Port Marketing, Business Development
and Terminals Operations

Marketing Objectives and Actions

• • Marketing is a core function of seaport management, positively impacting cash flow, profits, production levels, market share, and the overall image of a port and the related cluster.

Business Perspective of the Port

• • This session will cover an overall perspective of the Port Business and the environment in which the ports operate. Class room training and interactive session will provide an insight to the participants about identification and classification of various customers of the port and port services. Expectations of different categories and classified customers vary for each type of port operation and service offered. Participants will also learn to identify different Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) of the Port and Services for different type of customers and their respective expectations.

Group Case Study – Product Offering  

• • In this case study, participants will evaluate requirement and expectation of the customers; analyse ports’ infrastructure, capacity of equipment and other resources and based on these parameters, prepare a service offering for the customers. Service offering will encompass operating parameters, performance levels and price for each service. Objective of the session is that the participants will prepare a “value proposition” for the customers leading to sustained business for the port.

Define Standard Operating Procedure

• • This is a role play session in which each participant will be assigned a role. Main roles consist of: Operations-in-charge; Marketing-in-charge and sub divisions thereof. Additionally, roles of Finance-in-charge; Systems; Engineering services, Logistics services will be covered depending on number of participants. Role play session will be moderated by the course director. Based on the role play discussions, the entire operating procedure will be defined in standard format which becomes the basis for the final product offering to the customers.

Ports and their Customers

Increasing Customer Loyalty

• • Despite the best of intentions and efforts when developing relationships, customers may defect to other ports. The main reasons behind this change in port choice are related to inadequate service or often just the impression of being treated with indifference. Retaining or reclaiming customers can be accomplished through a number of complementary strategies.

1. 1. Communication with customers
   2. Listening to front-line people

• • The customer contact people are often the first to hear what bothers customers and are better positioned to identify customer needs and concerns.

1. 1. Service failure recovery

Three major types of service failures exist:

• • Failures of the core business where there have been inadequate responses to service delivery system errors.

• • Poor or no responses to customer needs and requests.
  • Unsatisfactory employee behavior such as being abusive, poor attitudes, being discriminatory, and not considering cultural norms.

Recovery from poor service delivery

• • How to convert even frustrated customers into loyal customers.

• • Companies should invest in implementing problem-solving,
  • Follow-up on service recovery strategies to enhance corporate image.
  • Empower employees to have sufficient training to address the error in a timely and appropriate manner.

1. 1. Identify potential defectors

Observant ports can detect potential defectors early in the process. There are several indicators that a customer might defect:

• • Slower returns of customer approval requests.
  • Access to upper-level management decreases.
  • The flow of customer data slows down.
  • Plans for future work become progressively shorter-term.
  • One or more of the products or services are discontinued.
  • The volume of business (TEUs, cargo tonnage, or passenger number) is gradually reduced.

1. 1. Complaint management
   2. Capitalize on positive communication
   3. Usage of exit barriers
   4. Customer differentiation