Session 5

* Divides your information into subject-based tables to reduce redundant data.

In the Lab exercise, the database has divided into two tables, one is product table, the other is the supplier table. After the linking of two tables, user no need repeat in typing the common data - supplier name, to reduce the typo.

By dividing the data into subject-based tables, the user can read the information easier and the tables will not be too long.

* Accommodates your data processing and reporting needs

The advantage of using Access database system is that the user can use such large amount of data and convert into different type of report to fulfill different needs. In the lab exercise, the user can analysis the information by using product Category or supplier name. And it can do some calculation, such as how much we spended on each suppliers.

By using the query function of Access, we can search for the selling price range between $100 - $200; or which products quantity on hand are below 5 ... etc.

Table of product quantity on hand below 5.

Session 4

Find one example of Internet marketing that you think is particularly effective and one example that is ineffective. Explain your reasons, for example, you can describe how well the effective example takes advantage of the Internets properties (e.g. interactivity, personalization, greater hold on user's interest). For the ineffective ad, you may describe how you can improve on it.

Effective Internet Marketing:

I choose to take Pizza Hut as an example. The Pizza Hut had developed a online ordering system. For the first time user, if you want to order for a pizza, first you require to register as member.

After registration, the system store some useful information, such as address and contact number, so everytime when you order Pizza, you no need to re-enter such contact information.

Pizza Hut has developed this ordering system for few years, they modified the system from time to time, to make the system more user friendly.

To make order more effectient, Pizza Hut divided customers into 3 type: express, normal and advanced.

The first one is the customer just order for some simple menu, and the rest for more advanced user. When customer choosing the pizza, they can find them easily by browsing the pictures. All selection can be find in the web.

The website has divided all the selection process step-by-step, and the icons are user friendly. When you finished the ordering process, a survey is optional for user to fill in. This is a good way to collect opinion from users.

Session 3: Customer Relationship Management Sytsem

Question:

List the customer data elements generated when a customer interacts with an airline by (a) making a reservation, (b) using frequent flyer miles, and (c) completing a flight. How does information from CRM improve these interactions ?

Answer:

When a customer making a reservation, using frequent flyer miles and, completing a flight, he/she require to enter some information, such as:

* destination
* date of depart & return
* class (economy/business)
* ticket type (single trip, round trip ......)
* membership number
* password
* selection of price
* no. of tickets
* meal preference
* payment method
* passenger information (e.g.: passenger name, date of birth, gender, email address for confirmation, contact number ......)

searching for a flight

Flights selection

enter the passenger information

Take the Cathay Pacific Airlines and the Finnair Airlines as example, after using the CRM system, customer can select their the most preferred flight by themselves and make amendment anytime. When the customer wants to change their flight details, they no need to dial to the customer service hotline and wait for a long time of changing the information. They can check the flight status in real time. When the customer selecting a flight, they can search for the most suitable price & flight at once.

Question: What are the benefits of integrating the sales, marketing and customer support function using a single software package and a centralized database?

Answer:

A centralized database can be benefit to both the customer and the company.

1. Reduce typing error

In the sales, marketing and customer services department, they serve the same customer in different stages. Some information are common for three of them. Using a centralised database, the three parties no need to input the customer details (e.g. customer name, address, contact number), then typing error can be prevented.

2. Implement suitable marketing plan

A new marketing plan require many ideas from different sources, the most useful and easily way to collect them is the customer feedback. The sales will record all sales activities in the database, the marketing team can generate and analysis those information for market research. This can reduce the high research cost and time saving of collecting questionnaires.

3. States checking in real time

When we ordered a product, we may in hurry about their states. We will contact the customer services hotline and queries for it, a centralized database help the customer services department to provide the real time states to the customer or an on line checking can be minimize the waiting time of the customer. Besides, the sales can contact the customer once the product is ready to pick up.

4. Increase customer loyalty

A well established CRM system will help the company to implement unique marking plan to each customer by using the loyalty programme (membership). The system help the company to recongise each customer buying behavior, when a customer visit the shop, the sales can realise what he/she want and provide the most suitable information and product to them. When the customer satisfaction fulfilled, their loyalty increased, at last, they increase the usage of our products.

More on Octopus

Could you add an example of a promotion that McDonald's fast food restaurant may offer based on what they know about a customer ?

Reply Jenny:

McDonald's is a early bird of using the Octopus Reward Scheme. You can pay and collect rewards by using the Octopus. At the same time, McDonald's can collect information on the cutomers buying pattern.

McDonald's also has a large database on the customer buying behaviour, but that's not enough. The point-of-sale system help to record what a customer pruchased. They can analysis the average consumption for each customer. But they don't know the age group and the gender of those customers.

There are several types of Octoups: Adults, Elder, Child (for ages 3-11) and personalised. By using the Octopus Rewards Scheme, McDonald's knows who visit McDonald's the most and when.

Recently, McDonald's has boardcast a new series of API. let's have a quick view of it.








McDonald's has upgrade their coffee beans and the price of a ground coffee. They found that after the establishment of McCafe, the customers are willing to pay for a quality coffee. Those customers are some kind of adults who are the office men/ladies, and family members. Consequently, they launch their TVC in Bookstore and Office section.




Furthermore, McDonald's has boardcasted another TVC. ^^

Assignment One Answer

Question: Think of a business or organization that you admire, then describe two examples of how that business is supported by information systems. For example, do they use it for operational excellence ? Or do they use it to create new products and services ?

The Octopus Cards Limited operated a smartcard sytem and developed a well established Customer Relationship Management System. Since 1997, the Octopus cards act an important role in the Hong Kong transportaion and transaction system.

The Octopus card is a rechargeable contactless stored value smart card used to transfer electonic payments in online/offline systems in Hong Kong. The card system was the first contactless smart card system in the world. With their continuous innovations, the Octopus cards system is now widely used, not simply for fares payment, but it can gain access to buildings & schools, purchases in retail outlets, pay for the parking meters and even we can use it in the Mainland China.

The company holds a large customers database from the 19 million octopus cards. The cards record each customer buying behaviour, with the membership Octopus, customers earn Reward$ when purchasing. By analysising their buying behaviour, often they will run special promotions giving the customers even greater value!

How might Octopus benefit your business?

You may find out more realtive news about Octoups at the bottom. Enjoys!

sAnDy

Hi, this is my first time of using blogger. The setting is more complicated from others popular blog like Xanga and Yahoo. I need some more time to learn how to use this blog. It's take times to build up a new blog.

Just thinking of what should I add in this blog, how to make it different from others.....

Give me some more time, I will try my best to make use of all the functions. Wait for me!!!