Information Technology Strategy of Events Planning Company - Term Paper Example

Information Technology Strategic Plan Introduction to Great Heights Events Planning Company Great Heights Company competes in the event planning industry due to the increased demand for conferences and meetings for corporate and social events. Great Heights seeks to gain better traction with the target customers with the aim of achieving high satisfaction levels and loyalty. Events planning needs are dynamic, and companies are expected to match their operations with prevailing trends in the industry. The management of Great Heights hopes to increase its revenue from $5Million to $20Million per year if it infuses the technology of mobile apps, social media and cloud computing technology in the events planning operations. The objectives are feasible given that digital technology can work for both the clientele and the business The mission statement destined to integrate the needs of the company with those of the target market and understand drivers for loyalty and overall satisfaction guides Great Heights Events Planning Company. The mission statement is stated as follows; “Our mission is to surpass the expectations of customers and create memories that will last a lifetime. In the process of administering out high-end services, we are guided by the principles of honesty, integrity, and respect for every client or guest on our way. We hope to maximize our outcomes for the sole satisfaction and loyalty of our clientele.” Great Heights’ Mission Great Heights is ready to confront the future and contend with any concerns that arise. The company is guided by the following vision; “To offer service that is reflective of the goals and objectives of our clients and guests and a commitment to high quality, efficient, timely and value driven events planning results.” Great Heights’ Vision As Greater Heights seeks to gain more traction with customers than before, investment in IT will be inevitable given that the entire industry is investing in the state-of-the-art equipment. The interactions with the ultimate clients and guests are based on the data collected using the information. Then following the strategic plan will outline the current situation of Great Heights in terms of technology and security aspects. The business venture will also entail determining the information technology personnel or roles in place and a SWOT analysis for the same. The goals of the IT strategic plan will be outlined and the positive organizational impacts it will have once it is implemented in Great Heights. Current Technology and Security Aspects in Great Heights Great Heights does not have expansive remote storage and data collection tools for customer information. The company relies on the calls made by customers. The planning department conducts a random survey every month through questionnaires to the guests. The future events are based on the survey provided because customers give an honest opinion about the services and what they expect to get from the company. The company has not yet applied digital tools for collecting customer statistics and analytics from corporations, social organizers, and hotels. The company is looking for tools that can provide customer information round the clock. A convenient platform for communication has not been implemented. Problems arise when making plans among team members in the headquarters and on the ground. There are event organizers from the company who do not have updated information about the event they are organization. It takes hours to prepare enough paper and to send a courier to take the vital papers to the events to avoid disappointing the clients. Great Heights has suffered for long at the hands of paper-based communication systems that hampered with accessibility and usability concerns among team members. According to Van der Wagen & White (2015) investment in digital communication platforms will make the communication more convenient, collaborative and cushioned from frustrations. Running events and taking data from the clients whose profiles are highly sensitive and sometimes classified elicits data security concerns. The high sensitive is prone to loss or breach because there are no robust current security structures in Great Heights. The company commits itself to providing guest information to authorized persons within and outside the company to protect clientele. However, commitment to non-disclosure is not adequate given the increase rates of cybersecurity concerns such as hacking in random companies within the industry (Van der Wagen & White, 2015). The company is yet to unleash data hosting procedure with a watertight data storage and encryption protocols. A backup of customer information is essential given that the company has a history of repeat customers. The company does not have a good platform that allows greater distribution of information to broad audiences. While the company hopes to grow and develop its annual income avenues, building and maintaining relationships with the target audience will be inevitable. The company has not invested in tools that can enable employees interact with clients and guests real time. Additionally, getting information for evaluation, feedback and storage in the company servers will require social media interactions (Berman, Kesterson‐Townes, Marshall & Srivathsa, 2012). The company distributes limited content through the social media channels, and that has frustrated the expectations of the clients for corporate meetings and events. Events planning the department is looking for a platform where it can increase its digital integrity through proper guidelines and safeguarding of confidential. Only then will Great Heights conquer the competitive market as a brand. The company will invest in mobile apps, social media, and cloud technology to protect the information and create more room for interactions with customers and team members within the company. However, the business venture requires particular information technology personnel or roles to be in place to have a better approach to customer satisfaction and loyalty through information technology. Information Technology Personnel /Roles in Place in Great Heights The company should invest in trained communication assistants to maintain and build relationships with existing and prospective customers. Implementation of social media programs and relevant mobile apps will change the scope of their duties (Plunkett, 2008). The company is looking forward to serving active participants who will require employees with great understanding of their needs and technology tools. Social media architects are responsible for maintain contact with prospective customers on social media sites and email platforms (Plunkett, 2008). The personnel is responsible for sustaining digital integrity by disclosing details to interested clients with the aim of retaining confidentiality of internal information. The company has not harnessed the power of social media expansively through the architects keeps tracks of future events and makes predictions based on the findings. Data security roles are critical because the Great Heights deals with important delegations. The company also secures its tools from access by third parties irrespective of the status of the client or guest information in the question. The data security roles are administered together with encryption but the company hopes to invest in a robust encryption protocols to help achieve high-security levels and comply with the data security standards as required by the law (Suttles, 2012). The company deals with big data given that it manages a large traffic of clients every day. With a full calendar round the year, data statistics and analytics become inevitable roles in the events planning procedures (Berthon, Pitt, Plangger & Shapiro, 2012). The company hopes to interpret the statistics collected and use it to transform service delivery in future. The company must leverage its data through data hosting protocols. Information that will be collected through social media and mobile apps will require real-time hosting (Suttles, 2012). The intended structure will utilize cloud technology because of the assured levels of security and easy coordination between team members in the company. Data hosting will guarantee the company security, availability, data protection, and performance through scalable cloud servers. SWOT Analysis of Great Heights Information Technology Strategic Plan A SWOT analysis for the IT strategic plan is essential because it will give a broad picture of the opportunities and challenges revolving service delivery among staff members, partners, and clients. Strengths Increase in knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and competent staff in the digital era of events planning Provision of excellent client or guest service A robust network infrastructure among partners, staff, and clients of Great Heights State-of-the-art technology support High data security, hosting and storage protocols Communication Transparency through clear processes and practices The IT platform will avail stable and real-time of financial resources Weaknesses High financial demands for IT model Low staffing levels who have limited IT knowledge Consistent training and orientation on technology Increased bureaucracy among server managers and end users in the company Fiscal sustainability of IT structures to remain consistent with the digital dynamics Opportunities There are cloud-based options for hosting and storing information collected from event planning functions and target corporate and other social events There will be newer internal and external relationships among partners, workers, and clients Reduction of planning costs through economies of scale The IT structure is more consultative than when paper or physical operations were in use Increased communication transparency internally and externally Open up other technology options such as wireless protocols to increase performance for mobile apps Threats The IT environment is hostile due to possible security breaches in unstable networks The capacity of the IT structure to perform must high expectations within and outside the company Fiscal levels and priorities are likely to change and offset the profit margins More quality devices will be required to offer extra support once the IT structure is implemented Increment in the department levels and training costs Accessibility in times of emergencies is unclear The Goals of the Information Technology Strategic Plan The company will uncover and understand the messages of the employees and clients. Employees are involved in endless fieldwork and will find integrated mobile apps appealing to air their concerns. Rogers (2013) argues that social media and cloud computing presents the most creative ways of reinforcing the messages of the customers The IT strategic plan hopes to eliminate communication barriers. Great Heights Company places a high value of clients’ tastes and preferences. According to Suttles (2012), social media’s relevant mobile apps and cloud computing platforms will provide an avenue where the organization can brainstorm together with the clients and boost the quality of service delivery. The company hopes to align its mission, vision and organizational objectives with goals and objectives of clients. The process will increase the bottom line results and pave the way for the positive feedback. Not only do the bottom line results increase customer reception but also it will boost satisfaction and loyalty to the events planning services from the company. The plan aims at creating a platform where event organizers can negotiate with clients in the process of committing to an event-planning contract. The company will provide special offers to clients with the aim of reducing the costly strategies that have led to a stagnated growth of $5Million annually. Great Heights targets to engage existing and prospective clients around the clock. Social media platforms and relevant mobile apps will come in handy. The information collected will be secured through cloud computing protocols and servers. The engagements will create leads and referrals that can be harnessed through incentives (Suttles, 2012). The leads and referrals will be available for constant updates about event planning procedures and Great Heights Company. The company hopes to establish strategic alliances with other events companies in the industry. The IT networks captured in the strategic plan will make relevant communication possible. Great Heights Company will work in collaboration with budding companies with the aim of expanding its reach to clients of all income brackets. There will be companies, which will request for quotes, and they will be availed instantly through secured channels. Analytics and data collection tools will provide templates that can be used for measuring results. Social media and mobile apps will harness clients’ feedback (Rogers, 2013). The feedback can be used to modify, improve, or overhaul the approach given to future events. Affirmative Organizational Impacts of Implementing the IT Strategic Plan The strategic plan will increase market visibility in the ever-changing events planning industry. The company will cater for corporate retreats, product launches and other social events based on an informed template. The company will work with event clients real-time and efficiently through IT supported networks and help in the proper designation of tools and equipment. The company will gain more customers because of the ability to provide and engage in online communications (Berman, Kesterson‐Townes, Marshall & Srivathsa, 2012). The research for prospective clients will be based on the prevailing industry that the company will easily access using the devices with social media and cloud computing technology support. The firm will have a more flexible contact management system where it can sort clients in terms of events or functions (Rogers, 2013). The personnel in charge will track information related to specific details such as hotel, on-site preferences, accommodations, and food and beverage options. Information will be available for reference (Berthon, Pitt, Plangger & Shapiro, 2012), Social media, mobile apps and cloud computing allow creation of global and personal calendars that can be shared seamlessly between teams. The process will improve the coordination and dedication among selected functional groups and team members within the company. Each individual will create a task-related schedule based on the information from the network channels. Better customer traction will be feasible through instant messaging (Rogers, 2013). The messages will be shared through apps to customers and among team members through direct channels. The information will be available for archiving and any perpetual access. Additionally, the company will have an information assurance network where customers can share their information freely without the fear of reaching third parties. Cloud computing will provide data security and hosting procedures. Summary The IT needs in Great Heights Company have been established. SWOT analysis, benefits, impact and goals related to IT strategic plan have confirmed that technology is must-have weapon for an event planner aiming at competing well, increasing profit margins and gain better traction with customer satisfaction and loyalty. The need for market visibility requires investment in social media and mobile apps that come at an affordable cost on the part of the company and clients. Cloud computing is inevitable because event organizers must gain control and guarantee protection of the information they get from the clients and guests. References Berman, S., Kesterson‐Townes, L., Marshall, A., & Srivathsa, R. (2012). How cloud computing enables process and business model innovation. Strategy & Leadership, 40(4), 27-35. doi:10.1108/10878571211242920 Berthon, P., Pitt, L., Plangger, K., & Shapiro, D. (2012). Marketing meets Web 2.0, social media, and creative consumers: Implications for international marketing strategy. Business Horizons, 55(3), 261-271. doi:10.1016/j.bushor.2012.01.007 Plunkett, J. (2008). Plunketts advertising and branding industry almanac 2008. Houston, Tex.: Plunkett Research. Rogers, T. (2013). Conferences and conventions. London: Taylor and Francis. Suttles, C. (2012). Event Management for the 21st Century | Business In Focus Magazine. Businessinfocus.com.au. Retrieved from http://www.businessinfocus.com.au/index.php/2012/11/event-management-for-the-21st-century/ Van der Wagen, L., & White, L. (2015). Human resource management for the event industry. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Read More