A from Management Information Systems class - Case Study Example

Insert of E commerce: case study analysis for Fastfit Company The ease and efficiency with which business transactions can be conducted through online basis is what prompts most business operators to automate their business transactions (Headley and Miller). Besides, a wide range of customers can be reached through online business applications at their points of convenience such as at home, in their offices etc hence increasing the business turn over. In this paper I will provide a situational analysis of the Fastfit Company in line with the implementation of e commerce in a bid to automate her customer services and business operations.

Question 7: Fastfit Company can reach her customers either at home or in the offices at their workplaces by providing them with the relevant technologies described in the table below. Category Component description Software 1. Middleware: Middleware components such as SAP R/3 or Peoplesoft can support several other software applications linking up different business sections e.g. customer service and the accounts sections so that purchases and payments can be made by customers from any location directly to the company’s central accounts.

Accounts Hardware 1. Mobile phone platforms: Mobile phones are portable thus can be used by customers at any location. The software applications on the company’s website can then be uploaded by customers and transactions made online at their own convenience. 2. Personal computers: These can be used at home or in offices to make transactions i.e. purchase and payments through the company’s website Question 8: Technology components to be used at Fastfit to interact with customers and their location within the company Category Name of Component Location of component Software 1.

Microsoft Commerce server 2006: The component provides the company with business tools e.g. transactions processing applications, target customer marketing applications etc. 2. Customer Relationship Management Software: enables automation of sales and marketing campaigns to reach customers. Location: Customer care and marketing sections. Justification: The applications can be used by the sections to reach out for customer enquiries, provide marketing services. Hardware 1. Web servers: Provide a platform for making business transactions by processing and responding to customer requests 2.

Load balancing components: able to monitor server workloads and assign incoming traffics to servers with available capacity for effective customer outreach. Location: DBM and customer services sections respectively Justification: enable users to interact directly with the customers and maintain efficient communication with customers. Quiz 9 A: What the order fulfillment center does and why it is located at the warehouse The order fulfillment center processes customers’ orders and ensures safe delivery of the orders placed by various customers on various goods.

It is the section that deals with direct customers’ service within the company. The order fulfillment center is located at the warehouse so as to ease the shipping and delivery of relevant and quality goods to the customers. The products can be conveniently assessed at the warehouse and the best selection made to ensure customer satisfaction. Returned goods can as well be accessed by the suppliers at the warehouse. The table below shows some information that is created or changed during e business processes.

Quiz 9B Fulfillment activity Information element 1. Customer information 2. Motivation of customers 3. Delivery of products 1. Details of new Portfolio generated by the company to customers 2. News on incentives to customer such as reduced costs of goods and quality of products 3. Information on shipping costs and legalities to the customers’ location is provided Quiz 9 C Business Actions Information Created Information Changed Order placement by customer. Information on the details of the purchased product Details of the new product are displayed on the screen Question 10 A: The customer returns can be best received at the store so that replacements can be easily and duly made where necessary.

Moreover, verification on the relevant product can be done at the store in case of a wrong shipment. This can help meet customer expectation in time. Customer returns can as well be processed at the customer services section. This is because the section is mandated to ensure satisfaction in customer services. Such returns can therefore be received at this section and appropriate measures taken to ensure satisfaction in terms of services provision. Quiz 10B Return scenario Information type Sharing location 1.

Incorrect product type delivered to the customer 2. Delivery of an irrelevant product to a customer Information in product details e.g. type, quality quantity etc Information on customer details e.g. personal details, location, shipping address etc The stores department and order fulfillment center The stores department and order fulfillment center. Question 11 Advantages and disadvantages of taking Fastfit to unto the web Advantages Disadvantages 1. A wide market of customers can be reached easily and effectively thus increasing the company’s latent market share. 2. The company is likely to conduct her advertisements at relatively low costs through her network links 3.

Enhances customer services through efficient placement of orders and effective and timely delivery of the products. This reduces time wastage compared to over the counter services. 1. The company operations are deemed to fail in some areas due to network failure 2. The company information lacks privacy and proper security as malicious users can hack the system for their own gains 3. There is a high cost of maintenance, shipping, restocking and sometimes unacceptable delivery of products bearing extra shipping costs to the company.

Works Cited Headley, D., and S., Miller. "Measuring Service Quality and its Relationship to Future Consumer Behavior." Journal of Health Marketing 13.4 (2003): 32-41.