I have often heard it said that if you want your business to succeed you should hire and surround yourself with people who are smarter than yourself. In the modern business world companies are finding it more and more difficult to compete solely on product, especially as it seems that every company a given industry is producing the (or very similar) products. Even competing on quality is a hard sell in the modern market as quality standards have become intense as consumer expectations have continued to rise. Thomas Davenport, professor of information technology and management at Babson College in Massachusetts is also the forerunning spokesperson for analytics and the use of them in business to achieve a competitive edge.
Becoming a competitor on the analytic edge of business involves several factors, including hiring the people who are smart about statistics and analysis to be able to interpret the data that firm has collected, as well as being able to determine the exact data that needs to be accumulated from the entire enterprise and even the industry to best direct the approach of the business (Davenport,2006).
Davenport expresses the need for a widespread use of modeling to take the basic statistical data to a new level. By generating predictive models firms become better able to determine the places in the business and the customers that will help to drive the greatest potential profitability while at the same time determining those customers who are most likely to discontinue their relationship with the firm. These tests can theoretically analyze the possible outcomes of business factors on profitability and provide viable options for things such as price point, shipping costs and even product R&D (Davenport,2006).
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...g closed on Sundays (the accepted Sabbath of the majority of Christendom), not just giving employees the choice to be off Sundays, but to be closed completely, almost boggles the mind. How can they be so profitable? I think that Malachi 3:10 says it well: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
Statistics may never show it, I know my own budget does not work on paper, but the more faithful we are to the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the commandments of God, both in our personal and professional lives, the more God will “open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
Google Analytics data collected on behalf of Peg and Kris, LLC for the company’s website domain, www.pegandkris.com, suggests that the company needs to change its current online marketing plan (Google Analytics, 2016). Weaknesses revealed by the data included overall low sales conversions, insufficient sales from social media and email campaign groups, and an usually high amount of sales conversions occurring on a desktop computer despite a larger number of visitors from mobile devices. Strengths included a sufficient number of visitors to the website and decent purchasing behavior from return customers (Google Analytics, 2016).
RBC Financial Group uses a customer relationship management (CRM) strategy that provides a variety of services for a variety of clients. The strategy allows for individual customers to trust RBC and develop a personal relationship with each and every client. One major factor that allows CRM to operate effectively is the use of technologies and analytics to help classify each client’s financial situation. These customer profitability-based techniques allowed RBC to categorize their clients into A, B, and C groups so that the sales teams could optimize their efforts in catering to these different clients. This strategy holds the following strengths: optimizing sales efforts to different customers, easily accessible electronic sales leads, centralized and standardized financial decisions, and building personalized and sustainable customer relationships. There are a few weaknesses to the system though including the complexity in predicting future positions of companies despite the use of analytics as well as the complexity in creating consistency when using these
While analyzing the data for The Body Shop International case, I noticed some trends and have compiled my assumptions for the next three years. I have compiled pro-forma statements for the fiscal years 2002, 2003 & 2004. These figures are based on the percentage of sales method for pro-forma financial modeling. Simply put, I used the sales figures from the past three years 1999, 2000 & 2001 and applied a growth rate of 13% increase to sales. Below are some additional assumptions that I have created to illustrate how the firm can become profitable while increasing market share and maintaining stockholder interest within the firm over the next three years.
6 framework I and many others regularly use in analysis of marketing situations. We supplemented
The biggest downfall of Chick-fil-A is the fact that on Sundays they are never open. Chick-fil-A is family owned restaurant built on Christian beliefs that discontinues all business operations on Sundays. Others suggests that the fact that Chick-fil-A reserves a day out of the week for religious purposes over the temptations of monetary value is rare in the food industry and therefore is highly respected. Chick-fil-A has maintained its moral values that people have learned to appreciate, even though some groups boycott the practice. Chick-fil-A continues to dominate sales beyond other fast-food restaurants even while only operating 6 days a week. Chick-fil-A chicken is so great tasting that they have had record breaking sales. According to Business Insider, Peterson H. argued that “The fried chicken chain generates more revenue per restaurant than any other fast food chain in the US,” (Peterson, 2015). Chick-fil-A food chain has even surpassed the sales of KFC and
But then here is the question that we might ask, is profit the only element that should be considered when making business decisions? In my point of view, the answer is no as I will try to demonstrate throughout this paper. One quick alternative to what should be the first top priority of a business is creating a customer, Dr. Peter Drucker said. According to him “The customer is the foundation of a business and keeps it in existence”. He alone gives us employment.
Companies have transformed technology from a supporting tool into a strategic weapon.”(Davenport, 2006) In business research, technology has become an essential means that many organizations use in their daily operations. According to the article, Analytics is a major technological tool used. It is described as “the extensive use of data, statistical and quantitative analysis, explanatory and predictive models, and fact-based management to drive decisions and actions."(Davenport, 2006) Data is compiled to enhance business practices. When samples are taken, they are used to examine research and understand how to solve problems or why situations are as they are. Furthermore, in this article, Thomas Davenport discusses analytics from a business standpoint. He refers to organizations that have been successful in their usage of data and statistical analysis. In addition, he also discusses how data and statistics can be vital in the efforts to improve the operations of businesses.
Now days, companies are searching for new ways of gathering data so that they can get useful data in order to make well informed decisions regarding the market they are operating in. Google analytics is considered one of the best tools offers extensive amount of data to business owners for free. However, the success of business is highly depended on how well they can arrange data and customize their collected data corresponded to their business priorities. Google analytics provides beneficial information for companies regardless of their extent of operation.
Able to make valid and clear conclusions about the competition faced by the business, based on the analysis.
Businesses reached a critical juncture in global competition and the business intelligence capabilities and analytic prowess will play critical roles in the most competitive sectors of global economy.
University of Phoenix, (2007), retrieved January 19, 2007 from the University of Phoenix rEsource database MarketLine Business Information Center
Pine, B.J., Peppers, D. & Rogers, M. (1995). Do you want to keep your customers?. Harvard Bussiness Review. March-April. pp. 103-104.
Analytics means using data and performing statistical analysis on it, applying quantitative and predictive models, in order to arrive at a certain decision. Analytics can be the first step in a process or can rather be an intermediate step as well. Analysis can be done using different set of tools that are available in the market or it can done manually using different concept and formulas. Business intelligence firms like Cognos, SAS and BusinessObjects have developed different tools that are readily available in market that assist in analysis and decision making. Analytics is used in order to find solutions to the problems and the solutions provided enables us to be successful and in the business world allow us to compete with our contenders.
Globalization and economic slowdown has made businesses subject to a great deal of uncertainty. In this time of rapid change, economies worldwide change rapidly, new markets open up and old ones change, and demand for products is often uncertain. As such, businesses must be flexible and adaptable in the types of methods that they use...
Prior to the start of the Information Age in the late 20th century, businesses had to collect data from non-automated sources. Businesses then lacked the computing resources necessary to properly analyze the data, and as a result, companies often made business d...