Following other strategic personnel moves, Heesen has created a new role for customers and their teams to have one continuous point of contact from the start of construction through the years of ownership. As the director of technical services and after sales, Eric Boers lends deep experience in manufacturing and managing relationships in multiple countries.
Most recently, Boers led after-sales services for Alfen, a manufacturer of EV charging stations and transformer substations. Prior to his four years there, he spent 12 years with Vestas, which designs, manufactures, installs, and services wind turbines globally. Boers was both the service director and subsequently the managing director. His experience on both the customer side and the executive side is what led Heesen Yachts to bring him onboard.
In fact, Heesen previously had its project management and post-sales divisions under separate chiefs. “By bringing Project Management and After Sales under one director, we are bridging the gap between construction and delivery,” says Jeroen van der Meer, the yard’s CEO. Boers, he continues, will step in when hull construction starts, remaining involved with clients long after they begin cruising. “Crucially, this creates a two-way flow of intelligence,” van der Meer explains. Boers can relay technical details from the build process to the captains, crew, and owners. Simultaneously, the owners and their teams can share their experiences with Boers so that future builds can incorporate additions and other alterations.
“Technology and engineering are only as valuable as the support behind them,” Boers notes. “Whether dealing with a wind turbine or a superyacht, the owner’s expectations remain the same: reliability, responsive service, and clear communication.” One of his first orders of business is to simplify the handover procedures when a superyacht is ready for delivery. He’ll do so through, among other things, the return of captains’ events. Pre-Covid, Heesen Yachts organized dedicated events for its fleet captains to share their experiences and consider refinements accordingly.
Boers’ appointment comes after the shipyard hired a captain and owners’ build representative. Mike Rouse joined as a strategic advisor in recent weeks. Overall, Rouse is providing operational insight to the in-house design and engineering department. The goal is to ensure certain enhancements can be part of every project’s development in the early stages. Additionally, he is lending insight into emerging technologies so that other technical departments and Heesen’s board can better explore them. At the same time, Rouse is collaborating with these divisions to raise quality standards.
Heesen Yachts heesenyachts.com
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