Managing a marina requires the precise ability to forecast and fill openings in your dock. This can be challenging when spaces unexpectedly open up, or conversely when your dock is overbooked. The solution to an under-filled marina is to strategically fill vacancies during high-demand times — a practice known as backfilling. Backfilling allows marina managers to take advantage of open slips or moorings to maximize profits and minimize wasted capacity. Read this guide to backfilling for more marina tips that will help you boost revenue for your marina.
Unstructured Backfilling Arrangement
Unstructured backfill arrangements are one way that marinas can fill empty spots as they appear. Mariners using this approach will aim to book empty slips on the fly rather than implementing any preconceived strategy. This arrangement depends on communication with boaters to determine how long their slip will be vacant. If a boater vacates their slip, for example, and a mariner is unsure how long their spot will be available, an unstructured backfill arrangement would entail reaching out to that customer to obtain a timeframe for their absence.
Formal Backfill Partnerships
Impromptu backfilling can be profitable for marinas, but formal backfill partnerships can be even more beneficial for boaters and mariners alike. Under this arrangement, long-term marina clientele is rewarded when they vacate their slip and allow another boater to take occupancy during their vacancy. This type of arrangement is typically established with a contract between boaters and mariners, outlining the fee a boater may earn for a successful backfill and the communication protocol for informing the marina of an impending departure.
Service Yards and Backfilling
Service yards are a great place to implement backfill strategies because yard managers have more control over the period of time a boat is on site. When the service schedule is light, openings can be created for transient boaters in need of temporary docking. This is doubly beneficial because it’s also a viable marketing strategy for the service yard. Boaters who take advantage of backfilling services are also likely to become service clientele. It’s imperative for any business with a marina, including service yards, to take advantage of the potential income that docks and slips provide.
Start Your Strategy Small
The goal of backfilling is to minimize the vacancies in a marina. For marina managers who have just begun testing out backfilling strategies, though, it may be a little overwhelming at first. That’s why it’s important to start small when you’re new to backfilling. Over time, you may be able to reduce your vacancy rate from 20% to 10% and eventually to 0%. Marina managers should be aware of the liabilities that backfilling can entail, though, and invest in OC marina insurance coverage to minimize these risks.
About Mariners Insurance
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