By Tracey Johnstone – from Sail-World
Multihull Solutions’ approach to customer service and cruising catamaran product packaging breaks new ground and sets the business ahead in the tough Australian yacht brokerage market.
Managing Director Mark Elkington established Multihull Solutions in Mooloolaba, Queensland two years ago bringing with him 15 years experience in broker and charter yacht business. The business concentrates on new and pre-owned cruising sail and power catamarans. The company motto of ‘service starts before choice’ is delivering good dividends as the business steadily grows its market share in Australia and New Zealand. ‘Seven out of 10 people are buying boats from us come from referrals and repeat business, and we have a 70 per cent turnover rate on our pre-owned boat listing.’
The service element of the business starts at the first contact and continues throughout the buying or selling process. Utilising the concept of relationship building, the team step a potential customer through a carefully and professionally managed process of consultation towards achieving a successful outcome and long-term relationship.
Queensland catamaran owners Val and Peter Sailsbury are advocates of the Multihull Solutions business approach. They purchased one of the first 40-foot Fountaine Pajots bought into Australia in 2005 when Elkington was running EC Marine. ‘We had a mono trailer-sailer for many years. Choosing a catamaran was about space and flatness which suited us as we wanted to live on board and go cruising. Once I had been on a catamaran there was no turning back. For extended cruising we love the cat as there is so much space indoors and outdoors.
‘We found dealing with Multihull Solutions very pleasurable. Any little problems that popped up have been solved with no hesitation. They do listen to what you want. And whatever you want done, they are there with their one-stop shop,’ Val said.
Val and Peter Salisbury camping onboard a Fountaine Pajot Trawler power catamaran waiting out the summer before returning to Fiji to sail their boat home – Multihull Solutions: – Multihull Solutions
Back to the drawing board and Elkington’s first question to a potential customer on meeting them is what is their plan. ‘We want to understand their cruising plan, their experience and then their budget,’ Elikington said.
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