Boat Fix expands to US with B2B branded service offer

Boat Fix, the telematic boat monitoring service in the UK for the past 28 years, is expanding to the US and seeking volume partners to rebrand and resell the service.

Boat Fix monitors vital components on a vessel and issues a simultaneous problem alter to the boater, via a phone app, and a Boat Fix advisor, who can interact with the boat owner in real time, 24/7 anywhere in the world.

Owner and CEO Alastair Crawford told IBI that boatbuilders, marinas, dealers, service centres and even insurance underwriters can offer a branded, aftersale customer support system through Boat Fix that would cost an ordinary business an inordinate amount of money to provide and counter a level of customer service in the boating industry that he calls“lacking”.

“It costs 10-times more to buy a boat than a car; it costs 10-times more to run a boat than a car and you get one-tenth the level of service,” he said. “We can offer a very cost effective and powerful 24/7 customer support for your business for very little money.”

Crawford said for many volume partners, the Boat Fix telematic device and three-years of monitoring service can be had for as little at US$200. Customised branding has a modest additional cost.

Overseeing the US roll-out from Connecticut, Crawford told IBI the service is affordable enough to focus on the large volume of smaller boats than might normally be considered for a value-added service of this kind.

“We’re not out there trying to sell you a black box,” Crawford explained. “What we want to provide is a telematic solution that should enhance your business and provide a very compelling ROI.”

Crawford is working with underwriters in the US to develop what he calls a “telematic insurance policy” modeled after Usage Based Insurance in the automotive industry.

“It’s all about the statistics of one. Rather than penalize a boater for irrelevant factors such as age or postal code, premiums are priced based on how the boat is used, as monitored by the telematic device.”

In fact, Crawford adds, with Boat Fix, “There’s nothing we can’t help [underwriters] save money on other than personal injury. We can help them on claims history with digital truth in real-time, monitored by an independent third-party.”

Crawford told IBI that the boating industry is recognised as being several years behind automotive and healthcare in use of telematics, “And that’s why, we’re effectively looking to disrupt it. In a very positive way.”