This special edition of the Boat Builder Awards for Business Achievement, organised for the first time as a digital event, saw the creation of new categories to focus attention on the yachting industry’s response to the complexities caused by the pandemic.
Against this unusual backdrop, Azimut Yachts was singled out for its remarkable ability to innovate and adapt, demonstrating that it knows how to rise to and win a challenge by developing new communication and business development tools.
And in fact, the company received an award for its Azimut Yachts Virtual Lounge in the category Exceptional Commercial Achievement in an Unprecedented Year, dedicated to businesses that have developed strategies and initiatives to protect their activities and the people involved in them, successfully emerging from this period of difficulty in a position of strength.
Virtual Lounge: connected with customers
The Virtual Lounge is a one-of-a-kind digital container, implemented on an ongoing basis and in record time with videos, technical data sheets and in-depth analysis, aiming to keep the relationship with customers alive even in times of lockdown and social distancing. The judges were struck in particular by the versatility of the Virtual Lounge tool, which Azimut Yachts used to organise its first e-Boat Show (from May 27 to 30, 2020), at which product presentations were supported and enhanced by a live chat service that led to the online sale of an Azimut S6.
Moreover, Azimut Yachts was awarded with an honourable mention in the Community Support Initiative category dedicated to everyone who has shown their commitment to social responsibility by investing resources, expertise and production capacity to help the wider community in a time of difficulty.
The commitment of the shipyard
The company struck a chord with the judges for its deep ties with local communities and for having successfully and speedily launched an initiative to distribute kits of personal protective equipment to hospitals, municipalities, voluntary associations and other local entities, as well as in neighbourhood supermarkets operating in the geographical areas where the company works, i.e. Piemonte, Liguria, Tuscany and Marche. In this way, Azimut Yachts again confirms its focus on local communities and its commitment to people in these areas, for whom it represents not only a storied point of reference, but also a source of pride.
The award for Exceptional Commercial Achievement in an Unprecedented Year was virtually collected by Federico Lantero, Azimut|Benetti Group Product Marketing & Communication Director. Francesco Boromei, Azimut|Benetti Group Chief Marketing Officer, received the honourable mention and thanked not only the extraordinary team who helped the brand win this important award but also the organisers from Metrade, who with the support of IBI successfully gave the event a highly topical and original twist.
