The world has changed dramatically in just a few years. Old ways of doing business are starting to be phased out, and one of the most notable changes is the rise of digital payments.
It's now easier than ever to accept digital payments for various industries, and a boat charter business is no different.
No matter the size of your business, using digital payments makes your life easier and the entire process significantly quicker, which often equates to a boost in sales.
Switching to an entirely new system for bookings might seem a little daunting, especially if you’ve long been a traditionalist when it comes to taking payments.
However, using an online platform comes with numerous benefits that can help your boat charter business thrive and grow.
Here's everything you need to know about accepting digital payments for a boat charter company and why it's a change that will drastically alter how you do business.
Whether you run a yacht charter or bareboat operation, if you're not already accepting digital payments, you’re making business harder for yourself.
Here are a few benefits to get you onboard.
We know that running a chartering business involves spinning numerous plates simultaneously. With maintenance, repairs, staff needs, and advertising, to name a few costs, it can be a huge relief to know that you have a professional online platform taking care of your bookings.
This means fewer clerical errors, no missed email confirmations, just an excellent, easy-to-use, online system that allows you to focus on everything and anything else.
Speed is everything in business, so it's crucial to provide your customers with a method of payment that’s both straightforward and fast.
While some may book an excursion months in advance, others prefer to play it by ear and see how external factors like the weather could influence their trip.
Giving your clientele dependability paired with flexibility in their payments will also improve conversion rates. When planning and booking a boating trip is simple, people will be more inclined to click through.
Getting visitors to your website is excellent, but they won't get you money if they don’t book a trip. Encourage them to set sail with the appealing simplicity of your booking system.
With digital payments, transaction costs are often significantly lower than traditional payment methods, which require payment hardware and personnel to accept payments. Meanwhile, the last few years have seen a boom in digital payments that has helped drive down overall costs.
Online payment platforms for recreational businesses like boat chartering also free up the time used for administrative duties in the past. The time spent balancing the books and depositing cash at the bank can now be open for additional charters.
An online booking system is also a great way to reduce no-shows, which can be costly, especially to smaller boat charter enterprises. Auto-notifications and a platform that makes re-booking or canceling less intimidating mean you can spend more time on the water rather than waiting on the docks.
We've all heard stories of theft or fraud that cost businesses and their customers significant amounts of money. In reality, online transactions are among the most secure out there.
Hiring a boat even for a day is a significant amount of money, so ensuring that transactions are secure for both parties is a must. Using a digital payment system is the best way to keep everyone safe.
The other benefit is that you can track these large sums to guarantee monies move around nice and smoothly. This ease of documentation means it’s simple to view, report, and analyze business dealings at any time, which is especially important during tax season or if you’re audited.
You might charter your boat for bachelor/bachelorette parties, fishing excursions, Caribbean island adventures, or anything else—and as varied as your services might be, your customers will be more so.
Digital payments allow for flexible payment options. This means if you have a party from the Netherlands or Colombia you are totally covered. You can use online systems to integrate different currencies and payment gateways (Visa, Paypal, etc.) meaning you can grow a huge client base from all over the world.
Better yet you could even implement a system where your clients can pay off the boating experience over a few payments rather than one lump sum.
The beauty of online transactions and booking software is that computers compile everything quickly. It means no more hours sitting up late with a calculator and notepad as you sort accounts receivables and billing.
An online platform allows you to focus on the aspects of your business that you enjoy—like being out on the water—while minimizing the time spent on land sorting loads of paperwork.
Online booking software allows you to accept digital payments quickly and easily, transforming how you do business.
An online platform that’s open and accessible 24 hours a day means that your customers can stop by whenever is convenient for them. It also reduces no-shows by sending your clients automated notifications of their booking.
With Roverd, accepting digital payments is simple. With multiple payment options integrated within the software, you can give your customers the option to pay through Stripe, Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Ideal, and more. You can also include cancellation policies and deposits at checkout to reduce cancellations.
A dedicated, easy-to-use platform that can be crafted to fit the needs of your boat charter company is the perfect smart and technologically advanced face to present to your customers.
We may not entirely be at the stage where cash has wholly disappeared, but we're getting there. Switching to digital payments will make your life easier and provide your customers with a much more rounded and efficient experience.
Whether you're a small business with a single boat or an international company with yachts, Roverd has numerous options to suit your needs. Our booking software not only provides digital payments, but it also helps to streamline the management side of your business, takes care of the direct communication with your customers, and almost certainly contributes to a boost in sales.
Ready for smoother sailing when it comes to accepting payments? Contact us today for a free demo and get started on creating bespoke booking software for your boat charter business.
