How Hill Robinson’s procurement department saves time and money

Hill Robinson’s procurement department is available 24/7 worldwide and takes care of the whole procurement process so the crew don’t have to.

The day-to-day duties of superyacht crew are numerous and varied, and procuring the supplies and provisions needed to keep the yacht running smoothly is a time-consuming burden that adds extra workload for the crew. Hill Robinson’s procurement department is available 24/7 worldwide and can procure for everything, from technical, deck, interior, and provisions, to refit, new build, and special projects. The team work closely with the crew or project teams and take on the whole process of researching, sourcing, negotiating, ordering, and shipping each item to the yacht, so that the crew can focus on their onboard roles.

“We act as the liaison between the crew and the suppliers,” explains Peter van Toor, Head of Procurement at Hill Robinson. “For each request, we research the different options on the market, present the quotations and handle the delivery to any cruising or refit destination around the world.” All quotes, orders and communication conducted on behalf of the client is fully transparent and auditable. The department works for an agreed fee, so there are no hidden costs.

One of the most critical parts of the procurement process is the research element. While Hill Robinson has built up a vast network of reliable suppliers around the world, with whom they have special volume discount agreements, the team will always look for alternative suppliers that might be located closer to the yacht and, therefore, more economical from a delivery and cost perspective. It goes without saying that there is never any compromise to the expected quality.

“For each request, we research the different options on the market, present the quotations and handle the delivery to any cruising or refit destination around the world.”

An important part of the procurement process that often gets overlooked is managing at what point the order gets delivered to the yacht – another headache that Hill Robinson can take away from the crew. “The yacht might need the item immediately, but is located somewhere that can’t be reached easily,” continues Peter. “The advantage of using Hill Robinson is that we look at the bigger picture and all the various options in addition to the traditional airfreight and road freight methods, such as hand carry, dedicated courier or even a plane charter to get the order to the yacht on time.”

Hill Robinson’s procurement department will often make use of its warehouses in Rotterdam, London, Cyprus and the Middle East to receive and consolidate orders, and then send them on to the yacht at the appropriate time. This approach avoids any scenarios where the order gets delivered somewhere the yacht has just departed, leaving the crew to chase the parcel and potentially deal with a customs border.

The warehouses essentially provide Hill Robinson the enhanced control of the entire procurement process, which also has benefits in terms of dealing with customs. “We can issue export papers and ensure the correct customs documentation to facilitate seamless VAT-free deliveries,” adds Peter.

An important part of the procurement process that often gets overlooked is managing at what point the order gets delivered to the yacht – another headache that Hill Robinson can take away from the crew.

Aside from receiving orders in the most time-efficient and cost-effective way possible, yachts can also benefit Hill Robinson’s purchase order system. HRPay is a simplistic way for the yacht to create a purchase order and implement a transparent approval process for each purchase request alongside the budget. The system is flexible, easily tailored to create further efficiencies for the yacht and supplier as required and easy to use, providing a proper track record of all orders, scopes of supply, quotes and invoices.

Having worked closely with its yacht managers, captains, crew and technical and project management team over many years, Hill Robinson’s procurement department has garnered a wealth of experience and knowhow in its field and has learnt the procurement process inside out. By looking at the bigger picture of the yacht’s itinerary and operation, the team take control of the whole procurement process, freeing the crew to focus on their primary roles.

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