Business
How would you measure productivity at NCL? Is productivity measurement important to NCL?
Analysis of cruise market watch data is an appropriate way that can be used to measure productivity at NCL. The cruise market data has vital statistics that precisely point out the standing of the various cruise industries in the industry. The data contains market share statistics as measured by number of passengers carried and the revenue generated over a financial year (Eric, 2013). The statistics from a present year can be compared with those of the preceding year to determine the change in revenue and numbers of passengers. Increase in number of passengers at NCL causes a corresponding increase in revenue collected and the overall productivity of the company can be termed as one that is increasing. The implications of these measure would be dividing the revenue collected as per the various routes used to ascertain the most profitable routes and test the business viability of the least profitable route.
Describe the service package offered by NCL to its customers. Visit the “Life Onboard” section of several cruise line websites and the insight provided by the film, “Cruise Inc.” to gain a better understanding of service packages offered by cruise lines.
The various liners owned by NCL have been divided into classes. Different classes have different facilities all depending on how much a customer is willing to spend on the voyage. The rich customers can always head to first classes on each ship where everything is top-notch, of course for a larger fee than the preceding classes. All meals to the customers are served the buffet style allowing the customers to select the foodstuffs that they are more comfortable with. NCL allows crew member from different nationalities to serve customers. This eliminates the issue of racism in the Norwegian Cruise line which is the third largest cruise industry. Amenities such as internet cafes, laundry services, beauty spas, gyms and movie theatres are available to all onboard customers (Eric, 2013).
Capacity planning is obviously very important in this industry. Discuss your ideas on how you would think NCL conducts this important functions and also the steps they would take to maximize capacity as well as the steps when capacity exceeds demand.
Capacity planning is vital to NCL. This is because each of the cruise liners has a carrying capacity and any exceed may cause pressure on the onboard amenities causing discomfort to the customers (Eric, 2013). I think capacity planning is solely guided by the number of travel booking made by customers to NCL. Increase in bookings may be due to a tourist season or success of their marketing strategies. Among the steps that NCL would take to remedy a problem of increased capacity would be acquiring new liners. In case of reduced capacity, the company might opt out of some routes and ground the liners previously plying those routes. This control of capacity ensures that the revenue generated from each liner and the comfort offered to their customers remain optimum.
Discuss some of the factors that affect the supply chain of NCL and some of the things they may do in order to address those factors.
Passengers are the chief commodities of trade at NCL (Eric, 2013). The inflow of customers in need of the travel services offered at NCL affects the overall supplies to NCL. Climatic conditions affect the influx of passengers. People are known to tour places and evade the prevailing harsh climatic conditions at their home places. In winter, most people leave their homes and travel to places experiencing other seasons. This creates an influx of passengers to NCL thus stressing the supply chain management. The managers to NCL must thus alter the supplies to their liners as per the level of passenger influx. Market intelligence can help NCL to estimate the number of passengers and the corresponding supplies needed at different times of the year.
What are Virgin’s competitive priorities and how do you believe they follow these priorities? Do you think his stance on 1st offenders has an impact on Virgin’s competitive priorities? Describe what should be in the service package so that it aligns with the company’s emphasized competitive priorities.
According to Richard Branson, the major priority to Virgin is the satisfaction of their employees (TED, 2007). Richard Branson believes that satisfied employees will be proud of the brand and the positive publicity they will cause to their customers will mean that the customers will be contented and willing to come back for more of the services. Richard believes that virgin address this priority through provision of the appropriate tools of work and an enabling environment that does not cause stress to the employees. I don’t think his stance on first offenders affects the priorities of Virgin. This is because committing a first time offence does not ascertain that an individual will offend again. It is my view that the service package should be quasi-luxurious, low-fare and highly interactive to ensure satisfaction of the employees, customers and the management at large.
Define 3 Operational concepts discussed during the course and how they relate to the Virgin Brand.
Statement of objectives and goals is an operations cost that relates to Virgin brand. Virgin America must clearly stipulate what they intend to achieve in the near future as the driving force to their activities. Strategies, policies and tactics in the business is also a concept of operation that Virgin must have. These concept explains the various ways and means that the company will use in order to achieve its objectives and goals. It is the plan of action. Statement of authorities and responsibilities must also be clearly laid down In order to achieve success at Virgin. This concept allocates the various duties and responsibilities to the employees allowing unity of direction and flow of command.
References
TED. (2007). Richard Branson: Life at 30,000 feet. Accessed on 18 August 2016 from www.youtube.com/watch?v=DudfBIxw6do
Eric Samms. (30th September, 2013). CNBC Original Cruise Inc. Big Money On The High Seas. Accessed on 18 August 2016 from www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQw2AX0LWpY
