Houseboating Adventures - Issue 17 - (Page 52) and 2) I only want to use mainstream or proven technologies in our boats. The most fundamental principle of boat engineering is that buyers do not want problems or even the potential for problems. There are many promising technologies and energy sources, but until they are refined, cost effective and supported by a suitable service network, I just don’t think their inclusion in a machine that is already overly complex is good for business. HBA: How important will fuel and energy economy be to houseboats in the next decade? How is Desert Shore planning for these changes? DS: Amazingly, I don’t think it will ever become a makeor-break issue for boat owners. Without question we will all welcome improvements in efficiency and economy that will certainly become available in the future, but that process takes place naturally as competitive forces entice energy and powerplant producers to refine and improve their product offering. Fuel prices are currently at or near their historical high and my perception is that the capital available for high end houseboats is equally as high. I have to believe that houseboat purchases are predicated on the overall dynamics of the economy more than on gas prices alone. HBA: What is the most unusual new item or thing you have heard requested by your customers? DS: By the time a customer comes to us, they are already pretty knowledgeable about houseboats and aware of their limitations. I don’t seem to get too many unusual or impractical requests anymore. Interestingly, many of the unusual requests I received in years past are now standard features on our boats. HBA: What percentages of your customers get information or begin their buying process with you online? How important is this computerized shopping to Desert Shore? DS: Most of the phone calls I take begin with the same sentence, "I saw your website on the internet and liked that you were different from the other houseboat builders". We also get a fair number of inquiries from people who have seen our boats at Lake Powell, but nowhere near as many as from the internet. able and fast internet service on boats is advancing rapidly and will soon be inexpensive and commonplace, just as it has become on land. HBA: How is Desert Shore responding to these rapidly developing technology requests? DS: We respond only as fast as reliable and supported products are made available to the industry. HBA: Are the development of alternative or supplemental energy sources such as solar panels, or the use of hybrid technology being used or implemented in your models? DS: We don’t make much use of these technologies at this time, and there are two reasons why we don’t: 1) Our customers are not demanding or even asking for them, )6B@" A05("%C&5AB9&@ HBA: Do you think having an onboard, built-in computer with hi-speed Internet access would be an accessory for which buyers would be willing to pay a premium? DS: Without a doubt. I already cannot imagine building a boat in our class without access to email and internet. Our customers typically ask us to create a WIFI network on their boats so that they can bring their laptops and work and communicate as if they were at home or the office. Of course in many marinas this is already available externally at little or no cost. For on-the-water use in remote areas we have in the past installed in-motion satellite systems to meet this demand. Whether you consider the service "hi-speed" is subjective. The technology for reason- I think the buying public has arrived at the point where the process of researching any purchase of consequence begins with an internet search. When I need to find new products or accessories for our vessels, that’s where I start. It’s sad to say, but at this point in time any vendor who does not have a web presence is essentially transparent to the buyer. The really amazing thing about the internet is how it has internationalized business. I have had the opportunity now to visit and develop contacts and business opportunities in Chile, Dubai and Australia simply as a result of our web presence. And beyond that, the internet has also led to discussions and inquiries from China, Japan, Russia, Ghana, Egypt, Italy, England etc. That was inconceivable when we started in business. Desert Shore has had a web presence since 1996. It
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