At the 2016 Monaco Yacht Show, Heesen Yachts will be announcing a new set of services, part of the Dutch shipyard’s mission to work successfully with clients beyond a superyacht’s delivery. “We are working with our clients not only until the moment we build and deliver the boat, and when it is serviced in warranty, but throughout the whole operation. It’s about keeping our clients in the family,” Heesen Yachts’ fleet service manager, Inno Gunsing, tells SuperyachtNews.

“We have branded our yachts, and the next step is to brand our services,” Gunsing explains. These service will become the shipyard’s four-pillar strategy, comprising Heesen Yacht Management, Heesen Original Spare Parts, Heesen Refit and Heesen Academy, the latter of which is a programme to train crew from all department – interior, deck and engineering – to bring maximum awareness to the owner’s requirements during a yacht’s lifetime.

The four-pillars are mix and match; clients are not required to use the services of any. If they don’t feel they need management, then they won’t use this service; however, if three years later they would like the support of the shipyard’s yacht management division, they will be welcome to it.

The management pillar will be in conjunction with Jansen Maritime Services, and the crew training (the Heesen Academy) with Interior Yacht Services. SYBAss is, in fact, now a supporter of the Professional Yachting Association’s (PYA) GUEST (Guidelines for Unified Excellence in Service Training) Program, and Heesen Yachts is vocal in its understanding of the importance of well-trained crew. “It’s all about awareness, and we think if you can bring an awareness to the crew,” explains Gunsing. “An awareness not only that they need to be well trained, but that they understand they are in a floating hotel, and that there is a big difference between luxury and high-end users, it will bring an extra dimension. This is exactly what we are trying to give the boat and the client, and we want everyone, including the crew, to have the same picture of excellence and quality.”

This new strategy was in development prior to the appointment of Mr. Brouwer, but since his appointment he was very open to the idea, and he was motivated to develop it further.

In March 2016, Arthur Brouwer was appointed CEO of Heesen Yachts, and Gunsing points to Brouwer as one of the advocators of this next phase of business for the yard. “This new strategy was in development prior to the appointment of Mr. Brouwer, but since his appointment he was very open to the idea, and he was motivated to develop it further. This next stage for the shipyard is certainly a result of the open mind of Mr. Brouwer and his management team,” says Gunsing.

The shipyard is responding to comments echoed by captains: that a shipyard shouldn’t just be about building and delivering, but about maintaining that relationship with the client. And this is exactly what Heesen Yachts is hoping to do with its four-pillar strategy. “Our goal is to stay close to the owners and let them have extra enjoyment of their yacht. If the crew are working 100 per cent and if the yacht does not have parts that are failing, then we really do believe the client will benefit from a far great enjoyment of their yachting experience, because it’s all about the experience.”

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