The first step in project implementation is planning. The main goal of International Delicacies will be based value generation approach. It is expected that the new channel of distribution will help employees attract more customers and reduce work overload. For instance, International Delicacies that stores the goods which a customer wants can sort and pack these goods considerably more efficiently than the store and can be located out of town in an industrial park or other area where cheap rents are available (Turban, 2005).
The second step is to attract outsourcing team in order to launch the project quickly. The befits of outsourcing is that it will help managers to save costs on training courses (out of work) and reduce the time usually spend on project implementation. Moreover, staffing requirements are lower, the incidence of in-store theft is reduced, and the hours of operation can be extended. The outsourcing will cover web-site design, system implementation and professional training of employees. It is expected that the majority of employees have good computer skills and knowledge in order to manage the site and process online orders (Schneider, 2003).
The third step in project planning is selection of project management software. It is expected that the company will use Primavera Project Planner. Tracking activities of Primavera Project Planner is simple, so it will not require long-term training programs for employees. Still, in order to introduce online store, it is important to train staff and educate them about the main principles and tools used in online operations.
The staff should be well aware of the issue that business companies use e-commerce for selling purposes only. They create web-sites in order to popularize their brand and attract potential consumers. A good example of the use of the Internet in this way is to keep rapidly changing catalogues on-line. International Delicacies has an online catalogue so it will not add additional problems for staff (Turban, 2005).
The next step is to implement online sales and attract potential customers. This enables, for the first time, the opportunity to bring shopping out of the traditional store, supermarket and superstore. By uploading the daily catalogue of goods and prices that are available, stores can now enable consumers to buy their goods without having to go round the store to collect them. In an environment in which time is precious the advantage to the consumer is undeniable.
Not only that, but the concept can reduce costs too (Schneider, 2003). The opportunities of Internet-based commerce seem considerable, but few companies have yet succeeded in exploiting them profitably. Such success is dependent on acquiring an in-depth understanding of the characteristics of the Internet and matching these with the characteristics of existing products or services. The selection of the hosting service will determine the overall success of the project. The main factors to consider are: functionality, reliability, cost and security issues (Turban, 2005).
The proposed strategy for the International Delicacies website will be fast venturing. Some of the sites propose technical assistance for small business while others highlight the main trends and e-news about developments within the industry. The proposed strategy will help the company to manage external equity partners and operational partners. This information can also be used by business organizations that want to sell as well as buy).
References
Schneider, H. P. (2003). Electronic Commerce. Course Technology; 6 edition.
Turban, E. (2005) Electronic Commerce: A Managerial Perspective 2006 (4th Edition). Prentice Hall; 4 edition.