Marine Telematics Services - Accenture

The ImplicationsOwners typically spend limited time—weekends and extended vacations—on theirboats. Historically, they spend a large part ofthis valuable leisure time checking theirboat’s systems and seaworthiness, planningtheir trips and ensuring that the boat is fullyfunctional for a variety of conditions. If suchan on-board check reveals a generatorproblem, for example, the entire trip mightbe put on hold. With Accenture’s MarineTelematics Services, owners can completeall of this pre-cruise checking and planningbefore they even arrive at the marina.Similarly, an OEM monitoring a boat’ssystems remotely would be able to diagnosea problem, alert the owner and recommend aservice center. The dealer or service center, ifconnected, would have immediate access toall of the boat’s diagnostic information, aswell as a complete record of its maintenancehistory. This means the repair could bequicker and cheaper.The Marine Telematics Services prototype notonly dramatically improves the quality andtype of customer service that OEMs anddealerships can provide, but also extendsthese players’ revenue-generating and costreducingopportunities. For example, throughthe platform’s two-way telematics capability,in which the boat and manufacturer are inconstant contact with one another, the OEMwill be able to diagnose problems in asingle boat, and across entire fleets of boats.This will allow the manufacturer to analyzewarranty claims in real-time and send outpreventative maintenance notices to itscustomers, thereby reducing the likelihoodof more expensive repairs. Equally important,OEMs can access long-term boat usage andperformance data to continuously improvetheir product design capabilities and correctany problems in the manufacturing process.The benefits of this innovative telematicssolution are not limited to boat owners,manufacturers and dealers. The prototype’splatform can support any number ofapplications, from multiple vendorsinterested in tapping into yachters’ behaviorsand boat usage. Marinas, for example, couldextend their services by adjusting fuel, oiland waste water levels—or even providecatering—prior to a boater’s scheduleddeparture. Insurance companies, which basetheir rates on boat usage, could access acustomer’s on-board data and adjust theowner’s rates based on performance. Avariety of other service providers, includingretailers and restaurants at various “portsof-call,”could tap into a boat’s location tooffer special promotions and incentivesupon arrival.About AccentureTechnology LabsAccenture Technology Labs, the technologyresearch and development (R&D)organization within Accenture, turnstechnology innovation into business results.The Labs create a vision of how technologywill shape the future and invent the nextwave of cutting-edge business solutions.Working closely with Accenture’s globalnetwork of specialists, Accenture TechnologyLabs helps clients innovate for competitiveadvantage. Accenture Technology Labs arelocated in Chicago, Illinois; Palo Alto,California; and Sophia Antipolis, France.For more information about this prototype,please contact Joel A. Osman at+ 312 693 1113,joel.a.osman@accenture.com,R. Neill Cameron+33 0 4 92 94 88 26r.neill.cameron@accenture.com or visitwww.accenture.com/accenturetechlabs© 2002 AccentureAll rights reserved.