Business Activity - Assignment Example

Running Head: INSERT ABBREVIATED and Section # of Contents Contents 2 Business Case 3 Executive Summary 3 Purpose 3 Background and Chronology 4 Current business situation 4 Projected business situation 5 Critical Success Factors 6 Resource Requirements 7 Financial Analysis 8 Impacts on Current Operation 8 Conclusions and Recommendation 8 Works Cited 10 Business Case Executive Summary For ages blind people have been ignored out of the main stream business applications and use cases. It has always been thought that they cannot cope up with the formalities required in conducting business, and that vision is the key to a successful business transaction. Today, the paradigm has changed and most businesses are going out of the way to cater to the physically impaired customers. Therefore, keeping up with the trend the bank has decided to serve blind people more effectively by bringing in a special procedure by which such people will be able to recognize their bank statements, terms and conditions and other documents that are meant for their use. By ensuring that blind people are able to transact with the bank just like the other people, the bank will bridge the gap in between people who are physically impaired and the ones’ that are not. Consequently, it will enable the bank to broaden its customer base and improve its profitability. Purpose The purpose of this activity is to act ethically responsible and allow equal opportunities to the physically challenged people (ProTrain). It will help to bring such people into the mainstream of the population in terms of business transactions. Hence, it will be a source of business of the bank. Furthermore, it will help such people to avail the facilities of the bank to their own advantage. Since, there is a strong need in the market to cater to the blind customers the bank has decided to introduce a new system which will ease the process of banking for the blind people. Thus, it will ensure that both the people and the bank have mutual benefits. Background and Chronology Previously the bank did not employ any special routines to cater to the blind people. The need was felt to facilitate these people and give them an opportunity to run their own accounts, manage their own funds and monitor their accounts’ progress by personally checking their bank statements and other details. Thus, a need arose for a special procedure that will be able to fulfill the needs of the blind customers. As a result the bank has decided to implement a system whereby all correspondence to the blind customers, i.e. their bank statements, terms and conditions statements, applications etc will be used using Braille. Current business situation In the current business scenario blind people are not offered a self reliant solution for their banking needs. In order to conduct business they are usually assisted by someone and have to be explained whatever is being given to them. Therefore, without assistance it is impossible for the blind people to conduct business with the bank. In order to assist people who have no accomplice while they visit the customer relations department has to assist these people. Hence, such people either hesitate in opening accounts or are dependent upon family and friends to help them in the day to day operations. Therefore, there is a need to bring in an automated or a technical procedure that will streamline the banking process for the physically challenged. Projected business situation The projected business solution for this problem is using a printing technique called Braille in order to assist the blind people in understanding the content of the documents that are handed to them. The Braille method was developed in the early 1800’s and the technique involved printing characters or cells made up of six dot positions, arranged in a rectangular fashion (Who Invented Braille). Each cell has two columns and three rows, which could be filled in different ways to depict different letters of the alphabet; hence, each letter is assigned a specific pattern or code. When printed these dots were raised from the surface of the printing medium so they can could be felt by finger tips. Therefore, the bank will implement Braille printing in order to cater to the blind people. All bank statements, terms and conditions, deposit slips etc will be printed in Braille for the blind customers. In order to do this task of printing Braille transcripts and documents, a new hardware will be required. The suggested hardware is a Braille printer that operates by embossing Braille dots onto a Braille paper. The process is done by pressing pins into one side of the paper so that raised dots are created on the other side. There are different types of Braille printers available in the markets that function in different ways. The two most common types of printers include Plate Embossing Devices (PED) and desktop Braille printers (Fact Sheet on Braille Writers, Printers and Software). The PED’s function by creating an embossing plate made up of Zinc which is then used to emboss multiple copies of a given document. On the other hand, the desktop printers emboss Braille directly on to a paper without using a plate (Jim, 2000). Like other printers they are connected to computer systems and print in Braille using computer files. By purchasing these printers the bank will be able to generate all the relevant documents in Braille and they can be furnished to the blind people when they visit the bank. There is no doubt that this procedure of Braille printing will help the blind to understand whatever is being given to them more easily and efficiently (Clarke, 1950). The proposed system of Braille printing will not only benefit the blind people but it will also benefit the bank, as it will cater to a larger segment of the population. This will help the bank to differentiate itself on the basis of enhanced and socially responsible business practices. Critical Success Factors Devising a procedure and facilitating its use by installing hardware is not the end. There are numerous other factors involved in the success of an implemented procedure (Critical Success Factors). In order to critically analyze the performance and effectiveness of the proposed solution, its critical success factors must be studied. The different critical success factors for this solution can be grouped into distinct categories, namely technical factors, business factors, human and communication factors. The technical factors would be what printing technique is applied, what will be the efficiency of this technique, how much output can be generated using a single printer, what will be the recurring items that will be required and will the hardware have to altered if a different document or type of print is required. The answers to these questions will determine the technical details and the technical efficiency of the proposed solution. The business factors include the adaptation of the customers to the newly introduced procedure, publicity of the bank in terms of their new offering, the level of comfort offered by the bank to such customers, the nature of atmosphere offered to the clients etc. The human factors will be the most important ones’ for the success of the system. These include, customer ease of transaction, staff training, interaction amongst the blind people and the bank staff, change management in terms of the adaptation to a new procedure, the readiness of the bank employees to accept the new system and work accordingly etc. The communication will also play an important role in the success of the system, if the blind people need help and assistance the effectiveness of the communication in between an employee and the customer will determine the outcome. As a result, the bank will have to monitor all critical success factors, find the answers to the questions that will determine the competence of the overall system. Resource Requirements In order to implement the printing system the bank will need additional resources. The computing requirements are listed below: Braille printers Software that supports Braille printing Consulting services Integration of the printers with existing Information Systems Apart from the computer hardware and software additional human resource will be required. Additional staff will be required for operating the printers, handling its inputs and maintenance of the machines. Similarly, the existing employees will have to be trained in order to interact effectively with the blind customers. Financial Analysis The estimated cost of a Braille printer is $ 10,000 (Braille Embossers) and at least two such printers will be needed for a single branch. The need for the printers may exceed or decrease according to the traffic of customers. In the first stage of the implementation process the bank should deploy a single printer to the designated branches in which the system will run on pilot. Based on the feedback from these branches the management should decide on the number of printers required per business location. On the other hand, the estimated cost of Braille editing and translating software is $300 (American Foundation for the Blind), which will have to be installed on each computer system that will print Braille documents. The consultation services will be as per the contract signed with the IT solution providers. Impacts on Current Operation There will be no major impact on the current operations of the banks. The only difference will be that for every service that the bank offers it will have to print documents using simple printing and Braille printing. Another difference will be the staging area for the blind people, the bank may have to alter the locations to cater to these people, in order to ensure that they can reach and interact with the employees easily. Conclusions and Recommendation The banking industry has traditionally focused on serving customers who are not physically challenged. The blind and the physically challenged have not been offered specialized services for easy and effective banking transactions. Keeping in mind the need for a specialized solution for the blind people, the bank has decided to introduce Braille printing system. The system will allow the employees to print documents in Braille which can be easily understood by the blind clients. In order to do this the bank will purchase special printers called Braille printers that will print in a format that is easily understandable by blind people worldwide. This will not only help in bringing the blind people closer to the mainstream population but will also give them the confidence to perform social tasks just like other people. While at the same time, it will also enhance the profitability of the bank, as it will have more clients. Works Cited American Foundation for the Blind. (n.d.). Braille Master. Retrieved March 19, 2010, from http://www.afb.org/prodProfile.asp?ProdID=537&SourceID=46 Braille Embossers. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2010, from http://www.enablemart.com/Braille-Embossers Clarke, R. (1950). Reading for the Blind. London: The Library Association. Critical Success Factors. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2010, from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_80.htm Fact Sheet on Braille Writers, Printers and Software. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2010, from http://www.abledata.com/abledata_docs/Braille_Writers_Printers_Software.htm Jim, A. (2000). Electronic Distribution of Braille. Washington, DC. ProTrain. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2010, from www.protrain-china.com Who Invented Braille. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2010, from http://www.99main.com/~charlief/vi/braille.html Read More