Models And Methods For Operational Plans And Their Role In Achieving Objectives.

1. Describe models and methods for operational plans

2. Explain the role of an operational plan in achieving the organisation’s objectives

3. Explain budgeting processes

4. List alternative approaches to developing key performance indicators to meet business objectives

5. Outline the legislative and regulatory context relevant to the operational plan of the organisation

6. Outline the organisation’s policies, practices and procedures that directly relate to the operational plan.

Models and Methods for Operational Plans

Privacy Legislation- Privacy legislation deals with the security of credentials of an individual, which is done after it is being collected at the government or any private site. In case of BBQfun Company, it is necessary that they strongly adhere to the privacy legislation. This is necessary because at their proposed e-commerce site they would be collecting the data of various participants. Participants would be their customers who would be purchasing their required products from the e-commerce Website of BBQfun Company. For cash on delivery payment type, customers would be required to submit some of their important data such as their respective address details. In case of making payments online, they would be asked to submit the required credentials on the customer’s credit and debit card (Ziegeldorf, Morchon & Wehrle, 2014).

Consumer Law- Consumer law is designed to protect company from any misleading practices that different companies use to gain advantage over their competitors. For BBQfun Company, it is necessary that they be highly transparent with their commitments. Companies may do some unfair practices such as playing with the product’s quality to gain maximum profit on the product’s pricing. They may attract customers with the cheapest prices for products at the same time they can compromise on the quality part. For the BBQfun Company, it is necessary that they compete with their competitors both in terms of product quality and pricing. This is necessary for a sustainable business growth and a prosperous e-commerce website (Ramsay, 2012).

Work Health & Safety Law- This law is related to the safety of workers at the workplace. This is very important for BBQfun Company as safety parameters at the workplace is very important. Some unexpected accidents might delay the plan, which would attract extra expenditures on the accident recovery process. Operation completion time would also be influenced with such accidents. This would enhance the expenditures respectively. Additionally, this would also influence the delivery of products, which might hamper the reputation of the BBQfun Company. Forklifts are used to load the goods on trucks. Accident can happen at the time of loading or at the time when truck is on the road. It is necessary that BBQfun Company implement the Work Health & Safety Law, as this would encourage its employees for safety rules (Gallagher & Underhill, 2012).

BBQfun Company needs to implement racial discrimination law as well. Racial or ethnic related harassment can spoil the plan any time. The racial discrimination law would protect the BBQfun Company from any such instances at the workplace. This would allow the implementation of plan on time because such conflict cases at the workplace hamper the progress of plan (Pager & Western, 2012).  

Making plans for a proposed strategy is necessary because it provides a measurable control on the proceedings. BBQfun has also planned a long list of strategies, which is necessary for the successful implementation of e-commerce. They have planned various strategies such as the selection of various physical, human and financial resources. Such plans make requirements clear to everybody who is associated to the plan by any means. If the planned strategies were implemented accordingly, the BBQfun Company would be able to successfully implement the e-commerce website. Execution of plan is more important for the company (Hill, Jones & Schilling, 2014).

Role of Operational Plans in Achieving Organizational Objectives

Methods for setting goals- The existing operation plan is best to implement to gain the desired outcome. Operational goals are of three kinds such as strategic goals, operational goals and tactical goals (Eden & Ackermann, 2013). The BBQfun Company has focussed on the operational goal, which is evident in their specific goal for 2014. According to the given scenario, they have expected a profit of $200,000 for 2014.

Outlining action- The BBQfun would use various physical resources such as training module, e-commerce manuals, plant & equipments and warehouse & office reconfiguration. They would use four online staffs, four warehouse staffs and six delivery staffs. For communication, they would use telephone and internet connections such as Intranet, Extranet and Internet. The timeline for the implementation would be one year and three months. The milestone, which they have set for the company is to make a profit of $200,000 by 2014.

Identifying risk- There can be some risks at the time of strategy implementation such as the exceeding of estimated budget because of various reasons such as varying prices of mentioned physical resources. Estimated budget may also exceed because of any unwanted accident at the time of implementation such as with the forklift drivers or the truck drivers (Slack, 2015).

Monitoring performance- Following would be the way to monitor the different performances (Goetsch & Davis, 2014):

• Customer engagement by checking the list of surveys on customer’s demand in market
• Product quality by just checking the numbers of customers with positive reviews
• Support training analysis by checking the numbers of injuries, numbers of absentees and numbers of completed coaching sessions
• Sales revenue increment by matching this with the target revenue and profit

The implementation of e-commerce strategy in the BBQfun Company would require the following resources:

• Infrastructure supporting computer system
• Connectivity through internet
• Special workforce equipped with the technical handling of e-commerce website
• Payment receiving systems would be done in collaborative works of a selected bank where customers would be asked to make payments using their credit or debit cards
• Efficiently designed website
• Efficient system for telecommunication

For a successful implementation of the strategy, it is important that the BBQfun Company considers the inclusion of computer and internet system within its infrastructure. BBQfun needs an effective telecommunication system, which is extremely important for an effective customer service. They need to tie up with their selected bank to facilitate the payment options for the customers (Goetsch & Davis, 2014).

The implementation of e-commerce website would be followed by its communication in the market with the use of various marketing modes. Nevertheless, the company has finalized the required numbers of workforce; however, it is necessary to consult with the Sales & Marketing Manager to know the feasibility of the planned workforce with the marketing of e-commerce.

A consultation and communication with the Technology consultant is required because the implementation plan requires physical resources such as the following:

• An infrastructure consisting of computer system, internet connection and efficient telecommunication mode
• Specialized professional for the designing and operation of e-commerce website

Discussion is required because the technology consultant of BBQfun Company would take the responsibilities of all the technology and IT related requirements. 

Table1: KPIs and Financial targets

Sources: (created by author)

Human resource: The Company will recruit 2 new employees for online sales and upgrade two others from the older offline employees. The company will also recruit six truck drivers to ship the products.

Physical resource: The Company will buy six trucks for shipping materials.

Communication resources: Telephones, Electronic communicational devices like computer, modem and others.  The IT facilities like Intranet, Extranet and Internet should be introduced.

Training: The training for the online sales employees will be differently coordinated for 10 to 15 days whereas the coordination of the drivers should be conducted for 3 days.

Budgeting Processes

The breakdown of the cost mentions and includes all the expenditure of the company. 

• Wages and on costs- $2,567,890
• Expenses of Communication: $50,000
• Fees of Consultancy: $50,000
• Insurance: $120,000
• Marketing: $920,000
• Premises Expenses: $1000,000
• Training: $62, 187
• Office supplies: $65,068
• The total expenses of the company is $5,004,714

The forecast of the profit mentioned in the case study according to the planning and programming of the company is as follows:

Net profit: $1,672,286

Sales: $11,000,000 (The net profit is dependent on the sale of Barbecues and other equipments).

Investment income: $1,567,000 (Income from the rent of the office space to other companies) The benefit of the company depends on the fact that the company requires lesser space for online sales.

Cost of goods sold (COGS): ($5,890,000)

The lists of performance indicators to be implemented for BBQ Fun are:

• Assessing the Completion reports of the market
• The market surveys about the customers.
• Assessing the brand recognition, quality, ethics, safety and number of returned items per month
• The health indicator will depend on the measurements like number of injuries, absentees, complaints, coaching sessions, percentage completion and others.
• The assessing of the target met every month according to the revenue target of 11 million USD and the profit of $1,792,286.
• The expense target is set on wages, cost services, consultancy fees and other wastages. The expenses should not go beyond all these.

• In the new age of business, the reach of BBQ Fun will remain limited.
• The customer base will not expand faster (Laudon & Traver, 2013).
• The company will have to spend much more in advertising and marketing in order to reach the customers (Laudon & Traver, 2013).

An outline of the identified risks and contingency planning

• Risk of poor online sales
• Incapability to compete with the unskilled new employees
• Safety and security of classified information
• If the problems between web-developer and the owner takes place, this plan can take a back seat
• Efficiency of service

Conclusions and recommendations

The introduction of the e-commerce is an elongated process but it almost ensures the benefit of the company. The training of customer engagement to the employees, building up reputation, and the attitudes of supporting each other will ensure the prospects of the company. The online sales will automatically reduce the operational cost of the company and ensure profit.

However, there are a number of risks involved in this elongated re-structuring of the company. As a consultant, it is important to address the risks like the quality of service, security of classified information of the company, risk of online sales and others. To avoid these issues issues the company should emphasise on a good training procedure. The training procedure should include practical experiences in order to do well in the company. 

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