Elevator Pitch:To prepare for this week’s discussion post: Watch these LinkedIn Learning videos from the series Giving Your Elevator Pitch with Todd Dewett (use your student login for LinkedIn.com if
Running Head: OPERATIONS, TECHNOLOGY, MANAGEMENT, AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY 1
Operations, Technology, Management, and Social Responsibility Plan
Chet L. Walker
Strayer University
Dr. Andrea Banto
BUS 599 – Strategic Management
29 May 2020
Operations
Facilities
Creative Cuts and Styles will be located within an established mall in our neighborhood. The business will occupy 1,950 square feet of mall space. This location is considered to be a high-profile as it has easy access as well as ample parking. Space will be rented out at a cost of $11,000 per month. Utilities including water, electricity, and trash removal will cost $1,200 per month.
Production Process
Creative Cuts and Styles will offer world-class barbering services to our customers. Our business venture will require various supplies including clippers, shears, and barber poles. Additionally, it will require the right furniture, after-shave lotion together with styling gel. The cost of these and other equipment will be around $55,000. Creative Cuts and Styles is expected to serve an average of 400 customers per month. Offering Uber barbering services will play a crucial part in making this possible. Also, the business will engage in meaningful advertising that results in more customers. Our website will also be customer friendly and will contain all the services offered together with their respective and affordable prices (Winnie, 2014). Our main method of advertising will be through major social media platforms. To ensure that our staff provides top-notch services, the business will utilize an application where barbers and our staff can be rated by customers. Every product that is taken out of the inventory will be replaced immediately. The average time for serving a client will be 45 minutes.
Research and Development
To stay ahead of new industry developments, the founders of the business will be getting updates from lifestyle magazines as well as monitoring our close competitors. Additionally, Creative Cuts and Styles will emphasize better engagement with customers to acquire their insights and engaging in networking activities such as monthly barbershop owners’ happy hour.
Personnel Needs in Operations
Creative Cuts and Styles will employ nine full-time employees who will be tasked with serving customers from all walks of life. When clients are many, additional workers will be hired. They will be paid on an hourly basis and serve as many customers as possible. Among the nine employees, one worker will be the general manager and will oversee the daily operations of the business. Also, he or she will be assigning roles to the rest of the workers based on the flow of customers and their specific requirements. (Snell et al., 2015). The other eight will attend to customers based on one’s area of specialization and experience.
Technology
Software Needs
The business will require a software application for managing inventory as well as sales. Additionally, Creative Cuts and Styles will utilize an app whereby customers can rate our services and workers. The app will also be utilized by customers in booking their preferred barbering service. We will also have a business website outlining our services and their prices. Also, the website will have updated graphics and images that are attractive to everyone who visits the website (Singh, 2013). The location of our business will be included in the website.
Hardware Needs
Creative Cuts and Styles will require three complete desktop computers to be utilized in overall management. The business will procure latest powerful computers. Security will be monitored through these computers as they will be connected to the CCTV cameras installed within the premises. The computers are indeed expected to make things easier.
Telecommunication Needs
To serve our customers effectively, Creative Cuts and Styles will utilize a telephone line whereby customers can call and inquire about any of our services and prizing. Those who need Uber barbering services will also be able to place their request through the telephone line or our email. Internet required to run the premises will be sourced from a local internet provider. Our customers will be able to enjoy Wi-Fi while within our premises.
Personnel Needs in Technology
The personnel who will be managing our website and application will be outsourced. This will ensure that our in-house staff focus their attention on providing quality services to our customers. Moreover, the business will outsource labor required to service the software application for managing inventory as well as sales.
Management
Key Management Employees
During the first year of operations, Creative Cuts and Styles will be under the management of two employees. The workers will be tasked with ensuring that the business runs smoothly and that any problems that arise and are related to either customers or employees are resolved accordingly. The number of employees tasked with management will continue to increase as the business grows. For instance, during the third year of operations, Creative Cuts and Styles is expected to have three full-time employees tasked with management.
Those in management will be required to have the necessary management and leadership skills and qualifications. Studies have shown that the success of any business largely depends on management style and the personnel involved in the management process (Parks, 2017). In light of this, Creative Cuts and Styles will ensure that the management team consists of qualified individuals with relevant experience in similar management positions and proven success records.
Advisors
To grow the business as planned, Creative Cuts and Styles will utilize the services of a marketing advisor. The advisor will provide useful insights on the appropriate advertising methods to be utilized to attract more customers. Additionally, a technology advisor will be required to provide useful information concerning the design of the website, app and management software. A tax attorney will be consulted to provide information regarding the tax the business needs to pay whereas an interior design specialist will be consulted on the best interior design for a barbershop business.
Management Hierarchy
Creative Cuts and Styles will be under the management of three qualified managers by the third year of operations. One of them will be the general manager while the other two will be his or her assistants. The two assistants will be reporting to the general manager who will be answerable to the owners of the business. Creative Cuts and Styles will not require a complex management team due to its relatively small size.
Social Responsibility
Impact on Stakeholders
Creative Cuts and Styles will be a champion of humanity by putting the interest of people first. In light of this, the company will strive to ensure that our employees have medical coverage and that they have the appropriate training to allow them to serve our customers effectively and efficiently. Additionally, the management of the business will ensure that all the employees work within the stipulated work hours and that no one is overworked. Creative Cuts and Styles will be in secure surroundings to guarantee not only the safety of our workers but also that of our customers. Also, the business will provide every employee with a chance to advance his or her barbering skills by sponsoring one’s education. There will also a reward mechanism in place whereby the employee who performs exemplary every quarter will be rewarded appropriately. Creative Cuts and Styles will also offer cash bonuses to those who meet and exceed set targets (Salah, 2016).
To ensure that our workers are familiar with emerging barbering trends, the business will be encouraging them to participate in monthly seminars where they can get a chance to learn about these emerging trends. The seminars will also be good for networking to gain additional customers. Creative Cuts and Styles will cater for all expenses experienced by our employees in these seminars. We will also be appreciating our customers by providing them with discounted prices where appropriate. The discounts will be based on various factors including how often a customer visits our establishment and utilizes the services provided. Some lucky customers will be getting free barbering services during certain periods of the year. To give back to the community, Creative Cuts and Styles will be selecting a few young individuals from the neighborhood who show great potential and pay for their training for them to acquire their preferred barbering skills.
Environmental Impact
Creative Cuts and Styles will associate itself with other businesses that endeavor to protect our environment. The business will be ensuring that all waste - both liquid and solid - is disposed of in a manner that is friendly to the environment. For instance, liquid waste will be disposed of in designated drainage systems to avoid contaminating water that is used by both humans and other living creatures. Additionally, Creative Cuts and Styles will strive to use environmentally friendly products as well as utilize renewable sources of energy in our operations where applicable (Aydin, 2014).
References
Aydin, B. (2014, March). SWOT analysis of renewable energy. In 2014 International Conference and Utility Exhibition on Green Energy for Sustainable Development (ICUE) (pp. 1-7). IEEE.
Parks, N. (2017). How Leadership Can Determine the Success or Failure of Your Company. CentralReach.
Salah, M. R. A. (2016). The influence of rewards on employees' performance. Journal of Economics, Management and Trade, 1-25.
Singh, K. (2013). Web Design: 11 Characteristics of a User-Friendly Website. SocialMediaToday.
Snell, S., Bohlander, G. W., & Morris, S. (2015). Managing human resources. Nelson Education.
Winnie, P. M. (2014). The effects of website quality on customer e-loyalty: The mediating effect of trustworthiness. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 4(3), 19-41.
