Adapting business processes

Organisations are exploiting the ways in which technology can benefit their business. Tesco introduced loyalty cards in 1995 where returning customers are rewarded with points and prizes. These cards also encourage customers to patronise its stores / garages. Have loyalty cards impacted on the corner shop / butcher / grocer..?

 Rewards for buying or offer of payback in return for loyalty.  Purchases made online and the supplier follows up with a personalised inviting you to take advantage of a percentage reduction next time you make a purchase.  A timescale is set to limit the time an offer is available encouraging the buyer to buy now whether they can afford or not.

 Marketing strategy that relies on social networks passing on product or service information from person to person.  Sales representatives can negotiate business deals over the phone, , conference and video calls.  Updated Monopoly game – credit card machine.  Viral marketing works particular well among groups with highly developed social networks, such as teenagers.

 Pop up’s appear without the user’s permission / can be shocking not suitable for the tv.  Spam s, such as follow up s from an online purchase can be unscrupulous and difficult to stop.  Mass customisation – specialist software can monitor or log sales and then adapts product range to meet the demands of cunsimers.

 EDI for tracking and re-ordering stock before it runs out.  Calculations are carried out in an attempt to avoid stocks running out at critical times based on likelihood of products selling a peak times.  Optimum level of stock in relation to storage capacity and with the least impact on cash flow.

 Customer support – logging a query on the organisation’s website using the contact us facility.  Sending s  FAQ page – frequently asked questions.  Automated telephone systems – press 2, press 3 and then be told to hold !  Staff reading from a script – cheaper, available out of office hours

 E-banking – opportunities for hackers to steal funds has increased.  Chip and pin – only as secure as the user makes it – do not share your pin  Firewalls  Security codes and passwords

 Fax machine – 1980’s – was a major technological advancement to communications.  Now we rely on sophisticated networked computers, running a range of software applications performing a range of tasks.  Robots – automated tedious jobs – spray painting cars / Formula 1 –programmable machinery to carry out precision tasks.  Robots – dangerous situations - radioactive