Charter broker, International Yacht Charter Group

Date interviewed: June 2010

How did you get into the yacht charter business?

I was a membership manager at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida, for about eight years. I left that job and took off with my fiancé to go sailing in the Bahamas. We cruised for three months and ended up in Fort Lauderdale. At Ocean Reef, my job had been to enroll new members—a lot of CEOs and owners of businesses, some from Fort Lauderdale.  So I started contacting them, and one was affiliated with The Sacks Group Yachting Professionals. I became a central agent charter yacht manager there and stayed for four years.

Why did you become a retail charter broker four years ago?

I joined International Yacht Charter Group in 2006 because I wanted the chance to see the charters through to the end and the satisfaction of the clients. When I was a charter yacht manager, the charter would end and I’d hear one sentence about how it went. That was it. Now, as a retail charter broker, I see it from beginning to end, every detail. There’s nothing better than a call from the client at the end of the charter telling me what a great time they had. That is the absolute best feeling.

Do you book all kinds of crewed yachts?

I do, sail and power, all sizes. And I do mean all sizes, from the biggest motoryachts in the Mediterranean to the 50-foot sailing catamarans in the Virgin Islands.

That’s unusual, to have a broker with your level of expertise willing to help clients with what some other brokers might call “entry-level” charter yachts.

I love booking those Virgin Islands boats. They’re more intimate. Those kinds of boats, the sailing catamarans, are my personal favorites. They’re just so much fun. Clients can have just as good a time aboard them as somebody might on a 150-foot motoryacht.

What are some of your favorite yacht charter destinations?

That’s such a hard question to answer, because there are so many wonderful places to explore, but I’m personally still partial to the Bahamas. It’s my backyard, the water is so clear and pristine—it’s another world. It’s really beautiful.

In Europe, I really love Italy. Portofino, Santa Margherita—they’re just beautiful. I once walked from the harbor at Portofino to the harbor at Santa Margherita. It was amazing. Some charter clients might love it.

What is the first thing you ask a new charter client?

I don’t ask the same question each time. I think the first conversation is about getting to know each other, so mainly, I listen. I try to determine what is important to them for their vacation. Some people are interested in sports equipment, some are really keen on food, some have chartered before, some haven’t, so I’m listening to all of that and responding however necessary.

How would you describe your ideal charter client?

I like clients who ask a lot of questions. That gives me as much information as possible. Every time I talk to them, I get more information about what they want and what’s on their mind. That’s what I like—to get a really good feel for what they want.

What would be your nightmare charter client?

Oh, there are no nightmare clients. I did once have a situation with a client who was on the way to being a nightmare. He wanted to negotiate the charter rate considerably, he was asking for the impossible, and I kept trying and trying and talking to him—he ended up chartering with me, and he was thrilled, and he came back and chartered with me again. Now, he’s one of my favorite people to work with.

From that experience, I learned patience and diligence. If you have patience and diligence, there are no nightmare charter clients.

What sets you apart from other charter brokers?

I’m fluent in Spanish, which is helpful for many clients, and my background as a charter yacht manager helps tremendously. I see the big picture. I’ve worked with the captains and owners, so I understand where they’re coming from. I know the questions to ask because I’ve been on the other side.

Is there anything else CharterWave readers should know about you?

One of my best assets is that I have great organizational skills. I’m very detail oriented. I was once an executive secretary. There are a lot of details that go into booking a charter, and I am on top of them all.

How can CharterWave readers contact you?

My phone number is (954) 292-4286, my e-mail is patty (at) internationalyachtchartergroup.com, and our website is www.internationalyachtchartergroup.com.