93 INTERVIEW joined StraitNZ in a role focused on the online experience, believes the partnership with Hogia will help Bluebridge to improve its product offering. “We partnered with Hogia because the strength of its platform gives us an incredibly solid base to build on,” he says. “This gives us more flexibility in terms of our ability to innovate and develop the new products that we want. The application programming interface suite is very strong, and some of the stuff we’ve seen already has been a significant step up on what we had previously. The partnership with Hogia will allow us to evolve and develop further over the coming years.” The ports of Picton and Wellington are also very important partners for Bluebridge. Fostering a good relationship with the port authorities has led to valuable opportunities for the company, including chances for expansion. “We’ve grown our footprint considerably in Wellington over the last three to four years to deliver more operational space for handling freight, which then freed up different areas to marshall our passengers,” says Dady. “Instead of trucks being packed up on the wharf, they’re now consolidated in a single space. It can’t be underestimated how important that kind of layout is in getting the ships away on time, ensuring an efficient operation and improving the overall experience.” While delivering efficient operations both in port and onboard the vessels is crucial to meet the expectations of passengers, it’s the services provided by crew members that make the Bluebridge experience memorable, suggests Dady. “It all goes back to people,” he says. “We deliver a great customer experience through the friendliness and authenticity of our staff. Our terminal manager, for example, has worked here for 20 years and is legendary for the way she welcomes our customers. It’s that personal touch you can’t put a price on that truly drives our success. We can never forget that.” Photo: Strait NZ
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=