Hatteras Yachts Website

[capttonyf]

I was just on Hatteras' web site to see if there were any updates on the New EX series and any other info or pictures on boats being built, or in the planning process. The EX section is now showing a Standard Layout and deck plan. The 70MY is Now Showing Line Drawings of the GT70 but NO layout like before. If you click on the GT70 under Convertibles it shows a few new Line Drawings of the 70MY but just like the GT, NO Longer had deck layout drawings.

In other words, it's all backwards, multiple windows don't open and the ones that do have the wrong information. I don't know what's going on there and I'm NOT suggesting this in any way but in my life expieriences I know people that have been Fired for alot less.

In todays world, a website is the first introduction a potential customer has to your company. You know what they say about first impressions. When you can't get that right, what does it say about your company and what confidence does it instill in the customer. A customer might think, If they can't get something as simple as a web site to work should I trust them with the building of my multi million dollar yacht.

Food for thought. Vikings website works great and is updated daily with new information, pictures of their customers with their boats, upcoming events, contests, and fun facts. It's engaging and keeps the customers coming back to see what's going to be talked about next.

Who ever built Hatteras' website needs to fix and update the way it works, it's not very user friendly, it freezes, and it's very seldom that it's updated.

Anyone have any insight or thoughts on this matter?

Thanks

Tony

 

[Boatsb]

Considering the number of web hits lost from people that will never buy a new boat from them I would think the website is more of a convenience for the non buyers than a true sales tool.

If I were to be in the market to drop 7 + figures on a boat I would go to them in person and not surf the web.

 

[capttonyf]

Considering the number of web hits lost from people that will never buy a new boat from them I would think the website is more of a convenience for the non buyers than a true sales tool.

If I were to be in the market to drop 7 + figures on a boat I would go to them in person and not surf the web.

I agree that most people that look at the web site are not buying a new boat, and that if your were building one, you or your captain would go to the factory. Thats because they can only build and sell so many yachts per year and your marketing to less than 1% of the earth's population.

That being said it is still a great sales tool for both New and Used Hatteras'. It's the Face of the company and the cheapest form of marketing there is. If the site isn't going to work properly, and no potential buyer is going to look at it anyway, then why have it, why advertise a all, why spend $10,000 on a one page magazine ad. The Guy that wants the new boat is going to go to the factory anyway, right? They should just sit with their hands crossed and wait for someone to show up. It's called networking, showing off your product, showing how Hatteras won the tournament and not a Viking. It's showing how tightly nit the Hatteras family is, how proud their owners are, why they should become a Hatteras Family Member.

People state on this site all the time that it was the HOF, and the help shared amongst everyone that sold them to buy a Hatteras. Why wouldn't that be true about the factory site?

You have to show off your product, don't just sell the boat,,,, sell the expierience, sell the memories, the time with your family and friends.

Have a section where they post pictures of latest Hatteras activities and accomplishments of the factory and the owners. Viking has a section called "Shot of the Day" with their customers and yachts in action, and having a good time.

I don't buy for a second that the web site is irrelavent to a true buyer. A buyer will use every tool available. They will talk to people, brokers, yards and yes even look at websites. They narrow the choice on line, then make some calls to a saleman, or visit a few shows. Then they narrow it down again and visit a few dealers or factories. Then and only then they pick one and hope they made the right choice.

My point is, If what you said is true then why bother, why does any builder have a web site, why does anyone advertise? The web site IS Important and it should work properly. The site doesn't work well and if you look closely it wasn't built to add new products when necessary, the way they added and squeezed in the Express Series is a perfect example. They Pinched it in under Motoryachts, like it doesn't belong.

Maybe I'm reading into it to much but the site sucks, and there's no excuse. Multi Million Dollar Company with a website that doesn't work as well as the local Diner up the street that when you click on daily special it pops right up with a price and a description to boot. Ther's even a pre order botton so it will be ready when you get there. Go figure.

Tony

 

[Boatsb]

I agree that most people that look at the web site are not buying a new boat, and that if your were building one, you or your captain would go to the factory. Thats because they can only build and sell so many yachts per year and your marketing to less than 1% of the earth's population.

That being said it is still a great sales tool for both New and Used Hatteras'. It's the Face of the company and the cheapest form of marketing there is. If the site isn't going to work properly, and no potential buyer is going to look at it anyway, then why have it, why advertise a all, why spend $10,000 on a one page magazine ad. The Guy that wants the new boat is going to go to the factory anyway, right? They should just sit with their hands crossed and wait for someone to show up. It's called networking, showing off your product, showing how Hatteras won the tournament and not a Viking. It's showing how tightly nit the Hatteras family is, how proud their owners are, why they should become a Hatteras Family Member.

People state on this site all the time that it was the HOF, and the help shared amongst everyone that sold them to buy a Hatteras. Why wouldn't that be true about the factory site?

You have to show off your product, don't just sell the boat,,,, sell the expierience, sell the memories, the time with your family and friends.

Have a section where they post pictures of latest Hatteras activities and accomplishments of the factory and the owners. Viking has a section called "Shot of the Day" with their customers and yachts in action, and having a good time.

I don't buy for a second that the web site is irrelavent to a true buyer. A buyer will use every tool available. They will talk to people, brokers, yards and yes even look at websites. They narrow the choice on line, then make some calls to a saleman, or visit a few shows. Then they narrow it down again and visit a few dealers or factories. Then and only then they pick one and hope they made the right choice.

My point is, If what you said is true then why bother, why does any builder have a web site, why does anyone advertise? The web site IS Important and it should work properly. The site doesn't work well and if you look closely it wasn't built to add new products when necessary, the way they added and squeezed in the Express Series is a perfect example. They Pinched it in under Motoryachts, like it doesn't belong.

Maybe I'm reading into it to much but the site sucks, and there's no excuse. Multi Million Dollar Company with a website that doesn't work as well as the local Diner up the street that when you click on daily special it pops right up with a price and a description to boot. Ther's even a pre order botton so it will be ready when you get there. Go figure.

Tony

So are you ready to order a new hat or just bitching that even if you could afford to the website will not work?

Maybe they just don't want your business.

 

[capttonyf]

So are you ready to order a new hat or just bitching that even if you could afford to the website will not work?

Maybe they just don't want your business.

LOL, Both. Hoping they come out with a Sub 50 Convertible. Like a 3 Stateroom 45 to 48 and I may be VERY Tempted.

Tony

 

[Hatattack]

So are you ready to order a new hat or just bitching that even if you could afford to the website will not work?

Maybe they just don't want your business.

Well they can't have it then!!!





Not that I could afford a new one...

 

[sandspur1966]

Often companies will leave an old site up as a placeholder and just do minimal updates while constructing an entirely new one.

I agree though that even if this pure conjecture is correct, it seems that the information updated on the site runs athwart some of the rumors being circulated.

Apropos of nothing though, I still think the GT's are among the prettiest girls available anywhere today.

 

[saltshaker]

Interesting you mention Vikings website. I was looking for some info on Vikings site yesterday and it was not working at all. No info when you try to choose a model.

 

[worldsaway]

They are in fact working on the website and it is a work in progress which should be improved very soon. I agree advertising, including the web is very important. However I don't think that having a website that is not functioning as it should reflects on their ability to produce a high quality yacht. I prefer to compare the Viking boats to the Hatteras boats and not who can produce the most impressive website. The last time I looked at the Hatteras website it details many construction details of how they build their boats. The Viking website provides virtually no specific information about their construction and engineering. Viking website might work fine but sure doesn't provide much detail for someone truly wanting to compare their boats.

That being said, the Hatteras website should function properly and be user friendly. I'm sure you will see improvement with the website very soon.

 

[capttonyf]

They are in fact working on the website and it is a work in progress which should be improved very soon. I agree advertising, including the web is very important. However I don't think that having a website that is not functioning as it should reflects on their ability to produce a high quality yacht. I prefer to compare the Viking boats to the Hatteras boats and not who can produce the most impressive website. The last time I looked at the Hatteras website it details many construction details of how they build their boats. The Viking website provides virtually no specific information about their construction and engineering. Viking website might work fine but sure doesn't provide much detail for someone truly wanting to compare their boats.

That being said, the Hatteras website should function properly and be user friendly. I'm sure you will see improvement with the website very soon.

I understand what your saying about the web site shouldn't reflect on their boat building ability and to me and most sane people it doesn't. But the site should work properly. It seems in today's world a website is started even before the new business is off the ground. In some instances the business is there only because of the web site. I know a guy with a multi million dollar mail order business who had made deals with vendors to ship the product directly to the customer for him. He works out of his home office, no store front, no warehouse, just a website, phone, computer, filing cabinet and a Really good website. I actually thought Hatteras' site was better before they changed like a year or so ago. It just worked better and was more user friendly.

Either way I don't want to come a cross negative in anyway, Not Bitching. That's not my intention, I love and truely believe in the Hatteras Product. I want nothing more than to see the company succeed. I know they're investing large amounts of money to make this happen and a properly working web site is one of the least expensive things they can do to make people, "us", aware of what's going on. What direction the company is heading, and what models they maybe thinking about building. From the people I've spoke with there is a buzz in the yachting community about Hatteras right now, people want to know, and a good website is a great way to communicate with many people at once without having to even pick up a phone. They need to ride the wave of curiosity and start to pluck back some of the market share they gave up.

I'm excited for the future company, as I'm sure many of you are. I'd just like to see them get the information out there about what they're doing as soon as they know. The sooner they get it into the hands of the potential consumer, the better chance they have of converting them into a new Hatteras owner.

Jack, I also saw Vikings site went down for a while yesterday as well, go figure.


Tony

 

[Artzco]

It's not just the website which doesn't work well. i sent an inquiry through the site to ask a question over a month ago and still haven't received a response. Seems they are not monitoring or don't care.

 

[capttonyf]

It's not just the website which doesn't work well. i sent an inquiry through the site to ask a question over a month ago and still haven't received a response. Seems they are not monitoring or don't care.

That's exactly my point. Make it work properly, monitor it and make it a usefull tool for current and possibly new clients. If not, then why have it at all.

Tony

 

[drburke]

I agree with all of the above, *especially* Tony's comment about "monitor it".

Although the website is from a company called Jester (http://jestercom.com) according to a link at the bottom, and the dysfunctional part may keep messages from going through, that's no excuse.

Hatteras should visit their own site to test it. I don't know of any businessman who pays for an ad but doesn't take a look at it.

DAN

 

[Boatsb]

Probably created by the same people who did healthcare.gov.

 

[capttonyf]

From the looks of the website I hope it came in under $700 Billion and did't take 3 years to mess up. That would be bd, bad, bad.

Tony

 

[jim rosenthal]

If they think that very wealthy people don't pay attention to an Internet presence, they are quite mistaken. Most people who are very wealthy these days either made their money via the Web or are at least Web savvy. They didn't get rich by being stupid or behind the times. And the richer you are, the more free time you have if you choose to. So where else would you check out a new boat besides on the Web?

If Hatteras has a poorly functioning web site, they should take it up with their web designer etc. When you're selling a product whose entry level cost is three million bucks or so, you'd better have a well sorted out Web presence.

 

[worldsaway]

It's not just the website which doesn't work well. i sent an inquiry through the site to ask a question over a month ago and still haven't received a response. Seems they are not monitoring or don't care.

That is not a good thing as I know Hatteras is trying to focus on customer service. I think this type of feedback is good as Hatteras definitely needs to be doing a better job of getting information disseminated and communicating with their customers and potential customers.

My understanding is the company Hatteras hired regarding their website is well respected with several large boat companies as satisfied customers. Of course they should still monitor how their site is working and certainly respond to inquiries.

I just think the website issues should be kept in perspective, the important thing is to get them fixed. People are hungry for information about the product,which is good, and this issue will be fixed I am sure. The new Hatteras models are quite impressive with the level of quality we have come to expect.

 

[capttonyf]

I hate to beat a dead horse but I just opened my email, and see I received Vikings' weekly newsletter. It talked about and gave a progress report on Vikings new building at their yard. How they were just visited by the former chair of the Coast Gaurd Commitee, Congreesman Frank LoBiondo and how they're working on a new fishery law (HR4005). What boats will be in the upcoming shows and how to get a VIP view of them. Just nice little helpfull facts that keeps people involved and lets them know about upcoming events, new products, and how much clients/owners are enjoying their current products.

Hatteras needs to do the little things as well. Hold company events, cruises and tournaments. It's all the little things that bring people together and helps keep them loyal to your product.

Tony

 

[sandspur1966]

I hate to beat a dead horse but I just opened my email, and see I received Vikings' weekly newsletter. It talked about and gave a progress report on Vikings new building at their yard. How they were just visited by the former chair of the Coast Gaurd Commitee, Congreesman Frank LoBiondo and how they're working on a new fishery law (HR4005). What boats will be in the upcoming shows and how to get a VIP view of them. Just nice little helpfull facts that keeps people involved and lets them know about upcoming events, new products, and how much clients/owners are enjoying their current products.

Hatteras needs to do the little things as well. Hold company events, cruises and tournaments. It's all the little things that bring people together and helps keep them loyal to your product.

Tony

X2 Tony

Well said, so many of us repeat Hatt owners can tie our brand loyalty back to the good old days when you just dialed New Bern and they would get you on the phone with guys like McPherson, Weatherington or Morrison, among many others, to get you a technical answer or shoot you out information like hull drawings and owners manual reprints... It made you feel like buying your Hatteras was jointing an extended family. Hopefully Hatteras Redux will promote the same type of charmingly informal family pride that withered under Brunswick. This website both the SAMS team and the many Hatt loyalists did manage to keep it alive however and for that, the new brand owners IMHOP should be grateful..

 

[Artzco]

The only outreach by Hatteras I see now is Facebook. They are constantly adding photos of boat shows, fishing tournaments, purchase deliveries, dealer factory tours, new boats such as the new EX etc. The photos are great. Wish they would put as much emphasis on their web site.