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CASE STUDY: MAC BOATS
 
Background
Mac Boats (produced by Galloway International Limited) is New Zealand’s market leader in polyethylene boats and has been in operation since 1986. The company’s boats are sold nationally and internationally for both leisure and commercial use.
 
Problem
Mac Boats aimed to further increase its sales through developing a greater understanding of the market it operates in and the consumer perceptions of its products. The company needed more detailed information to base their strategic decisions on.
 
In conjunction with Mac Boats, Key Research established the following objectives:
  • Ascertain the efficacy of dealership/point of sale communication/advocacy;
  • Identify the extent of market awareness and features/benefits of Mac Boats;
  • Explore the extent to which Mac Boats meet consumer needs;
  • Determine the likelihood to spread good word about Mac Boats;
  • Identify the reasons for purchasing a Mac Boat.
Solution
The objectives of the research required a wide array of information to be gathered from a number of different sources. In order to reach these sources effectively, the following research methods were used:
 
  Information source   Method
  • Dealer network
  • Mac Boat owners/users
  • General boating market
  • Mystery shopping visits
  • Telephone survey
  • Online survey

 Mystery shopping enabled the collection of objective feedback on the in–store presentation and point of sale appearance of Mac Boats. This process has the advantage of:
  • Direct interaction with the target group;
  • Observation of the target groups’ unprompted behaviour in their usual environment;
  • Providing detailed qualitative information.
A telephone survey with Mac Boat owners and users identified consumer needs and consumer satisfaction. Such a survey offers:
  • A high response rate;
  • Quick turn-around of information;
  • Cost-effective method to control sampling of the population.
An additional online survey tested the general market awareness and image of Mac Boats. Online surveys offer the following benefits:
  • Materials can be viewed and responded to;
  • Respondents are able to complete the questionnaire in their own time;
  • Cost-effective way to cover the geographical distribution of respondents.
Success
The combination of the different research methods proved to be immensely successful, delivering the basis for actionable conclusions on how to increase the market share of Mac Boats.
 
“Key Research did a very professional job and we were most impressed with the work they did”, says managing director Garth Galloway. “Their feedback directly assisted us in improving our market positioning.”
 
The outcomes of the research process provided strategic insights into the key drivers influencing the sales of Mac Boats. Recommended areas for improvement included the dealership advocacy, the awareness levels of the brand and the benefits it provides, and the provision of product features appealing to a wide range of boat buyers.
 
From the research recommendations, Mac Boats was able to develop a series of steps to aid in the strategic development of the company. According to Galloway, Key Research’s service was a profitable investment for the company: “Key Research did not only provide facts and figures, they delivered usable guidelines. I most certainly will be using their services again”.