The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 45

Break Free of a Nimbostratus A week after my cast has been removed, I stand alone on the footbridge in Knight's Park, leaning my weight on the railing, gazing down at a pond I could walk around in less than five minutes. The water underneath me has a thin layer of ice on top, and I think about dropping rocks through it, but I do not know why, especially since I have no rocks. Even still, I want to drop rocks through the ice so badly, to puncture it, proving that it is weak and temporary, to see the black water below rise up and out of the hole I alone will have created. I think about the hidden fish – mostly those big goldfish people stock the pond with so old men will have something to feed in spring and little boys will have something to catch in the summer – fish now burrowed in the mud at the bottom of the pond. Or are these fish burrowing just yet? Will they wait until the pond freezes completely? Here's a thought: I'm like Holden Caulfield thinking about ducks, only I'm thirty-five years old and Holden was a teenager. Maybe the accident knocked my brain back into teenager mode? Part of me wants to climb up onto the railing and jump off the bridge, which is only ten yards long, only three feet above the pond; part of me wants to break through the ice with my feet, to plunge down, down, down into the mud, where I can sleep for months and forget about all I now remember and know. Part of me wishes I never regained my memory, that I still had that false hope to cling to – that I still had at least the idea of Nikki to keep me moving forward. When I finally look up from the ice and toward the soccer fields, I see that Tiffany has accepted my invitation to meet, just like Cliff said she would. She is only two inches tall in the distance, wearing a yellow ski cap and a white coat that covers most of her thighs, making her look like a wingless angel growing and growing – and I watch her pass the swing sets and the large pavilion with picnic tables inside. I watch her walk along the water's edge until she finally reaches her usual height, which is five feet and a few inches tall. When she steps onto the footbridge, I immediately look down at the thin layer of ice again. Tiffany walks over to me and stands so her arm is almost touching mine, but not quite. Using my peripheral vision, I see that she too is now looking down at the thin layer of ice, and I wonder if she also wishes she could drop some rocks. We stand like this for what seems like an hour, neither of us saying anything. My face gets very cold, until I can no longer feel my nose or ears. Finally, without looking at Tiffany, I say, â€Å"Why didn't you come to my birthday party?† which is a stupid question to pose at this time, I realize, but I can't think of anything else to say, especially since I haven't seen Tiffany for many weeks – not since I screamed at her on Christmas Day. â€Å"My mom said she invited you. So why didn't you come?† After a long pause, Tiffany says, â€Å"Well, like I said in my letter, your brother threatened to kill me if I made contact with you. Also, Ronnie came to my house the day before your party and forbade me to go. He said they never should have introduced us in the first place.† I had already talked to Jake about his threat, but I have a hard time imagining Ronnie saying such a thing to Tiffany. And yet I know Tiffany is telling the truth. She seems really hurt and vulnerable right now, especially because she is sort of chewing on her bottom lip as if it were a piece of gum. Surely Ronnie said these words against Veronica's wishes. His wife would never let him say something so potentially ego-damaging to Tiffany, and the thought of Ronnie keeping Tiffany from attending my party makes me a little proud of my best friend, especially since he went against his wife's wishes to protect me. â€Å"Bros B4 Hos† is what Danny said to me every time I would lament Nikki, back when we were both in the bad place – before he had that second operation. In art therapy class, Danny even made me a little poster with the words written in stylish gold letters, which I hung on the wall space between my bed and my roommate Jackie's – back in the bad place – but one of the evil nurses took Danny's artwork down when I was not in the room, a fact Jackie confirmed by blinking and banging his head against his shoulder. Even though I realize the phrase is sort of sexist (because men should not refer to women as hos), saying â€Å"Bros B4 Hos† in my mind now sort of makes me smile, especially since Ronnie is my best bro in New Jersey, now that Jake and Danny live in PA. â€Å"I'm sorry, Pat. Is that what you want to hear? Well, I'll say it again, I'm really, really fucking sorry.† Even though Tiffany uses the f-word, her voice sort of quivers like Mom's when she says something she truly means, and it makes me think that Tiffany might actually start crying right here on the bridge. â€Å"I'm a screwed-up person who no longer knows how to communicate with the people I love. But I meant everything I told you in my letter. If I were your Nikki, I would have come back to you on Christmas Day, but I'm not Nikki. I know. And I'm sorry.† I don't know what to say in response, so we stand there for many minutes, saying nothing. Suddenly – for some crazy reason – I want to tell Tiffany the ending of the movie, the one that was my old life. I figure she should know the ending, especially since she had a starring role. And then the words are spilling out of me. â€Å"I decided to confront Nikki, just to let her know I remember what happened between us but do not hold any grudges. My brother drove me to my old house in Maryland, and it turns out that Nikki is still living there, which I thought was sort of strange, especially since she has a new me – this guy Phillip who works with Nikki as a fellow English teacher and always used to call me an illiterate buffoon because I never used to read literary books,† I say, leaving out the part about my strangling and punching naked Phillip when I caught him in the shower with Nikki, â€Å"and if I were Phillip, I probably would not want to live in my wife's ex-husband's house, because that is just sort of weird, right?† Tiffany doesn't say anything when I pause, so I just keep on talking. â€Å"When we drove down my old street, it was snowing, which is a little more rare in Maryland and therefore a big deal to little kids. There was only maybe a half inch on the ground – a dusting – but enough to scoop up in your hands. I saw Nikki outside with Phillip, and they were playing with two children – by the colors each was dressed in, I figured the one in navy blue was a little boy and the one mostly in peach was an even littler girl. After we rolled by, I told Jake to circle the block and park the car half a block away so we could watch Nikki's new family play in the snow. My old house is on a busy street, so we weren't likely to draw Nikki's attention. Jake did as I asked and then killed the engine but left the windshield wipers on so he could see. I rolled down my window, as I was in the backseat because of my cast, and we watched the family play for a long time – so long that Jake finally started the car back up and turned on the heat becaus e he was too cold. Nikki was wearing the long green-and-white-striped scarf I used to wear to Eagles games, a brown barn coat, and red mittens. Her strawberry blond hair hung freely from under her green hat, so many curls. They were having a snowball fight; Nikki's new family was having a beautiful snowball fight. You could tell the kids loved their father and mother, and the father loved the mother, and the mother loved the father, and the parents loved the children – as they all tossed the snow at each other so lovingly, taking turns chasing each other, laughing and falling into one another's heavily bundled bodies, and †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I pause here because I am having trouble getting the words out of my throat. â€Å"And I squinted hard trying to see Nikki's face, and even from a block away I could tell she was smiling the whole time and was so very happy, and somehow that was enough for me to officially end apart time and roll the credits of my movie without even confronting Nikki, so I just asked Jake to drive me back to New Jersey, which he did, because he is probably the best brother in the entire world. So I guess I just want Nikki to be happy, even if her happy life doesn't include me, because I had my chance and I wasn't a very good husband and Nikki was a great wife, and †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I have to pause again. I swallow several times. â€Å"And I'm just going to remember that scene as the happy ending of my old life's movie. Nikki having a snowball fight with her new family. She looked so happy – and her new husband, and her two children †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stop talking because no more words will come out. It's as if the cold air has already frozen my tongue and throat – as if the cold is spreading down into my lungs and is freezing my chest from the inside out. Tiffany and I stand on the bridge for a long time. Even though my face is numb, I begin to feel a warmth in my eyes, and suddenly I realize I am sort of crying again. I wipe my eyes and nose with my coat sleeve, and then I am sobbing. Only when I finish crying does Tiffany finally speak, although she doesn't talk about Nikki. â€Å"I got you a birthday present, but it's nothing much. And I didn't wrap it or get you a card or anything, because, well †¦ because I'm your fucked-up friend who does not buy cards or wrap presents. And I know it's more than a month late, but anyway †¦Ã¢â‚¬  She takes off her gloves, undoes a few buttons, and pulls my present from the inside pocket of her coat. I take it from her hands, a collection of ten or so heavily laminated pages – maybe four by eight inches each and held together by a silver bolt in the top left corner. The cover reads: SKYWATCHER'S CLOUD CHART An easy to use, durable identifying chart for all outdoor enthusiasts â€Å"You were always looking up at clouds when we used to run,† Tiffany says, â€Å"so I thought you might like to be able to tell the difference between the shapes.† With excitement, I rotate the cover upward so I can read the first heavily laminated page. After reading all about the four basic cloud shapes – stratus, nimbus, cumulus, and cirrus – after looking at all the beautiful pictures documenting the different variations of the four groups, somehow Tiffany and I end up lying on our backs in the middle of the exact soccer field I used to play on when I was a kid. We look up at the sky, and it's a sheet of winter gray, but Tiffany says maybe if we wait long enough, a shape will break free, and we will be able to identify the single cloud using my new Skywatcher's Cloud Chart. We lie there on the frozen ground for a very long time, waiting, but all we see up in the sky is the solid gray blanket, which my new cloud chart identifies as a nimbostratus – â€Å"a gray cloud mass from which widespread and continuous rain or snow falls.† After a time, Tiffany's head ends up on my chest, and my arm ends up around her shoulders so that I am pulling her body close to mine. We shiver together alone on the field for what seems like hours. When it begins to snow, the flakes fall huge and fast. Almost immediately the field turns white, and this is when Tiffany whispers the strangest thing. She says, â€Å"I need you, Pat Peoples; I need you so fucking bad,† and then she begins to cry hot tears onto my skin as she kisses my neck softly and sniffles. It is a strange thing for her to say, so far removed from a regular woman's â€Å"I love you,† and yet probably more true. It feels good to hold Tiffany close to me, and I remember what my mother said back when I tried to get rid of my friend by asking her to go to the diner with me. Mom said, â€Å"You need friends, Pat. Everybody does.† I also remember that Tiffany lied to me for many weeks; I remember the awful story Ronnie told me about Tiffany's dismissal from work and what she admitted to in her most recent letter; I remember just how bizarre my friendship with Tiffany has been – but then I remember that no one else but Tiffany could really even come close to understanding how I feel after losing Nikki forever. I remember that apart time is finally over, and while Nikki is gone for good, I still have a woman in my arms who has suffered greatly and desperately needs to believe once again that she is beautiful. In my arms is a woman who has given me a Skywatcher's Cloud Chart, a woman who knows all my secrets, a woman who knows just how messed up my mind is, how many pills I'm on, and yet she allows me to hold her anyway. There's something honest about all of this, and I cannot imagine any other woman lying in the middle of a frozen soccer field with me – in the middle of a snowstorm even – im possibly hoping to see a single cloud break free of a nimbostratus. Nikki would not have done this for me, not even on her best day. So I pull Tiffany a little closer, kiss the hard spot between her perfectly plucked eyebrows, and after a deep breath, I say, â€Å"I think I need you too.†

7ps of Airline

LALA LAjpatrai College | | |AIRLINE INDUSTRY | |SERVICE SECTOR MANAGEMENT | | | | | | | INDEX |Table of Content |Pg. No | |Chapter 1 | | |Introduction |3 | |Importance |4 | |Presence Scenario |5 | |Classification & Types |6 | |Advantages |8 | |Chapter 2 | | |PEST Analysis: The Indian Airline Industry |10 | |Five product levels |15 | |Chapter 3 | | |4 P’s |17 | |Chapter 4 | | |Extended Marketing Mix |24 | |Chapter 5 | | |Segmentation |29 | |Chapter 6 | | |Role of Technology |31 | |Chapter 7 | |8 Quality Dimension |33 | |Chapter 8 | | |Conclusion |35 | |Future |36 | |Reference |37 | CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Airline Industry in India is one of the fastest growing aviation industries in the world. With the liberalization of the Indian aviation sector, airline industry in India has undergone a rapid transformation. From being primarily a government-owned industry, the Indian airline industry is now dominated by privately owned full service airlines and low cost carriers. Private airlines account for around 75% share of the domestic aviation market. Earlier air travel was a privilege only a few could afford, but today air travel has become much cheaper and can be afforded by a large number of people. The origin of Indian civil aviation industry can be traced back to 1912, when the first air flight between Karachi and Delhi was started by the Indian State Air Services in collaboration with the UK based Imperial Airways. In 1932, JRD Tata founded Tata Airline, the first Indian airline. Airline organizations can be classified into a number of segments depending on the nature and degree of services they provide. Major Indian carriers are pressing their feet on the accelerator to reach an acme of service level by the year 2010 when their fleet strength will meet 500 to 550. In the previous two years more than 135 aircrafts have been introduced to keep up with the increasing number of passenger traffic in Indian aerospace. A number of domestic airline groups have emerged in a reasonably short span of time to make the market furiously competitive. IMPORTANCE Growing tourism: Due to growth in tourism, there has been an increase in number of the international and domestic passengers. The estimated growth of domestic passenger segment is at 50% per annum and growth for international passenger segment is 25%. Airlines play an important role in international tourism. Developing airline services helps the nation to cash on tourism as more than 85% of the foreign tourist arrives by air. Improving Infrastructure: We all know that India's air transport infrastructure is out-of-date. In fact the overall situation is critical. A recent report by McKinsey suggests that half of India's highly qualified graduates are located in cities without international airports. Without massive change, infrastructure will not be able to handle growth. We must move quickly now. Benefit all—the government, the airport, shippers, passengers, local communities and airlines †¢ Result in greater efficiency—lower costs †¢ Result in better service levels Globalization: Globalization has improved the lives of many in developing nations. Globalization in of its self is the trading of goods and services of a local economy into an integrated global economy. Technological advances have made this practice more feasible within the last 50 years. The major milestones were the development of the internet and increased transportation technology. These two advances made the world coined â€Å"flat† and set the stage for higher living standards. PRESENCE SCENARIO Revolutionized by privatization along with active participation of the foreign investors, the Indian airline industry has experienced phenomenal transformation over the last couple of years. From being a service catering to the needs of the privileged group only it is now well within the reach of middle class population. This has been the result of increased competition in the Indian aviation industry due to the presence of a wide variety of private and public airlines with their low price tags. It was further helped by the entry of Air Deccan, the first budget airline in India, offering unbelievable tariffs to the customers. In the financial year 2006-07 there has been a significant 22. 3 percent growth in passenger traffic in the domestic airports while the aircraft movement recorded a growth by 14. 2 percent. In terms of the number of flights Jet Airways secures the top position with 8,168 flights operating till June 2007. Indian Airlines is in second position with 7,562 flights. Sahara (3,225 flights), Air Deccan (2,889 flights), Spice Jet (483 flights) and Kingfisher Airlines (367 flights) come thereafter in the list of domestic and national carrier operators. CLASSIFICATION & TYPES The Indian airline sector can be broadly divided into the following main categories: 1. Scheduled air transport service, which includes domestic and international airlines. 2. Non-scheduled air transport service, which includes charter operators and air taxi operators. 3. Air cargo service, which includes air transportation of cargo and mail. Scheduled air transport service: It is an air transport service undertaken between two or more places and operated according to a published timetable. It includes: 1. Domestic airlines, which provide scheduled flights within India and to select international destinations. Air Deccan, Spice Jet, Kingfisher Airline and IndiGo are some of the domestic players in the industry. 2. International airlines, which operate scheduled international air services to and from India. Non-scheduled air transport service: It is an air transport service other than the scheduled one and may be on charter basis and/or non-scheduled basis. The operator is not permitted to publish time schedule and issue tickets to passengers. Air cargo services: It is an air transportation of cargo and mail. It may be on scheduled or non-scheduled basis. These operations are to destinations within India. For operation outside India, the operator has to take specific permission of Directorate General of Civil Aviation demonstrating his capacity for conducting such an operation. At present, there are 2 scheduled private airlines (Jet Airways and Air Sahara), which provide regular domestic air services along with Indian Airlines. In addition there are 47 non-scheduled operators providing air-taxi/non-scheduled air transport services. Apart from this, the players in airline industry can be categorized in three groups: †¢ Public players †¢ Private players †¢ Start up players. There are three public players: Air India, Indian Airlines and Alliance Air. The private players include Jet Airways, Air Sahara, Kingfisher Airlines, Spice Jet, Air Deccan and many more. The startup players are those planning to enter the markets. Some of them are Omega Air, Magic Air, Premier Star Air and MDLR Airlines ADVANTAGES 1. Foreign equity allowed: Foreign equity up to 49 per cent and NRI (Non-Resident Indian) investment up to 100 per cent is permissible in domestic airlines without any government approval. However, the government policy bars foreign airlines from taking a stake in a domestic airline company. 2. Low entry barriers: Nowadays, venture capital of $10 million or less is enough to launch an airline. Private airlines are known to hire foreign pilots, get expatriates or retired personnel from the Air Force or PSU airlines in senior management positions. Further, they outsource such functions as ground handling, check-in, reservation, aircraft maintenance, catering, training, revenue accounting, IT infrastructure, loyalty and programme management. Airlines are known to take on contract employees such as cabin crew, ticketing and check-in agents. 3. Attraction of foreign shores: Jet and Sahara have gone international by starting operations, first to SAARC countries, and then to South-East Asia, the UK, and the US. After five years of domestic operations, many domestic airlines too will be entitled to fly overseas by using unutilised bilateral entitlements to Indian carriers. 4. Rising income levels and demographic profile: Though India's GDP (per capita) at $3,100 is still very low as compared to the developed country standards, India is shining, at least in metro cities and urban centres, where IT and BPO industries have made the young generation prosperous. Demographically, India has the highest percentage of people in age group of 20-50 among its 50 million strong middle class, with high earning potential. All this contributes for the boost in domestic air travel, particularly from a low base of 18 million passengers. 5. Untapped potential of India's tourism: Currently India attracts 3. 2 million tourists every year, while China gets 10 times the number. Tourist arrivals in India are expected to grow exponentially, especially due to the open sky policy between India and the SAARC countries and the increase in bilateral entitlements with European countries, and US. 6. Glamor of the airlines: No industry other than film-making industry is as glamorous as the airlines. Airline tycoons from the last century, like J. R. D. Tata and Howard Hughes, and Sir Richard Branson and Dr. Vijaya Mallya today, have been idolized. Airlines have an aura of glamour around them, and high net worth individuals can always toy with the idea of owning an airline. All the above factors seem to have resulted in a â€Å"me too† rush to launch domestic airlines in India. CHAPTER TWO PEST Analysis: The Indian Airline Industry A PEST analysis is an analysis of the external macro-environment that affects all firms. P. E. S. T. is an acronym for the Political, Economic, Social, and Technological factors of the external macro-environment. Such external factors usually are beyond the firm's control and sometimes present themselves as threats. For this reason, some say that â€Å"pest† is an appropriate term for these factors. Let us look at the PEST analysis of the Indian aviation sector: Political Factors In India, one can never over-look the political factors which influence each and every industry existing in the country. Like it or not, the political interference has to be present everywhere. Given below are a few of the political factors with respect to the airline industry: The airline industry is very susceptible to changes in the political environment as it has a great bearing on the travel habits of its customers. An unstable political environment causes uncertainty in the minds of the air travellers, regarding travelling to a particular country. Overall India’s recent political environment has been largely unstable due to international events & continued tension with Pakistan. The Gujarat riots & the government’s inability to control the situation have also led to an increase in the instability of the political arena. The most significant political event however has been September 11. The events occurring on September had special significance for the airline industry since airplanes were involved. The immediate results were a huge drop in air traffic due to safety & security concerns of the people. International airlines are greatly affected by trade relations that their country has with others. Unless governments of the two countries trade with each other, there could be restrictions of flying into particular area leading to a loss of potential air traffic (e. g. Pakistan & India) Another aspect is that in countries with high corruption levels like India, bribes have to be paid for every permit & license required. Therefore constant liasoning with the minister & other government official is necessary. The state owned airlines suffer the maximum from this problem. These airlines have to make several special considerations with respect to selection of routes, free seats to ministers, etc which a privately owned airline need not do. The state owned airlines also suffers from archaic laws applying only to them such as the retirement age of the pursers & hostesses, the labour regulations which make the management less flexible in taking decision due to the presence of a strong union, & the heavy control of the government. This affects the quality of the service delivery & therefore these airlines have to think of innovative service marketing ideas to circumvent their problems & compete with the private operators. Economic Factors Business cycles have a wide reaching impact on the airline industry. During recession, airline is considered a luxury & therefore spending on air travel is cut which leads to reduce prices. During prosperity phase people indulge themselves in travel & prices increase. After the September 11 incidents, the world economy plunged into global recession due to the depressed sentiment of consumers. In India, even a company like Citibank was forced to cut costs to increase profits for which even the top level managers were given first class railway tickets instead of plane tickets. The loss of income for airlines led to higher operational costs not only due to low demand but also due to higher insurance costs, which increased after the WTC bombing. This prompted the industry to lay off employees, which further fuelled the recession as spending decreased due to the rise in unemployment. Even the SARS outbreak in the Far East was a major cause for slump in the airline industry. Even the Indian carriers like Air India was deeply affected as many flights were cancelled due to internal (employee relations) as well as external problems, which has been discussed later. Social Factors The changing travel habits of people have very wide implications for the airline industry. In a country like India, there are people from varied income groups. The airlines have to recognize these individuals and should serve them accordingly. Air India needs to focus on their clientele which are mostly low income clients & their habits in order to keep them satisfied. The destination, kind of food etc all has to be chosen carefully in accordance with the tastes of their major clientele. Especially, since India is a land of extremes there are people from various religions and castes and every individual travelling by the airline would expect customization to the greatest possible extent. For e. g. A Jain would be satisfied with the service only if he is served jain food and it should be kept in mind that the customers next to him are also Jain or at least vegetarian. Another good example would be the case of South West Airlines which occupies a solid position in the minds of the US air travelers as a reliable and convenient, fun, low fare, and no frills airline. The major element of its success was the augmented marketing mix which it used very effectively. What South West did was it made the environment inside the plane very consumer friendly. The crew neither has any uniform nor does it serve any lavish foods, which indirectly reduces the costs and makes the consumers feel comfortable. Technological Factors The increasing use of the Internet has provided many opportunities to airlines. For e. g. Air Sahara has introduced a service, through the internet wherein the unoccupied seats are auctioned one week prior to the departure. Air India also provides many internet based services to its customer such as online ticket booking, updated flight information & handling of customer complaints. USTDA (US trade & development association) is funding a feasibility study and workshops for the Airports Authority of India as part of a long-term effort to promote Indian aviation infrastructure. The Authority is developing modern communication, navigation, surveillance, and air traffic management systems for India's aviation sector that will help the country meet the expected growth and demand for air passenger and cargo service over the next decade. A proposal for restructuring the existing airports at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata through long-term lease to make them world class is under consideration. This will help in attracting investments in improving the infrastructure and services at these airports. Setting up of new international airports at Bangalore, Hyderabad and Goa with private sector participation is also envisaged. A good example of the impact of technology would be that of AAI, wherein with the help of technology it has converted its obsolete and unused hangars into profit centers. AAI is now leasing these hangars to international airlines and is earning huge profits out of it. AAI has also tried to utilize space that was previously wasted installing a lamination machine to laminate the luggage of travelers. This activity earns AAI a lot of revenue. These technological changes in the environment have an impact on Air India as well. Better airport infrastructure, means better handling of airplanes, which can help reduce maintenance cost. It also facilitates more flights to such destinations. FIVE PRODUCT LEVELS The Core Service: The core service of the airlines industry is to transport goods and services to various destinations. As the needs of the people increased the entire system became more organized and formal. After this stage comes the various supplementary services. The Supplementary Services: The airline industry has many players they had a brand name like ‘Air India’,’ Jet Airways’,’ British Airways’. All of them had some common services to offer like connecting flights, through check-in, tele check in, food on board, and complementary gifts etc. Different classes like economy class, business class were introduced. Air concessions are given to school students, old people etc. Singapore airlines were the first to introduce small 8† television screen for every passenger. The freebies are actually win-win deals between airlines and other services. Sahara, for example, offers its passengers a ‘business-plan’ on two-way economy class ticket, which includes a night’s stay with breakfast, STD facility for 3 minutes and boardroom facility at the Park Hotel, New Delhi. To Delhi based fliers to Mumbai, it offers a night’s stay with breakfast, airport transfers and VIP amenities at The Orchid, Mumbai. For business class, the plan includes a stay at The Leela, with buffet breakfast and late checkout. All these added service helps the customer to decide upon which airlines he wants to travel. As competition increased and the customers wanted more the next phase evolved and that is the augmented service. The Augmented Service: This phase is where the customer’s expectations are met; the service providers kept working on new methods to meet the ever-changing customers’ demands. The players introduced online booking, which was very convenient for the service users. British Airways business class has showers; it’s more spacious and comfortable. Sahara airlines offer its passengers six different types of cuisine like vegetarian, fat free, diabetic etc. They also have auction going on board. Virgin airlines have gambling on board, they also have body massage to offer to their passengers. Air Emirates has something called cab service, they have customized pick up and drop cab service. This phase is the most crucial one; with increased competition service will become the final differentiation. Future Service: As mentioned above the customer needs keep changing, the future is unknown. The customers may be looking in for more frequent inexpensive air travel, something like air taxis, supersonic speed. This decreases the time thus reducing the cost. CHAPTER THREE 4 P’s Product The airline industry is a service that satisfies customer needs for travelling. In the airline industry the customers can be divided into two segments, business and leisure. While the airline industry started out as a luxury item, business travel has changed this industry to a necessity. As we further become a global economy and communication between international companies intensifies, travel needs continue to increase. The leisure traveller has always had the need for the airline industry. Satisfying the customer needs today involves competitive rates, convenient booking of flights and benefits with those flights. Some of the problems with this industry are personally experienced by the customers. The airlines have a difficult time being punctual and this has become the norm in the industry, although some companies try to avoid it. The industry is highly susceptible to situations that result in declines in air travel, such as political instability, regional hostilities, recession, fuel price escalation, inflation, adverse weather conditions, consumer preferences, labour instability or regulatory oversight. Airlines are now in the commodity business as the public demands low-priced transportation. It has moved from elite to a common form of transportation. Today's travellers know how to surf the web for bargains through a myriad of sites such as Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity, Hotwire, and Cheaptickets. As a commodity, airlines cannot increase prices to increase profits, so their only choice is to cut operating costs such as labour costs. Amid the competition, airlines have refocused their attention on the customers. The industry still heavily targets frequent flyers, as members can earn miles through travelling, car rentals, hotels, and credit card use. On overseas flights, business class seats convert to real flat beds. Soon passengers will have internet access during flights. Airlines are also catering to the consumer by offering mostly organic menus, while others are offering meals-to-go before boarding. For travellers pressed for time, many airlines offer fast check-in, online at home before leaving for the airport; or self-service check-in kiosks where passengers identify themselves with a credit card, print their own boarding pass, change their seat, and purchase meal coupons. Price The following are the pricing strategies: Premium Pricing: The airlines may set prices above the market price either to reflect the image of quality or the unique status of the product. The product features are not shared by its competitors or the company itself may enjoy a strong reputation that the ‘brand image' alone is sufficient to merit a premium price. Value for Money Pricing: The intention here is to charge the average price for the product and emphasize that it represents excellent value for money at this price. This enables the airline to achieve good levels of profit on the basis of established reputation. Cheap Value Pricing: The objective here is to undercut the competition and price is used to trigger the purchase immediately. Unit profits are low, but overall profits are achieved. Air India and Indian Airlines have slashed their prices to meet the competition of private airlines so that they can consolidate their position in the market. Airlines usually practice differential pricing. There are three classes: The First Class, The Executive or Business Class and The Economy Class. Fares for each class are different since the facilities provided and the comfort and luxury level is different in each class. Seasonal fares are also fixed, fares rise during the peak holiday times. Low-cost Pricing: With the advent of the low-cost airlines in the Indian aviation industry, a different low-cost flying concept has come up. Since these low-cost airlines are trying to woo the customers by providing air travel in exceptionally low prices, a price-band kind of pricing has to be designed. In low-pricing strategies, the airlines provide very low prices for the flight tickets. Also, they prices are made cheaper by booking the tickets long before the flight date. APEX Fares: In this scheme, people are given very cheap rates only if tickets are booked at least before the specified time period. But the draw-back here is that if the booking is cancelled, a substantial amount of money is not returned. Promotion Integrated Marketing Communication A successful product or service means nothing unless the benefit of such a service can be communicated clearly to the target market. An organisations promotional mix can consist of: ? Advertising ? Public Relations ? Sales Promotion ? Personal Selling ? Direct Mail ? Internet / E-commerce In airline industry all the above methods are use for promotion purpose. The aims of promotion fall into three main categories: to inform, to remind, & to persuade. It will always be necessary to inform prospective consumers about new products & services, but other issue may also need this type of communication to consumers; new uses, price changes, information to build consumer confidence & to reduce fears, full description of service offering, image building. Similarly consumers may need to get reminded about all these types of issues, especially in the off-peak season. It is vitally important to recognize that promotion, or marketing communications generally, may not always be aimed at potential consumer or end user of service. In many business areas, it is to design promotions aimed at channel customers to complement end user promotion. For e. g. Airlines will need to promote their services to tour operators as well as end user. Distribution (Also known as the place variable in the marketing mix, or the 4 Ps) In Airlines, they utilise more than one method of distribution. For e. g. hey sell tickets through travel agents & sell seats on fligh ts to tour operators, whilst also operating direct marketing. Whichever distribution strategy is selected, channel management plays a key role. For channels to be effective they need reliable updated information. For these reason, I. T has been widely adopted such as on-line booking system. Channel structures vary somewhat by the nature of the service ? Internet booking system ? Telephone reservation system. CHAPTER FOUR Extended Marketing Mix Marketers suggest that the unique requirements of selling services require the organization attend to three additional P's. These are people, physical evidence and process. People The people section of the Marketing Mix is the most important section of the extended Marketing Mix. It is broken up into three sections: Employees, Consumers and the Company. Do we have enough employees to provide a good service? ; Do they have the necessary personal and professional skills? , Do they understand the brand-values? , Are they enough motivated or too tired? Those are questions that airlines companies have to ask themselves, and which answers are going to have important consequences in the type of service provided. The analysis of the buyer behaviour is really interesting in this sector. Every individual have different needs and expectations in this market, so segmentation and positioning will be also fundamental. Furthermore, it’s normally an industry where, the user follows all the steps of the buyer behaviour in the selection and purchase of the service. Special importance have the Information Search by the customer (which is normally more complete than in other purchases) and beliefs and attitudes, which are the most important challenges of this analysis because normally have an important weight in the final decision of the customer. In a market as competitive as this one, a personal bad experience or just a non favourable belief or attitude can determine the user's choice forever. That's why the Brand Image is also fundamental for this kind of Companies. For e. g. A Jain would be satisfied with the service only if he is served Jain food and it should be kept in mind that the customers next to him are also Jain or at least vegetarian. Therefore, management faces a tremendous challenge in selecting and training all of these people to do their jobs well, and, perhaps even more important, in motivating them to care about doing their jobs well, and to make an extra effort to serve their customers. After all, these employees must believe in what they are doing and enjoy their work before they can, in turn, provide good service to customers. The â€Å"people† component of the service marketing mix also includes the management of the firm's customer mix. Because services are often experienced at the provider's facilities, other customers who are being served there can also influence one’s satisfaction with a service. For e. g. crying children in a nearby seat on an airplane or ill mannered customer are all examples of unpleasant service conditions caused by a firm's other patrons. Physical Evidence The service is intangible because unlike a product it can't be experienced before it is delivered. It is the ability and environment in which a service is delivered. Because it is intangible customers are at greater risk when deciding whether to use a service, so to reduce this risk, and improve success, potential customer are offered the chance to see what the service would be like with the use of testimonials, demonstrations etc. Physical layout is not only relevant to its promotional materials, but also to the layout and structure of the organization, and websites. Customers have far higher expectations and therefore they select the particular service which they know will satisfy their want. Promotional materials and written correspondence provide tangible reassurance; they can be incorporated into the firm's marketing communications to help reduce customer anxiety about committing to the purchase. Service firms should design these items with extreme care, since they will play a major role in influencing a customer's impression of the firm. In particular, all physical evidence must be designed to be consistent with the â€Å"personality† that the firm wishes to project in the marketplace. They can offer to the consumer more than a fly: additional services, and so they focus their promotional efforts in communicating that to the potential user. Process The customer service department of any airline company deal with a number of processes involved in making marketing effective in an organisation e. g. processes for handling customer complaints, processes for identifying customer needs and requirements, processes for handling requirement etc. Example of Jet (Entire Process) Purchasing process According to epinions. com, travelers' overall purchasing experiences with Jet have been very positive. People like how easy it is to choose from the different one-way fares online to make up a round-trip reservation. Some travelers prefer to use Jettelephone reservation agents for purchasing their tickets. Overall, these reservation agents have been described as very courteous and helpful. Destination Choices We found many negative reviews on epinions. com when it came to Jet destination offerings. Several people complained that Jet doesn't offer service (either non-stop or connecting) to enough destinations. Some complained about Jet operating out of smaller, less convenient airports (like Poona and Nasik). People also complained that Jet only offers limited flights per day to some destinations, making travel less convenient for some. Overall Customer Service Based on our findings at epinions. com, Jet customer service is very highly regarded. Although some people have had unpleasant experiences, almost everyone who gave an opinion raved about the service from Jet flight attendants, gate agents, ticketing/reservation agents, and even the pilots. The 7 Ps – price, product, place, promotion, people, process and physical evidence comprise the modern marketing mix that is particularly relevant in service industry, but is also relevant to any form of business where meeting the needs of customers is given priority. CHAPTER FIVE SEGMENTATION Segmentation involves finding out what kinds of consumers with different needs exist. In the airline industry, for example, some consumers look for only price, while others are much more concerned about other features and services provided. In general, it holds true that â€Å"You can't be all things to all people,† and experience has demonstrated that firms that specialize in meeting the needs of one group of consumers over another tend to be more profitable. Generically, there are three approaches to marketing: In the undifferentiated strategy, all consumers are treated as the same, with firms not making any specific efforts to satisfy particular groups. This may work when the product is a standard one where one competitor really can't offer much that another one can't. Usually, this is the case only for commodities. In the concentrated strategy, one firm chooses to focus on one of several segments that exist while leaving other segments to competitors. For example, Deccan Airlines focuses on price sensitive consumers who will forego meals and assigned seating for low prices. In contrast, most airlines follow the differentiated strategy: They offer high priced tickets to those who are inflexible in that they cannot tell in advance when they need to fly and find it impractical to stay over a Saturday. These travellers usually business travellers pay high fares but can only fill the planes up partially. The same airlines then sell some of the remaining seats to more price sensitive customers who can buy two weeks in advance and stay over. Note that segmentation calls for some tough choices. There may be a large number of variables that can be used to differentiate consumers of a given product category; yet, in practice, it becomes impossibly cumbersome to work with more than a few at a time. Thus, we need to determine which variables will be most useful in distinguishing different groups of consumers. We might thus decide, for example, that the variables that are most relevant in separating different kinds of airlines consumers are: (1) Preference for price, (2) Preference for combination of price and other features, (3) Consumers not worried at all about price: Looking for privacy or luxury (4) Willingness to pay for brand names We now put these variables together to arrive at various combinations. Several different kinds of variables can be used for segmentation. Demographic variables essentially refer to personal statistics such as income, gender, education, location (rural vs. urban, East vs. West), ethnicity, and family size. Jet Airways; for instance, has found that people from western region (India) on the average prefer vegetarian meal whereas people from east prefer non-vegetarian meal. Taking this a step farther, it is also possible to segment on lifestyle and values. Some consumers want to be seen as similar to others, while a different segment wants to stand apart from the crowd. Another basis for segmentation is behaviour. Some consumers are â€Å"brand loyal† i. e. , they tend to stick with their preferred brands even when a competing one is on sale. CHAPTER SIX ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY Intense competition in Indian Aviation Industry has made the role of technology very important for domestic airline companies. Technology can help in making travel comfortable, allow easy access to tickets and reduce time to check-in. A considerable amount of money is also saved by automation. Following points highlight the increasing use of Technology by different Airlines: Vijay Mallya-promoted Kingfisher Airlines is planning to install a landscape camera at the bottom of the aircraft that will enable passengers get a view of the take-off and landing of their airplane when flying on domestic routes. They are also going to allow GSM phones to be used on board for the first time. They are already providing live TV as part of our high-end In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) initiatives. Kingfisher Airlines has announced the launch of two world-class technological innovations to enhance guest convenience. The first cutting-edge innovation is the introduction of the ‘Roving Agent’ at the airport. Now guests with hand baggage need not have to wait at the check-in counter to collect their boarding pass, instead they can directly approach the Kingfisher Airline’s Roving Agents deployed outside the security check-in area who will book them on their choice of seats. Also launched is the facility of ‘Web Check-in’. Now Kingfisher Airlines' guests can sit in the comfort of their homes or offices and print their boarding passes. All a guest has to do is log on to the official website of Kingfisher Airlines, www. flykingfisher. com, and click on the link – web check-in. Fill-in your reservation details and the screen will display the choice of seats available onboard that particular flight. Once booked, the guest can conveniently print out the boarding pass and carry it along with him/her on the day of the flight and proceed straight to the security check counter at the airport. The Airbus A380, the world`s largest and most advanced passenger airplane, which is widely regarded as the future of aviation, marks a momentous milestone in the history of civil aviation in India. Kingfisher Airlines, India’s fastest-growing airline, has engaged Sabre Airline Solutions, the global leader of software and services for the airline industry from planning to execution, to provide a full suite of more than 20 enterprise applications to enhance its guest processing functions, as the airline continues its rapid expansion of its operations. Kingfisher Airlines is also leveraging other technology from Sabre Airline Solutions to help analyze the market and determine the best approaches to maximize revenue. Kingfisher Airlines Ltd and Dish TV have joined hands to provide live in-flight entertainment on Kingfisher aircraft. The in-flight entertainment system is one of the best in the world. The increasing use of the Internet has provided many opportunities to airlines. For e. g. Kingfisher has introduced a service through the internet, wherein the unoccupied seats are auctioned one week prior to the departure. Public sector airline Air-India is exploring the possibility of launching an information technology (IT) subsidiary to handle its automation activities. Jet Airways has launched an Interactive Voice Response (IVR)-based payment and ticketing services. The service will allow passengers to complete their reservation with credit cards through a secure gateway and instantly receive their e-tickets via email. Low-cost carriers such as Air Deccan, SpiceJet, GoAir and IndiGo are currently allowing a web-check apart from online booking. CHAPTER SEVEN QUALITY DIMENSION IN CONTEXT WITH AIRLINE INDUSTRY Reliability is most important to customers. Reliability is performing promised service dependably and accurately. If you don't deliver on your promise you can lose customers and your credibility will be damaged. It takes a long time for a company to build up a reputation for reliability, and only a short time to be branded as â€Å"unreliable†. Security in airline industry is a very important issue. Terrorist threats and narcotics are the main threats in Indian airports. The airlines and the security screening people they contract with have a simple choice – employ more staff so as to process their passengers more efficiently, or lay off staff and cause their passengers to spend more time waiting to check in than they actually spend on the flight itself. Tangible – Tangibles refers to physical facilities and facilitating goods. Examples of tangibles would be distinctive materials such as brochures and the cleanliness of the facilities. Tangible is what makes you different than competitors. Customer can see for themselves and then decide whether to go for the service or not. Responsiveness – Responsiveness is the willingness to help customers promptly. Avoid having customers waiting for no apparent reason. Responsiveness is very important because if you provide customers with what they need in a timely fashion they will be satisfied. Nobody likes to wait. Replying to a customer request promptly is a good example of responsiveness. If customers see that the company is willing to help, this will cause loyalty and it will let them know that you are concerned about them. Assurance is the ability to convey trust and confidence. Being polite and showing respect for customers will create trust. Also having professional and knowledgeable staff will create trust and confidence in customers. People enjoy meeting pleasant, knowledgeable people. By being pleasant and knowledgeable to everyone a business will present the kind of business image that draws new business. Empathy is the ability to be approachable. Empathy involves treating customers as individuals. When a customer has a problem they should not be afraid to ask questions. A company should adapt to the specials needs of a customer. Listening to customers concerns and proving them with a positive solution is how you show empathy. CHAPTER EIGHT CONCLUSION Airline industry in India is plagued with several problems. These include high aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices, rising labour costs and shortage of skilled labour, rapid fleet expansion, and intense price competition among the players. But one of the major challenges facing Indian aviation industry is infrastructure constraint. Airport infrastructure needs to be upgraded rapidly if Indian aviation industry has to continue its success story. Some steps have been taken in this direction. Two of India's largest airports-Mumbai and New Delhi-were privatized recently. Two Greenfield airports are coming up at Bangalore and Hyderabad in southern India. Investments are pouring into almost all aspects of the industry, including aircraft maintenance, pilot training and air cargo services. The future prospects of Indian aviation sector look bright. The Indian aviation industry has witnessed remarkable growth in recent years, with key drivers being positive economic factors, including high GDP growth, good industrial performance, and corporate profitability and expansion. Other factors include higher disposable incomes, growth in consumer spending, and availability of low fares. FUTURE PROSPECTS OF INDIAN AIRLINE SECTOR Consolidation in the aviation industry: Consolidation will ease competition and give pricing power to the dominant players and as a result of higher fares even smaller players like SpiceJet stand to benefit. The air fares for SpiceJet are expected to increase by 7. 4% and 3. 6% during FY08E and FY09E respectively. Due to booming economy, it is believed that the growth in the aviation industry will continue in the scenario of increased airfares. Generally it is believed that the aviation sector in any country grows at twice the growth rate of its GDP. In India, the GDP is growing at more than 7-8% per annum, which makes the growth rate in the aviation sector to be in excess of 15%. Aviation industry in India is expected to grow at a much better rate than this because the industry is at a nascent stage with lower base and low penetration. Strong passenger growth to boost top-line and profit: Strong passenger growth would lead to 86% CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) growth in revenues for the next two years. Increased passenger volume would also help in spreading fixed cost over larger passenger base there by bringing down per unit cost. Domestic Passengers: In the last three years, the number of passengers travelling by air has more than doubled with industry carrying 34mn passenger during FY07. On back of conversion of upper class rail passengers to air travel and the surging tourism industry we expect the number of people travelling by air to increase at a CAGR of 25% to 67mn by FY10E. We expect the revenue passengers for SpiceJet to increase from 2. 8mn in FY07 (12 months) to 6. mn in FY09E, a CAGR of 58%. The expected growth in revenue passenger is on account of aggressive increase in fleet size from 11 aircrafts in FY07 to 23 aircrafts by FY09E. REFRENCE Books and Journals: Adrian Palmer (2001), Principles of S ervices Marketing, third edition, McGraw Hill, London. Kotler (1998) Marketing Management Ninth Edition The Economist, 4th January 2002 A new way to fly Websites Referred: www. 4ds. com www. epinions. com www. business. headlinesindia. com www. oppapers. com www. icmrindia. org www. airindia. com www. flyairdeccan. net www. spicejet. com (www. spicejet. com/pdf/BSE_Q2FY08) www. jetairways. com www. flykingfisher. com

The Disorders of Mobility and Balance in the Hospital Environment Essay

The Disorders of Mobility and Balance in the Hospital Environment - Essay Example Reflective research was the means of learning from experience. Nurses had become busy practitioners considering the complexity of the environment they work in. The difficult and varying interpersonal relationships in the hospital milieu warranted that the nurse was to possess characteristics which helped her survive (Taylor, 2001). Whatever the constraints, the nurse had to deliver. Action research and reflection were two components which involved almost all the work that was done by a nurse. The educative nature of action research contributed to the learning experience. The relationship with patients could grow through psychosocial aspects of behaviour. Problem-focused research was possible with this kind of research. The specific context also was significant for reflection and remembering for future recall (Taylor, 2001). Trying out a specific intervention which was going to benefit patients in the future was possible. Improvement in therapy and involvement to change it could add t o the learning process through reflection. The change process could involve participants and nurses in a research relationship. Action research had contributed to many of the changes in the nurse’s life. The self-directed learning process was conducive to more effectiveness in their practice and the clarification of their roles (Taylor, 2001). Even participants could be empowered through the efforts of the nurse. The diverse aspects of solving problems, planning for changes and frequent evaluation were dealt with in reflective research.

Electronic Drive Motors used in Naval Vessels Essay

Electronic Drive Motors used in Naval Vessels - Essay Example According to an analysis of various ships conducted by the US Navy, the electric drive propulsion ships utilizes 10 to 25 percent lesser energy as compared to the traditional mechanical drive propulsion ships and thus are very likely to contribute to the Navy’s target of achieving environmental sustainability in consumption of fuel by its vessels and by the naval equipment (Baldwin & Baldwin, 2008). There other advantages of electric drive propulsion system because of being newer in technology it can incorporate in it the latest technology and can easily support the automated system and the various systems on the ship can be easily shifted to electric control and can easily be automated. Electric drive propulsion system can use the new propeller/stem configurations such as the podded propulsor which is very effective in increasing the fuel efficiency of the ships due the improvements in the hydrodynamic efficiency of the ships (Hobart, 1911). The incorporation of the podded pr opulsor system can help in further saving the fuels up to 15 percent. Figure 2 Podded Propulsor [http://accessscience.com/loadBinary.aspx?filename=YB001201FG0030.gif] While incorporating an electric drive system in a naval vessel there are other concerns beside the propulsion of the ship and the electricity required for the control room electrical panels and boards. The guns and other security equipment installed on a naval vessel are also mechanically operated and in order to convert the operation completely into an electric system the mechanical system installed on the ships will also needed to be converted to electric power. One solution is to use an integrated electric drive system with more advanced motor type known as the advanced induction motor AIM. But this type of electric motors can are only sufficient for the most primitive guns such as the DDG-1000 destroyer and cannot be used for the guns and security and combat equipments which require a larger power for their operati on. The other technologies which can be used for powering the larger guns and combat equipment include permanent magnet motor (PMM) and high temperature super conducting synchronous motor (HTS). The conversion technology used should be efficient enough to convert and distribute the shipboard electrical power for the development of a propulsion system with more reliability, survivability and power quality. Permanent Magnet Motor A permanent magnet motor does not have a field winding on the stator frame and thus relies on permanent magnets to provide the magnetic field against which rotor field interacts to produce torque. The commutation under load on large motors can be easily improved by the use of compensating windings in series with the armature. The power consumption of the field winding can be easily eliminated by the use of permanent magnet fields (stators) and thus most of the large motors are dynamo types which utilize stator winding. The various operations on the ship and n aval vessels powered by electrical

Marketing your self Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marketing your self - Essay Example exam accorded me with what entails a â€Å"30-second commercial† hence raising my focus and attention to such commercial since they may hold the key to a great job opportunity. The â€Å"riffle approach† to marketing online as defined in the exam is important in ensuring a precise and effective online presentation where potential employers could trace me. The exam also acquainted me with the facts that there are less jobs advertisements. This helps me to adapt other avenues of seeking for a job and the knowledge that jobs are there even though they do not feature in adverts. The knowledge of having multiple, effective and visible resumes online is quite crucial because it helps me create a platform to market myself for a job online. However, the fact that not all resumes get attention encourages me to remain consistent and persistent on my job submissions. Nevertheless, the exam cautioned me against taking a resume to a network meeting as it lowers ones credibility. The information on networking will help me to share information and contacts on job opportunities with others where 65%-85% of jobs come through networking. The exam informed me on the importance of academic projects and internships in job interviews. The examination informed on how to treat job requirements before attending an interview. This is significant as it sets th e minimum qualifications for any job. In conclusion, the exam prepares me to market myself, job searching, attending an interview, and negotiating a job offer (Alobaidali

Appraise the Lean Canvas as a model for start-up businesses. Provide Assignment

Appraise the Lean Canvas as a model for start-up businesses. Provide judgments and interpretations for each element of the model - Assignment Example Here the idea is not to make a perfect business plan, because a perfect plan is a myth. Most of the companies’ make an initial business plan which changes as one grows. Perfection is not the goal. The idea is to prepare a business plan and start a business with the available resources at hand. In this study we will take a start-up of a manufacturing company like a car manufacturing company named Drizzler which will cater to Indian market. Drizzler will import most of its part from outside India and assemble in India. Discussion Customer Segment Possible Customer List of this start-up is anyone who wants to buy a car to use it. But being a start-up business will cater to middle income level families. In India the middle Income population is rising and their income level is also rising (Osterwalder and Pigneur, 2013, p. 123). India being a developing country, its GDP is growing at a healthy rate as compared to the western developed economies. Hence the needs of the middle income families are also rising day by day. They demand products which were previously used by Upper level people. Drizzler will cater to such customers (Ramaswamy and Namakumari, 2009, p. 234). Value Proposition For a middle income family those who want to buy a car, they are driven mainly by desire to own a car. Drizzler will create a value for the segment by manufacturing car which will not be priced too high and having features which will meet the expectation of regular people. Hence if it can satisfy the need for safety, and the esteem needs, then it will cater to the need of average household (Nielsen and Lund, 2012, p. 52). The most important customer segment is the middle income households who wants a bike but can afford a car. It should cater to such families who want to drive car and have a feeling to owning a car and make it their first family car. This car will give them durability and safety which they seek (Kaplan, 2012, p. 42). It is another factor considered important to m iddle income families. Hence they should give a mileage of about 20-25 km/litre. The seating capacity should be for 5 persons with maximum speed of 200 km/hour. Channels The car will be sold through independent sales channel all over India. Such sales channel includes retail dealers present throughout India. Nowadays in India there has been a trend of increasing sales of car in the Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. It indicates that they must have their presence of distribution channel in those cities. They will sell their products through retail dealers. They must use the advertisement which shows the value proposition it will deliver to the customers (Dent, 2011, p. 141). Through mediums like TV, newspaper, auto magazines and shows on car, it will help them drive their value proposition to the clients. They must also maintain a website which will clearly state the features and the local dealer present. Customer relationships The key to any business is the ability to know what the customer s want. Drizzler will maintain a strong and fast customer relationship programs. Drizzler will run a customer loyalty program. Drizzler will use a magnetic card for anyone who buys the product. When a customer buys a car, he gets points. When the magnetic card is swiped, then the representatives of

McDonalds Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

McDonalds - Case Study Example Beefs are not allowed in India for the Hindus. Indonesian prefer to eat more rice and rice based foods. America is the heartland for McDonald's with 50% of global sales. Europe has one third of global sale and is catching up fast, with 39% of global earnings. McDonald's has a presence in 40 European countries though 65% of European earnings come from the Big Three France, Germany and Britain. France is first by profits, with Germany second and Britain third. Russia is the market with the strongest growth with only about 200 McDonald's outlets. It is the group's most profitable market worldwide in operating income per restaurant. Global consumption for burgers and fries made sales at McDonald's soar high in 2007. The company had 2007 sales up 9% year-on-year to $22.8bn($20.5 billion in 2005). Revenue in 2005, $5bn and net profit$2.26bn in 2005. Operating income fell 12% to $3.9b.Europe in 2007 over 2006 result, with sales up 7.5% year-on-year, contributed operating income of $2.13bn. There was disappointment over the fall of sale and operating income of the company resulting in drop in share price of McDonald's. McDonald has three major problems in Europe from where it gets its one third of its revenue. The beef crisis, which was supposed to create brain damage and foot and mouth disease, haunted the company's food business badly. This caused the reduction in consumption of McDonald's food by 60% in Germany and also in other European countries. This problem is now subsiding. This is a big problem because it concerns with health of human being, which is very sensitive matter. Weakening euro that hampered the sale of US products in terms of dollar causes the second problem. Weak euro reduced the dollar value of company sale in Europe. This is an economic problem a multinational company with thousands of outlets abroad will often face this problem because cross currency fluctuations. Third important problem mentioned later in this paper also is about the unhealth food by fast centres in general and by McDonald's in particular. The oily and fatty food damaged health but youths run after it. There is campaign all over the world against fast foods to distract students from them. Even Pricne Charls had riaed voice against it.The solution is recommende later in this paper. Supply strategy The company adopted the common strategy of opening more and more outlets in a country or in a city to increase its turnover. This made the supply side stronger to meet the growing demand of McDonald's food. The company also allowed the local outlet to change in the ingredients in the product to suit the local taste and menus. The company did not prefer the strategy to squeeze more out of the existing outlets but recently it has given green signal to bring changes to suit the local tastes. This strategy will increase the sales per restaurants and make the outlet organically stronger. Certain strategic changes in some restaurants with new interiors and new welcome logos of McDonald were made to attract new customers who look for changes. New McCafes' coffee shop chain has been started for serving the coffee lovers with special