You can’t deny it, “Invisible Crew” is a catchy name for a company. Hear it once and you won’t forget it anymore.
Once in a while it concerns crew: “What do you mean? Do you want us to be invisible on a -30m yacht?”
Of course not! On the contrary, I would (almost) say… The idea is that we match you with the owner, program, yacht that will experience your presence as… non intrusive. Or, better said, as part of the program. It is not at all about being as quiet as possible and hiding out of sight as much as possible. The crew adds the bright colours to the holiday on board. Like that waiter you know. The one who clearly remembers your face, if not your name, and always presents the menu and the food with a certain flair that is part of his personality.
Because we use personality tests as part of our detailed selection process, we know that many -not all- of our most successful crew members have an extraverted element to their personality. They are not invisible at all!
However, they do know how to do the hardest part of running a Pocket Superyacht, which is: maintaining the personal / professional relationship with guests and owners.
Crew can become very visible however, when they are a source of concern or frustration for guests and owners.
One of the most common issues we hear of is crew approaching owners for help with their job. When crew have no support in making important operational decisions, if they can’t get a second opinion from a manager or consultant who knows the yacht, someone to confirm the decision and share the liability, crew will feel forced to turn to the owners for help.
Our clients appreciate that their crew is supported by experienced people who have a network of experts they can consult to make sure the owners are presented with well motivated options. This allows owners to make simple educated decisions. It also prevents their holidays being interrupted by staff meetings, discussing crew dynamics and the technical issues of the yacht.
Another way our crews are Invisible is that they deal with -inevitable- technical failures in a graceful manner. One of the easiest things to do is refraining from cursing and venting their frustration about a faulty piece of equipment, in company of guests and owners. Depending on how interested the owner is about the engine room, they might share some details and explain how they will deal with it. However, the focus will always be on causing minimum discomfort and interruption of the fun for the guests.
Because our clients are generally people who want to have minimal involvement in the operations of the yacht, we started applying the acronym TLC: Treat’m Like Charter-guests. Applying the original meaning Tender Love and Care is part of that but the focus is on shielding them off, at least during their holiday on board, from operational hassle and giving them a blissful, 5 star experience.
And as for keeping the yacht shiny and spotless, if that happens in an invisible manner, it’s nothing less than magic!
Jens Ooms
Invisible Crew
+34 647 83 83 68
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