Interactive Planning and Idealized Design - Report Example

Idealized Redesign Idealized redesign is the best known tool for planning. The planning begins with the assumption that the current organization is destroyed and that it does not exist but the setting exists. The plan includes the implementation of technology and user friendly methodology which can replace the old system with innovative ideas. The next step is to find the method of implementation within a short period of time. The duration for setting up the plan may take several years to reach perfection or it may be implemented within a month. The success of the redesign lies in the proper implementation of plan within a short period of time with considerable advantages in utility (Winer, 2005). Idealized redesign using internet is the most suitable redesigning tool for the hospitality industry. The Avenue Regent hotel was completely destroyed over night due to a massive fire and the management is now required to begin the organizations function from the scratch. The management was not interested to continue the operations of the firm with conventional methods and wanted to fully utilize the advantages of information technology to improve performance and reduce hassles in business administrations. Internet is considered to be the most effective interactive marketing channel in the world. Hence it is the right mode of communication to reach prospective customers and agents, and substantiate business relationships. The conventional method of face to face meeting and handshake to acquire business in the hospitality industry has now taken the shape of eCRM or electronic Customer Relationship Management which comprises high cost in terms of technology and human resources. In fact the implementation of eCRM is understood from different perspective in the travel and hospitality sector but The Avenue Regent Hotel decided to take advantage of the online application of the service to enhance business opportunities and improve customer retention. The conventional method gave importance to Customer Relationship Management wherein the business executives of the hotel met customers repeatedly to ensure their relationship. With the implementation of eCRM, the relationship of the hotel with a customer or a travel agent in any part of the world can be reinstated with a simple communication which transcends geographical locations and other hindrances. eCRM is used by the hotel for distribution and marketing using Internet to sell its products to customers and travel agents. This facility is provided by web technologies whereby the hotel enables travel service agents to maintain a strong, personalized and mutually beneficial interactive relationship with customers. Constant communication improves the rate of conversions and results in efficient selling. The ultimate objective of an eCRM is to start a mutually beneficial interactive relationship. The idealized redesign of Avenue Regent hotel now gives importance to know the customer, provide customer service, personalization, and effective marketing strategies and thereby earn customer loyalty. The implementation of eCRM now ensures innovative customer service on the hotel’s website and personalized communication to customers to modern technological application which is mandatory for the success of the new design. Since idealized redesign of the Avenue Regent hotel cannot be done in a day, the collection of data from customers through internet is an ongoing process and this will take shape only after establishing trust with customers around the world. Acquiring data is an important part of eCRM to follow up the business strategies of the hotel and this can be achieved through a step by step process. The conventional strategy of Hotel Avenue Regent was to ensure customer satisfaction but with the implementation of new system the hotel looks forward to achieve better customer loyalty through customer satisfaction and quality of service. Other than eCRM, Hotel Avenue Regent is now required to implement a new system for reporting, consultation and accounts management (eCRM Strategy and Building Interactive Relationships with the Customer. 2006). The implementation of Internet marketing strategy at the hotel has to be audited and analysed and necessary plan of action and suggestion have to be made. The audit and analysis reports indicated that the hotel should now allocate more budget for the new marketing strategy. The website of the hotel should be optimised and search engine optimization details would reveal the performance of current offers of the hotel which can be used to make further plan of action to improve business. The hotel can display advertisements and other promotional activities in the website. The hotel has implemented new email marketing strategies and this can be used to evaluate the sales figure for a period which can be later provided to the accounts department. While the above activities reveal how the Avenue Regent hotel started anew with the use of internet based application after the organisation was destroyed, there are certain functions of the hotel which cannot be performed using digital aid. The pricing policy of the hotel can be made only by considering the amount of budget, nature of the new organisation that use internet prominently and the complexity of the account(Features of the service package. 2006). The new system however has a drawback where technology cannot be utilised to solve certain problems that requires creative thinking. Unconstrained approach is the word that defines idealised redesign. The utility of the newly implemented system should be demonstrated to the users to avoid productivity deficiency. The idealised redesign will give an insight among all concerned that this process should have been implemented earlier. Since the design has been put in place with the comments and suggestions of employees it gives them a sense of ownership. A cultural shift at workplace can be referred to a marathon rather than to a sprint. It takes time to get along with the new organisational culture. The implementation of idealised redesign gives various lessons in the administration of the hotel. The discussion between members of various departments resulted in the mutual appreciation and the mutual consent towards solving a common challenge. Opportunities which were not recognised in the conventional method could be identified and explored for the betterment of performance at the Avenue Regent hotel. Idealised redesign comes under debate only when there is a difference of opinion between design implementers and senior employees. Organisational leaders function in the lines of transformational leaders where their activities transcend all limitations and work towards the collective betterment of the organisation. The implementation of Internet based design will not attain perfection at the very first place. Hence it should be conceived as a trial and error method during the initial stages (Dang, Feroli, Gill, Paine, Shermock, Suflita & Walrath. 2007. p.11-17). After implementing the design fully, the management of hotel has to test and monitor the design through learning and adaptation. The design should facilitate quick learning. The system should be adaptable to internal and external variations in process and performance and necessary action should be taken before any change is implemented. The hotel should implement the redesign if all the departments of the hotel can benefit and for the benefit of the stakeholders. Hence the concept of idealised redesign is not perfect or utopian because it undergoes changes from time to time. However it is essential for the hotel to conceive the idea correctly. The idea should give maximum importance to internet based adaptability and it should make necessary provision to carry out the work in a non digital atmosphere by keeping important records about transactions, services, accounts and revenue information with printed records and manual records if required. Idealised redesign stands for the existence of an organisation whereby alternate methods are identified for its exclusiveness and efficiency and to provide excellent services to stakeholders. The mission statement of the hotel does not measure the performance level but the initiative of the company towards survival can be evaluated from processes like idealised redesign that keeps in pace with the momentum in utilising technological advancement for the overall development of the organisation, stakeholders and employees, even though idealized redesign is a continuous process (Ackoff.R.L. 2001). Computerised administration improves productivity, increases proficiency and maintains records in a systematic manner and does not give chance for errors. The internet based administrative system will act as a centralised unit from where data can be retrieved using authorisation. Redesign of the organisation includes implementation of complex systems at the same time by providing interconnectivity to all departments to reduce any possible error or negative impact. A meeting of the heads of various departments has to be undertaking to redesign the organisation so that the change caused by the new system can be predicted and necessary solutions can be derived. In addition to the opinion and strategies of department heads it is essential to avail the ideas of consultants who are experts in designing an internet based organisation to maximise functional flexibility and improve performance in the redesign procedure. An interactive plan is best method to implement idealised designing that contributes to department wise improvements. The five basic steps towards the implementation of an idealised redesign include the formulation of strategies, design, delegation, administration and monitoring. Idealised redesign gives importance to a methodology that gives importance to complex networks that may be simplified with the use of Internet that support all vistas of function equally (Dang, Feroli, Gill, Paine, Shermock, Suflita & Walrath. 2007. p.11-17). References Ackoff.R.L. 2001. A brief guide to interactive planning and idealized design. Retrieved from http://www.ida.liu.se/~steho/und/htdd01/AckoffGuidetoIdealizedRedesign.pdf on August 26 2008 Dang, D., Feroli, E, R., Gill,C., Paine, L., Shermock, K., Suflita, J., & Walrath, J.M. 2007. Quest for the Ideal: A Redesign of the Medication Use System. Journal of Nursing Care Quality January/March 2007. Volume 22.  Number 1. p. 11 – 17. Retrieved from http://www.nursingcenter.com/prodev/ce_article.asp?tid=685183 on August 25, 2008. eCRM Strategy and Building Interactive Relationships with the Customer. 2006. Retrieved from http://www.hospitalityebusiness.com/bl-cl/a11.html on August 27, 2008 Features of the service package. 2006. Retrieved from http://www.hospitalityebusiness.com/bl-cl/a5.html on August 27, 2008. Winer, R.I. 2005. Systems approach to problem solving. Retrieved from http://www.gesher.org/Articles/creativity%20and%20problem%20solving/Systems.html On August 26, 2008. 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