Computer Sciences and Information Communication Technology - Essay Example

? Computer sciences and Information Communication Technology Introduction A number of established small and large business operations desire to advance the ways of attending customers and carrying out their normal duties. The primary reason for this is to save time when undertaking business actions. The thesis of this paper is to investigate the purpose of using Information and Communication Technology in a particular business, specifically, the Grocery Gateway in Canada. The essay also includes the products and services provided by Grocery Gateway business. In addition, there is the value of chain, a description of the supply chain, competitors, and competition strategy. Lastly, there are various Information Communication Technology tools and components used by the business. Grocery Gateway This is a business located in Canada and consists of a group of entrepreneurs. The main reason for the business was that because people recover things, it is worth establishing a business and combine ideas to accomplish various goals. Longo Brothers Fruit Market Inc is a family, which dominates the actions in Grocery Gateway. They are the employees of the business whose primary aim at maximizing profits and distributing it to all family members. It looks forward to increase the number of registered customers. It offers online services to improve the entire process. The main business involves rental trucks that were few at the start of the business. Grocery Gateway offers transportation services to its consumers (Tallevi, 2013). Description of the supply chain in Grocery Gateway Selling of products from the business to the consumers requires a better chain of supply. This is vital to maintain the profits and ensure that the sales do not decrease. Tallevi (2013) indicates that Grocery Gateway sells its products through online engines. There is an established Web site online, which is responsible for ensuring that the necessary information is available to all willing buyers. This is also necessary for growing businesses within a society. Competitors to Grocery Gateway For the running of any business, there must be competition from other businesses offering similar products and services. Competition helps business entrepreneurs to scrutinize the services and products in such a manner that they will of a higher quality as compared to those of the competitors. The competitors to Grocery Gateway business are principally the supermarkets. Most of the supermarkets offer products same as those sold by Gateway Grocery. This creates an environment where all entrepreneurs have to meet their set targets. This then calls for strategies that when used, Grocery Gateway will not operate under a negative effect of the competition (Tallevi, 2013). Strategies used by Grocery Gateway to compete Desire for an improvement in the business operations is significant in that it determines the effectiveness of the business. For instance, Grocery Gateway aims at integrating and coordinating several services with intent to have unified web site tasks. Longo Brothers being aware of what the business requires to fit in the business world turns to various systems to increase efficiency in route selection (Tallevi, 2013). Gateway strives though to an increased number of customers, who are the determinants of the sales made per day. There is online registration, which is the best and quicker way of registering buyers. Another way of hindering a negative result of competition as depicted by Gateway is through the opening hours. This is important especially for late night operation. Longo Brothers through online communication stated that the grocery operates under a twenty-four hour basis. This is significant in ensuring there is unlimited number of customers. Importance of the competition strategies Strategies applied by entrepreneurs are the determinants of the survival of the business within the market. For instance, improved customer relations leads to an increase in the number of potential buyers, which is a major source of increased profits. Another reason is that the more the hours of operation, the more the number of customers. This is an indicator of the desire to be ahead of other competing organizations. In addition, online grocery store opened twenty-four hours on a weekly base is an element leading to an increase in the sales. This is because most of the customers prefer services taken to their doorstep rather that trekking to purchase products from a retail shop. Another importance is that online shopping helps save time (this is specifically for the busy consumers). It is also reliable for other individuals such as those requiring special attention and the aged (Tallevi, 2013). The use of Information Communication Technology to improve Grocery Gateway business Information and communication technology is the stamina of the existence of Grocery Gateway in Canada. It is also fundamental to other competitive and non-competitive businesses. Information systems act as the central nervous system of any business and its absence denotes a business operating under no well-set objectives. The use of Information Communication Technology comes out through the issuance of products and reaching of customers’ destination. Transporting of the commodities is in the time set and agreed upon between suppliers and the customers (Tallevi, 2013). Significance of Information Communication Technology components used in Grocery Gateway business. a) Internet The internet is a worldwide used system involving a unique connection of various computer networks. According to Tallevi (2013), internet is one of the many engines used by entrepreneurs when passing information about a specific subject to other individual customers. Grocery Gateway is a viable business and as indicated, Longo Brothers provide online information via web pages to the customers. This is essential, as it results to business information to other individuals requiring the products from Gateway. b) Collaborative technologies These are technologies chosen by business entrepreneurs to support the instructional values and learning outcome goals. This involves chats and instant messaging whereby conversation happens in actual instance. Tallevi (2013), states that entrepreneurs of Grocery Gateway ensure that the products reach destined customers within a time of ninety minutes. Collaborative technologies involve a mutual understanding between the customers and the entrepreneurs. Specifically, Grocery Gateway through various web sites, which enhance negotiation between consumers and entrepreneurs about the products required and whether they offer transportation services. c) Portal technologies This refers to a type of technology involving various models of communicating and indicates the products and services provided in a particular business. For instance, Grocery Gateway uses the Descartes systems group that is responsible for offering solutions to existing problems. It helps in the selection of better routes for the supply of commodities. The principal reason for using porter type of technology is to incorporate previous history and present routs. This helps in determining the best rout for use when dispatching commodities. d) Electronic commerce This also bears the names, eCommerce, or e-commerce. It refers to an industry where the purchase and sell of products is by using electronic systems. Ecommerce aims at ensuring that online services involve improved processes of placing orders. There is a suggestion that future services should involve better mechanisms used when delivering commodities to specified consumers (Tallevi, 2013). This denotes the essence of quantifiable electronic devices available to all business operations. Therefore, entrepreneurs should provide quality services to customers. Summary and conclusion To sum up, entrepreneurs need to set good ways of providing services and products. This is because the way of availing products to consumers determines the number of customer that an entrepreneur secures. The use of online sources is a way of attracting more customers to the business. In conclusion, it is worth noting that Information Communication Technologies is a crucial element required by all businesses. Information Communication Technology is responsible for smooth running of the business. Entrepreneurs should therefore aim at using best ways of communicating to their customers. References Tallevi, S. Gateway to Success: Delivering Customer Satisfaction in the Last Mile. Retrieved on 12 November 2013, from https://www.descartes.com/content/documents/cs_grocery_gateway.pdf Read More