Have you ever booked a tee time using your computer or smart phone? Now you can do the same to reserve a boat slip or your dry stack storage. Anderson Software has unveiled a new cloud-based application that enables boat owners to conveniently schedule dry stack launches, marina valet and concierge services, and boat repairs using any PC, tablet or Web-enabled smart phone.

Anderson has 25 years of experience in the law enforcement industry. But company CEO Kevin Anderson is an avid boater who keeps his boat in a dry stack marina. He thought of a better way to manage the process efficiently and crafted his vision for an “app” that would better manage the “ins and outs” of marina operations for both the consumer and the marina.

This new cloud-SaaS (software as a service) application was designed change the process marina operators use to communicate with their customers (“cloud” refers to a scheme by which data are stored and administered by a Web server). The interface allows marina customers to log into a secure portal at boatcloud.com, where they reserve dry stack launches from a real-time grid, much like a golfer books a tee time. The same convenience is offered to boaters who rent slips and use valet and concierge services. Intuitive drop-down menus allow boaters to check off the services they require. The marina uses the same interface for in-house reservations for seamless integration.

“Inspired by convenience and driven by accountability, our application promotes a better marina experience,” Anderson spokesperson Todd Wagner says. “We simply felt that pen and paper reservations allow for errors and omissions. Marina customers have high expectations, and this technology helps deliver on their growing needs.”

The application also has a service request module designed to initiate service tickets with marine technicians. Reservations can be made 24 hours a day—all in real-time—offering fewer opportunities for errors and double bookings, allowing boaters to book the goods and services they want and the marina to “check off” on the requests as they are fulfilled.

For their part, marinas are looking for ways to improve customer service and do more with less. Automated valet and concierge services can enhance their efficiency and improve the customer experience.

“The industry has a thirst for technology and we are proud to offer a solution that will drive these profit centers and ensure greater customer satisfaction,” Wagner noted. “We designed it, we use it, and we believe it will dramatically enhance marina operations.”

For more information, visit boatcloud.com or call 936-569-0447