Session 5 question

Think of the small database we used in our lab exercise - Products and Suppliers. Briefly describe how this database observes any two of the four design principles outlined above.

* Provides the database management system (e.g. ACCESS) with the information it requires to join the information in the tables together as needed.
-in our lab exercise, we used a small database in ACCESS. The data is stored in tables made up of columns and rows. Two tables can be join together as they have same field of data.

* Accommodates your data processing and reporting needs
-We can just type in the data we need to generate a report we need. It is good for formatting, calculating, printing, and summarizing data.

Session 4 question

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 Internet's properties (e.g. interactivity, personalization, greater hold on user's interest). For the ineffective ad, you may describe how you can improve on it.

I think the RSS feeds in Mingpao site is a effective internet marketing example. It can be more personalize when people subscribe to the RSS feed. The Mingpao site will send people thr headline news and update content without having go back to their site.

And I think the Pizza Hut site is not effective. Although they has Order-Online function, but the delivery address for people to select is not comprehensive. It only allow people to choose the premises they provided, but the not all premises are listed in their site. Some preemises are missed out but the site not allow people to type the address on the own. I think the way to improve the site is to broaden their delivery address in their website or just allow people to type in their address on their own.

Session 3 question

answer the following questions:

1. 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 ?
2. What are the benefits of integrating the sales, marketing and customer support function using a single software pacakge and a centralized database ?

1. The data elements needed are :

- Origin

- Destination

- Depart date

- Return date

- Trip type

- Numbers of passengers (Adult or Children)

- Cabin class

- Membership number or username of flyer miles

- Names of passengers

- Payment

- Passport number

- fixed or flexible travel dates

The information from CRM help improve the staff productivity as they can handle the order more efficient. Besides, the customer service requests can be assigned and managed more appropriately. And the CRM can identify the opportunities for cross-selling, up-selling and product bundling.

2. By using a single software package and a centralized database, the customer satisfaction can be increased as from the information from CRM, we easily know what products or service is most suitable for the customer. Besides, it can reduce the direct-marketing costs and the marketing will be more effective. Marketing campaigns and analyze the results will be more easy by using CRM information. The customer acquisition or retention cost will be lower and the sales revenue will be increased. Finally, the churn rate will be lower as well.

Session 2 question

Answer the following questions after viewing the video:

1. Which departments within the company are integrated within the Order-to-Delivery process ?
2. Which steps are included in the Order-to-Delivery process ?
3. What factors would you consider when deciding whether ERP is suitable or not for a small business ?

1. It integrated the sales department and the warehouse department.
2. The steps included in the Order-to-Delivery process are stock verification, create the sales order, alert the warehouse the delivery time of the order, packing and labeling and shipping.
3. The factors that I would consider is ERP can increase the efficiency across the company operation. Through the ERP, there will be less communication mistake appears across different department as the ERP system will give the necessary and correct information to different department. It can reduce the needs on manpower. The customer service history and warrantly information will be more accurate and it will be more easy for the tracing. But, the suitability of ERP to small business still need to depends on the nature of business. If the business is really small with no stocking, like the vegetable stall in the market. It may not need the ERP as it doesn't help much on their business and ERP system will be too costly to them.

Session 1 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 ?

Example one: DHL

DHL offer an online tracking system on their website. It state clear where the parcel or document is in now. Before this function provided on internet, people need to call to their customer service centre to trace the parcel or document. The efficiency really depend on the manpower of DHL. We may need to wait for a long time to know the answer if DHL lines are busy. But now, we can trace the parcel or document on our own on DHL website anytime by just typing the tracking number in the website.



Example two: Amazon.com

I like to purchase books on Amazon.com as it is a very easy channel and user friendly. I can order those books which are not easily found in Hong Kong books shop. The website also allow me to take a look inside the first few pages of the book. I could get a better understanding for the books which make me do a better decision to determine if the books is really what I need.It makes me feel like I am really shopping in the bookshop. And after picking the books I need, the system will compute the delivery charge automaticlly after I put in the country where I want to delievr. I just input my information like name, address, contact, payment.....They will arrange the delievry to me very efficiently. So it is a very easy and efficient way for people to get the books from overseas.

My name and student ID

Name : Wong Ma Li Mary (黃瑪莉)
Student ID : 10424973