Regal Marine, one of the U.S.’s 10 largest power-boat manufacturers, achieves its mission―providing luxury performance boats to customers’ worldwide―using the strategy of differentiation. It differentiates its products through constant innovation, unique features, and high quality. Increasing sales at the Orlando, Florida, family-owned firm suggest that the strategy is working. As a quality boat manufacturer, Regal Marine starts with continuous innovation, as reflected in computer-aided design (CAD), high-quality molds, and close tolerances that are controlled through both defect charts and rigorous visual inspection. In-hose quality is not enough, however. Because a product is only as good as the parts put into it, Regal has established close ties with a large number of its suppliers to ensure both flexibility and perfect parts. With the help of these suppliers, Regal can profitably produce a product line of 22 boats, ranging from the $14,000 three-passenger Rush to the $500,000 42-foot Commodore Yacht. “We build boats”, says VP Tim Kuck, “but we’re really in the ‘fun’ business. Our competition includes not only 300 other boat, canoe, and yacht manufacturers in our $17 billion industry, but home theatres, the Internet, and all kinds of alternative family entertainment.” Fortunately for Regal, with the strong economy and the repeal of the boat luxury tax on its side, it has been paying down debt and increasing market share. Regal has also joined with scores of other independent boat makers in the American Boat Builders Association. Through economies of scale in procurement, Regal is able to navigate against billion-dollar competitor Brunswick (makers of the Sea Ray and Bay linear brands). Discussion Questions 1. State Regal Marine’s mission statement in your own words. 2. Define Regal Marine’s current strategy, competitive priorities, and how it wins customers. 3. What do you think is/are Regal Marine's competitive advantage/s? 4. What are the ways that the operations functions can do to successfully execute the strategy at Regal Marine? 5. If you are to design the customer benefit package at Regal Marine, how would you define it? What would be its components in order to provide value to the customers?