Like any start up company, Marcus Kingo, owner of
1-888-JUNK-VAN, found himself dealing with the complexities of his company’s
operations. Mr. Kingo had always been an
entrepreneur and discovered a way of making money with the disposal of solid
waste. Being the most profitable segment
of waste management, Kingo wanted to capitalize on this opportunity
As the company grew he found it more and more difficult to
manage the company itself from home with the operational system being used.
Number of staff:
·
2 call center operators
·
1 data clerk
·
3 drivers
·
3 helpers
The data was all collected throughout the day and entered in
two shifts. The morning shift call
center operator entered new orders into the database and at the shift would
have to email the database to the second shift operator. The second shift operator would continue to
enter orders but would also send out to the drivers the orders for the
following day, as well as, email the database and the end of the day to the
data clerk. The data clerk would receive
all the invoice, payments etc… from the drivers and integrate both
databases. Once integration was complete
and payments processed, the updated database would be forwarded to the morning
call center operator in order to continue to operational cycle.
Operational Problems:
·
Human error on the part of the call center
operator and data clerk
·
Missing required data for invoicing, for
example, customer emails
·
Drivers did not use templates to issue invoices
and receive payment
·
Incorrect database’s were forwarded creating inaccurate
data usage
·
Time consuming in correcting and updating
database
Kingo required an operational program to help him manage his
data in a remote access way in order to continue to run his business as a home
based company. This allowed him to cut
costs on a facility rental as the company was still a small company.
Alternatives to solve
the Operational Issues:
· Microsoft Access Database
o
Could be implemented in a timely matter
o
Small budget required
o
Remotely accessed through VPN
o
$179 license price per computer
o
Not familiarized with shared server set-up
o
Might need to hired extra help with technical
information
·
Custom Application
o
Customized application
o
Web-based systems provide remote access
o
Price of $2,000
o
Maintenance charge $60 per hour, per developer
o
Data migration not included
o
Application cannot be review beforehand which
could create delayed if not correct
·
Google Docs
o
Free accounts up to 10 users
o
$5 per user per month, or $50 per user, per year
o
Online applications
o
Users work simultaneously on the same file
o
User profile specifications, for example, read
only, or full access
o
Quick and easy to use
o
Data spreadsheets do not allow for relationship
creation among spreadsheets
o
Data saved in “Cloud”, might create
confidentiality problems due to sensitive data
·
Platform as a Service
o
Cloud computing
o
Capability to create your own applications
o
$300-$600 per month costs, dependent on storage
space required
o
Additional customization $180 per hour
o
Includes data migration
·
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System
o
Centralized database
o
Small firms expected to have 20 to 25 users
o
$2,500 per user per year
o
Higher licensing budget required
o
One pack for 4 licenses $12,000
o
Too much financial modules provided which were
not needed
Out of the 5 alternative options, we are able to see that
and ERP System would not be considered as it is too costly and not required due
to the size of the company. As a
start up company, cost plays a big fracture when making this decision, so with
that Platform as a Service and Custom Application are also not suitable. Leaving Google Docs and Microsoft Access
Database as the only liable solutions.
Google Docs meets all requirements with a small issue in
regards to confidentiality. Information
entered into the spreadsheets will include payment details, for example credit
card information. This could present
itself as a risk for the company decreasing orders as customers might find this
non acceptable.
Microsoft Access Database is the way to go with a start up
company. With its small cost of $179 per
computer costs can be cut here. All requirements
are met as long as additional technical skills are added to the personnel. In this case the best solution would be for
Marcus Kingo to invest in a Microsoft course at his local community college in
order to familiarize himself with the product.
Except the additional purchase of SharePoint would have to be made.
Alternative Recommendation:
·
Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard
o
Provides small startup business’ with all the
operational essentials
o
Provides crucial remote access through a VPN “SharePoint”
o
$1,347.95 onetime purchase cost on Amazon
o
Allows all users to connect to the company’s
networking using VPN
o
Can be setup easily by accessing the Network and
Sharing Center in the Start button on Windows 7 PC
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