Old Dominion Trail Bikes Case Study Samples

Three Strategic Goals for Ted’s Business

Provide high quality products and services to clients at all our bicycle stores: This strategic goal entails the provision of high quality repair and rental services, high quality bicycle spares and other products such as helmets, speedometers, gloves, locks, clothing, repair kits and bicycle racks. The essence of quality in this case involves provision of services and products that meet the need of Ted’s clients.

Types of Information Needed by Ted to run his Business

Sales Data: This is an important source of information for any business organization. It can involve sales analysis i.e. profit margins, distribution channels et cetera. This information is important in Ted’s business; it acts as an indicator of the progress and failures the business incurs.
Financial Information: Basically, this information encompasses internal and external financial issues. It is important owing to the fact that it will provide a platform for proper budgeting in Ted’s business.
Market Trend Report: Ted’s business also relies on market trend reports; these reports enable Ted to determine current issues affecting the buying and selling of bicycle and bicycle products for instance technology, financial situations, customer preference et cetera.
Internal Operational Data: Ted can access this information through monthly or weekly meetings with his employees or apply other channels. Internal operational data is crucial owing to the fact that it acts an indicator of the progress of his business.

Business Processes likely used in Ted’s business and how Technology could help each

Management Process: This includes activities such as budgeting, strategic planning, corporate communication as well as corporate governance performed in Ted’s business. It is an activity that is mainly performed by Ted. The use of Enterprise Resource Planning software (ERP) could play an important role in facilitating management processes i.e. strategic planning in Ted’s business.
Primary Process: In some cases, this process is referred as operational process. It basically entails activities such as sales, production ideas, cash, making orders as well as the production process. The use of an Enterprise Resource Planning System in Ted’s business could facilitate production process by facilitating activities such as: Tracking resources and cash, regulating production capacity as well as orders among others.
Supporting Process: In business, supporting process is also referred as secondary process; it involves activities such as: Accounting, customer service, employee lifecycle management et cetera. Enterprise Resource Planning System software as a technology could enhance this process at Ted’s business. This can occur through facilitating information flow between Ted’s business and its clients as well as enhancing its connection with other concerned stakeholders.

Two Additional Ways Ted Could Use Internet in his Business

Ted could use the internet to advertise its products and services to his clients, basically offering detailed information regarding specific products and services as well as their prices. This activity fits into the Business-Customer (B2C) business model as it entails communication from the company to its clients, thus facilitating business-client relationship. Additionally, Ted could apply the Subscription Revenue Model as a concept of e-commerce business model to offer content in relation to certain services and products, while charging a minimal subscription fees to its clients.

Supply Chain Management and how it could Improve Ted’s Business operations

The corpus of supply chain management entails the entire activities that have to be implemented to ensure that clients’ needs are meet in accordance to their tastes and preferences. It involves activities ranging from access to raw materials to consumer purchase or consumer access of the ultimate products. Basically, SCM should focus on planning and anticipation, assembly of products, product movement, storage distribution and sales. In relation to Old Dominion Trail Bikes, this process could enhance and boost customer service, ensuring that the right raw materials are purchased, assembled and distributed to clients according to their desires and preferences for instance: Supply chain management could ensure that Ted purchase bikes that are in current demand, spare parts that are mostly preferred and distributing them on a timely as well as desirable manner to his clients. On the hand, SCM could enhance financial position of the company through proper planning, budgeting and market anticipation, ensuring that goods are produced in the right quality and quantity.

Combining Information Accessed from In-Store Clients and Website Clients into a Single CRM System and Associated Benefits

With the use of Customer Relationship Management system software or cloud computing, Ted can combine information from in-store clients and website based clients. The first benefit of combining these aspects of information through cloud computing software is that it facilitates efficiency in the process of handling the concerns of in-store clients and those that make purchases on Ted’s company’s website. Additionally, combining these aspects of information in a single CRM system is cost-effective; that it, it reduces time needed to make certain decisions and the amount of paper work that might be needed in the use of this information. Consequently, this combination could facilitate maintenance of clients while also attracting new clients mainly as a result of the efficient ways through, which they are handled in Ted’s company.

Improving Repair and Rentals through Technology

Benefits and Considerations of an ERP System at Old Dominion Trail Bikes
Benefits
One of the direct advantages of implementing an ERP system in Ted’s business is improved relationship between Ted’s business and his clients. This occurs mainly through improved business processes i.e. supporting processes such as enhanced customer service.
Additionally, the implementation of an ERP system in Old Dominion Trail Bikes could lower the costs of operations. Enterprise Resource Planning Systems promotes efficiency through appropriate planning, enhanced time management and the use of appropriate data to offer services to clients.
On the other hand, implementation of an Enterprise Resource Planning at Old Dominion Trail Bikes would improve its supply chain management process. Implementing the right ERP system at Old Dominion Trail would enhance procurement processes and improve Ted’ market forecasting thus leading to efficient resource management.

Considerations

One of the key considerations that Ted should make before implementing an ERP system in his business is implementation costs. There are various ERP systems offered at varying costs and are usually associated with different impacts (Summer, 2014). In this regard, Ted should select an ERP system that is offered at a reasonable cost and has minimal or no significant negative impacts. The second consideration for selecting an ERP system in the case of Ted’s business software solutions; currently, ERP software vendors advocate for companies to select the appropriate ERP software solutions that fits the demands and the needs of their companies. A careful selection of ERP software would enhance efficiency in addressing the requirements of a business.

Three Measures of an ERP System at Old Dominion Trail

Evaluating Strategic Advantages
Enterprise Resource Planning systems are associated with certain strategic benefits; in the case of Old Dominion Trail Bikes, Ted could evaluate whether his understanding of the business process has been enhanced by implementing an ERP system.

Calculating Measurable Indicators

This procedure entails an analysis and evaluation of results that are quantifiable in nature followed by a determination of whether an ERP system might have contributed to identified successes or failures. In the case of Old Dominion Trail Bikes, Ted could review the objectives of the company and determine the level of quantifiable indicators, while attempting to connect it to implementation of the company’s ERP system and its objectives

Consideration of Intangible Benefits

The success of an Enterprise Resource Planning system can also be defined by certain aspects of intangible benefits and success indicators. That is, an evaluation of successes and benefits that cannot be easily measured. In the case of Ted’s business, he could attempt to evaluate the level of customer satisfaction as an intangible benefit to his company and connect it with the implementation of the company’s ERP system.

Consideration that should be made by Ted to Proceed with his IT Projects

Skill Development and Training
Since Ted and his staff have no experience in implementation and the use of Information Technology, he should consider aspects of training and knowledge development that would be need by him and his team to management the implemented information technology.

Operational Costs

Implementing Information Technology to enhance business processes involves incurring certain costs. Ted should evaluate the associated costs of managing the information technology project and how these costs might impact his business.

Current Technological Trends

Technology changes from time to time mainly as a result of the current platform provided to technologists leading to innovation and creation of new technological ideas. Ted and his staff should evaluate the most recent technologies that are preferred by similar businesses and his clients.

Old Dominion Trail Bikes Business Strategies

Old Dominion Trail Bikes operates through strategies and business objectives; in this regard, before engaging in the IT project, Ted should consider whether available IT options will comply with his business objectives, strategies as well as goals. This ensures that clients’ demands are met in accordance to their preferences.

Service Level Agreements

This is an important contract document as indicates and defines the specific services and products offered by an IT project. It also indicates the consequences a business may face or experience in case they implement a specific IT project. This document is pertinent in the case of Old Dominion Trail Bikes owing to the fact that it limits instances of conflicts that might arise after engaging in the information technology project.

Reference

Sumner, M. (2014). Enterprise resource planning. Upper Saddle River, N, J.: Prentice Hall.