Executive Summary
Elevator Limited is a business owned and managed by Kisel and Mulley. The company will provide customer engagement service by applying a unique method that shifts from the norm of using electronic mails.
Purpose of the Plan
The main reason for preparing the business plan is to provide a path that will be used in the development of the business. It is important to note that a business plan acts as a roadmap to be followed by an entrepreneur in actualizing ideas.
Product or service and its advantages
The company will be designing and handwriting Thank-You Cards to customers on behalf of the company’s clients. The customers for Elevator will be the organizations that want to link up with their customers through the personalized Thank-You Cards. There are many benefits that are associated with the service. First, it will give the organization’s customer a sense of being valued; hence, help in the development of the Elevator’s business. In addition, the cards will be made by the use of recycled waste paper; thus, making the venture responsive to environmental sustainability practices.
Market Opportunity
The demand for customized and environmentally sustainable products has been on the increase (Lieb & Lieb 2010). Production pattern of the Thank-You Cards allows for the optimization of waste management; hence, cost-effectiveness. As a result, stylish and personalized notes will ensure effective consumer engagement. The Thank-You Cards service will have a first-mover advantage due to the innovative production patterns that will be used by Elevator Limited. The product is unique and first of the type in the market; therefore, it will attract many customers. Leading companies and multinationals want secure platforms, with the increased threats of cyber-attacks; the new service will provide a solution. The customer engagement service is a relatively new industry, and thus, there is still room for expansion.
Management Team
The company team includes two directors, who are the founders of the company and marketing manager, who will assist the directors. The other key employees are the sales executives, the production, art team, and the employees in charge of the delivery.
Financial projections
The estimated turnover in the first year is $700,000. The following tables are a summary of the capital requirement and the projected cash flow.
The projected starting capital is 360, 0000 USD. The amount will
Summary of the Projected Cash Flow
Company Description
The modern market environment has become very highly competitive; customization seems to be one of the few ways to grasp consumers’ attention and gain their loyalty. In the meantime, overall rush toward consumers’ approval appears to have triggered an inverted effect – recent research has revealed that consumers are tired of numerous messages they receive from brands through texts and e-mails. Due to the prevailing challenges, Elevator Limited will come up with personalization or customization communication through handwritten Thank-You Cards. This will be a personalized service to assist companies in performing effective consumer engagement and avoiding the common mistake, i.e., excessive pressure.
Promoters and Shareholders
The business will be owned and managed by Kisel and Mulley. Kisel has a master’s degree in business administration. In addition, he has been in the communications industry as a business consultant for over a decade. This gives him a rich knowledge in the business world; he knows the gaps and challenges that businesses face as they try to interact with their customers. On the other hand, Mulley is an IT expert and has had a career in the logistics spanning for over two decades. In addition, she is interested in art. Since childhood, Mulley has been involved in making hand-written cards with customized messages for friend’s weddings, birthday parties, and other special occasions. Therefore, she has already been in the business, and the proposed venture serves as an expansion strategy towards making her interests a big business. Also, having worked as a courier manager, Mulley brings a great benefit to the new business in terms of the logistics for the delivery of the product to the right customers.
For the start of the business, Kisel and Mulley will be the main shareholders, each having 50% of the business equity. The business will require a starting capital of $360,000. To date, there is already $120,000 that has been saved by the two shareholders. Each shareholder is also supposed to contribute an extra $50,000 for the starting capital. The remaining amount will be borrowed from the bank.
Advisors
In addition to the employees, the company will work with the following entities to provide technical support. Their work will be paid through fees based on the service provided.
Product and Services
The service delivery pattern is highly simple to implement. A client company orders the Thank-You service and provides the project team with all the details essential for working out the personalized cards. After that, the team designs the cards templates that reflect the company’s individuality and assesses the scope of materials essential for their production. As soon as the templates are approved, the company sends the client database that needs to be covered by the Thank-You service, as well as the waste paper that needs recycling, and the team writers sign every card. The cards are then sent to clients through corporate courier to ensure timely delivery and avoid potential mistakes. The Thank-You service through Elevator Limited and the client company is bound by a contract that legally acknowledges that the former party is responsible for ensuring consistent data safety.
First and foremost, client companies will benefit from the Thank-You service as it will allow them to gain customers’ loyalty and interest in an elegant and nonintrusive manner; i.e., it links them to their customers. Second, the proposed service is highly cost-effective as it allows for the implementation of optimized reverse logistics patterns. Finally, the use of recycled materials will add to the establishment of an attractive image of the brand.
Management Structure and Areas of Responsibility
The top management of the business will be the directors; they will be in charge of the major operations. For the first year of operations, the two directors will do the managerial work. This will include strategizing and financial management. The company will employ production people, a driver, a marketing manager, delivery people. The number of employees will be added based on market penetration and demand.
Background to the Products Development
Recent research has revealed that consumers are tired of the numerous messages they receive from brands through texts and e-mails. Even if the message content is positive, consumers do not notice it because the large scope of personalized information they receive is irritating (Harris 2015). Since digital communication turns out to be too primitive and ineffective, the new proposed service shifts to the elaborate, old-fashioned methods, i.e. customization through handwritten Thank-You Cards. It is suggested that the implementation of this personalized service will assist companies in performing effective consumer engagement and avoiding the common mistake, i.e. excessive pressure.
Benefits and Features
Customization and waste reduction are the two acute problems that every manager needs to consider. From this perspective, the Thank-You Card service is a perfect alternative and solution that allows resolving of the issue of waste management and providing customized messages to the targeted customers. First, stylish personalized notes ensure effective consumer engagement. Second, their production pattern allows for the optimization of waste management.
Unique Selling Points
The key peculiarity of this service resides in the fact that companies will be offered to make the Thank-You Cards from the recycled waste paper. Hence, they will not only strengthen their customer relations, but will enhance their reverse logistics management as well. Therefore, it is expected to solve the needs of many customers by providing personalized services. Client companies will benefit from the Thank-You service as it will allow them to gain customers’ loyalty and interest in an elegant and nonintrusive manner. Second, the proposed service is highly cost-effective as it allows for the implementation of optimized reverse logistics patterns.
Advantages to Customers
Customization and waste reduction are the two acute problems that every manager needs to consider. From this perspective, the Thank-You Card service is a perfect alternative solution that allows resolving both problems at once. First, stylish personalized notes ensure effective consumer engagement. Second, their production pattern allows for the optimization of waste management. With the increasing cases of cyber security, the cards will be special as they will protect the companies from cyber attacks.
Disadvantages or Weak Points
The weak point of this product is that it will require constant interaction with the client company in order to develop the Thank-You Card based on the specifications. The hand written cards will be labor intensive, and hence, will require employing people who have masterly in fine arts, especially calligraphy.
Future Developments
For the start, the focus of the company is the Thank-You Cards. Future developments will include expansion of the business to include delivery of Thank You souvenirs to the customers of our client companies. This will be key in enhancing the customer experience for the companies and at the same time build the business profile in the industry.
Long Term Aim of the Business
The aim of the business is to provide excellent services to its clients in order to get a niche in the industry of linking customers to their companies. The company intends to be a market leader in terms of sales with an approximate market share of 41%.
Objectives
In the first year, the company projects a market penetration of 17%. This is projected to increase by 11% in the subsequent years. Therefore, by the fifth year, the company will have achieved its target of 41% of market penetration. In terms of sales, the company expects a turnover of $700,000 in the first year. As the market penetration increases, the turnover will also be expected to continue rising. This will specifically be for the Thank-You Cards. The first year the company will operate only from one region, which will be the country’s headquarters. However, as the customer base increases, expansion to the regional offices will also be prioritized.
The nature of the company is to enhance business relations between the client companies and customers; therefore, products will keep being customized as per the prevailing needs in the market. With the increasing technological advancements and changing business trends, the company is open to new strategies. Also, the current focus is the U.S market, but by the third year of operation, the company intends to enter market such as the U.K and Australia. The reason for selecting the two countries as launch pads for international growth is due to similar business dynamics as it is in the U.S, i.e., the need for close customer relationships.
SWOT Analysis
Market Analysis
Target Market
The target markets are the established businesses and start-ups that want to keep their customers engaged. They comprise of market leaders both in the service and product industries. Highly engaged customers normally spend more money on each product and are likely to make purchases more frequently compared to one stop buyers who are not followed up (Magento n.d.). In addition, strategies that engage customers have been found to provide businesses with important feedback that they can use to improve their products and services. For instance, studies focusing on customer experience have shown that highly engaged customers are less likely to complain and normally take their grievances directly to the companies instead of airing them to the public; this helps in protecting the company’ image. Therefore, excellent customer service increases sales and enhances brand loyalty.
The entry point will include targeting large automobile corporations with high money turnover and sufficient resources for consumer engagement. Thus, the trial service proposition will be made to four companies: Toyota, Ford, Volkswagen, and General Motors. The automobile industry has been selected due to the fact that there is intense competition and the need to retain customers. The image of the companies is very important as people want to associate with respected brands. According to the recent research, automobile companies are especially interested in adding luxury implications to their brand concept (Sinha 2015). Thus, it is assumed that the personalized Thank-You Card service can assist them in accomplishing this task.
Market Size
The main goal of the product is to create positive customer experience. As a result of the increased competition in different industries, each company wants to ensure that customers are satisfied. In addition, there is the need for a family like friendship between customers and sellers. This is the unifying factor that has been driving the customer management business. Thus, the potential client companies have the common characteristic of enhancing the feeling of customers and building camaraderie type of relationship.
Total Market Valuation
According to Radiant Insights (2016), a leading market research firm, global out sourced customer care services which are key part of the customer management are projected to hit 84.7 billion USD by 2020. This increase is driven by the need to increase interaction between companies and their customers by use of non-voice channels. In the U.S., the estimated value for the market by 2020 is 30.4 billion USD. For instance, in the U.S alone, the sales service is expected to reach 19.1 billion USD in the next four years. This is an estimated growth of 4.1% from 2014 to 2020.
Target Company Revenue
The main source of revenue for the business will be the sales in which the average annual turnover is projected to be700, 000 USD. One key aspect driving the sales figures is that the cards will be priced based on the clients need and the nature of customer. Therefore, the sales revenue will likely be high when dealing with big corporations who also target corporate clients. For instance, the automotive companies are likely to spend a lot of money on customer management products. The approach of the companies will be on contract basis. This will ensure that services are provided for the agreed period without interruption. Besides, it will allow a regular flow of revenue in the first year.
Market Trends
It is suggested that the implementation of this personalized service will assist companies in performing effective consumer engagement and avoiding the common mistake, i.e. excessive pressure caused by electronic mails. In the 20th and 21st century, there have been increased demands for services that promote buyer–seller relationship. Also, from the industry valuation, it is evident that the industry has been on growth path. There are also upcoming companies that want to stay linked to their customers. Therefore, the dynamics in the business world, competition and the need to satisfy the customers will be key drivers for the business. Also, there are limited legal constraints in running the proposed business; this coupled with the fact that the business will be using recycled materials; its acceptability will be very high. This is based on the fact that the world has been moving towards environmental sustainable practices. Therefore, as the demand for the service increases, the company will employ more workers to meet the growing demand. The other strategy will be to diversify and introduce new product line in the market.
Profile of Competitors
As pointed out in the SWOT analysis, competition will be from businesses that offer similar services and those in the customer engagements industry. Due to nature of the business, it is very difficult to map out or single out key competitors. For example, some companies rely on the internet such as Gmail, Yahoo and other email services to appreciate their customers. In addition, there are other companies that do similar works, but their services also rely on internet to link the customers and clients companies. Some of the companies have been in operation for a long time; they have stable capital foundation and they already have a wide customer pool. This is unlike a start-up company as it is the case of Elevator Limited. Also, the start-up will require a lot of time and resources to build a business profile.
Despite the advantages, the competitors have not shown innovativeness; in fact, their messages are regarded by some customers as spam and are never read.
Competitive Advantage
Unique feature
The hand-written and specially delivered Thank you cards will enter the market by capitalizing on a unique feature of customization that is lacking in the market. The cards will make the customer feel special and valued. Therefore, the uniqueness of the product and the design will be the main competing points.
In relation to price and better value to customers, compelling ROI for end-users will be ensured by the multi-functional character of the service. Hence, in case, the client companies use the service of competitors, the only output of their investment is a personalized handwritten “thank-you” card. On the contrary, in case the client companies use the service offered by the Thank-You Card, they will receive the cards and the paper waste reduction at the same cost. As a result, the company can set the same price for their service as competitors, and the competitive advantage will still be gained through the double value of the service offered.
Also, the fact that the business will use waste materials to make the cards; it will enhance their compatibility with the existing services. For instance, the business model is designed on a simple, yet a very effective strategy to reduce legal and technical challenges to market entry. This is because the proposed business is supposed to operate on the local business license. The license will allow the clients with personalized “thank-you” card and the relevant delivery service to operate without being victimized. The manufacturing license will not be essential since the production of the cards will be carried out by the local partner manufacturers. Generally, the business will operate within the shop functional pattern. Technology or OEM licenses will neither be required as the company will not be engaged in producing any technologies or IT parts. The idea of innovative card production can be patented, and the patent can be further resold to the partner manufacturer. The business can further extend through offering new customized products made from the recycled waste paper.
Benefits to Clients
The main goal of the service in is to enhance business interaction between the client companies is increase their sales. Studies have shown that companies with satisfied customers have increased and a continuous stream of resources. This is normally attributed to referrals and return customers (Magento n.d.). This is a great advantage that cannot be assumed by any entity in the current business environment. As noted the need to develop a camaraderie relationship is a phenomenon characterizing current business operations. Therefore, to convince the partners about the advantages of this customer engagement method, special presentations have been designed emphasizing the inefficacy of the digital “thank-you” channels such as text messages and e-mails. As soon as the initial production stage is completed, the potential clients will be informed on the amount of waste paper they will be able to reduce through transforming it into stylish Thank-You cards. The targeted clients have also been provided with rough contract templates that elucidate the data security aspect and emphasize the responsibility that the Thank-You service takes in terms of data protection.
This implies that partnering with the business will have many benefits to the companies. Increase sales, make customers satisfied and feel special, enhance security of companies’ customer data. The service will strengthen the businesses of those who sign the partnership; overall, the service will increase loyalty and enhance customer service.
Marketing/Sales Strategy
Marketing Strategy
Elevator Ltd will strategically position itself through the use of unique business that is based on a partnership model with the target clients. The partnership will entails convincing the potential clients to incorporate the company in their business as part of helping in the disposal of waste paper and use the same wastes to make beautiful cards for their customers. There are many segments of the market that will be targeted. This is because the Thank-You cards will not be limited to only one industry. The first market segment will include automotive industry in which key leading companies will be targeted. Thus, the trial service proposition will be made to four companies: Toyota, Ford, Volkswagen, and General Motors. The functional capacity of the service will be able to serve only one corporation so that, at this stage, the expected outcome is one contract.
The automobile industry has been selected due to the fact that it attracts intense competition, as such, the image and brand presence is particularly important within this market segment. According to the recent research, automobile companies are especially interested in adding luxury aspects to their brand concept (Sinha 2015). Thus, it is assumed that the personalized Thank-You Card service can assist them in accomplishing this task.
The marketing will be carried by a manager and team of sales executives. They will visit the targeted companies and make presentations about the product and how it will benefit the businesses. The presentation will highlight the need for the partnership and advantages of having customers who feel valued and special.
In order to reach the full market potential, the company will leverage on the reputation it will have received from the automotive corporations. It will then carry out intensive marketing using print and electronic media to advertise its services. The messages used will be clear and precise about how the service will be beneficial. Other potential customers include businesses in the real estate, airlines and their target of corporate customers. For example, some airlines want to be carriers for some teams, employees of certain companies and government officials. In respect to the automotive industry, to date, all the potential clients i.e. Toyota, Ford, Volkswagen, and General Motors have been provided with the business proposal describing the value of the Thank-You service
Sales Strategy
The sales strategy will differ based on the type of the client. For the start of the business, the sales process will entails a partnership process in which sales executives will approach the targeted companies and market the product. This will be advantageous as it will ensure that the clients receive enough information about the product and the benefits they are to accrue by purchasing subscribing to the Thank-You cards. Also, the use of the sales representatives will be important as they will use the convincing power to makes sales. As the business continues to grow and expand to different states, other methods such as the online platforms and mass media will be used.
Pricing
The pricing strategy will be based on different factors. The aim is to ensure that the company can compete on factors of uniqueness, quality and at the same time use price as a factor of competition. This will entail the use of competitors’ prices, and making comparisons to determine the cost of products in the market. Being a new entry, slightly lower or price equal to that of competitors will be set. The second factor to be used in the pricing is the nature of the buyer and type of customization that is required by the client. It is important to note that cards will be produced based on the needs of the clients. This denotes that there will be variations in design and the word used. Therefore, this factor will be used in pricing. In general, production costs will be used to determine the final product costs.
Marketing and Communications Strategy
As pointed out in the sales strategy, the marketing strategy to be used for the business will be direct marketing in which sales executives will present proposals to the targeted clients. However, as time goes on and the company increases its clientele base, website and internet marketing will be used.
Research and Development
Research and Development
Research and development plays a critical role in enhancing the capabilities of products or services (Von-Zedtwitz & Gassmann 2002).The consumer preferences keep on changing and there is the need for companies to change their products and service delivery to meet the needs of the customers. In the case of the Thank-You service, the research and development will focus on the enhancement and possible diversification. For example, research on the waste materials and how they can be refined to produce high quality cards. Second element of research will be continuous surveys to establish the preferences of the customers. This will be crucial in the initiation of new product line and improvement of the existing service based on customers’ preferences.
Innovation is a key point for the business development; therefore, there will be continuous development of the product and diversification in order to beat competition and keep the market excited. For example, at the second year of operation, a second product line will be launched which will deal with souvenirs. The Souvenirs will be customized just as the cards and will entail a gift from the client company to their customers
IP, Patents, Copyrights, Brands
As soon as the company admits the corporate design and outlines the course of the production procedure, it will apply to receive an IP status to ensure the protection of its industrial design rights.
Scaling Strategy
Elevator Limited will adopt a moderate scaling strategy and resist the temptation to engage into a rapid business extension. Hence, it is assumed rational that the company will focus on the continual service improvement rather than the swift entry into new market segments. The continual quality improvement will be accomplished through implementing new supply chain strategies, optimizing the manufacturing procedures, enhancing the sustainability character of the operations, and reducing the time of delivery services. During the initial stages, the business will remain within the automobile segment and serve the relevant corporations only. In a future, it will move to a higher level where it will expand the service to other client companies and organizations.
Staffing and Operations
Staffing
The business will be headed by two directors who will be in charge of the overall business operations. The directors will jointly manage the finance and other key areas of business such as staffing and quality management. They will be assisted by a marketing manager.
The marketing docket will comprise of 7 sales executives who will be involved in direct marketing. Other key employees will include the production team that will be comprised of three carpenters and 10 calligraphy artists to do the hand writing. The carpenters will be involved in cutting the recycled materials to the required shape and they will be working in the production unit. The other employees will be the delivery people and the courier driver. The production unit will be hiring other workers on hourly business in the first year based on the production level. This is projected to change in the subsequent years as more employees and new departments will be established. For example, finance and accounting department, procurement and sales, and the human resource departments.
Management Organization Chart
In order to enhance innovation, the structure of the business will be decentralized. This implies that employees will be able to communicate with their managers without restricting hierarchical levels. This structure can change as the business evolves. Figure 1 is the decentralized organizational structure for the company.
Training Plans
In line with growth of business, there is the need for highly skilled employees. Therefore, all employees will undergo training for two weeks after recruitment. The training will be covering the company’s values, mission, strategies, customer relations, and personal development. For the technical team in the production unit, there will be continuous trainings on quality improvement. Also, there will be open forums where the workforce can share ideas in order to enhance creativity and innovation. This will also apply for the calligraphy workforce. The essence of the training is to ensure that the company has a motivated and competent team in all dimensions of operations. That will serve as part of the differentiation strategy and a move to gain competitive edge.
Operations
The production unit will comprise of recycling equipment and the working units for the artists and the other technicians. It is in the production unit that all waste paper will be brought for processing and cutting before being transferred to the artists’ rooms for the hand-writing as per requirements of the client companies. The production cost will entail expenses for electricity for lighting and powering the machines, the wages and salaries for the workforce, the writing materials, and rent.
Financial Projections
Key Assumptions Used in the Projections
The loan interest will be calculated at 16% reducing balance and will start being deducted from the second year of business operation. The salaries and wages are expected to be increasing at a rate of 10% each year, while the sales will be growing at a rate of 23% per annum. Marketing fees is expected to show minimal fluctuation, and hence, the cost has been left as constant. As the time progresses, some statutory fees will not be required; hence, the reason for reduction from $14,000 in the first year to $10,000 in the second and third years.
Profit and Loss Account
Balance Sheet
Cash Flow Projection
Projected Production
The production of the Thank-You Cards is projected to start on January. It is projected that production will have a steady growth; hence, computation of month’s production is 30% of the next month’s sales. The sales are estimated to record a steady growth of at least each year.
Sales Pipeline
Funding Requirements
Elevator Limited main sources of funding will be the directors’ savings and a bank loan. The estimated capital for starting the business is $360,000.
Sources of Capital
The following is the breakdown of how the capital is to be distributed in the different business functions.
References
Harris, R 2015, ‘Irrelevant messages drive rise of ‘deletist’ consumers’, Marketing. Web.
Lieb, K & Lieb, RC 2010, ‘Environmental sustainability in the third-party logistics (3PL) industry’, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, vol. 40, no. 7, pp. 524-533.
Magento n.d., Successful customer engagement: How to create personalized shopping experiences and customer interactions that drive repeat sales and brand loyalty. Web.
Radiant Insights 2016, Outsourced customer care services market worth $84.7 billion by 2020. Web.
Sinha, S 2015, 4 Factors that led Automotive Industry to Focus on Customer Engagement. Web.
Von-Zedtwitz, M & Gassmann, O 2002, ‘Market versus technology drive in R&D internationalization: four different patterns of managing research and development’, Research policy, vol. 31, no.4, pp.569-588.
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