Revamped Internet Service Valuable To Exporters

Revamped Internet Service Enormously Valuable To Exporters

Auckland, August 13, 2002 -- ProjectLink, an online Trade New Zealand service that has helped exporters win $150 million worth of business in Australia and the Pacific, has been revamped to make it an even more effective market intelligence tool.

Trade New Zealand Sector Team Manger Peter Smyth says ProjectLink (www.projectlink.co.nz) gives New Zealand exporters hot leads in the building, construction, engineering and marine industries before their competitors hear about them.

“ProjectLink delivers qualified business opportunities to New Zealand companies online, well before the tender stage. This enables them to contact and influence the project designers or owners really early in the process, to give them a better chance of winning the contract.”

Mr Smyth says while ProjectLink has been extremely successful, helping exporters win millions of dollars worth of business in recent years, the revamped service, launched on 1 August, has improved its value to companies enormously. He says one of the key enhancements is increased flexibility in searching.

“Now a New Zealand exporter can see all the companies and contacts working on a specific project, or all the projects out to tender in a specific region, for example Victoria. They also have the ability to see what past and present projects a company is involved in. This facility enables them to identify who the key movers and shakers are in areas of relevance to them, and gives them leads for networking.

“We’ve also boosted ProjectLink’s market intelligence content to include news items and analysis about projects and markets which can be tailored to a subscriber’s needs. Improved functionality also gives subscribers better access to archived information.”

Mr Smyth says ProjectLink is targeted at companies new to export and experienced exporters, who he says often use the service to compliment their own market intelligence gathering.

Trade New Zealand Chief Information Officer Hans Frauenlob says clients will find ProjectLink’s new features attractive and user -friendly.

“We’ve put a lot of work into improving the usability of this online service, based on a really good combination of feedback from all the ProjectLink constituents – clients, Trade New Zealand’s offshore offices and our marketing team.”

Mr Frauenlob says the revamped ProjectLink is one of many online services Trade New Zealand is launching.

“Using the internet as a delivery channel makes our services more accessible to exporters. It also enables us to offer clients new services that will help them grow their foreign exchange earnings.”

Trade New Zealand’s largest undertaking in this area, its e-business project, has already launched its foundation service – a directory of exporters called NZ Exporters Online (www.nzmarketlink.com ). Another online service, www.emarketservices.govt.nz , was launched in May to help New Zealand exporters access electronic marketplaces.

Mr Frauenlob says further major online service initiatives will be announced later in the year.

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