is. I have had a successful business life and have learned many things. There are a few things that I live by today.

Surround myself with people that know more than I do and leave my ego at the door.

Focus on customer satisfaction and support. Stick to the core products.