Byrd Limousine Benefits to the Organization Milestone

Byrd Limousine

Benefits to the Organization

Milestone 1 -- Company Background

Milestone

Technology Used to Augment Project

Value of the Approach

Business Process Change

Milestone

Technology or business practice

High Level Implementation Plan

Project Summation

The Byrd Limousine Company is an organization that has provided specialized limousine services to Southern California clients for over two decades. BL is owned and operated by Shelonda Byrd Hale, and has seven full time drivers, five male and two female. The company caters to individuals who want stylish or specialized transportation using a driver and a larger, more luxurious automobile. The market that provides these types of services is very competitive and continues to evolve as new models of limousines become available. At present, Byrd Limousine processes data for clients, services, and internal information manually. The enclosed Proposal of Transaction Processing Systems will allow BL to use a more automated, and streamlined, way to keep track of their daily organizational activities.

Problem

The current manual system used by BL is inadequate because it is time consuming, inefficient, and modeled by needing manual (slow) input from staff. The processing of data manually often leads to human errors that continue to reduce profit. Thus, there is a need to increase the quality within the organization. The Transaction Processing System offers several benefits to BL:

Less time consuming

Improved accuracy

Provides more data to management

Allows for a competitive edge within the limousine market (Byrd Limousine, 2012)

Benefits to the Organization

The proposed transaction processing system will be used to keep all the transaction within the organization such as sales records, receipts, cash deposits, payroll, credit transactions, and marketing expenses. This will drastically improve the functionality and streamline the business, improve the relationship between the business and customers (effeciencey), reduce human error, and generate needed information functionality automatically. Benefits include:

Reduction of human error

Imrpove effeciency and thus relations between BL and its client base

Generate needed functionality automatically

Maintain and exceed the demands of the industry

Give the company a competitive edge by increasing the professional look and feel of the organization

This improved information system will automate many steps in BL's business process that were formally manual. This process will change the flow of information, making it possible for BL to keep up with the competitive demands within the industry. Simultaneously, management will be able to make better, quicker, and more accurate decisions. This will allow BL to grow the business based on accurate data, changing the manner in which the business paradigm operates (Laudon & Laudon, 2012).

Milestone 1 -- Company Background

The use of a new, automated, transaction system will reduce costs over time and thus defray the expense of new systems implementation. Strategic performance will increase, as will financial decision making and business management, thus allowing the company greater flexibility in its operations.

Byrd Limousine is a small company, headquarterd in the Southern California area of the United States. It was started by the mother, Mr. s Byrd, and her daugher, because they saw the need to provide quality, low-priced limousine services in the area. Currently, they have nine employees and pride themselves in offering great prices with even greater customer service. BL has competitive rates and programs that increase repetitive business. In addition, BL offers upgraded services for its many corporate accounts.

The Transaction Processing System (TPS) will reduce BL's costs by drastically reducing manual writing and data entry. Limousine orders will increase due to extra time the drivers are available, as well as streamlined services. Management will be able to strategize, use real-time data, track cars and drivers, and improve functional effeciency. Once certain trends are analyzed, there will be more accurate information that will allow management to update pricing structures, thus maximizing profits. TPS will improve customer service and provide clients with up-to-date and professional information. Loyalty programs will help reward repeat customers, easily tracked through an electronic database system. In addition, this will help the company predict transportation trends, need for vehicles, and customer preferences. Errors will be reduced, and will offer a wide range of additional features that will improve cost-control and save time now spent on inventory management, purchasing, and accounting.

TPS is loaded with secure, virus and hacker protection, perform regular database backups, and more easily capture credit card data. The system may not be accessed by any unauthorized users, and the level of secuirty in the new system should give clients peace of mind knowing that their data is securite. This aligns with research done on consumer expectations; a professional level transaction processing system helps improve an organization's image with the public (Laudon & Laudon, 2012).

Milestone 2

There has been a large and increased demand for limousine services, particularly in Southern California due to the rising number of higher-income households. Weddings, parties, proms, and special events have increased. Corporate events, charities, civic groups, and catered events have all increased using off-premise events. International travel has blossomed, allowing for airport pick ups and deliveries, and organizations and individuals both wish to build their image and increase their own presence in the community -- travelling by limousine does all this.

Technology used to Augment New Process

With the advent of the more inexpensive SmartPhone approach, synching of data between remote phones and a server, and the manner in which electronic and credit card transactions can be captured remotely, the time and expense for a new system at BL is long past. Simple database algorithms can be constructed to preinput client information based on the reservation call, and if a credit card is used to book the service, that information can be stored and used, or a new credit card may be processed using a small device hooked to the SmartPhone. Trip logs can easily be made to capture detailed and important information, with GPS services tied in to track progress and/or trip details automatically. The trip log might resemble:

Information

Data

Value

Client

Name or Number

Personalization

Speical Needs

Mineral water, soda, snacks, smoking, etc.

Personalization

Payment

CC or Corporate Account

Streamline and Personalization

Start Trip

Miles

Data

End Trip

Miles

Data

Employee

Number

Manages Payroll

Route

GPS info

Manages information and flow of traffic

Value of the approach

Technological forces also have a major impact on any new business. In today's business environment, technology is being perceived as a critical source of competitive advantage. For the limousine business, we will need to deploy technology in various processes, be it accounting or supply chain or even an e-commerce website for marketing and distribution. To take advantage of advanced technology, we will need to take a close look at the technologies being deployed by our customers for reducing costs and gaining competitive advantage and regularly upgrade ourselves with such technology. Further, we will really need to be proactive and innovative and take advantage of new technologies available in the marketplace. For example, we can deploy new technologies for e-marketing to a wide range of target audience for boosting our brand. Technology is also vital to touch the customer, whether that is with frequent purchaser cards, e-zines, newsletters, or even tracking purchases and rewarding top clients. Additionally, the ability to track and respond to real-time sales is crucial to remain competitive (Cram, 2006).