MarketNewZealand.com

Proof of the Pudding:

MarketNewZealand.com – a key outcome of Trade NZ’s e-Business programme

Alwyn Moores, Online Services ManagerNew Zealand Trade and Enterprise

GOVIS 200314th November 2003

Who is New Zealand Trade and Enterprise?

The Government’s trade and economic development agency, formed from the merger of Trade New Zealand and Industry NZ on 1 July

Stimulates and grows the international competitiveness, profitability and capability of New Zealand businesses

Promotes exporters and NZ sectors into offshore markets

Offshore offices work with international buyers to source NZ goods and services and develop business partnerships

Onshore staff advise businesses and exporters in the development of capability and strategies

Works collaboratively with NZ regions to stimulate and grow their economic base

A global network of 38 offices and ten New Zealand offices

The organisation’s e-Business Strategy Drivers

Programme started in 2000 by Trade NZ. The internet

was becoming an essential channel for business and exporters were looking

for access to: World markets Export opportunities Foreign exchange

Access needed to be affordable and fair, and exporters were looking to

Government to lead and facilitate New Zealand’s entry into e-Commerce Exporters were lacking:

Knowledge Skills Resources Cost effective solutions

The e-Business programme’s strategic goals

Contribute to increased foreign exchange earnings

Increase the numbers of exporters with an online presence

Improve organisational efficiency and move many of Trade NZ’s own

services online

Three-pronged e-Business strategy

Educate. Educate staff and clients in e-Business

and its application to successful exporting using this channel.

Enable. Provide a delivery channel enabling exporters to do

business online and have a web presence.

Facilitate. Encourage NZ’s IT / e-Business industry to provide

enabling products and services to the exporting community.

Delivery of the Strategy

Educate: Staff training to develop common understanding and knowledge

A step-by-step learning guide on e-Business supported by a mentoring programme

Enable: MarketNewZealand.com portal:

Exporter directory

Overseas buyers search and enquire for products and service

Buyers, exporters and staff enter, receive, respond and track sales leads

Users can download up-to-date market intelligence, news and events

Under-pinned by a Knowledge Management strategy

Facilitate:

Provide exporters with information on suitable e-business products and services available in NZ via the e-Business Guide for Exporters (Roadmap)

For those who are ready, provide assistance to enter e-Marketplaces

We connect exporters and buyers

Our role is to connect businesses with other businesses.

MarketNewZealand.com works alongside our staff in offshore markets who: Know local market distribution needs Are “eyes and ears” in the market Add value with local language, undertake customised research

NZTE does not fulfil orders – that is a business transaction between buyer

and seller

Programme’s Critical Success Factors

Understanding the business

Subject matter experts were assigned full time to the core project team,

others seconded on an ‘as required’ basis

“As Is” and “To Be” processes were mapped precisely

Key business users validated the work

Exporters and overseas buyers provided input

Development partner (KPMG/BearingPoint) facilitated and/or was involved in

the process

Programme’s Critical Success Factors

Using the right project methodology Team:

Incubation/isolation (but constant checking with the business) Balanced mix of skills and knowledge (internal and external) Shared responsibilities A real team !!

Approach: Semi-structured approach (not too rigid, not too free) Iterative – mock ups and pilots to test design, value, functionality Validate – business users first, clients and buyers second

Management approval only on policy changes (affecting stakeholders, roles and responsibilities)

Programme’s Critical Success Factors

Managing the changes Challenges - global organisation, many cultures, English as a second

language New channel, new processes, new disciplines, new technology, new

offerings, greater urgency Solutions

Communications - intranet, conferences, teleconferences, video,

newsletters Clear roles and responsibilities Training: group, 1 - 1, web-based pre-records Support team KPIs, Job Descriptions

Programme’s Critical Success Factors

Re-integration (mainstreaming)

Skills and knowledge transfer - comprehensive hand-over from external

resources Structure - Online Services and e-Business Support Team roles clear to rest

of organisation Buy-in / forewarning / (over)-communication Support: business, IT, Help Desk Expectations - KPIs, JDs Training

Results

Operational

2400 exporters profiled 1200 sales enquiries captured 1000 off-shore buyers registered Foreign exchange results starting to come in (NZ$2.0 million to date) Better targeting of sales leads to exporters based on their preferences

Results

Effectiveness

Providing global visibility for our exporter clients at no cost Communicating more often with buyers once registered Providing exporters and buyers with visibility of enquiry progress - links

offshore post staff to buyers and onshore staff to exporters Targeted promotional campaigns to market and export sectors More information to improve the quality of advice provided to exporters

Results

Efficiency

Mapped and documented all core business processes, policies etc Turning around sales enquiries far more quickly Can track and monitor core business functions Can report on how well we deliver services and who is benefiting Programmme assisted Trade NZ to receive the Baldrige Silver Award

What would we have done differently?

More market research Even more mock ups More BA resource More usability work Delivered core value proposition first (profiling <--> sales leads)

Challenges remain

Change Management Marketing

Search engine optimisation On-going marketing / promotion programmes - on and offshore Can’t market all exporters, all goods & services, and into all markets

Continual investment Enhancements, new functions, training Remaining e-Business strategy components

Multi-lingual Integrating with other NZTE websites Content Management – very hungry !

Summary

MarketNewZealand is improving New Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s business positioning and reputation. To make sure this is happening we had to:

Start with a strategy, have a vision and get help from others Understand the business & confirm requirements first Involve key internal and external users early and often Ensure alignment with core processes Build a site that creates “stickiness”, reflects the brand and provides users

value Address change management issues - more difficult than expected Focus on marketing and promotion to ensure the site has visibility

Next Steps

• Review as part of the integration of former Trade NZ and Industry NZ websites

• Use as the foundation for our other transactional sites as it has the richest functionality and workflow (including email and sms notifications)

• Leverage the site’s content management system for the other sites

• Provide a greater level of personalisation

• Consider developing the online processes further to ensure even greater re-use of market intelligence and faster closure of trade leads