After 30+ years in the business, 1-800 Yacht Charters is still doing the things that earned them the title of “World’s Best Private Cruise” as recognized by Forbes.com.
So how does the company continue to attract active, well-traveled clients when many of their competitors offer the same yachts? According to company President, Jana Sheeder, it’s all about “Focus.”
“We don’t charter yachts,” says Sheeder, “we deliver The Superyacht Experience to our clients.”
Jana Sheeder, President of 1-800 Yacht Charters and 1-800 BAREBOAT
Sheeder goes on to explain her company’s philosophy: “Our mission began with a simple question – ‘What would happen if we built our business for #generosity?’ Instead of assuming that people want to simply maximize self-interest, our decision to focus on generosity allowed us to cater to our clients’ deeper motivations to make the world a better place.”
“This focus has propelled us to move beyond the basic rental of yachts and to deliver a true Superyacht Experience. While our competitors focus on finding the customer the “right boat,” we choose to take a more holistic approach.”
When a #luxury yacht charter inquiry comes in, Sheeder and her team of consultants interview the potential clients to learn what makes them tick.
“Today’s affluent world travelers are looking for more than just a static vacation on a yacht, says Sheeder. “They’re wired, connected, and driven by sustainability and the greater social good.”
Sheeder says the clients hope to immerse themselves and participate in unique cultural events and #voluntourism, and their chartered yacht serves as a platform to an eco-friendly adventure. “It’s a chance to reconnect with family and friends, embrace diverse cultures, and rejuvenate mind, body, and spirit,” says Sheeder. She chuckles and adds, “Sometimes, we don’t even discuss particular yachts until our second or third conversation.”
Sheeder admits some clients are puzzled at first, as most charter brokers immediately try to match the client to a particular yacht and crew. “At some point, they realize our entire focus is on them,” says Sheeder. “We share with them our sense of purpose, our commitment to promoting yachts and crews dedicated to protecting our environment, and how we created our business for generosity. Then, we explain our ‘Best Price Guarantee’ – something no other yacht charter brokerages offer in our industry.”
For Sheeder, focusing on generosity, sustainability, and taking the time to learn what motivates her clients is a recipe for success and fosters a deep sense of fulfillment. “We create a bond where we and the client work together [holding her hands together with fingers entwined] – synergistically – not only to create a special experience, but to make a difference in the world.”
1-800 Yacht Charters – Delivering Your Superyacht Experience Since 1976(TM)
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Best Guarantee: We Will Meet or Beat ALL Competitors’ Rates
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Best Yacht Charter Destinations: Yachts in Dozens of Popular, as well as Exotic, Locales
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This entry was posted in Frequently Asked Questions Educational and tagged generosity, luxury, voluntourism, FilmFestivals, Formula1, FIFA, Olympic, fashionweeks, dronegrandprix, eco, giftivism, makeadifference, sustainability, freegifts
Posted onYou would think Delivering the Superyacht Experience to boating clients would be pretty straightforward: A client expresses interest in a yacht for a family vacation; the charter broker presents several options; and the client makes a selection.
In reality, it’s not nearly so clean and to the point – at least not for the handful of super-brokers who handle the world’s elite travelers. Just ask luxury yacht charter maven Jana Sheeder, President of 1-800 Yacht Charters.
According to Sheeder, matching a yacht to the client’s budget is just the starting point.
“While our clients are most interested in a yacht’s layout, amenities, and price, we dig deeper – into the yacht’s registration, the nationalities of the crew, and any governmental regulations and laws that might impact the success of the charter and comfort and respect of our clients.”
As an example, Sheeder mentioned the rules affecting yachts for hire in Spanish waters. “We’ve seen a significant increase in interest in Spain, particularly Balearic Islands yacht charter vacations,” says Sheeder. “Many yachts based in the South of France and Monaco are willing to deliver to the Balearics to accept theses charters. However, yachts not in possession of a Spanish charter license are at a significant disadvantage, and face restrictions as to where the charter can begin and end, and what nationalities are permitted in the crew. Something as simple as bringing on a Spanish resident to offer therapeutic massages to the charter guests could be a problem if the yacht is not licensed for charter in Spain.”
Other licensing and legality issues Sheeder and her staff monitor are:
“Not understating these regulations and laws can result in a negative experience for the charterer and guests, and in some cases increase the overall cost of the charter by 10% or more – a significant sum considering many charters are priced in the €500,000 to €1,000,000 per week range.”
Currently, Sheeder is monitoring the possible impact of French social security tax responsibilities on yacht crews. In March 2017, a decree was passed to require crewmembers and their non-French employers (the yacht owners) to make contributions to ENIM – the French mariners’ social security agency. Any yachts and crews spending more than 90 consecutive days in France or French waters are subject to the tax. The decree was suspended Sept 13, following a disastrous summer tourist season that saw France luxury yacht charter revenues plummet by 40%.
Sheeder is waiting to see if the decree is actually overturned in 2018, or if it will come back in a modified form. “These increased costs associated with crew wages end up being are passed on to the charterer, in the form of higher rates for yacht rentals,” says Sheeder. If the decree is reinstated, Sheeder plans to either offer her clients yachts with French crew, or to convince them to bypass French waters and charter elsewhere in the region.
Do affluent charter clients realize the level of detail involved in orchestrating a vacation on a superyacht? Sheeder chuckles at the question: “Probably not, but that’s fine with us. It’s like an attorney getting your traffic ticket dismissed in court. You don’t care how he or she does it – as long as you don’t have to pay the ticket! It’s a similar scenario for us – we obsess over the small details in order to deliver a memorable vacation experience to our clients. A pat on the back is nice, but a satisfied charterer who becomes a repeat customer is even better!”
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This entry was posted in News Educational and tagged 1-800 Yacht Charters, Personal Watercraft (PWC), Superyacht Trends, motoryacht charter, Jana Sheeder, Monaco yacht charter, Laws, president of 1-800 Yacht Charters, sustainability, yacht charter Balearics, rules, VAT, superyacht crew, maritime law, social security, yacht crew
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