Yacht Sales Professionals – YSPs (brokers, dealers, salespeople) nationwide have a benchmark for measuring their skills, abilities and performance, while enhancing their marketing value. Boat sellers and buyers are in a better position to select qualified, competent sales professionals with confidence and trust. The Certified Professional Yacht Broker (CPYB) program has made this dream a reality.
Thanks to the joint efforts of the YachtBrokers Association of America (YBAA), Florida Yacht Brokers Association (FYBA), Northwest Yacht Brokers Association (NYBA), California Yacht Brokers Association (CYBA), Boating Ontario Dealers, Gulf Coast Yacht Brokers Association (GCYBA) and British Columbia Yacht Brokers Association (BCYBA), over 550 YSPs have earned the CPYB designation, with another 100 applicants now preparing for the exam. Since 1999, the CPYB program has been the industry performance standard for yacht sales professionals throughout North America. A program Design Team of industry volunteers worked with the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute to define the industry's body of knowledge - the key performance skills and knowledge required to be a Certified Professional Yacht Broker. The team then crafted the certification exam, comprised of over 150 questions, serving as the objective measurement of the applicant’s knowledge.
“The process of developing the certification concept and determining the essential skills that a yacht sales professional needs to have was daunting,” stated Vincent Petrella, Design Team member, past President and current Executive Director of YBAA. “This had never been done before, and it was both a challenge and an honor for our volunteer team to be involved in this project. Our efforts have raised the bar of performance for the yacht sales profession and have greatly enhanced our credibility in the minds of the boating public.”
Like many other industries, performance standards, professional training and recognition are essential tools for ensuring that the industry encourages and maintains aggressive performance goals and sound business practices. YBAA, FYBA, NYBA,CYBA, BCYBA, GCYBA and Boating Ontario Dealers each have association mandated Codes of Ethics, which provide the minimum standards for ethical YSP performance and which are mandatory for all those who desire membership in the organizations. The CPYB program takes this process to a new level, providing a comprehensive method for qualifying eligible YSPs who have the necessary experience, skills and know-how to be recognized as a Certified Professional Yacht Broker. YBAA’s Guide for the Professional Practice of Yacht Brokerage & Sales provides a comprehensive study manual of the industry skills and knowledge essential to the profession of yacht sales. Based upon the CPYB body of industry knowledge, The Guide serves as the perfect preparation tool for YSPs planning to sit for the CPYB exam, as well as a valuable reference manual for yacht sales firms and for new entrants into the profession.
“Thanks to YBAA’s efforts, combined with the support of our association partners,our industry has become better positionedto meet the needs of the boating public,” noted Petrella. “This serves to make their boat selling or buying experience more rewarding, and greatly enhances our profession.”
