Promoting Food - Business Plan Example

Report on the Website Student’s Name: Grade course Tutor’s Name 19th March, 2012 PROMOTING FOOD BUSINESS IN ESSEX Business to consumer Report about Essex Foods and Restaurant The website The blog Abstract The following is a report about a website and blog created so as to market a restaurant located in Essex in England. They have been designed and edited to suit the potential customers in an effort to try and woo them to try theirmeals and perhaps become regular customers. The website and blog have been named E Foods and restaurant so as to catch the attention of those who may be searching for a restaurant or food in Essex on the internet. Introduction Essex foods and restaurant is based on the business to consumer model and since its website and blog are new we have tried the best to create the perfect first impression.We have designed the website and made it as appealing as possible by having some of the best food samples on the home page of the website and at the same time having another page of the website exclusively displaying the other specialties. We have designed the website using tables in order to enhance the simplicity and also to make it more appealing since there is an orderly presentation and arrangements.The colours used were mostly shades of grey which represented the cells of the tables where text was to be typed. Some of this text includes addresses, headings, contacts and links. This shade of grey is alternated with white, which represents the borders of the table rows and columns. The font type primarily used is bold for the headings and the body in order to grasp the attention of the online visitors whose attention might have been stolen by the attractive cuisine on display. The logo is a symbol that depicts a plate with a twisted spoon and a bent fork to symbolise the tools of work.The blog was created by choosing a template from a variety of templates that were displayed hence we did not have fullchoice of how the blog would appear. Nevertheless we chose the most appealing template and added some attractiveness to it by adding pictures of the meals offered in E foods and Restaurant. The colour that we used on the blog was blue for the home page and black headline for the image gallery. This came along with the template that we chose to broadcast the blog in because as stated earlier it was the most suitable choice in the categories we had to choose from for a food restaurant. Research methodology The research methodology involved using some of the elements of user experience in creating the website. User experience involves making sure that the user’s experience with the site happens with my conscience. This will mean that every possibility of each and every action that the user takes is taken into account and to also understand the expectations of the users during each step through the process (Card and Newell, 1983). These elements are: a. The Strategy Plane The strategic concerns are applied both in information spaces and software products (Kuniavsky, 2003). User needs are the main aim for the website which comes from outside the hotel, especially from the users of the website. It is necessary that we understand the needs of the audience and how that will fit in with the other goals of the site. These user needs should be balanced with the objectives for the website. The site objectives are to mainly advertise and promote the food and also attract them to have meals there. b. The Scope Plane At the software side, the strategy is converted to scope by creating functional specifications which are detailed descriptions of a feature-set of the product. On the side of information space, scope adopts the structure of content requirements which are a description of some of the content elements that are required (Dumas and Redish, 1999). c. The Structure Plane The scope acquires structure through interaction designon the software side, whereby how the system behaves is defined in response to the user. As for information spaces, the structure consists of the information architecture that is the arrangement of the content of the elements which are within the information space (Landauer, 1996). d. The Skeleton Plane This consists of three components. On either side, information design must be addressed. This is the presentation of information in such a way that it enables understanding. As for softwareproducts, the skeleton includes an interface design, or positioning interface elements to allow users to interrelate with the functionalityof the system. The interface in an information space refers to its navigation design that is the group of screen elements which allow the user to navigate through the information architecture (Charlesworth, 2009). e. The Surface Plane Finally, there is the surface. Irrespective of whether it is an information space or software product, the main concern hereis the visual design, which is the look of the finished product. Using the Elements In each and every plane, the elements work together so as to achieve the plane’s goals. For instance, navigation design, interface design and information design, all define the frame of a site. The effect of decisions made involving one element from the rest of the other elements on the plane is not easy. All the elements on each and every plane bear a usual function. In this case, describing the site’s frame even as they perform and function in different ways. This model which is divided into orderly boxes and planes is an appropriate way of thinking about problems entailed in user experience. However, the lines between these areas are drawn very clearly. Often, it can be hard to distinguish whether a certain user encounters problems. This is best resolved by paying attention to one element rather than others. Some problems need attention in different areas at once, and some can seeminglyoverlap the borders that have been identified in this model. Evaluation and results In the blog we have conveyed the message to the customers that they will get from visiting us is not only unique but also very memorable since the quality of food is the main priority and the service is second to none. In addition we have some of the samples on display that are not only delicious but also very attractive visually. This is only to work up the customers’ appetite and also to remind them to pay us a visit since we have the address posted. By having the name of the website as Essex Foods and Restaurant it means that the blog will appear as one of top results in the search engine whenever anyone searches for a restaurant or a food joint in Essex. In order to secure the website we use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and hence the traffic remains encrypted. Instead of using regular File Transfer Protocol (FTP) to access the server's files, we use a program that offers FTP over SSL. This method encrypts the information we transmit and receive. It is especially important when we are downloading backups of database or the configuration files thathave usernames and passwords. We also use complicated passwords such that a would-be hacker will not guess them easily. The passwords that we use are at least eight characters long or more, and we mix letters and numbers, and also upper and lower case. This use of multiple words (letters and numbers) that have spaces in between makes it impossible to crack or guess. We have also identified the users’ interest by personally questioning some of the frequent and loyal customers about their take on the services and their judgement on the food based on quality, taste and additional services hence we have used this information to improve on the weaknesses and improved on the strengths. This has helped us base the information that we have posted on the website to the likening of the website users (Holzinger, 2005). We have recognised that Essex is a cosmopolitan city hence we have brought together food varieties from various cultures represented by the people of Essex and in addition to this we have introduced exotic food for the adventurous types. This you will find will be appealing to the website users who due to previous unsatisfactory services from other hotels will find us to be their preferred restaurant (Nielsen, 1994). Voice tone is an aspect that we use to enhance customer service. A pleasant voice tone is an integral part of the hotel customer service. A warm tone portrays to the customer that the member of staff cares and that they will be willing to serve the customer. Voice tone is especially important when conversing with an upset guest, since it can help get rid ofauncomfortable situation between the customer and the staff (Nielsen, 1994). The site will be launched by first contacting an Internet Service Provider (ISP) who will give us a universal resource locator (URL) that we will used for the website. The preferred URL is efoodsandRestaurant.co.uk or efoodsandRestaurant.com. This will come at a cost depending on how much the ISPwill charge and the uniqueness of the address (Gould and Lewis, 1985). The ethical implications of the site have been considered by making sure that we have observed any cultural practises that go along with whichever food type we are serving. For example sushi is always served with chop sticks hence if we were to display a picture of a sushi meal we are sure to portray its mode of being consumed. Blog creation The blog provider that we used was http://www.dinstudio.com/signup. The model used is a business model which we have used to advertise the restaurant. We created it by signing up to the website called Din Studio and with the password and username we were able to create it. Is the web/blog site aesthetically pleasing - does it have a logo? The food samples displayed on the website are so appealing such that the website user will feel obliged to have a taste of them and there is only one way of doing that which is visiting the restaurant. The logo is a symbolic representation of the main tools used in the restaurant which are a plate, spoon and a fork designed in a manner most likely to suggest that they have been used so much that the spoon became twisted due to the customers trying to wring the taste out of it whereas the fork became bent because of trying to unhook the extremely sweet food from the fork. This website is prone to the following terms of use (Croll and Power, 2009): The content of this website is only for general information and use. It is prone to change without prior notice. This website makes use of cookies to observe browsing preferences. If you allow the use of cookies, some personal information may be retained by us for use as third parties. The website has material that is licensed to or owned by us and includes, but not limited to, design, look, layout, graphics and appearance. Reproduction is highly prohibited except when in agreement with the copyright authorities, which is part of the terms and conditions. We have acknowledged all copyrights in this website that do not belong to us or are not licensed to us. Unauthorizedexploitation of this website could result in a claim for damages and is a criminal offence. Occasionally, this website includes links to other websites. The links are there for the convenience and to provide more information. They do not mean that we advocate for the website(s). We have no liability whatsoeverover the contents of the linked website(s). The use of this website is subject to the laws of England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Conclusion In conclusion we have found that the website will not only be effective in marketing the restaurant but may also prove to be a good tool for getting feedback from the customers whom we have engaged to share about their views and opinions on the blog (Jaakko et al., 2007). 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