Why a day on the water starts on dry land
Most people judge a boat trip long before they step aboard. They look at the sailing times, the booking page and the reply to a question. If these feel clear and friendly, the trip starts well.
Many water customers are visitors. They do not know the pier, the car queue or the hire rules. They need clear directions and a warm welcome at the quay.
Weather plays a big part. Sailings and trips can change at short notice. What matters to the customer is how early they are told, how clearly it is explained and what they can do next.
Marinas and hire firms have a longer relationship with their customers. A berth holder or a boat hirer notices how bills are explained, how questions are answered and how handovers are done.
A mystery shop shows all of this from the customer's side of the gangway.
Many operators are small teams, with a few people doing everything from selling tickets to tying up the boat. A clear process helps them too.
Sailing times to the journey home
We choose a scenario that fits your business and follow it in order.
For a ferry or boat trip, the shopper checks times and availability, books online or by phone and reads the confirmation. They arrive at the terminal or pier, look for directions, queue, board and note the welcome. Onboard, they look at the information, the commentary or announcements, the refreshments and the toilets. Afterwards, they check any follow-up message.
For boat hire, the shopper enquires, books and attends the handover as a customer. For a marina, they ask about a visitor berth or a longer stay by phone or email and note the welcome on arrival.
We can shop on a quiet weekday and on a busy weekend. Queues, parking and staff time all feel very different between the two.
Our scope is clear. We never test safety equipment, crewing, navigation or emergency drills. We look at customer experience only: what the customer sees, hears and is told.
What we look at and score
Every shop uses the same core checks, so you can track progress over time.
We score the website experience, how easy it is to make contact and how fast you reply. We score telephone manner, the welcome and whether staff understand what the customer wants. We look at how well the trip or service is explained, the trust and professionalism shown, and the attempt to secure the booking. We check the follow-up too.
For water transport we add sector checks. Are sailing times and tide or season notes easy to find? Is the meeting point described clearly? Does the business explain its own fares, hire terms and booking changes plainly? Is the boarding queue organised and easy to understand? Is accessibility information easy to find? Are weather changes explained early?
Each score has a written observation behind it.
We also note small comforts. Is there shelter while waiting? Are the toilets easy to find? Is seating easy to reach with a pushchair or a walking stick?
Points we check on your behalf
These are questions we ask. They are not claims about your business.
Is the timetable current, and does it match the booking page? Does the confirmation say where to park, where to meet and how early to arrive?
On the day, can a first-time visitor find the right pier or jetty? Is the queue clear? Does anyone greet customers as they board?
Onboard, can customers hear the information given? Is it clear what is on offer and how to pay for it?
When the weather changes the plan, do the website, the phone and the social media pages all say the same thing? Is a refund or rebooking explained without a long chase?
For hire and marinas, is the handover welcoming and is the invoice easy to follow?
Afterwards, is feedback invited and is a complaint met with a clear next step?
We also look at the wording of notices. A sign that says the trip may change should say who to ask and where to look for news.
What you will receive
A member of our team checks each shopper report against the evidence before it is released to you.
You receive an overall score and scores for each stage of the journey. Every score has the observation behind it. You also get your strengths, your weaknesses and a prioritised action plan.
The report is about process, training and systems. We never name or rank individual crew or staff, and there are no league tables.
A report reflects one customer journey on one occasion. It is a prompt for improvement, not a verdict.
When you have made changes, you can order a retest. We repeat the same journey, or try a different one, and measure how far you have come.
The action plan puts the most useful changes first, so a small team can act on them quickly.
Who it suits and the first step
This suits ferry companies, harbour boat trips, river and canal cruise operators, boat hire businesses and marinas. It works for a single boat as well as a fleet.
If you want to ask your own questions, our Custom Questions option lets you write up to 10, 20 or 30. You also choose how many shoppers carry them out. A marina might ask about visitor berth information. A canal hire firm might ask how clearly the handover is explained.
Our Social Media Service can include your public pages. Many customers look there first when weather changes a trip.
To begin, ask for prices by email and tell us what you run. We can send a free first-impression report on your website and contact routes, so you can see what we notice before you decide.
We are happy to focus on a single route, a single jetty or a single weekend.