Tough Mudder Melbourne Event - Operation Management - Research Paper Example

Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Code & Name: Date of Submission: Table of Contents Problem Definition 1 Literature Review 2 Data Collection & Findings 4 In-depth Action Plan of One Solution 6 Reference: 10 Problem Definition Background information The event Tough Mudder Melbourne 2015 event will be staged in Melbourne at State Motorcycle Sports Complex Broadford, Sydney at Brownlow Hill Farm and South East Queensland at Sirromet Winery. The event will be managed by Tough Mudder Pty Ltd and it is situated at South Melbourne, 8 Ross Street, VIC 3205. The event dates are scheduled according to the venue where Melbourne will host the event on 17th -18th October 2015, Sydney on 21st – 22nd October 2015 and South East Queensland on 7th -8th May, 2016. The stakeholders are those parties associated to the event directly or indirectly. Therefore, the Tough Mudder Melbourne event stakeholders include community, government through relevant bodies and agencies i.e. Health sector, sponsors, media and venue owners. These stakeholders need to be involved at certain level of the event preparation to register success. The sponsors of the event include; Bosch Blue Power Tools Garmin Australia Coates Hire Under Armour Soldier On Industry Problem Event organising industry faces a stiff competition due to increased number of competitors. The competition splits off to human resourcing since there is rise in pouching of employees and competitive recruitment process. Also, competition has reduced the size of market thus reduction in revenue and participants in company events. Consequently, concentration of the industry player has resulted to reduced number of sponsors since every company is looking for ways to win and maintain its sponsor. Client needs The customers are important aspect of any venture since they are reason to its existence. Therefore, there is need to give customer a spectacular experience by providing quality service. The operation management of the company needs to be efficient e.g. reducing waiting time, responding to customer queries promptly, and improving safety and ensure number of employee to customer is suitable. Also, there is need to improve on media coverage since most customers requires publicity by participating according to media contracted to air the event. Literature Review The operation management is important aspect for Tough Mudder Pty Ltd to understand and address it adequately to improve its performance in the industry. The appeal will have great benefit in increasing market size, customer experience and sponsors willingness to participate in funding company’s events. There are various theories and studies that give in-depth understanding on how to improve operations efficiency. First, operations management requires to address health and safety adequately to reduce extra cost and participants shunning away from events organised by the company. The company needs to ensure that measures are put in place to mitigate and reduce casualties. These measures include providing precautionary direction for example labeling exits, designating an assembly point and providing process by which participants can take in case of any abnormal event. Managing a large group of participants poses a great danger since a small commotion can result to huge effect to events stakeholders. For example, a stampede caused by security concern by one person or a small group can cause death and injuries because everybody will be aiming at exiting. These result to people stepping on each other and squeezing their way out. According to article Special issue of Event venues: development and management (2010), before settling on a venue to hold an event it is important to estimate number of participants to avoid overcrowding and ensure exits are enough in case of a stampede. The company can use the trend of previous attendance to estimate expected participants to determine suitable venue for the event. The security drill is important in determining adequacy of the security measures put in place and rectify small errors that might cause great danger to participants. The security drill should entail evacuation of victim requiring special attention, working condition of security alarms, fire extinguishing equipment functionality, communication flow during operations and training volunteers. The drill is essential in creating health and safety report that is presented to stakeholders before commencement of the event. The report stakeholders will approve it or site areas of concern. The involvement of all stakeholders in health and safety operation reduces causalities that might affect any given event since most small or big details are identified prior event date (Liu, Zheng & Cheng, 2011). Secondly, transportation factor is important aspect that any event management company must consider to have a successful event. According to London 2012 Olympic, transportation gives participants first impression thus event managers are required to put more effort in ensuring transport is reliable, safe and efficient. The efficiency in transport requires major stakeholders to come together and discuss various issues associated to transport sector. The team should identify short route to the venue and available mode of transport such as taxi, buses and train. The operation team is required to approach major stakeholders and negotiate on terms such inclusion of cost to ticket price, discounting the prices and increasing number of buses or trains going to the venue. The preparation of transport operations requires the operation department to estimate number of participants in each route identified and convey the message to the stakeholders. These will ensure that each route will be able to gather for transport demand thus reducing delays that might ruin customer satisfaction. The Eventbusinessacademy.com (n.d.), recommends that inclusion of transport fee in ticket price more efficient way of reducing disappointment and increasing customer satisfaction. This is because company can easily negotiate transport fee which is an advantage to participants. Also, it reduces participants waiting time at station since they only require their ticket unlike paying at the station which might cause long queues. The delay is worst experience that any rational participants don’t want to counter thus giving it more importance in ensuring that participants’ expectations are met. Lastly, communication is inevitable since it provide links between different sectors of the event. Communication efficiency is achieved by developing a formal channel of communication to ensure that information is conveyed to the right person at the right time. The communication must take care of customer response and communication within the company workforce. The company should provide toll free number for emergency and general queries. The number should efficiently serve a large number of callers to reduce waiting time. The communication channel used by the employees is required to be clear to ensure information reaches targeted individual at the right time thus giving them ample time to respond. In conclusion, it can be argued out that an efficient operation management requires documented plan with estimate, collaboration with major stakeholders and clear channel of communication to ensure that event meets customer satisfaction and reduce cost that result from uninsured casualties. Data Collection & Findings The major issues identified in the literature review that needs to be addressed in solving operation management problem include health and safety, communication and transpiration. These issues are solved by adopting the following proposed solution; a. Inclusion of transport fee in ticket prices and increase in trips The transpiration of participants in and out of the venue is required be efficient and comfortable for the commuters. Therefore, it is the role of the operation manager to meet stakeholders in transportation such as train, taxis and bus operators. The most common problem that requires to be addressed is reducing waiting time and long queues due to insufficient mode of transportation or issues arising from cash and credit payment of transport fee. The most efficient way of reducing these long queues entails inclusion of transport fee in the ticket price which reduces serving time. The use of cash payment and credit cards is slow since participant will require change or seek clarification on the prices which causes serious delays. Also, use of credit card result to increase in customer serving time since one will is required to swipe the card, waiting to respond and key in password. These processes are eliminated when transport fee is included in the ticket price thus increasing operation efficiency in transport sector. Consequently, increase in trips and number of buses and taxis will improve operation efficiency in transport sector. The operation department is required to estimate number of operators each route to match demand and supply of transport function. The participation of previous events can be used in coming up with estimate and participants who have already paid for the tickets. The information gathered from estimates is conveyed to stakeholders in transport sector who will help in determining the demand and capacity of their services to meet demand during the event period. The transportation stakeholders will increase trips and facilities according to the estimates provided thus ensuring that customers do not wait for longer period before being served. The efficiency of transpiration in and out of the event venue is core in shaping customer experience, improving and maintaining market segment which is crucial in highly competitive sector. b. Establishing toll free call numbers and call centre The management of Tough Mudder Pty Ltd is required to establish a good communication channel within the organization to ensure that operations of the company are carried out in a well organised manner. Participants’ satisfaction is met by the response time of the operations team to their queries. For example, delay in addressing participants concern might infuriate one to an extended of leaving the event before its completion. Also, dissatisfied participant might spread negative experience to other potential participants thus reducing the enrollment in future events. On the other hand, prompt response will give participants sense of belonging and importance that the company is placing on them. These improve customer satisfaction which will tempt him/her to consume the product again and again. Consequently, the customer will spread positive experience to potential participants’ thus increasing enrollment in future events. The improvement of communication between operation department and participants is improved by providing toll free numbers which is an incentive to the customer since he/she will not spend anything in asking questions or reporting any issue faced during the event. The call centers are required and enough workforce given responsibility of responding to customer concerns. The work force will be matched with the expected number of calls to reduce customer waiting time before being attended. In order to reduce delays on emergency calls, company will establish emergency lines and general enquiry lines. The emergency calls will be given priority over general enquiry calls to reduce casualties that might occur at the event. A clear channel of communication within Tough Mudder Pty Ltd management is essential to reduce delays in conveyance of information from one person to another. For example, In case of casualty who is in charge of first aid and ambulance service to evacuate injured participants instantly? The communication channel is required to solve such small issues which might derail company reputation with a blink of an eye. c. Conducting health and safety drill Health and safety drill is practical demonstration on how the operation team will deal with certain situation if they occur. For example, demonstrate on how to conduct first aid in case participant drown, faint or get injured during the event. The drill is important in demonstrating Tough Mudder Pty Ltd readiness in dealing with important issues at hand that requires critical attention. The exercise is conducted in presence of all stakeholders and experts in various areas of health and safety issues. The use of previous events is inevitable in ensuring that the exercise touches almost all critical issues that are subjected to a real event to avoid overlooking important issues and placing more attention in less important issues. The drill is documented and issued to various stakeholders who will approve the report or cite areas that require more attention. Advantages and disadvantages The Inclusion of transport fee in ticket prices and increase in trips reduces delays in movement of participants in and out of the event thus improving customer satisfaction. The technique reduces workload of transport staff hence giving management time in directing customers and attending to their queries. The method can be inefficient for the participants using personal means or using a shorter route since according to the current system, the charges are charged at flat rate regardless of the distance to and fro event. The establishment of toll free number and call centre improves efficiency of addressing participants concerns and dealing with emergencies raised during the event. The use of this method has demerits which includes increase since company will settle call charges. Also, increase in the number of operation team which adds to the cost of managing entire event. In-depth Action Plan of One Solution The use of health and safety drill in ensuring that company has capacity and expertise in solving issues that might be encountered during the exercise is important. The major areas are on first aid, visibility of directions, evacuation, and exits adequacy in case of stampede. Also, the capacity of staff and facilities will be considered in the drill to reduce casualties due to lack of enough facilities. The table below details the activities that will be carried out in the drill; Area of concern Description of activities Implementation criteria First Aid The first aid team will entail fulltime staff of Tough Mudder Pty Ltd, volunteers and hired experienced workers from health sector. The number of individuals in first aid team to that of participants should be in ration of 1:20. The ratio will ensure that the participants get service closer to them in case of any issue. The number of volunteers needs should be high to reduce operation cost. Therefore, high number of volunteers requires drill in order to keep them versed of what to expect and how to deal with such issues. For example, who to contact first and what to do in case participant faint or drown. The first aid team will have large number of cases to attend to since the event is vigorous and might not favor most of participants. These drill be carried four days prior the event. The whole exercise will take three days to ensure that the team gets things right before the day of the event. The team will document procedures and various issues addressed which will be distributed to major stakeholders who might help in absence of the designated staff. The team will be headed by first aid supervisor reporting to health and safety officer. The team will entail; Heath specialist Fulltime staff Volunteers (70% of entire team) Period of implementation; Carried out 4 days prior event Take 3 days The documented first aid drill procedures and related issues will be presented to officer responsible for health and safety issues for approval and implementation. Visibility of precaution directions The drill ensures that the precautionary directions are visible and are well structured according to indented need that is required to achieve. These directions include fire assembly point, exit direction, emergency doors and emergency lines. The members of operation team will stand in different position to determine visibility of the precautionary directions and emergency numbers. The notices are placed in different positions then the team is required to rate each position, colors and font size. The notice that receives high reviews is adopted since it shows that the participants will easily spot it than in any other position. The team is headed by appointed supervisor who will report to officer in charge of health and safety. The drill will take three days. First date will involve taking members opinions and documentation. Second day rating the notices and directions Thirdly, Selection of directions that received high ratings and fixing them to final positions. Finally the team will document the issues addressed and most likely challenge that will be encountered during the event. The report will be approved by officer in charge of health and safety. Evacuation The evacuation team is required to demonstrate on ways of conducting evacuation starting from report given by first aid team, coordination of evacuation means and creation of ways through which ambulance will take to the scene and nearby hospital. The drill will involve health workers of the nearby hospitals who are required to attend to casualties experienced during the event. The hospital will be required to demonstrate on their capacity to serve a large number of casualties at the same time. The ratio of evacuation team to participants will be demonstrated during the drill to ensure that the workforce capacity meets demand. Also, strategic positioning of the evacuation team will be identified to ensure efficiency in reaching to various points of the venue. The team will report to officer in charge of health and safety. The team must ensure that capacity of the company on evacuation meets demand in case of high casualty rate. The process will take two days which will entail planning and actual demonstration. The team will then document the whole evacuation process. Exits to address Stampede Stampede poses a great danger in any large gathering thus health and safety team will be required to address various issues from causative agent to issues to take care off in the event of a stampede. First, team will demonstrate ability of the operation staff to carryout thorough search on people entering the field to reduce likelihood of explosive being brought to the event. Also, audit of electric lines will be carried out to reduce probability of short circuit which result to explosive sound. Secondly, explosive sound will be produced and the drill team will demonstrate how to rescue themselves as a way of demonstrating sufficiency of exits during a stampede. The team should identify easiness in identifying exit point and distance one need to cover to get an exit. This drill will require involvement of police officers and evacuation team who will come in to address casualties in the event of stampede. In case of need to add exit point, management will communicate with venue owners before the event date. Faulty electric wire are required to be replaced The whole process will take three days and it will start five days prior the event date to give time in carrying out major amendments. The health and safety drill is important in many ways which includes demonstrating company capacity in meeting the demand of the number of participants. This ensures that staff will not be overworked or ideal since it can cost the company negatively. For example, when understaffed, customers will not be satisfied due to lack of personalized service. On the other hand, ideal labor increases unnecessary cost for the company. Also, the drill reduces chances of casualties since all possible cause of risk are eliminated or reduced. The ability to eliminate or reduce risk enables the company to maintain its reputation, clients and participants of its events. Lastly, the drill enables the senior staff to train new or volunteers on how to carryout various activities during the event. This ensures that new workforce is able to address issues arising from the event adequately and with high level of expertise. The exercise is not void of demerits. The most common demerit is that the process is time consuming and expensive. For example, during the process the participating team is paid allowance and material used in demonstration add to the cost of managing operations of the event. Consequently, the process is time consuming since company will be required to dedicate more than a week in carrying out the all process. In conclusion, company dedication in addressing health and safety issues results to great advantage if addressed adequately. Therefore, Tough Mudder Pty Ltd should ensure strict adherence to the above mentioned action plan in ensuring that the company avoid uninsured cost that are hidden. Reference: Eventbusinessacademy.com,. What is Event Management? | Event Management Courses | EBA | Oxford, UK. Eventbusinessacademy.com. Retrieved 14 October 2015, from http://www.eventbusinessacademy.com/why-events/what-is-event-management Liu, M., Zheng, X., & Cheng, Y. (2011). Determining the effective distance of emergency evacuation signs. Fire Safety Journal, 46(6), 364-369. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2011.06.002 Robertson, M., Junek, O., & Lockstone-Binney, L. (2014). Introduction: ProfessIonalIzatIon and event ManageMent. Event Management, 18(1), 1-3. http://dx.doi.org/10.3727/152599514x13883555341689 Special issue of Event venues: development and management. (2010). International Journal Of Event And Festival Management, 1(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ijefm.2010.43401aaa.003 toughmudder.com.au,. Tough Mudder. Tough Mudder. Retrieved 14 October 2015, from https://toughmudder.com.au Read More