From Boardroom to Boredom to Boats

Retired Corporate Exec Develops Unique Software Program for Sailing Clubs

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 4, 2006 -- After a long and distinguished career up the corporate ladder, Richard Wesson found retirement not to his liking. Specifically, it was boring and lacked the challenges of the everyday corporate world. To overcome the boredom factor, Richard and his wife, Marlene, decided they needed a hobby that would be both entertaining as well as challenging.

Living in southern California, the wide expanse of the Pacific Ocean beckoned and sailing seemed to fit their requirements. Being novices, they joined a sailing club and therein were the challenges Richard was seeking: not learning to sail, however, but the frustrating process of making reservations for a date and time to sail. The process had to be improved.

Having already enrolled at the University of California, San Diego, returning to school 30 years after getting his Ph.D., Richard opted for a computer-programming course. Having completed that, he then set about creating a program specifically for sailing and yacht clubs that would solve the tiresome process of calling the club, often getting a busy signal, calling again to request a date and time, finding that date and time taken, then exploring other options. Coming from the corporate world of problem/solution, Richard took on the challenge.

After 10 months of creating the program, testing, fine-tuning, and embellishing, Richard had what he wanted. The unique program uses Microsoft Net and is one of the first to utilize a complete net solution. With as few as six clicks on a computer, a sailing club member could contact the club 24/7, scan a full week of fleet schedules, and book and confirm the date and time wanted in no more than ten seconds. Members could also book lessons, check and modify personal data, make purchases in the club's shop, and charge it all to a credit card.

Benefits to the sailing club were equally impressive.
Research and testing showed a savings to the club of 20 hours per week or more that resulted in a direct personnel cost-savings plus the elimination of costly paper mistakes. Up-front costs were minimal, and per-transaction costs just pennies. Projections were that up to 60 percent of all reservations and class bookings would eventually be made online.

Richard christened the program "iSail" and set about making some initial contacts, and eventually sales. The problem was the proverbial one of getting a foot in the door. Once he was able to accomplish that, the program literally sold itself, but the initial problem persisted. He had even developed a presentation that could be done online with the prospect sitting in the comfort of his or her office and watching and listening as Richard took them step-by-step through the program.

With sales relatively slow due to the process of getting to the prospects, the next logical step was to develop a marketing program. Richard contacted an acquaintance that had recently retired as founding partner in a large advertising agency. An agreement was drafted and the marketing program developed and launched. Results to date have exceeded projections, and Richard's retirement has gone from boredom to busy-busy, much to his satisfaction.

Contact:

Richard Wesson
United Resources Enterprises
760 Market Street, Suite 1047
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-2444
FAX 415-986-0596
http://www.iSail.biz
info@iSail.biz