KBBTV - Series 3 Episode 10
KBBTV Series 3- Episode 10
In episode 10 of Kochie’s Business Builders TV Series 3, we visit Sea All Dolphin Swims and meet owners Hank Renzenbrink and Robbie Main. Sea All Dolphin Swims is a small family run business that provides boat tours allowing customers to swim with dolphins and seals. The business is currently being run from a small home office but Robbie and Hank have decided to move into brand new premises in a new harbour side retail complex. In this episode our experts offer Hank and Robbie advice about setting up a new retail space and also provide insights about managing issues associated with running a family business.
In part 1, retail expert Kevin Hennah, talks with Robbie, Hank’s daughter Sally, and general manager Travis Lee about their new premises. Kevin says that Sea All Dolphin Swims needs to address the issue of having a consistent logo which is currently different across their website, signage on their boat, on their brochure and also on staff uniforms. Kevin suggests that now is the perfect time to engage a graphic designer to create a logo that can be used consistently across all their signage and marketing collateral. Kevin also suggests that a large banner across the front of the new shop would be a great way to brand its exterior.
In part 2, Kevin discusses his ideas for the interior of the new retail space with Robbie, Sally and Travis. Kevin says it’s very important to not only sell product, but also sell the whole experience of Sea All Dolphin Swims to customers. He suggests they set up a monitor on one of the interior walls with a photography slideshow playing 24 hours a day, displaying images from their tours. Kevin says music and lighting are very important elements in any retail environment and that there is a direct link between good lighting and increased sales. He also talks about having merchandise displayed and available for customers to make impulse buys while they are waiting to buy tickets.
In part 3, family business expert, Natalie Ferres talks with Robbie and Hank about their experiences working together, and offers some insights about how their business relationship could be improved. Hank says that having a business plan when they started out would have made business more manageable between them, and Robbie feels that Sea All Dolphin Swims was under-resourced when they set up, also putting additional strain on their working relationship. Natalie says that in family business it’s often hard to separate personal from business life, and that business often overwhelms personal life.
In part 4, Gadget Guy Pete Blasina, talks with Evan Davey from WSP Environmental about augmented reality. Evan says that augmented reality can be created by using certain mobile device features such as GPS, camera and compass, on the iphone platform, to combine digital components with reality. Evan and Pete also discuss an application called Hidden Park where users engage with their device as they walk around certain parks that support the application. Evan also talks about how Telstra helped WSP Environmental from the outset, by providing devices to help them in the development of the application. Kochie also drops back to see how Hank and Robbie went with our experts.