CASE STUDY: PORT OF TAURANGA   Background The Port of Tauranga operates in a highly dynamic market where key exporting and importing customers continually evaluate their business requirements and strategic relationships. Strong working relationships and high levels of customer service are crucial to the long term success of the Port of Tauranga.   Problem In order to further develop a strategy that attracts and retains business relationships, the Port of Tauranga needed to determine the following aspects from current stakeholder perceptions: Port of Tauranga’s perceived strengths; Port of Tauranga’s perceived weaknesses; Port of Tauranga’s level of performance (including customer service as a significant emphasis); Desired innovations; Port of Tauranga’s general reputation. Solution Considering the information needs of the Port of Tauranga, the key to success was reliable, insightful and actionable feedback from current customers. Key Research was trusted with the task to fill the knowledge gaps through proven market research solutions.   As experts in this field, Key Research executives identified in-depth, face-to-face interviews as the most effective research method. Face-to-face interviews offer the benefits of: Providing detailed qualitative information and views; Exploring perceptions and concerns in-depth; Uncovering unprompted views and suggestions for improvement; Establishing or strengthening customer relationships. Key Research conducted 75 in-depth face-to-face interviews and analysed a large volume of invaluable data for the Port of Tauranga..    Success The customer feedback obtained through Key Research’s market research solution proved to be very important for the Port of Tauranga. The results of the interview process confirmed the Port of Tauranga’s perceptions regarding a number of key strengths that were valued by clients. In addition, the research results identified several areas of improvement critical for the future development of the Port of Tauranga.   “The research report Key Research delivered provided us with the information we needed to optimise our customer relations strategy” says Graeme Marshall, Commercial Manager at the Port of Tauranga. “The analysis uncovered a number of aspects that were a concern to some of our key clients. We need to know these things to be able to react to them. Otherwise we could jeopardise important business relationships.”   Investigating the means to increase brand equity, Key Research was able to assist the Port of Tauranga with the maintenance and improvement of its competitive advantage in the marketplace. As a result of the customer feedback, the Port of Tauranga has taken specific steps to enhance its relationship with key customers. Marshall explains: “We have addressed issues of concern with customers, and we also have implemented programmes to ensure we remain market leaders in our areas of strength.”   Marshall says the research worked in two ways for the Port of Tauranga: “We got the information we needed to effectively target our customers. And on top of that, the research was conducted in a manner that strengthened our customer relationships, because our efforts to understand our customers were appreciated.”