The Bay of Plenty is a growth point in IT and the recent success of two Bay based online businesses highlights the success the region is having in this field. In October Treana Griffin won the weekly national MYOB Awesome Service Award for her kids clothing online store, www.zeeegles.com and then in November, Rachelle Sutton won the same award for her online store, Sheer Mineral Cosmetics, www.sheermineral.com

Of the award's 60 previous winners, these are the first two to win with an online business and curiously they are both based in the Bay of Plenty.
Top quality customer service is not something often associated with online enterprises but Tauranga Chamber of Commerce CEO Max Mason says it remains a critical element of good business practice – despite a lack of direct face to face contact.
'Customer service is usually associated with retailers but it's so important in any business.”
The growth of information technology businesses in the Bay of Plenty is quite dramatic with the region's economic development agency Priority One's IT cluster consisting more than 180 businesses.
This heavy growth does not come as a surprise to Max.
'A lot of people move to Tauranga and they may not be able to find a job so they start a business and websites are cheaper than a shop or restaurant.”
There are also some major IT businesses in the Bay of Plenty such as Pingar.
'Businesses like Pingar, at the cutting edge of web searching, are based here because the people like living here,” says Max.
Priority One CEO Andrew Coker is expecting the IT industry to take off further come February 2010 when Intercoast initiative begins operating from Sulphur Point.
Intercoast is the collaboration between Bremen University and University of Waikato with a focus on marine based research and development. To help with the top level research their facilities will be linked into KAREN – Kiwi Advanced Research and Education Network – this is a very fast broadband.
'Once we get that progressing we will be making big steps forward to get interest in the facility,” says Andrew.
Priority One's relationship with University of Waikato is also seen as a key reason for the region's strength in IT as it is regarded as the country's leading education provider in this field, says Andrew.