Analysis of Complete Web Solutions Company - Assignment Example

A research paper on Complete Web Solutions As the new manager of Complete Web Solutions Company, I will ensure that we offer web designing and developing services to private businesses, individual entrepreneurs and manufacturing firms. Due to the challenge of inadequate office space that is making it difficult for the entire team of 25 staff members to work from a central point, the company will form virtual teams. These are a group of individuals who work across time, space and organizational boundaries with links strengthened by webs of communication technology. This will ensure business goals are realized regardless of the structural challenge. My objective in this paper is to explore services, marketing approaches, organisational structure, management of change and financial control. Task 1: Services that will be offered by Complete Web Solutions Company Web designing is concerned with the appearance of the site and it is usability by the customer. It all about how the website looks to the customers. A good website meets the principles of design, and this makes the site look great. Web designers understand site usability and how to create a site that is appealing to the customers. A site is usually attractive to users if it is easy to use. Web development, on the other hand, is the back-end of the website. It entails programming and interactions on the website pages. A web developer is concerned with how the site works and how the users get things done on it. They know how web forms function and thus keep a site running efficiently. Web design and development companies build websites from scratch. These companies use content management system (CMS) so as easily to update the content of the websites (Fitzsimmons, 91). CMS conversion This is a service that enables conversion of existing websites into powerful, database driven Content Management System (CMS). This system allows one to easily and quickly update/add content to the website regularly when one desires. Content Management System has a number of advantages. For instance, it maintains website contents in the form of Texts, Graphics and Links with simple administration screens that are easy to use. In addition, it is maintained through the use of an online editor and no special software is needed, this service ensures that information contained in the websites is up to date. Further CMS ensures contacts of website visitors are accessible through the contact forms and the CMS web sites can be upgraded with additional modules when need arises. These modules include; Newsletters, online catalogues, News Events, Calendars and E-Commerce. One can update the website with little knowledge about html. Updating a static website to a CMS-based site causes little or no design changes (Clark, Johnson and Shulver, 58). Maintenance Maintenance of websites can be very tiring. This is because maintaining website calls for updating information promptly, regularly and accurately. Maintaining a web site ensures that web visitors are always informed. Model View Controller (MVC) based web application MVC is organized code writing. It is an application that helps in keeping things in line. MVC is a structure that separates logic, data storage and visual design. MVC is used to develop custom software in instances when a CMS or other software do not fit the needs of the project. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) SEO is the process of maximizing the number of people who view a particular website by making sure that the site appears high among others on the list of results returned by a search engine. SEO is one of the most important steps in running a successful website. A website can never be great if no one visits it. SEO services enable a better flow of traffic from search engines so as for the website to get the exposure it deserves (Fitzsimmons, 91). Logos and Branding Creating the identity of your business is crucial. A business brand identity dictates its audience and defines a business as a whole. The identity of a business can be defined using logos and other branding solutions that don’t only, but also look good. Photography Web designers and developers offer quality photography services when on and or offsite. They take photos of your products, staff, and/or facilities for business purposes. Infographics An infographics is a visual image in the form of a chart or diagram that is used to represent information or data. Web design and development companies design infographics for fun or official business use. They are used to communicate information more effectively (Clark, Johnson and Shulver, 58). Print Web design and development companies print envelopes, business cards, flyers, brochures, letterheads and other print materials required by businesses. Marketing Approaches used by Design and development Companies Branding/ Logo How a product is presented to its consumers the first time contributes a lot in determining its market. Any business venture begins with branding. Potential customers should be made aware of the design business, what it does and why it is different from other companies. A unique brand name tells all about the business. A brand serves an important purpose in comparison to a logo. A brand gives the company a voice and tells the customers that this particular design and development company is not just another design company, but rather an extraordinary, outside-the-box Design Company. In other words, for a brand cool name is needed. A fun catchphrase and a mission statement that clearly outlines why the design business is different should be used. As a way of marketing their products, design companies should demonstrate consistency for instance; the company should not portray itself as a highly contemporary designer to one customer and specialist to another (Cooper et al., 279).  First Contact A design and development company needs first to go looking for clients before clients could come looking for the business. The first contact with a potential client is very significant. The first contact with the brand does not have to be physical because clients could hear the company’s name mentioned or see its logo somewhere. A company’s logo is a significant part of its branding, and it helps to sell the company’s skills to clients. The logo should not be left as an afterthought. There is a need to design it well so as to show off the company’s expertise. This is not only important for the company’s branding, but because potential clients might also be interested in hiring a company to design their logo. The logo should be an indication that you are up to the task. Portfolio or photo book Some customers can generate a great deal of trusts by being able to hold the company’s business in their hands. Putting together a portfolio or printing the company’s designs in a professionally made photo book with good-quality paper is a perfect way of showing off the company’s style. A number of online creative publishers have affordable prices for one-off prints. Their prints are usually on demand, so if a client needs more copies; he/she only buy as required, instead of selecting a set number of prints beforehand. A photo book is a significant marketing tool. Design companies use them at client pitches, business fairs and networking events (Cooper et al., 279).  Networking This is keeping an eye out for local networking events. Design companies set up a Google Alert and join create groups on LinkedIn to stay in touch. They get prepared for networking events by researching on the attendees and the main topic. The companies should be sure to have business cards with the company’s logo during the networking events, just in case an opportunity to exchange details arises. Networking provides an opportunity to build relationships, as the marketers take the time to talk to people and find out how they prefer design and developing services (Cooper et al., 281). Networking events give opportunities for small companies to communicate with large design companies which probably attend the same networking events. Small companies build relationships with large companies. They may be overloaded with work at some point and need to outsource to a freelance designer. Online presence Creating an online presence is essential part of marketing although it takes time. A company may opt either to go for a free platform or the large custom website. A blog can also serve the purpose of showing off the designs or as a point of contact. It is a platform for an online portfolio. The blog should be regularly updated. Design companies use their online presence to communicate with others in the design world and in so doing, establish a reputation as an industry expert by sharing useful information. They can also guest post on other websites known for their authority.  Integrated approach This is where all the marketing tips are combined. They get the job done better when used together. A company may choose not to use all marketing techniques but mixing some marketing techniques is a good idea. Integrated approach to sales and marketing is a convenient method that is usually employed by design companies as it is cheap and all encompassing (Cooper et al., 279).  Conclusion All the other approaches to marketing other than the integrated approach are called the traditional marketing techniques. Even a freelance web designer business needs to pitch its skills to clients. Logo design, mission statements, and a matching colour to the overall brand are important aspects of website design. Integrated marketing is useful to freelance and in-house web designers. Providing an overall picture of your skills is what marketing is all about. Task 2:Project plan Week Task Obligation Week 1 3 Putting together organisational chart using one of the approaches (functional, divisional, matrix, teams or networks) that will provide a HORIZONTAL structure Week 2 4 Describing two possible reasons why there may be resistance to the proposed organisational struc.ture. Explainig six steps that are found in the management change process Week 3 5 & 6 Producing a report that explains why effective communications will have a crucial role to play in ensuring that all staff in the new organisational structure. work effectively and feel part of both their individual team and the Complete Web Solutions organisation. Week 4 7 Short overview of maintaining the financial flow of the new regional office. Task 3: The Complete Web Solutions Organizational structure Fig: 1 Advantages of a horizontal organizational structure Incorporating a horizontal organizational structure in the companies is quite useful. This is because horizontal organizational structure emphasizes an employee-centered approach with high regard for teamwork and collaboration. This allows workers to focus and invest their time and energy on working towards achieving business goals. In a small business, everyone knows everyone and this enhances collaboration which is an essential practice for ensuring the group has cohesion and move the business forward (Geanakopolos & Milgrom,46). I decided to use this structure because the company has a limited number of employees and thus being a small web design company, members of staff can easily communicate on individual levels. This organizational structure enhances effective communication ensuring feedback among the subordinate and senior staff members. With regular communication, trust and loyalty are strengthened and that way, all stakeholders work together for the common good of the business. Task 4: Reasons why an Organizational structure may be resisted Perceived Loss of Power People may resist change if they think that the change may affect their power and influence in the organization. For instance, if a company charged into a more team-based structure, where supervisors are turned into team leaders, the supervisors may think that they have lost their power. In the old structure, supervisors were charged with the mandate of hiring and firing their subordinates. On adopting the new system, the power is given to the team. As an alternative to monitoring the progress, the team is making toward goals, the responsibility of a team leader is to support and mentor the team in general and ensure the team has access to all resources. Given the loss in prestige and status on adopting a new structure, some supervisors may resist the proposed changes regardless of whether it is better for the group (Bovey & Hede, 7). Feelings of Uncertainty Change comes with feelings of uncertainty. What would be the most probable reaction of members of staff on learning their company is merging with another company? Such a change is often turbulent, and it is often unclear what is going to happen to each. The change may come with the elimination of some positions. Some people may experience changes in their job duties. Things may get better or even get worse. The feeling that you are unsure of the future is enough to create stress because it leads to a sense of lost control (Ackerman, 67). Steps in the development management process Step 1: Define change management process and practices One must come up with a plan for handling changes. This plan should cover: Procedures for handling changes; This involves how changes are requested, how changes requested are processed and scheduled for implementation, how are the changes applied, and what is the criteria are for backing out changes that cause problems. Roles and responsibilities of the support staff. Who will be in charge of receiving the change request, who tracks the change requests, who schedules change implementations, and what each individual is supposed to do? The measurements of change management. Who will monitor the efficiency of the change management process? What tools will be used? Identify type of changes to be handled and how to assign priorities. Use priority assignment methodology and escalation guidelines Back-out procedures. These are actions to be taken incase applied changes fail or cause problems to other components of the system (Cammack, 86). Step 2: Receive change requests Accept all requests for changes through a change coordinator. Requests for change can be submitted on a change request form that should include the date and time of the request. Step 3: Plan for implementation of changes Examine all change requests so as to determine: Change request prioritization, Back-out procedures, Impact to the system, Schedule of implementation and Resource requirements for implementing the change (Pasmore & Woodman, 78). Step 4: This step involves implementing and monitoring the changes and backing out changes where necessary. At this stage, change is applied results monitored. If there are undesirable outcomes, or other systems or applications are affected negatively, changes should be backed out. Step 5: Evaluate and report on changes implemented. At this stage, feedback on all changes should be communicated to the change coordinator, regardless of whether they were successful or not. The development coordinator should in turn examine trends in the application of changes, to deduce if change implementation planning were sufficient and if changes to particular resources are more prone to problems. After change has been successfully achieved, must the corresponding system information store be updated to include the changes. Step 6: Modify changes management plan if needed. The entire change management process may be modified to make it more effective. It is important to consider re-examining your change management discipline process. If changes are not being applied on time; too many changes are being backed out; changes are affecting the system availability, there are not enough changes are being prepared and not all changes are being covered (Pasmore & Woodman, 78). Task 5: A report on the role played by Effective communication in an organization Effective communication is crucial to any company as it plays many roles. Communication plays a role in product development, employee management and customer relations. If employees are informed and involved through communications with other stakeholders are likely to develop a positive attitude towards the business. Below are roles played by Effective Communication. Clear Expectations. Effective communication helps to create clear expectations for employees and customers as well. For employees, clear expectations will convey the impacts of their performance on the business while giving them an indication of what is expected of them to achieve positive feedback. As for customers, clear communication helps manage their expectations about services or products issues or even about how best to interact with the company (Baerger & Chaffee, 988). Strong Relationships. Through effective communication, strong relationships are built. This is through creation of Loyalty and trust which are important factors in any relationship. Both are boosted by effective communication which focuses on fulfilling personal needs, passing important information and providing feedback whether positive and constructive. Strong relationships with external audiences also build strong, solid information about services, products and company culture and values (Oldham & Hackman, 981). Ideas and Innovation. Open channels of communication can lead to innovativeness in a number of areas. Employees who understand what is important to their companies can focus on improvements and spotting opportunities for innovation to help achieve further success. Employees are more likely to contribute their ideas if they think their ideas will be sought after, and that business leaders will have open minds and be responsive to their feedback. Customers must also be a source of great ideas to help improve products and services. Customer Ambassadors. Through information, employees get to know more about the company, its culture, its products and services and its response to any negative issues. As a result, the better job they can do of serving as ambassadors to the community, relatives, their friends and other business connections. If employees feel that they trust the information they receive from their employers and have a positive, strong relationship with their employers, they are more likely to spread that information to others. Employees can be a source of information about a particular business and its services/products and this information can be trusted. Strong Teamwork. Effective organizational communication will lead to strong teamwork and the ability for employees at all levels of the organization to work together to achieve business goals. In addition, effective organizational communication will provide employees the knowledge, structure and positive work environment they need to feel comfortable dealing with conflict and resolving issues effectively (Baerger & Chaffee, 65). A communication channel is the medium through which a message is transmitted from one party to the other. In electronic media, channels of communications refer to the physical medium, for example, a wire that is used to carry information signals from one point to the other. In web design and development company a number of channels may be used to foster team spirit. This may include; departmental meetings and a networked electronic information (Baerger & Chaffee, 70). Task 6: How to maintain financial control When managing a business, one needs to use the figures to assess the performance of the business and where necessary take corrective action. Looking at financial statements more frequently makes understanding the figures becomes much easier. Below is a summary of the key areas to focus on. Sales and costs I will set targets for profitability including net profit margin and return on capital and monitor progress towards achieving those targets. This can only be achieved through a regular book review with particular emphasis on value of orders placed within a given period; value of production completed and sales invoiced (Pierce & Delbecq 342). Checking the above values will help in deciding the course of action. For instance if gross profits are low, it would be important to market the business so as to earn extra markets. It is also important to act quickly if debtors and creditors stray too far from the target as this might affect a business' liquidity and perhaps its overdraft. Debtors If the company will be sending out sales invoices, then I will keep a tight grip to ensure the debtors' position is well known and acceptable. The sales ledger should clearly show all the outstanding sales invoices. The Review will be carried out regularly. Action will be taken against any customer who will be slow to pay. The increase in the number of debtors implies sales are increasing or debtors are taking longer to pay. There will be a clear description of how fast debtors are expected to pay. Creditors The company should control the money you owe others in a similar way you control money owed to you. A Review of all the bills to be paid will regularly be done. Upsetting suppliers by delaying payment may make them withdraw their credit facilities. The company will take the maximum amount of credit possible to gain maximum benefits while making sure that terms agreed upon are not abused (Wally & Baum 123). Cash management I will make use of a substantial cash balances lying in the current accounts. Large amounts of cash should be invested so as to earn the company interest. The longer the period of investment, the better the rate of interest that can be obtained. It is not sensible for a company to be too liquid by tying up spare cash for too long. Some cash should also be invested back to the business. Should you be upgrading equipment? Are there opportunities for expansion? For easier cash management focus should be on the previous, current and following months. In case the company foresee financial difficulties it is better to advice bankers (Wally & Baum, 123). Stock control A company should not allow stock levels to grow too large and watch for dead stock. Too much stock takes too much storage space. The stock can be reduced to use the space more productively. If you do have obsolete stock or stock movement problems, you should write it off or turn the stock into cash as quickly as possible. Improving capital efficiency This will be done through increasing the asset turn. This is possible if high level of sales is achieved with no additional capital, increasing the gearing and increasing the use of borrowed funds. Maximise the output of expensive capital equipment. Improving staff efficiency Measure the volume of staff activity. As a company manager ensure staff are working as efficiently and effectively as possible. Come up with ways in which you can improve that efficiency. Identify possible indicators of problems among staff members such as high labour turnover ratios and high levels of absence. Companies should encourage competition between staff through performance bonuses and prizes (Oldham and Hackman 45). Financial information can be used by company management to make decisions on its expenditure, sales and remunerations for its employees. References Ackerman, Linda “Change Management: basic for training” Training and Development Journal. vol. 40 (1986). Print. Berger, Charles and Chaffee, S. H. “On Bridging the Communication Gap.” Human Communication Research, 15.2 (1988). Print. Bovey, Winnie and Hede. “Resistance to Organizational Change: the role of defence mechanisms” Journal of Managerial Psychology, 16.7 (2002). Print. Cammack, John. Financial Management for Development, INTRAC, Oxford. (1999). Print. Clark, G.L., Johnston, R., Shulver, M. 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Pasmore, W.A. and Woodman R.W. “Research in Organizational Change and Development” Elsevier Ltd, 2007. Print. Pierce, J. L., and Delbecq, A. L.” Organization Structure, Individual Attitudes, and Innovation.” Academy of Management Review 2.1985.Print. Wally, S., & Baum, R. J. “Strategic Decision Speed and Firm Performance.” Strategic Management Journal. 1994. Print. Read More