BSBMGT616, BSBMGT617, BSBMKG609 Assignment

SELC Australia
BSBMGT616 Develop and implement strategic plans
BSBMGT617 Develop and implement a business plan
BSBMKG609 Develop a marketing plan

Assessment Information

The assessment tasks for BSBMGT616 Develop and implement strategic plans, BSBMGT617 Develop and implement a business plan and BSBMKG609 Develop a marketing plan are included in this Student Assessment Tasks booklet and outlined in the assessment plan below.

To be assessed as competent for this unit, you must complete all of the assessment tasks satisfactorily.

Assessment Plan

Naming electronic documents

It is important that you name the documents that you create for this Assessment Task in a logical manner.

Each should include:

• Course identification code
• Assessment Task number
• Document title (if appropriate)
• Student name
• Date it was created

For example, BSBMGT616-BSBMGT617-BSBMKG609 AT1 Written Questions Joan Smith 20/10/20

Additional Resources

You will be provided with the following resources before you begin each Assessment Task.

Assessment Task 2

• Strategic Plan Template

Assessment Task 3

• Business Plan Template
• Employment Agreement Template
• Induction checklist

Assessment Task 4

• Business Monitoring and Evaluation Report Template

Assessment Task 6

• Marketing Plan Briefing Report Template
• Marketing Plan Template

Assessment Instructions

Before downloading your assessment from Moodle, you must read and understand Student Assessment Agreement. When you have read, understood and completed this unit’s assessment tasks, you need to tick (ü) the checkbox to accept the submission statement (Student Assessment Agreement & Student Declaration) before uploading student Assessment answer file/s. You must click Save Changes on Moodle to complete the submission process.

You will also receive feedback from your assessor via Moodle. The Assessment Task will be marked as Satisfactory (S) or Not Satisfactory (NS). If your work has been assessed as being not satisfactory, your assessor will upload feedback file into Moodle explaining reasons why. Your assessor will also discuss this verbally with you and provide advice on re-assessment opportunities as per.

your RTO’s re-assessment policy.

Depending on the task, this may include

• resubmitting incorrect answers to questions (such as short answer questions and case studies)
• resubmitting part or all of a project, depending on how the error impacts on the total outcome of the task
• redoing a role play after being provided with appropriate feedback about your performance
• being observed a second (or third time) undertaking any tasks/activities that were not satisfactorily completed the first time, after being provided with appropriate feedback.

Assessment Task Information

This gives you:

• a summary of the assessment task
• information on the resources to be used
• submission requirements
• re-submission opportunities if required

Assessment Task Instructions

These give questions to answer or tasks which are to be completed.

Your answers need to be typed up using software as indicated in the Assessment Task Instructions.

Copy and paste each task’s instructions into a new document and use this as the basis for your assessment task submission. Include this document’s header and footer.

If you are submitting electronically, give the document a file name that includes the unit identification number, the task number, your name and the date.

Checklist

This will be used by your assessor to mark your assessment. Read through this as part of your preparation before beginning the assessment task. It will give you a good idea of what your assessor will be looking for when marking your responses.

Assessment Task 1: Written Questions

Task summary

This is an open book test, to be completed in the classroom.

A time limit of 3 hours to answer the questions is to be provided.

You need to answer all of the written questions correctly.

Your answers must be word processed and sent to the assessor as an email attachment.

Required

• Access to textbooks/other learning materials
• Computer and Microsoft Office
• Access to the internet

Timing

Your assessor will advise you of the due date of this assessment.

Submit

• Answers to all questions

Assessment criteria

All questions must be answered correctly in order for you to be assessed as having completed the task satisfactorily.

Re-submission opportunities

You will be provided feedback on their performance by the Assessor. The feedback will indicate if you have satisfactorily addressed the requirements of each part of this task.

If any parts of the task are not satisfactorily completed, the assessor will explain why, and provide you written feedback along with guidance on what you must undertake to demonstrate satisfactory performance. Re-assessment attempt(s) will be arranged at a later time and date.

You have the right to appeal the outcome of assessment decisions if you feel that you have been dealt with unfairly or have other appropriate grounds for an appeal.

You are encouraged to consult with the assessor prior to attempting this task if you do not understand any part of this task or if you have any learning issues or needs that may hinder you when attempting any part of the assessment.

Written answer question guidance

The following written questions use a range of “instructional words” such as “identify” or “explain”, which tell you how you should answer the question. Use the definitions below to assist you to provide the type of response expected.

Note that the following guidance is the minimum level of response required.

Analyse – when a question asks you to analyse something, you should do so in in detail, and identify important points and key features. Generally, you are expected to write a response one or two paragraphs long.

Compare – when a question asks you to compare something, you will need to show how two or more things are similar, ensuring that you also indicate the relevance of the consequences. Generally, you are expected to write a response one or two paragraphs long.

Contrast – when a question asks you to contrast something, you will need to show how two or more things are different, ensuring you indicate the relevance or the consequences. Generally, you are expected to write a response one or two paragraphs long.

Discuss – when a question asks you to discuss something, you are required to point out important issues or features and express some form of critical judgement. Generally, you are expected to write a response one or two paragraphs long.

Describe – when a question asks you to describe something, you should state the most noticeable qualities or features. Generally, you are expected to write a response two or three sentences long.

Evaluate – when a question asks you to evaluate something, you should do so putting forward arguments for and against something. Generally, you are expected to write a response one or two paragraphs long.

Examine – when a question asks you to examine something, this is similar to “analyse”, where you should provide a detailed response with key points and features and provide critical analysis. Generally, you are expected to write a response one or two paragraphs long.

Explain – when a question asks you to explain something, you should make clear how or why something happened or the way it is. Generally, you are expected to write a response two or three sentences long.

Identify – when a question asks you to identify something, this means that you are asked to briefly describe the required information. Generally, you are expected to write a response two or three sentences long.

List – when a question asks you to list something, this means that you are asked to briefly state information in a list format.

Outline – when a question asks you to outline something, this means giving only the main points, Generally, you are expected to write a response a few sentences long.

Summarise – when a question asks you to summarise something, this means (like “outline”) only giving the main points. Generally, you are expected to write a response a few sentences long.

Provide answers to all of the questions below:

1. Give three examples of risks that should be taken into account in developing and implementing strategic plans.

2. Give two examples of risk management strategies that can be used when developing and implementing strategic plans.

3. Give an example of a risk management strategy that can be used to manage intellectual property risks inherent in strategic planning.

4. Outline the purpose of a SWOT analysis for strategic/business/marketing planning, including how a SWOT analysis is conducted and four examples of questions that could be used when conducting a SWOT analysis.

5. Outline the purpose of conducting a PESTLE analysis as part of strategic/business/marketing planning, including how a PESTLE analysis is conducted and four examples of questions that could be used when conducting a PESTLE analysis.

6. List two internal sources and two external sources of information that a business could use to find out about its market, competitors, customer base, vision, values and capabilities.

7. Explain the purpose of developing organisational values and two techniques that could be used to identify values as part of the strategic planning process.

8. Outline three reasons why a company may choose to develop a business plan and the key steps involved in developing a business plan.

9. Outline five common components of a business plan.

10. Outline three areas that the initial business planning process may address

11. Describe the relationship between performance objectives and key performance indicators in a business plan.

12. Explain why it is important for a business to use a range of performance measures within its business plan.

13. If a business plan has an objective of improving customer satisfaction, describe three performance measures that could be used to measure customer satisfaction.

14. Describe the balanced scorecard approach in relation to performance measurement.

15. Outline key stakeholders who may be involved in business planning.

16. Outline how strategic alliances can provide options for marketing opportunities and include two examples of alliances (also known as cooperative business models) that can be formed between businesses.

17. Outline how the development of existing products or services can provide marketing opportunity options for a business, both in existing and new markets. Relate your answer to relevant diversification strategies from the Ansoff matrix.

18. Outline how a takeover can create options for marketing opportunities for a business.

19. Outline key information that a franchiser should consider providing when marketing their franchise opportunity.

20. Outline how a company can use the establishment of a new business as an opportunity for marketing. Provide an example to illustrate your answer.

21. Outline two other marketing opportunity options that a business could choose to pursue other than options explored in the questions above.

22. Explain the importance of the product life cycle concept in marketing. Name and explain each of its stages.

23. Explain the importance of considering the marketing mix when bringing products or services to the market.

24. As most businesses have the objective to sell as many products as possible, outline key factors that a company should consider in determining the product component of the marketing mix.

25. Outline the importance of the pricing strategy for a business and two types of pricing strategy that a company could use.

26. Outline two types of promotional strategies that a business could use.

27. Outline three common distribution strategies that can be used as part of the marketing mix.

28. Outline why a business may choose to use an undifferentiated marketing strategy.

29. Outline why a business may choose to use a concentrated marketing strategy.

30. Explain the process that a marketer can use to ensure that marketing strategies, approaches and the marketing mix align with an organisation’s strategic objectives. Provide an example to illustrate your response.

31. Explain the process that a marketer can use to ensure that marketing strategies, approaches and the marketing mix meet legal and ethical requirements. Provide an example to illustrate your response.

32. Explain the process that a marketer can use to ensure that marketing strategies, approaches and the marketing mix are achievable for an organisation. Provide an example to illustrate your response.

Assessment Task 1 Checklist

Assessment Task 2: Strategic Plan project

Task summary

For this assessment task you are required in the role of General Manager of Ozhouse Clean to meet the management team to confirm the organisation’s vision and mission and values and to seek approval for the development of the organisation’s new Strategic Plan, as well as discuss strategic directions and operational priorities.

You are also required to conduct a PESTLE analysis and a SWOT analysis to inform the development of the Strategic Plan and then develop a Strategic Plan.

This assessment is to be completed in the simulated work environment in the RTO.

Required

• Access to textbooks/other learning materials
• Computer with Microsoft Office and internet access
• Meeting space
• Management team (your assessor)
• Strategic Plan Template

Timing

Your assessor will advise you of the due date of these submissions.

Submit

• Email summarising outcomes of meeting.
• Email with SWOT and PESTLE analysis attached
• Email with Strategic Plan attached
• Email with Updated Analysis and Updated Strategic Plan attached
• Submit all answers

Assessment criteria

For your performance to be deemed satisfactory in this assessment task, you must satisfactorily address all of the assessment criteria. If part of this task is not satisfactorily completed, you will be asked to complete further assessment to demonstrate competence.

Re-submission opportunities

You will be provided feedback on their performance by the Assessor. The feedback will indicate if you have satisfactorily addressed the requirements of each part of this task.

If any parts of the task are not satisfactorily completed, the assessor will explain why, and provide you written feedback along with guidance on what you must undertake to demonstrate satisfactory performance. Re-assessment attempt(s) will be arranged at a later time and date.

You have the right to appeal the outcome of assessment decisions if you feel that you have been dealt with unfairly or have other appropriate grounds for an appeal.

You are encouraged to consult with the assessor prior to attempting this task if you do not understand any part of this task or if you have any learning issues or needs that may hinder you when attempting any part of the assessment.

Assessment Task 2 Instructions as provided to students

Carefully read the following:

Ozhouse Clean is based in Sydney and offers professional, residential cleaning services, including regular home cleans, as well as spring cleans.

The company was established in 2005 and is a family business established and operated by James and Nancy Anderson. James and Nancy are the Directors of the company and finance any business expansion themselves.

Their daughters, Amanda and Sarah, are also employed by the company and manage the business for their parents who are not involved operationally. Amanda is the Operations Manager and Sarah is the Administration Manager. You have been brought on as a General Manager to help the business reach its goals.

The company sees its point of difference from competitors as being a small family business, with a focus on quality and happy and contented staff and customers. The management team understands this point of difference may need to change as the business grows. There may need to be more management or administrative staff employed, for example, while Amanda manages marketing, she is not skilled in this area and is very busy with the operational side of the business, so a skilled marketing officer may be needed.

Currently target customers are consumers located in the greater Sydney area. Target customers are people who want a professional, trustworthy and immaculate cleaning service. Pricing reflects that of competitors.

The company employs 15 cleaners, all of whom are part-time contract staff working between 10 and 15 hours a week. The company currently has approximately 70 regular clients, based around Melbourne inner city. These clients require regular home cleaning, either weekly or once every two weeks for 3 to 6 hours. A standard hourly rate of $40 is charged. Staff receive an hourly rate of $25 per hour. The cost of the products provided to staff for cleaning, including equipment and ongoing supplies such as cleaning products, works out to be approximately an additional $2 per hour on top of the rate paid to staff. The company is also considering whether it may be wiser to move to employing a number of full-time, permanent cleaning staff. This is partly because there is a high turnover of casual staff and little loyalty to the company. Staff costs for employing a full-time cleaner is $55,000 per year, including superannuation payments.

All ongoing cleaning supplies are currently purchased from Total Cleaning Supplies in Melbourne. However, as this company does not currently offer environmentally friendly products for use in cleaning, a different supplier needs to be identified. It is estimated that the purchase of these products will be an additional $10,000 per month. The products cost double the amount of the non-environmentally friendly products.

However, an exciting new initiative has emerged and Ozhouse Clean has almost completed the manufacture of environmentally friendly cleaning products which it intends to use, as well as supply to customers through an online website. It has also emerged that there may be a possibility to sell these products overseas too due to the popularity of Australian environment products generally. However, this project won’t be for another 12 months.

Sales revenue for the company for the financial year ending 2019 is $360,000 with a gross profit margin of $40,000. Labour costs are a significant part of the business, representing 70% of total costs. Average debtor days are currently 40 days.

Currently, marketing is via a website, but a large proportion of the company’s work comes through word of mouth from existing customers. Social media is not used currently to market the business.

The company understands that in this period of growth and expansion, it needs clear plans. While it has developed an operational priorities plan, the information in the plan is limited and is for the upcoming year only.

The following information is included on its web site about its mission, vision and values:

Mission

Ozhouse Clean is committed to providing the highest quality product to all its clients.

Vision

We are constantly working to establish ourselves as the most respected and sought-after supplier of cleaning services.

Values

Respect: taking time to understand and value each of our customers and respecting their choices.

Responsibility: acting with integrity towards our staff, our customers, the community and the environment.

Caring: a duty of care for our staff, customers and the environment.

Excellence: to always look to provide the best quality product and customer service.

Integrity: to act with honesty, openness and do what we say we will do.

Innovation: to be industry leaders.

Complete the following activities:

1. Prepare for meeting with team.

Carefully read the scenario information, including the information about the organisational mission, vision and values and business objectives.

Conduct research about developing mission, vision and value statements, as well as formulating strategic objectives. Identify some examples of these statements/objectives from at least two other companies. Compare the vision, mission and value statements to those of Ozhouse Clean. Make notes about whether you think the existing mission, vision and value statements are clear enough to guide operations. You will need to share your thoughts at the meeting with the management team, as well as listen to the management team’s ideas.

You should also make notes about the key business strategies and research best practice techniques for formulating strategic objectives.

2. Meet with the management team (your assessor)

The management team is meeting to discuss the organisational vision, mission and values statements, as well as business objectives.

Share the ideas you researched for activity 1 and listen to the ideas provided by the team.

In addition, discuss your ideas about key business strategies and strategic objectives. Listen to the ideas presented about actions to achieve strategic objectives, as well as performance indicators.

During the meeting, demonstrate effective communication skills including:

• Speaking clearly and concisely
• Using non-verbal communication to assist with understanding
• Asking questions to identify required information
• Responding to questions as required
• Using active listening techniques to confirm understanding

3. Write a summary of the meeting outcomes.

Following the meeting, summarise the meeting outcomes in about half a page.

4. Send an email to the Management Team (your assessor).

The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.

The email text should confirm the organisational vision, mission and values as discussed at the meeting.

You should also report on the cooperative venture as discussed at the meeting.

It should also request approval to proceed to developing the strategic plan based on the agreed vision, mission and values, as well as strategic objectives.

5. Research Ozhouse Clean’s customers and competitors.

Identify sources of information to use to research Ozhouse Clean’s market, competitors and target customers.

Note down at least 3 sources of information. You will need to record these information sources in your SWOT and PESTLE analysis.

Using the information that you have developed, research trends and development in the industry and competitors, potential new and emerging markets, competitors and any other relevant factors.

Research and review potential cooperative ventures as discussed at the meeting.

This should include their risks and benefits.

6. Develop a SWOT and a PESTLE analysis

These should outline all of the internal and external factors that will impact on the Strategic Plan based on your research.

Begin a new Word document for the analyses. Save it as SWOT and PESTLE Analysis.

Submit this work to your assessor.

Your assessor will review your analysis and provide feedback as required.

7. Update your PESTLE and SWOT analysis

Revise these to reflect with any feedback provided by your assessor.

Save this document as Updated Analysis.

8. Develop the Strategic Plan.

Once you have received feedback from your assessor, proceed with developing the Strategic Plan. Using the template provided by your assessor.

You will need to make sure you complete all sections of the Plan and use clear and concise English.

Your strategic plan will need to include specific actions to include each of the strategic objectives.

You must include responsibilities and timelines for each action, as well as key performance indicators.

Each of the actions should be ordered commencing with the most urgent action first.

9. Send an email to your assessor.

The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.

In your email, provide a brief overview of the actions that need to be taken over the next 12 months to achieve objectives, as well as the staff that will be involved.

The email text should summarise the contents of the attachment and seek their feedback.

Attach your strategic plan to the email.

10. Update your Strategic Plan.

Revise your strategic plan, incorporating any feedback that you received from your assessor.

Save this document as Updated Strategic Plan.

11. Send an email to your assessor.

The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.

In your email, provide a brief overview of the changes that you made to your PESTLE and SWOT analysis and to your strategic plan.

Attach your Updated Analysis and your Updated Strategic Plan to the email.

Assessment Task 2 Checklist

Assessment Task 3: Develop and implement a business plan

Task summary

In this assessment task, you are required, in the role of the General Manager, to participate in a meeting with Senior Management to discuss the development of the Business Plan and then conduct research and develop, submit and implement a business plan.

This assessment is to be completed in the simulated work environment in the RTO.

Required

• Access to textbooks/other learning materials
• Computer with Microsoft Office and internet access
• Access to sample business plans:

http://www.bplans.com/sample_business_plans.php

• Business Plan Template
• Employment Agreement Template
• Induction Checklist
• Space for a meeting
• Roleplay participant (your assessor)

Timing

Your assessor will advise you of the due date of these submissions.

Submit

• Email with business plan attached
• Email regarding skilled staff
• Screenshot of communication with online chat advisor of Business.gov.au
• Email with employment agreement attached
• Submit all answers

Assessment criteria

For your performance to be deemed satisfactory in this assessment task, you must satisfactorily address all of the assessment criteria. If part of this task is not satisfactorily completed, you will be asked to complete further assessment to demonstrate competence.

Re-submission opportunities

You will be provided feedback on their performance by the Assessor. The feedback will indicate if you have satisfactorily addressed the requirements of each part of this task.

If any parts of the task are not satisfactorily completed, the assessor will explain why, and provide you written feedback along with guidance on what you must undertake to demonstrate satisfactory performance. Re-assessment attempt(s) will be arranged at a later time and date.

You have the right to appeal the outcome of assessment decisions if you feel that you have been dealt with unfairly or have other appropriate grounds for an appeal.

You are encouraged to consult with the assessor prior to attempting this task if you do not understand any part of this task or if you have any learning issues or needs that may hinder you when attempting any part of the assessment.

Assessment Task 3 Instructions as provided to students

Carefully read the following:

The Strategic Plan for Ozhouse Clean is now finalised. However, (much to your annoyance) the Directors have just advised that they prefer to prefer to move away from the concept of a Strategic Plan and have a Business Plan which they see as being more in keeping with what other organisations do. They have advised that understand that much of the information already developed for the Strategic Plan can go into the new Business Plan.

Complete the following activities:

1. Develop business plan

Based on the Director’s decision you are required to develop the business plan using the template provided. The template includes some of the information already developed in Assessment Task 2 but there are some additional areas so carefully study the template.

Your business plan must be written in clear and concise English and you will be assessed on this.

When conducting research and developing your business plan, use the following website: https://www.business.gov.au/ developed by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science as your technical advisor and make use of the chat function shown here. Choose an area of the business plan you feel you need some assistance with, for example, customer loyalty initiatives. Select the option “advice and information to help you and your business, including small businesses and independent contractors” when accessing the chat function so the advisor can direct you to the best information that suits your query.

Take a screen shot of your communication with the advisor and submit this to your assessor along with any email communication they may have sent through.

Complete all of the following activities to develop a business plan (noting that you will already have completed much of this work in Assessment Task 2) including:

• Identifying and analysing trends in demand for cleaning services, nationally as well as in the local Sydney market.
• Identifying competitors in the market for Ozhouse Clean. Include information about at least three competitors, providing a summary of their services, as well as explaining how their services compete with Ozhouse Clean and any points of difference that will enable Ozhouse Clean to stand out.
• Identifying and analysing target consumer needs for specific types of cleaning services e.g. environmentally friendly cleaning services. This may be through identifying secondary satisfaction of data or through a review of social media, for example. Make sure you add a customer satisfaction survey to your action plan as an immediate task that the General Manager will be responsible for. This is so you can complete an activity further on in this assessment.
• A SWOT analysis.
• Identifying and evaluating alternative pricing strategies to current pricing strategies as per the scenario information.
• Identify potential marketing strategies for existing residential services, as well as commercial and environmentally friendly cleaning services. This may be through reviewing how competitors market their services, as well as identifying effective marketing strategies.
• Identifying any permits or licences that are required for commercial cleaning and environmentally friendly cleaning services.
• Identifying suppliers of environmentally friendly cleaning products that can provide Ozhouse Clean with products. Identify at least three options, including the supplier contact details and summary of products offered.
• Identifying key activities and required financial, physical and human resources requirements based on analysis conducted in the action plan.
• Identifying the additional staff that will be required to manage the expansion into contract cleaning and environmentally friendly cleaning services. Actions included in the business plan should show how this will be achieved in terms of identifying staff needed, the qualifications and experience they require, recruiting the required staff, and inducting staff.
• Identifying key performance indicators that can be used to assess both the financial and non-financial performance of the business.

2. Send an email to the management team (your assessor)

The directors of the company have approved the business plan and have asked you to begin implementation. Your first task is to email the management team the approved business plan.

The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.

It should introduce and summarise the contents of the attachment.

The email text should explain that the business plan is going operational and provide a brief overview of the timelines for implementation and key performance requirements. Your email also needs to ensure that the Operations Manager and the Administration Manager are equipped and prepared to begin implementation of the action items assigned to them.

Attach your business plan to the email.

3. Assist Amanda with an implementation task

Amanda has approached you for assistance with the customer satisfaction survey she is responsible for as she doesn’t have a lot of marketing experience. Partner up with one of your classmates and together develop a customer satisfaction survey which you can generate to customers through Survey Monkey.

Create a new Word document for this activity, and name it accordingly.

The questionnaire should fit on one side of an A4 page.

Develop between 6 - 8 questions that measure customer satisfaction and can be answered on a sliding scale from 1 (which is don’t agree at all) to 10 (which is totally agree).

Use language that is polite and friendly. There should be a space under the questions for responders to give written feedback.

During this activity you need to take turns training each other:

• Part 1 – team member 1 role plays Amanda while team member 2 coaches her on developing a survey in a Word document
• Part 2 – team member 2 role plays Amanda while team member 1 coaches her on how to upload the survey to SurveyMonkey and distribute.

Your assessor will be looking to see that you can effectively coach and train someone by demonstrating, assisting and guiding.

Send your survey to your assessor.

4. Onboard a new employee

Read the following:

Amanda has completed her task and has received responses. Management has discussed it and they let you know that this is related to the reliability of contractor staff as has been previously discussed. The time has come to appoint one of the contractors as a fulltime employee to ensure the business is adequately equipped to deal with current and new customers.

A suitable contract cleaner has been identified and they have agreed to the fulltime job offer and conditions.

Prepare the employee contract template included in your resource folder in the relevant sections using the information below:

Employee: David Smith, 5 Wellington Way, Melbourne 3000

Working hours: 9 am – 5pm.

38 hours per week

Fortnightly payment basis

5. Send an email to the employee (your assessor).

The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.

It should introduce and summarise the contents of the attachment and ask them to read through and return the contract if happy with its content. Inform them of a training session they need to attend with Amanda as part of the induction process which will occur next Monday at 9am. Provide a summary of the training as taken from the induction checklist included in your resources folder and let them know they can direct any questions they have to Amanda who will be their direct manager moving forward.

Assessment Task 3 Checklist

Assessment Task 4: Business performance monitoring

Task summary

This assessment task requires you to monitor and evaluate the performance of the business, review performance indicators and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the business plan. You will be required to provide a report on their analysis to the management team.

This assessment is to be completed in the simulated work environment in the RTO.

Required

• Access to textbooks/other learning materials
• Computer with Microsoft Office and internet access
• Business Monitoring and Evaluation Report Template

Timing

Your assessor will advise you of the due date of these submissions.

Submit

• Email with evaluation report attached

Assessment criteria

For your performance to be deemed satisfactory in this assessment task, you must satisfactorily address all of the assessment criteria. If part of this task is not satisfactorily completed, you will be asked to complete further assessment to demonstrate competence.

Re-submission opportunities

You will be provided feedback on their performance by the Assessor. The feedback will indicate if you have satisfactorily addressed the requirements of each part of this task.

If any parts of the task are not satisfactorily completed, the assessor will explain why, and provide you written feedback along with guidance on what you must undertake to demonstrate satisfactory performance. Re-assessment attempt(s) will be arranged at a later time and date.

You have the right to appeal the outcome of assessment decisions if you feel that you have been dealt with unfairly or have other appropriate grounds for an appeal.

You are encouraged to consult with the assessor prior to attempting this task if you do not understand any part of this task or if you have any learning issues or needs that may hinder you when attempting any part of the assessment.

Assessment Task 4 Instructions as provided to students

Carefully read the following.

It is one year since the business plan was implemented and as the General Manager, you are reviewing the performance of the business against the performance indicators identified in the plan, testing performance indicators used and recommending changes to performance indicators as provided.

You have also been asked to provide an overall evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the business plan to date (this will be the business plan you developed for Assessment Task 2).

Assume that the performance indicators identified in the business plan are as follows:

• A 20% increase in total sales revenue.
• A gross profit margin of 20%.
• Reduction of 50% in debtor days
• 10 new commercial customers in the first year of the business plan.
• Reduction of 10% of workforce turnover based on employing two full-time permanent cleaners, as well as increasing wages to above award.

Data provided by the accountant for this financial year show the following figures:

• Total sales revenue: $450,000
• Total cost of sales: $320,000
• Debtor days: 30
• 15 new commercial customers

The Administration Manager has advised you that at least 10 of the previous residential customers no longer use the company’s services, so while sales revenue has increased, the sales revenue attributable to residential sales has declined.

In addition, follow up emails to the customers who no longer used the services indicated the following responses to the question asked about why they no longer use the services:

• Moved interstate: 1
• Dissatisfied with the quality of cleaning services provided (not enough attention to detail, cleaner finishing earlier than time paid for): 5
• Moved to a competitor as better service and price offered: 4

Complete the following activities:

1. Prepare to develop monitoring and evaluation report

Review the scenario information.

Develop an outline for your report ensuring that:

• Your report will address a balance of both financial and non-financial information on business performance as per the scenario information.
• To assist in making the information as user friendly as possible, your report should include visual information to show how the business has performed such as graphs or charts.

Ensure that you provide your report according to the timelines set by your assessor to show that you can provide timely reports. You will be assessed on this.

2. Develop a business monitoring and evaluation report

Your report should include the following:

• An overview of business performance based on the data provided for this year, as well as the data provided for the previous year (as documented in the scenario information for Assessment Task 2).
• An analysis of business performance to determine if the performance indicators have been achieved.
• An evaluation of the non-financial information gained from the survey, impact on the business and variations that could be made to the business plan based on this information.
• A review of additional performance measures that can be used to measure customer retention and customer satisfaction based on the decrease in residential customers as advised in the scenario information.

You will need to research the range of performance measures that could be used and report on performance indicators that you consider to be suitable.

Your report should include a clear explanation of the performance indicators and your rationale for using these indicators.

• An evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the business plan (the plan you developed for Assessment Task 2) and recommended improvements.

Review the information at the link below (paste the link into your browser if the link is not working directly) and for each component of your business plan.

Provide an assessment of your plan, noting that some areas may not have been covered.

Provide an overall assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of your plan based on your assessment.

http://coba.belmont.edu/fac/schenkelm/etp3000/Course_Documents/Business%20Plan%20Assessment%20Template.pdf

• Provide a summary of recommendations for the upcoming year based on your evaluation as above, as well as required changes to the business plan.

Use the Business Monitoring and Evaluation Report Template to guide your work.

Submit your Report to your assessor.

Assessment Task 4 Checklist

Assessment Task 5: Coaching meeting

Task summary

This assessment task requires you to provide coaching to a contract cleaner based on underperformance identified as part of the review of performance against business plan objectives. At the meeting the assessor, in the role of the contract cleaner, will provide you with some feedback which they will need to respond to.

You will also be required to report to the management team on their actions and solutions.

This assessment is to be completed in the simulated work environment in the RTO.

Required

• Access to textbooks/other learning materials
• Computer with Microsoft Office and internet access
• Space for a meeting
• Roleplay participants

Timing

Your assessor will advise you of the due date of these submissions.

Submit

• Email containing meeting invitation
• Email summarising meeting outcomes and solutions agreed on
• Email containing report on actions and solutions

Assessment criteria

For your performance to be deemed satisfactory in this assessment task, you must satisfactorily address all of the assessment criteria. If part of this task is not satisfactorily completed, you will be asked to complete further assessment to demonstrate competence.

Re-submission opportunities

You will be provided feedback on their performance by the Assessor. The feedback will indicate if you have satisfactorily addressed the requirements of each part of this task.

If any parts of the task are not satisfactorily completed, the assessor will explain why, and provide you written feedback along with guidance on what you must undertake to demonstrate satisfactory performance. Re-assessment attempt(s) will be arranged at a later time and date.

You have the right to appeal the outcome of assessment decisions if you feel that you have been dealt with unfairly or have other appropriate grounds for an appeal.

You are encouraged to consult with the assessor prior to attempting this task if you do not understand any part of this task or if you have any learning issues or needs that may hinder you when attempting any part of the assessment.

Assessment Task 5 Instructions as provided to students

Carefully read the following:

A review of the business’s performance against the performance indicators included in the business plan identified that a number of residential customers no longer use the services of the business because of lack of satisfaction with the quality of the service provided, specifically the level of cleanliness and attention to detail.

As the General Manager, you are investigating this situation in relation to the contract cleaners who were providing the cleaning for the customers who have ceased to use the services of the business.

You decide to set up a meeting separately with each of the contractors to investigate the situation and to provide coaching on the expected level of performance. For this assessment task you only need to meet with one of the cleaners.

Ozhouse Clean has the following expected level of performance in relation to cleaning services:

• All surfaces, including floors, bench tops and shelves cleaned so that they are free of dust and dirt.
• Rubbish bins emptied and cleaned.
• Shower screens and mirrors cleaned so they are free of soap build up and streaks.
• Only cleaning products provided are used.
• All cleaning services must be provided in the allocated time.

These performance standards are included in each person’s contract.

Now complete the following activities:

1. Send an email to the contract cleaner (your assessor).

The objective of the email is to prepare all participants for a meeting.

The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.

It should advise them that you would like to set up a meeting to discuss identified areas of concern. Identify the date and time of the meeting.

2. Conduct meeting

Conduct the meeting at the specified time on the specified date with the contract cleaner (your assessor will be playing this person), explaining to them what the problem is, why it is a problem and how it impacts on the business. This meeting should be treated as a coaching session to try and get the staff member to understand the issues and meet the required performance standards.

At the meeting you must:

• Explain the purpose of the meeting
• Explain to the contract cleaner what the problem is.
• Discuss the level of performance expected by the company.
• Demonstrate your interpersonal and communication skills by:
• Keeping your communication clear and simple
• Asking questions to identify reasons for underperformance and to confirm information provided.
• Listening to the contract cleaner and confirming and clarifying information shared
• Discuss and agree on a solution

3. Send an email to the contract cleaner (your assessor).

The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.

It should summarise the meeting and the solution agreed to.

The email should be sent within 1 day of the meeting.

4. Develop a report on actions and solutions

Write a report for the management team explaining the issues and the solutions you have identified.

You should also identify any changes you consider should be made to the business systems or process as well as to the business plan as applicable.

As a guide, your email should be approximately 3 paragraphs long.

5. Send an email to the management team (your assessor).

The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.

The email text should include your actions and solutions report.

Assessment Task 5 Checklist

Assessment Task 6: Marketing plan project

Task summary

This assessment task requires you, in the role of General Manager, to conduct research and develop a Marketing Plan briefing report to inform the development of a Marketing Plan and then to develop and present the Marketing Plan based on the Marketing Plan briefing report.

This assessment is to be completed in the simulated work environment in the RTO.

Required

• Access to textbooks/other learning materials
• Computer with Microsoft Office and internet access
• Briefing Report Template
• Marketing Plan Template
• Access to a meeting space
• Projector for PowerPoint presentation
• Roleplay participants (assessor and two students)

Timing

Your assessor will advise you of the due date of these submissions.

Submit

• Email with briefing report attached
• Email with draft marketing plan and marketing presentation attached
• Email with revised marketing plan attached

Assessment criteria

For your performance to be deemed satisfactory in this assessment task, you must satisfactorily address all of the assessment criteria. If part of this task is not satisfactorily completed, you will be asked to complete further assessment to demonstrate competence.

Re-submission opportunities

You will be provided feedback on their performance by the Assessor. The feedback will indicate if you have satisfactorily addressed the requirements of each part of this task.

If any parts of the task are not satisfactorily completed, the assessor will explain why, and provide you written feedback along with guidance on what you must undertake to demonstrate satisfactory performance. Re-assessment attempt(s) will be arranged at a later time and date.

You have the right to appeal the outcome of assessment decisions if you feel that you have been dealt with unfairly or have other appropriate grounds for an appeal.

You are encouraged to consult with the assessor prior to attempting this task if you do not understand any part of this task or if you have any learning issues or needs that may hinder you when attempting any part of the assessment.

Assessment Task 6 Instructions as provided to students

Carefully read the following:

Ozhouse Clean is now in the next stage of development and wants to develop a Marketing Plan. Assume that it is 18 months later and the new environmentally friendly products are selling through the web site.

With regard to the marketing of the cleaning services and products, the company is reasonably happy with sales through the web site but would like to do more in the future, for example, through reviewing search engine optimisation and to use social media to generate sales. The company is now in a strong financial position and has a budget of around $150,000 for marketing for the upcoming financial year.

The company would like to add more products over time and is focussed on a range of products to meet particular customer needs rather than a one-size fits all. The company is also interested in expanding overseas. Research has identified that Japan may represent a good opportunity for the company, as it has been identified there are good opportunities for products made from natural ingredients. The company has also decided to target essentially the same group of consumers as for the Australian market, as it has identified that a key group of consumers in Japan for products are middle-aged and older women who seek functionality and higher-value-added items.

Regarding the company’s current promotional activities, successful promotional activities have been advertisements on the various environmental products website and in the Natural Health magazine. There have also been promotions as part of cleaning services with the focus on high quality products.

The management team has advised that its primary marketing objectives are:

• Increase the number of people who make a purchase of products while visiting the online store by 20%.
• Get the environmentally friendly products into retail outlets.
• To increase product awareness amongst the target market by 20%.
• To increase market share to 15%.
• To expand into at least one international market.
• To identify new products and new markets.
• To attain annual growth of at least 10% over the next three years.

Regarding market trends, the following have all contributed to the growth in popularity of natural-based personal care products:

• health warnings
• environmental concerns
• ethical concerns

It is predicated that the environmental cleaning products industry will continue to grow strongly in the retail sector. Cleaning products in general are also still growing strongly.

Complete the following activities:

1. Write a marketing plan briefing report.

Revisit the Business Plan you developed in Assessment Task 3 and the scenario information above.

Based on the plans, identify and evaluate least three potential marketing opportunities for Ozhouse Clean and that align with organisational objectives.

The evaluation of each of the marketing opportunities that you identify should include the following:

• The fit with organisation’s objectives.
• Risks of each of the marketing opportunities you have identified.
• Potential returns of each of the marketing opportunities. Returns can be identified in general terms, for example, greater market share.

Identify and report on feasible marketing strategies that can be implemented for the marketing opportunities you have identified, including strategies that:

• Address the four p’s of the marketing mix in accordance with the organisation’s marketing objectives, including desired positioning.
• Align with organisational strengths as described in the case study information
• Are relevant to the three marketing opportunities you have identified
• Are consistent with the company’s ability to implement such marketing strategies given the information provided in the case study.

The briefing report must include a clear rationale for your selection of marketing strategies based on the above, and clearly demonstrate how the strategies align with the company’s strategic objectives.

Following determination of the marketing strategies, you are required to plan and report on marketing tactics for each of the marketing strategies you have identified.

This must include:

• Details of proposed marketing tactics to implement each strategy and rationale for such.
• Timing of the marketing tactics, staff roles and responsibilities and costs involved. Costing should be developed in line with the budget outlined in the case study information. You should research the cost of the marketing tactic you identified using the Internet to ascertain general costs and record these in the briefing report.
• Recommended coordination and monitoring mechanisms that will be used to ensure that the marketing tactics are implemented as required and according to timelines.
• How the proposed marketing tactics are achievable within the available budget and staff and are relevant to the organisation’s marketing objectives.
• Legal and ethical issues that need to be considered in using the marketing tactics proposed and how you have ensured these issues are addressed. The following codes and legislation should be reviewed to assist in the identification of legal and ethical issues (depending on the marketing tactics proposed):

http://aana.com.au/content/uploads/2014/05/AANA-Code-of-Ethics.pdf

http://apps.ami.org.au/About/code_of_conduct.asp

http://www.adma.com.au/comply/code-of-practice/

http://www.acma.gov.au/Industry/Marketers/Anti-Spam/Ensuring-you-dont-spam/key-elements-of-the-spam-act-ensuring-you-dont-spam-i-acma

Develop and report on marketing performance measures to ensure performance against marketing objectives and budget can be measured and allowing for adjustment against measures as required.

Develop and report on strategies that can assist in increasing organisational expertise or resources to address gaps in currently capability and marketing objectives as per the case study information provided.

Use the Briefing Report Template to guide your work.

2. Send an email to the CEO via email (your assessor) with your briefing report attached.

The text of the email should be written in grammatically correct English, in an appropriate (formal, business-like) tone.

It should seek feedback on the briefing report and request approval to develop the marketing plan based on the report.

Attach your briefing report to the email.

The CEO will respond to your email and briefing report, providing ideas for incorporation as required, and confirm approval to proceed to developing the marketing plan.

3. Develop a Marketing Plan.

Use the information from your marketing plan briefing report from Assessment Task 2, and the Marketing Plan Template to develop the marketing plan. Notes in the Marketing Plan Template will assist you to structure the required information.

You should also ensure that you your marketing plan addresses any feedback given to you by your assessor at the end of Assessment Task 2.

You will be updating your marketing plan after discussing it with the CEO and senior management team after your presentation, so save this version of your plan as Draft Marketing Plan.

Print off three copies of your Draft Marketing Plan to provide to the CEO and senior management team.

4. Develop a PowerPoint presentation.

When you have completed your Marketing Plan, develop a PowerPoint presentation to assist in presenting the information from your Marketing Plan. Prepare a minimum of 15 slides that include visuals such as images, charts, graphs or tables.

The presentation must address each section of your Marketing Plan, as well as clearly describe:

• How the Marketing Plan meets organisational and marketing objectives
• The proposed strategic marketing mix and rationale for such
• Overall marketing approach and rationale for such
• Information that supports the choice of identified marketing strategies and tactics

You may include notes within your presentation program to assist you in presenting.

Save this file as Marketing Presentation.

5. Send an email to the CEO (your assessor).

The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.

It should introduce and summarise the contents of the attachment and ask them for the place, date and time of your presentation.

Attach your draft marketing plan and marketing presentation to the email.

6. Present your Marketing Plan.

Your assessor will roleplay the CEO and two other students will roleplay the senior management team.

Prior to commencing your presentation, ensure you provide a printed copy of your Draft Marketing Plan to the meeting attendees.

At the meeting, you will need to explain each part of the Marketing Plan and seek input and feedback.

During the meeting you will need to demonstrate effective communication skills including:

• Speaking clearly and concisely
• Using non-verbal communication to assist with understanding
• Asking questions to identify required information
• Responding to questions as required
• Using active listening techniques to confirm understanding

7. Update your Marketing Plan

Incorporate feedback provided by your assessor and the other students who attended your presentation.

Save this document as Updated Marketing Plan.

Submit your final Marketing Plan to your assessor.

Assessment Task 6 Checklist