AYB is dedicated to original research and implementation of the latest techniques in Yacht Brokerage.
Starting as The Houseboat Centre it went on to include all Yacht Brokerage as Associated Yacht Brokers.
Innovation is driven by Hon Chairman David Greenaway, a Microsoft Certified Professional, who when Berners-Lee wrote a proposal in March 1989 for “a large hypertext database with typed links”.Although the proposal attracted little interest at the ti,me David was already programming in hypertext databases using Open Access II from Software products International.
His innovation was also manifest in the now famous “Houseboat Interviews” where hundreds from all over the world would visit to spend two or three hours being methodically questioned having answers and new ideas given for them personally as regard what they should or could look for in a houseboat and what to look out for.
Now condensed and available as The Houseboat Book (which you can find in the Menu for this site)
Cloud based office IT for Yacht brokers was implemented and reccomended by AYB in 2006 using WebOffice, then owned by Cisco. (Microsoft didn’t start with cloud services until 2010) AYB subsequently investigated and now advocate full use of Google services to provide an integrated cloud based system. The Reason for going cloud? Machine independence. you can lose all your computers etc in a fire overnight and carry on running your business in the morning using new, borrowed or hired pc’s
AYB was instrumental in Initiating Yacht Broker Certification in the UK in line with CPYB in the USA and was swiftly copied by a joint effort of the two largest UK Yacht Broker organisations. CPYB used interactive computer learning from the start, the American CPYB later followed this lead.
Currently The Houseboat Centre is continuing research into economic application of Solar Power in Houseboats and AYB has developed over the last year the “Yachts for Sale” integrated network of dozens of Facebook groups administered by AYB designed as
a quick and easy way for Yacht Brokers, Dealers and other Yacht industry service providers to tap into the globe-leading selling power of Facebook.
Social Media marketing can seem a confusing nightmare, particularly for those whose early campaigns consisted of adverts in Yachting magazines.
AYB have established a sophisticated integrated network of “Yachts for Sale ” groups within Facebook, harnessing the synergy between the integrated network and the Facebook algorithm.
For it to work optimally, members are required to comply with precise rules to ensure their posts gain maximum momentum and contribute to the smooth running of the whole operation.
In return for a professional approach to posting, AYB promise sellers
“You can be sure your posts will appear to those of the 2 Billion plus Facebook users who want Your type of boat in Your location.