Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Industrial Experience 111
Industrial Experience 111
Industrial Experience 111
TVOC 3001
Industrial Work Experience II
GROUP PROJECT
At
KRIS MARKETING LTD
14th June ,2016-14th July, 2016
By:
CINDY SARAH LAKHRAM- I.D #58328
REHKA SINGH- I.D. #
Lecturer : Dr. Fitzroy Marcus
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction3
2. BREIF OUTLINE OF THE BUSINESS..4
3. VISION AND MISSION STATEMENT ..6
4. BUSINESS PRACTISES AND POLICIES.7
5. PHYSICAL LAYOUT .8
6. Diagram- Organization Chart .12
7. Stakeholder Customers, Suppliers , Competitors and their Needs.14
8. The Business Process/ The Needs for Products and Services ( Backward Working)..18
9. THE SALES PROCESS AND PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED.19
10. THE SUPPLY CHAIN AND PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED21
11. RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE INVENTORY SYSTEM AND SALES PROCESS..25
12. THE MARKETING PROCESS AND RECOMMENDATIONS31
13. CONCULSION..34
14. APPENDIX35
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INTRODUCTION
Operations management plays a critical role in the smooth and efficient running of a business. It
is of paramount importance today given the need for organizations to remain competitive in the
dynamic world of business. After completing four years of study in the academic aspect of
Business Studies, student teachers of the University of Trinidad and Tobago were asked to
complete the course Industrial Experience II. We were required to choose an organization for
study. At this organization we would familiarize ourselves with the entire business operations and
identify an area or two that can be improve and make recommendations. Thus, we were able to
use our knowledge of productions operations management in a practical sense. Having already
done an individual report describing the organization, this report is a group effort which focuses
on the areas of the business operations which can be improve and our recommendations.
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Kris Marketing Ltd was established in the year 2001 as a limited liability company. This company
is strategically located at 577 Rochard Douglas Road, Barrackpore, Trinidad. This business started
fifteen years ago as a dream of the Managing Director, Mr. Adesh Kissoon to provide customers
with superior products at an affordable price, as well as to create an enriching work experience for
employees. Because of its location in the rural district of Barrackpore, Kris Marketing fulfills their
customers needs by providing a wide variety of industrial and safety supplier to the small business
in the district and surrounding areas. As one steps into the business establishment, you can
immediately feel the family type atmosphere and great social cohesion that exists amongst staff
members. When the business first began it started as strictly a wholesale business but like any
Over time the demand for the do-it-yourself products increase amongst domestic customers within
the area, to meet this need ZK Marketing was established. ZK Marketing was established in the
year 2014 and is a retail store located in the same geographical area but serves the needs of the
customers who buy smaller amounts of their products they also carry and assortment of household
accessories, hardware supplies and automotive accessories such as car mats and rims.
Remarkably this business has become the market leader within its geographic location. Some of
the products they sell include Bolts, Nuts, Screws, Washers, Fastening Products, Spray Paint, W.D.
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40 Roofing Screws, Cutting and Grinding Disks, Wheel Studs and Cable Ties just to name a few.
The companys competitive advantage is owed to its market penetration and low cost leadership.
This is reflect in the slogan lowest cost products and fast delivery.
Based on the information we were privileged to observe and analyze for example sales reports,
annual final accounts such as revenue and expenditure as well as customer invoices and suppliers
list. We were able to gauge the life cycle for this business which is at the formalization stage. There
is much potential for the business to grow and develop large scale business, there is a constant rate
of sales growth but there is the need for strengthen of the companys internal processes.
Now what this is tell us is that the business is at the point where there is the need to
restructure or else the business will begin incur a loss to due to poor operations
management.
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The organizations performance is guided by a strongly stated vision and mission statement,
it is also used as an instrument to orient new staff into the organization. The following is the
vision statement, mission statement and core values.
Vision - Our goal is to provide the highest level of service, the broadest selection of products and
at the most competitive prices. We are a values-driven company and core values include the
following: Excellent customer service, Quick Delivery, Taking care of our employees. Creating
shareholder value Respect for all people Entrepreneurial spirit Building strong relationships with
Mission- To be the market leader through excellent customer service and efficient delivery.
Values:
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High quality
-Competitive prices
-On-time delivery
-Diversification of products
-High level service
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Due to the informal nature of the business there is an absence of strict policies. However there
respect.
3. All persons to which any employees interacts with should be treated fairly whether it is a
It should be noted that there is a strong organizational culture at Kris Marketing Ltd whereby all
employees share the same values such as timely delivery and customer satisfaction is of paramount
It is no secret that the physical layout of an organization can have an impact on the productivity of
an organization. In fact many authors have noted that, the physical layout of the workspace, along
with efficient management processes, is playing a major role in boosting employees productivity
and improving organizational performance (Uzee, 1999; Leaman and Bordass, 1993; Williams
et al. 1985).
Kris Marketing Ltd conducts business from one two -storey building which is located on a corner
of the street thus providing parking for customers at the front and the left hand side of the building.
The first floor is utilized as part of the warehouse for storage of inventory and the ground floor
houses the manager, supervisor, two administrative clerks and Salesmen (who are mainly on the
road). The office layout / design hold two administrative clerks, it is a simple one which houses
four desk, two desk top computers, ergonomic chairs, one photo copier, three printers, two fax
machines, telephones, Wi-Fi access. There is one window and a main door to the right of the main
office area which facilitates face-to face communication between warehouse staff and
administration. The Supervisor desk is also located in the same office space as administration to
Separate from the Supervisor and Administrative Clerks office space is the managers office. One
can note that this office reflects the manager open door policy and the relationship between
management and staff is fairly formal. As employees are free to consult with the manager regarding
issues or problems that may arise. Very often the manager also asks employees for their opinions
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when making decisions. The physical environment can be described as comfortable and meets the
Warehouse Layout
To the right of this building is the warehouse. The warehouse occupies half of the ground floor
and the entire first floor. The layout of the warehouse is also important as it facilitate the unloading
and loading of the products. The warehouse adequately provides a safe, secure place for the storage
and retrieval of inventory i.e goods bought for resale. It is also equipped with cubes which is used
to store the goods above the floor to secure the quality of goods. The warehouse is spacious enough
to allow for free movement of two forklifts during the unloading and loading process. From
observation one can see that the layout is very helpful in this process because some goods are
ordered more than others. The warehouse attendants place the fast-moving items in one area and
the slower-moving ones in an area farther away. Later we will explore this business process in
detail. To make it even easier, the individual may pick up items from one side of the aisle only and
then return to the loading dock. Or the individual may swing around to the next aisle and pick up
more items, again from one side of the aisle only. In this way the individual moves as quickly as
Picture showing the use of cubes/ shelves and the arrangement of the Warehouse
The Retail Store ZK Marketing To provide customers with friendly, reliable service
Although our study focused on the main office we must mention the difference between the layout
of the retail store and the warehouse. The layout of the retail store can be described as a grid layout,
there are parallel aisles and with merchandise on the shelves on both sides of the shelves. All
products are clearly identified by labelled and are facing the customers for ease of access. The
arrangement of the store is pleasing to the eye and invites customers to purchase impulsively.
There are three female members of staff one cashier and two sales attendants. There is no cash
register all sales are manually recording and if an item does not have a price tag the cashier consults
her enormous price list binder. Notably this layout is different from the warehouse in that the
warehouse is focused on the quick business flow whereas, the retail is inviting to the customers.
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The organization structure refers to the manner in which Kris Marketing Ltd arranges its people
so that they can complete their assign tasks in the most efficient way possible and their goals can
be met. Kris Marketing Ltd organization structure can be represented in the form of an organization
chart, it can be described as a modern flat organization structure which facilitates the faster
communication and shorter lines of authority and wider span of control. The design of this
organization structure provides a competitive advantage since the chain of command at this
organization is only two layers, communication is often faster and more effective. There is also
direct input and control of business operations means that staff can debate their points of view.
This flat structure also facilitates the democratic style and open door policy of management
practiced at this organization. Decision- making is highly decentralized. At the top of the
organization chart is the Managing Director Mr. Adesh Kissoon, reporting directly to the
Managing Director is the Assistant Manager- Mrs. Zorisha Kissoon. Reporting directly to the
Assistant Manager are the Three (3) Salesmen, Two Administrative Assistant, Warehouse
Attendants and the Delivery Team. We can also note the unbroken line of authority from the
Managing Director straight to the Sales , Administrative Staff to the Delivery Team hence there is
The main needs of these customers reliable products, at the right price, delivered at the right
time.
Maintaining a good customer relationship is important to all business and so this is one of the main
ways in which Kris Marketing is able to build customer loyalty. Kris Marketing Ltd has many
competitors who provide the same products and service but they dont have the same employees
Sales Team who pay personal visits to customers. So one may wonder what differentiates Kris
Marketing from the competitors. The answer is that customer service and the companys ability to
meet their customers needs thus maintaining a good relationship. Customers demand their
products in a just in time supply system and so Kris Marketing Ltd must be able to meet and
exceed that need. In order to achieve this they must first identify who are their customers
and what are their needs and accurately predict when they would need these products. Hence
CORPORATE COMPANIES
These companies purchase in bulk either for resale or for their use in their production process. To
these customer quality products, value for money and timely delivery of goods are important.
Communication is critical to satisfying these customers. These companies enjoy a ten percent
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(10%) discount for bulk buying thus reducing the cost of raw materials and increasing their profits,
same day timely delivery and low cost of transportation. Some of these customers include:
These customers usually visit the warehouse and the retail store looking for cheap reliable products
to complete their own medium to small projects. To these customers getting products for the lowest
price and convenience is important and the retail store staff must focus on the layout of the products
and must be able to provide information on the products to the customer e.g price, no. in stock and
features. Customer enjoy shopping at the retail store because it ideally because it is close to their
home and the wide variety of supplies from nuts, bolts, cable tights, rope , paint and even craft
items.
INTERNAL CUSTOMER Z.K. Marketing who purchases stock from the warehouse to
stock the retail store. Even though this is a subsidiary company of Kris Marketing
accounting for the stock is important, low cost, and timely delivery of products is
important.
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Samtech,
Aphzal Mohammed Hardware,
Billvern Construction Fastners,
Fastec Ltd,
Hydratight, K& S Wholesalers Ltd,
Safetech
Point Lisas Fastners,
Point Lisas Steel Products.
One may ask the question, How does Kris Marketing stay competitive? By having efficient
business processes that caters to meeting all customers needs, a unique relationship with
competitors and strong supplier relationship. In that the company colludes with its customers in
the event that they are out of stock in a particular item, they would purchase the items from the
competitors and their competitors would do the same. This relationship differs immensely from the
cut throat relationship that is seen in the financial sector. Instead we would describe it as a
symbiotic relationship.
Additionally, another strategy used by Kris Marketing to meet the needs of their customers is by
providing a wide variety of fastening products and industrial suppliers at the lowest possible cost
and delivering to their establishment in a timely manner. But the highest perceived customer value
Instead of calling customers the Sales Team visits customers and during causal conversation they
ascertain their current and future needs. While this aspect is part of the business process it also
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helps to develop a strong customer relationship and as a result they are able to create value added
services for customers. The image of the company is also very important and Kris Marketing Ltd
is considered as a good corporate citizen as they provide employment to the members of the
This business is mainly sales oriented and so the main business process is related to the Sales of
the products. There is no manufacturing but strictly wholesaling and retailing hence the importance
the supply chain and the Sales Process. Here are some the Kris Marketing Ltd Business Processes:
For Kris Marketing we observe that satisfying customers no matter what the situation is their
ultimate goal. This is where the problem situation stems from. But first we need to examine the
Sales Process and identify the main problems associated with this.
2. The Salesman completes their collection sheet with the customers name and details of
3. The administrative clerk then completes the sales invoice in triplicate and gives one copy
4. The warehouse attendant prepares the package for the customer and notifies the delivery
5. The clerk contacts the customers informing them of the arrival time of the packages and
6. CUSTOMER RECEIVES THE PRODUCTS- The delivery drivers delivers the package
and furnishes two copies of the sales invoice one is kept by the customer for payment and
the other is stamped and signed by the customer and is return to Kris Marketing Ltd
7. Using the information on the sales invoice if the payment is made the clerk updates the
From the diagram above we can see that there is a delay at the warehouse in packages order due
to unavailable stock, back log of orders cause by the time is takes for the Salesmen to call in the
orders to the administrative clerk. This can result in poor customer satisfaction as likelihood of
errors would increase and delays delivery of the products to customers who may take their stock
based of a just-in time inventory system. This problem cannot continue especially if the
Once there is customer demand for a particular product. The manager then contacts their suppliers
in the U.S, China or Panama online selects the products they wish to purchase and the amounts
Once the supplier receives the request the items are shipped via sea port within 24 hours.
Inbound Logistics Once the shipping agents notifies Kris Marketing that their cargo has arrived
at the Port of Point Lisas, they are given the bill of lading or bill sight to present at the Port
Authority.
This service is outsourced from a reputable transport and brokerage firm in Trinidad with also
The competent in-house transport team will now transport the merchandise to the companys
warehouse in Barrackpore.
The warehouse attendants receives the merchandise and attempt to manually update their records
The inventory is neatly stored in the cube / shelves of the warehouse. It is arranged based on the
Customers may inform the Sales Team of their order or they may call in their order. Once the
request is made, the administrative staff completes an invoice which is sent to the warehouse
attendant. Who then fills this order and contacts the delivery team.
Once the customer receives the products at the right time, at the price and the right amounts, we
can say that the customer is satisfied and the process was successful.
N.B. Each of these stages of the product is a link in a chain. Each step is fastened to the next, interconnecting
Only when the customer demands certain products then the warehouse attendants realize that
stock is running low. We must bear in mind that as the business grows this method cannot
work. As customers may demand larger quantities and may need the product in a short time
2. The length of time for storing and recording of inventory at the warehouse
According to general reports this takes as much as one week, to properly package and manually
update the inventory records. This problem is really due to the manual inventory system used at
this organization.
Very often items received at the warehouse is not accounted for or goes missing for want of a
better term.
Generally, such a situation can lead to the loss of customers and thus impair the performance of
the company and more importantly reduce profits. However this is offset by the excellent customer
service and genuine care for the customer displayed by the Sales Team. Putting customer first is
a philosophy that comes from the manager and is transferred to all employees. However in the
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spirit of proper operations management the above mentioned weaknesses are real problems that
must be fixed.
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PROCESS
If we look at Kris Marketing Supply Chain Diagram we can see that all activities are
interdependent on each other and therefore it is imperative that this organizations processes are
efficient that it should work like clockwork. Each aspect should be carefully analyze in terms of
the cost and time. Therefore management needs to have some type of control over each activity.
This hints towards the provision of information. I would suggest the implementation of an
Given that accountability to seem to be an issue Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP) is
the most fitting solution. One may say what exactly is this ERP all about just by considering name
we can simply define ERP System or software that used to manage all the resources of whole
enterprise. Right from employee payments to single screw coming into the enterprise, all activities
can be managed & tracked by using ERP Systems. ERP is a cross functional software that supports
all the business processes within the organization. This Enterprise resource planning (ERP) would
allow involve the use of a suite of integrated applications that a company uses to connect its
business activities across departments so that everyone is working with the same data and
processes.
This can be used to streamline and improve the efficiency of their operations, which saves time
and money. Implementing ERP will also give rise to the much needed automation of several
business processes such as inventory management, human resources, and sales. This automation
many business processes, will eliminate manual time and effort. Additionally, , ERP system
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focuses on the management of business information, offering a macro view into a company by
integrating disparate systems across functional groups such as procurement, finance, distribution,
The Process
This system gives rise to a Supply Chain Management system which ties in supply chain partners
and can help the company find the raw materials it needs to deliver products and services to its
customers. This will alleviate the long turnaround time taken record and update stock inventory.
For example the ERP purchasing software streamlines the procurement process from purchase-
order issuance and supplier management to payments and reporting. ERP purchasing software also
has the ability to automatically route approvals of purchase orders and payments from the
administrative clerk to the manager. To simply put it the use of ERP will assist in managing the
flow of product items from the supplier to Kris Marketing & Kris Marketing to consumer.
Efficiency in the process is related the demand & supply management, sales returns & replacing
Inventory Module: Firstly the Inventory module of the ERP can be used to track Kris Marketings
stock/ inventory. Items can be identified by unique serial numbers. Using that unique numbers
inventory system can keep track of item and trace its current location in organization. Thus making
it easier to update records. e.g. Lets say Kris Marketing Ltd purchased 100 screws , so using the
ERP inventory system the warehouse attendants can track how many screws are in stock when
stock was last received and how many were sold and how many are remaining
etc. So when new stock is received the attendants now simply packages the
product, codes them and scan the packages using the handheld barcode scanner.
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A Break Down of New Business Process with the Use of a Transaction Processing System
this form of data processing, each transaction is processed immediately, without the delay of
accumulating transactions into a batch. As soon as the input data is available such as customers
order, the program performs the necessary processing and updates the records affected by the
transaction. The main advantage is that data in an OLTP always reflect the current status. For
example when a customer places an order an invoice is generated, delivery is done immediately,
once the items are checked out of the warehouse, the inventory figures are update the Creditors
Ledger and General Ledger are updated followed by an alert to key members for approvals.
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is quite successful, there seems to be a lack of focus on quality, accountability and control. For
example there is high wastage in the warehouse area and occasionally some products were
damaged in the process of packaging or storage. Given the organizations stage in the life cycle
there is the need for the business to expansion or decline, this coupled with managements desires
to expand the business there is the need for an improvement in all functional areas of the business
and so I am recommending the implementation of a total quality management system. This strategy
is recommended because not only does it focus on quality but it is a management approach centered
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on quality, based on the participation of an organizations people and aiming at long term success
(ISO 8402:1994). This is achieved through customer satisfaction and benefits all members of the
It is also ideal for Kris Marketing Ltd because TQM is a more than just a strategy but a philosophy
that emphasizes three principles for achieving high levels of performance and quality: (1) customer
If Kris Marketing employs TQM it will allow the company to focus on service and using good
purchasing strategies and benchmarking processes. Thus provided a means for satisfying both their
internal and external customers by having their expectations met. Through the focus on
impressions by offering quality products and service. However, for TQM to work effectively in
This will create the need for a new organization structure, increase in a talent competent workforce
and an operations managers. One the most significant change with the implementation of this
strategy is that employees not only serve customers but make important decisions that lead to
quality improvement and added value in the creation and provisions of goods and services.
Total Quality Management philosophy is believe will result a positive change in the business
processes thus creating a leaner organization structure and reduce wastage of resources. This will
definitely put Kris Marketing Ltd be in a stronger position to adapt to the future changes.
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During our observation/study of Kris Marketing business activities, we have identified and focused
on a key activity from the operations and managements process of Kris Marketing as follows:
Problem Identified: Kris Marketing Limited is currently experiencing a constant decline in their
the current economic downturn Trinidad and Tobago is facing; or due to constant changes
in customers needs,
the company does not appeal to the customer in terms of offering the products or service
A lack of use of technology within the company, in todays technological age, people
express themselves and concern with the use of technology through the use of internet
using collaborative tools such as company websites, facebook, twitter, instagram. Kris
Marketing Limited may lose their direct touch with their customers (what customer are
looking for or what satisfy customers needs) if they continue to operate their business on a
manual level.
The Market Research Process can be a useful tool. Let us examine this process and see how it
will alleviate the problems identified above. The diagram below outline the suggested steps the
Information gleaned from this process can help the company accurately target, new strategies
and products to capture the larger part of the market share. This information is also used to for
Due to an economic crisis the country is facing, the company may need to look into
diversify their business operations into another country or region that are experiencing
potential growth and economic boom. The company may even look into exporting products
Due to changes in customers needs, the company may need to find out what interest their
customers or what their competitors are doing that they are not to increase the business
market share in the market. The company may use customers surveys to obtain
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information on what it is that currently interest the customers or what customers are looking
for in terms of the products and services in a company. Example, it may be that customers
are looking for a certain product brand or manufacture made products that gives them
product satisfaction.
Due to the use of technology in the technological age or society we living in the need for
face to face interaction are diminishing more and more. The company needs to stay ahead
of changes in technology and the way people or customers interact. The company may need
to implement a company website to further promote their products and services. Through
the use of a company website, Kris Marketing can retrieve faster response on what satisfy
customers through the use of online surveys. The online website may also allow customers
to voice their opinions and concern about the companys products and services. This will
help companys identify their problem gaps and allow them to recommend ways of
CONCLUSION
The business environment in Trinidad and Tobago is one that can be described as highly
competitive which is further exacerbated by the economic downturn in our economy. Now more
than ever before the term competitive advantage has become the buzz word in the business
world. Thus pushing the need for the organizations to embrace the role of operations management
to create a flexible and competitive business. Failure to recognize this fact and embrace these
Kris Marketing Ltd is a business with potential for growth and future expansion into new foreign
markets. We trust that our recommendations will truly add value to all of their business process.
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APPENDIX