Operational Plan Report: BBQ Fun Limited's E-commerce Strategy

This report outlines an operational plan for BBQ Fun Limited, focusing on its e-commerce strategy. It details the operational environment, including legislative and regulatory contexts, and the role of the operational plan in achieving e-commerce success. The report covers resource requirements, including financial and human resources, and presents a resourcing consultation role play. It also includes an action plan with timelines, milestones, and performance indicators, such as KPIs, financial targets, and a balanced scorecard. Risks, like employee underperformance and intellectual property management, are identified, along with proposed resourcing and contingency planning. The report further describes physical and human resourcing, risk management strategies, interview planning, and monitoring of operational performance. Recommendations for improvement and role-play presentations are also included, providing a comprehensive overview of the e-commerce operational plan.

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OPERATIONAL PLAN-BBQ FUN LIMITED
Name:
Course:
Date:

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Contents
PART 1: DEVELOP AN OPERATIONAL PLAN.........................................................................4
1.0 TASK 1: SUMMARY OF BBQ FUN OPERATION ENVIRONMENT.................................4
1.1 LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY CONTEXT............................................................4
1.2 POLICIES AND PROCEDURES RELATING TO OPERATIONAL PLAN......................6
1.3ROLE OF OPERATIONAL PLAN IN ACHIEVING SUCCESFUL ECOMMERCE
STRATEGY.................................................................................................................................7
1.4 DEVELOPING NEW OPERATIONAL PLAN OR AMMENDING EXISTING ONE......8
2.0 TASK 2:RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS FOR E-COMMERCE STRATEGY......................8
3.0 TASK 3: RESOURCING CONSULTATION ROLE PLAY.................................................11
3.1 SALES MANAGER – HUMAN RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS...................................11
3.2 TECHNOLOGY CONSULTANT-PHYSICAL RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS FOR
DEVELOPING E-COMMERCE WEBSITE............................................................................13
4.0 TASK 4: ACTION PLAN FOR DEVELOPING E-COMMERCE STRATEGY...................14
4.1 PHYSICAL RESOURCING................................................................................................14
4.2 HUMAN RESOURCING....................................................................................................15
4.3 TIMELINES AND MILESTONES FOR E-COMMERCE STRATEGY...........................15
4.4 CONSULTATION AND COMMUNICATION.................................................................16
5.0 TASK 5: PERFORMANCE INDICATORS...........................................................................17
5.1 KPIS.....................................................................................................................................17
5.2 FINANCIAL TARGETS.....................................................................................................17
5.3 BALANCED SCORECARD FOR E-COMMERCE C.SERVICE REP.............................17
6.0 TASK 6:RISKS FACED.........................................................................................................18
6.1 RISK DUE TO EMPLOYEE UNDERPERFORMANCE..................................................18
6.2 RISK DUE TO LACK OF PROPER MANAGEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY...............................................................................................................................18
6.3 RISK DUE TO BREACH OF HEALTH AND SAFETY COMPLIANCE
RESPONIBILITIES...................................................................................................................19
7.0 TASK 7:RESOURCING PROPOSAL....................................................................................19
7.1 PROPOSED IMPLEMENTATION OF RESOURCING.......................................................19
7.2 COSTS BREAKDOWN......................................................................................................19
7.3 BENEFITS TO ORGANISATION.....................................................................................20

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7.4 DEVELOPING KPIS...........................................................................................................20
7.5 RISKS TO ORGANISATION.............................................................................................20
7.6 CONTIGENCY PLANNING..............................................................................................20
7.7 SOURCES OF INFORMATION USED.............................................................................21
8.0 TASK 8:PRESENTATION OF PROPOSAL TO OPERATIONS MANAGER....................21
9.0 TASK 9:PLANNING PORTFOLIO.......................................................................................21
PART 2: PLAN AND MANAGE RESOURCE ACQUISITION.................................................22
1.0 PLAN AND IMPLEMENT PHYSICAL RESOURCING.................................................22
1.1 ELABORATE ON STEPS FOR RESOURCE ACQUISITION.........................................22
1.2 RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGY NEEDED TO PROTECT INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY...............................................................................................................................23
2.0 PLAN AND IMPLEMENT HUMAN RESOURCING..........................................................24
2.1 REVIEW RESOURCING REQUIREMENTS....................................................................24
2.2 STEPS AND STRATEGIES FOR RECRUITING AS PER ORGANIZATIONAL
REQUIREMENTS.....................................................................................................................24
2.3 IP REQUIREMENTS FOR HR ACQUISITION................................................................25
2.4 INTERVIEW PLANNING FOR TWO RECRUITS...........................................................25
2.5 INTERVIEW TWO RECRUITS.........................................................................................27
PART 3: MONITOR AND REVIEW OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE................................28
1.0 MONITORING PERFORMANCE.........................................................................................28
2.0 EMPLOYEE UNDERPERFORMANCE AND REMEDIAL ACTION...........................29
3.0 MANAGE AN UNDERPERFORMING EMPLOYEE..........................................................29
4.0 ANALYSE OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE...................................................................31
4.1 Description of budgetary and financial performance...........................................................31
4.2 Description of Productivity Performance............................................................................31
4.3 Analysis of milestones achievement and performance against targets................................31
4.4 Three recommendations for operational improvement........................................................32
5.0 ROLE-PLAY PRESENTATION WITH OPERATIONS MANAGER..................................32

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OPERATIONAL PLAN – BBQ FUN SCENARIO
PART 1: DEVELOP AN OPERATIONAL PLAN
1.0 TASK 1: SUMMARY OF BBQ FUN OPERATION ENVIRONMENT
1.1 LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY CONTEXT
BBQ Fun is operating an e-commerce business hence all transactions should be legally straight-
forward.It is led by different legal regulations and policies.The terms and conditions outline that
buyers are entering into a contract when they buy goods from BBQ Fun’s website and terms of
delivery, shipping and refunds are outlined1.
Shipping and Delivery Policy –This has outlined when customers knifed ow to
expect products and what kind of packaging will be used. Timeframes are
outlined and any other costs which relate to shipping. This helps the
company to avoid any problems that arise from unsatisfied customers.
1 Lapide, Larry. "Execution Needs the S&OP Plans." The Journal of Business Forecasting 35, no. 1 (2016): 19.

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Ecommerce Refunds Policy- Refunds help BBQ fun to build trust with its
customers. The policy states the number of days within which refunds are
allowed and the terms of the policy. Refund activities are tracked so that the
company can know whey exactly the number of refunds is either high or low.
Interest Protection – The company has consulted a lawyer and set out its
terms and conditions in the website so that its legal interests are protected
Ecommerce Terms and Conditions – The Company has included
some clauses as follows.
 Latest Consumer Contract Regulations: BBQ Fun has included contact
details, business identity, the products sold and contact and location
details.
 Liability Limitations
 How returns will be paid for
 Jurisdiction/Choice of Law
 Product Delivery Terms
Ecommerce Data Protection – How customer data, which is captured in
the website, will be protected. This includes confidentiality policy on
handling of customer data according to the Data Protection Act.
Regulations set by the Federal Trade Commission must be followed.

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Protecting Customer’s Privacy Online –Privacy Policy is posted in the
website and it identifies the types of personal information that will be
collected from the visitors to the site2, who information will be shared with
and how the information will be stored and used.
Advertising Compliance- The applicable laws relating to advertising online
are followed by the company.
Collection of Taxes –BBQ Fun follows the tax laws, which apply, to the
state where they operate.
Customer Financial Data –Since payments are made online, BBQ Fun has
implemented rules that ensure that customer data is at all time protected
and there is data security to ensure their customers are not victims of
online fraud.
1.2 POLICIES AND PROCEDURES RELATING TO OPERATIONAL PLAN
The Policies and procedures which will relate to the operational plan are:
 Human Resource Policy
 Information Technology Policy
 Health and Safety Policies
 Management of Intellectual Property
2 Göleç, Adem. "A relationship framework and application in between strategy and operational plans for manufacturing
industry." Computers & Industrial Engineering 86 (2015): 83-94.

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1.3ROLE OF OPERATIONAL PLAN IN ACHIEVING SUCCESFUL ECOMMERCE
STRATEGY
The operational plan is key in the achievement of BBQ Fun strategy. The overall objectives of
BBQ Plan are detailed in the strategic plan and these will be aligned to the operational plan. The
operational plan has been used in identification of the following.
 The goals and objectives of the various teams and departments
 How e-commerce goals will be achieved
 The resources required to ensure a successful e-commerce strategy
 Timelines and Milestones to achieve goals
 Risks that will be faced in goal implementation
The operational Plan will specifically contain the following;
 Specific goals and objectives for BBQ Fun
 Actions that BBQ Fun will take to achieve goals
 Staffing that will be needed
 Physical resources which will be required in BBQ Fun goal implementation
 Overall Budget that BBQ Fun will need to fulfill requirements
 Timelines for each specific goal
 Milestones Achieved
 Key Performance Indicators that BBQ Fun will use to determine success3
 Risk factors and risk indicators that BBQ Fun should watch out for.
1.4 DEVELOPING NEW OPERATIONAL PLAN OR AMMENDING EXISTING ONE
BBQ Fun will develop a new operational plan while referring to the key areas in the old plan. In
doing this, it will look at the following areas.
3 Göleç, Adem. "A relationship framework and application in between strategy and operational plans for manufacturing
industry." Computers & Industrial Engineering 86 (2015): 83-94.

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 Determination of objectives and goals of project
 Project Scope
 Tasks to be done and person responsible
 Pints of Vulnerability
 Critical Success factors for BBQ Fun
 How Plan will be executed
 Reviewing and Adjustments
2.0 TASK 2:RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS FOR E-COMMERCE STRATEGY
In developing its e-commerce strategy, BBQ Fun will pay focus to the following areas.
Strategic business planning and roadmaps – BBQ Fun has to ensure that the key
business objectives are met by making the right choices for the business. The
company should therefore have a clear vision, mission and objectives in regards to
what will be achieved in the e-commerce project, in what time, under what budget
and what constraints they expect to face.BBQ Fun must consider its knowledge of
digital marketing tools and techniques that will help it in acquiring the customers
that it needs across different dimensions 4 . The assumptions made in creating the e-
commerce operational plan should be in line with industry norms and trends.
Technology selection/ website audit and analysis – BBQ Fun will consider
choosing a technology, which is fully customizable and will complement the
overall business model of the organization. The technology will also ensure that
BBQ Fun adheres to existing best practice of e-commerce businesses. The
4 Langseth, Justin, Jorge Alarcon, Ruhollah Farchtchi, and Farzad Aref. "Prioritized execution of plans for obtaining and/or
processing data." U.S. Patent 9,389,909, issued July 12, 2016.

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company will carefully think over specific functionalities based on the industry it
is operating in, target audience, customer segments and the external factors which
may affect the business.BBQ Fun will look at having a website that will perform
better by looking at the flow of its store and its customers and doing a gap
analysis. Once this is done, the organization will source a solution that matches its
gap needs. Benchmarking will also be done so that the company is aware of the
latest technologies being implemented in terms of e-commerce so that they source
for the right solution.
Customer acquisition – Another resource that has to be greatly considered by
BBQ Fun is having multiple digital tools, which will enable the company to reach
a large segment of customers. The company has to ensure that their online
presence is felt so that consumers who are using search engine optimization,
search engine marketing and social media are able to feel a presence of BBQ Fun.
The company has to go by the sales principles of awareness, interest, desire and
action if they want to acquire a large number of online customers.
Customer engagement – BBQ Fun will ensure that its e-commerce platform leads
to engagement and interaction with as many customers as possible. The company
will have to invest in social media marketing so that its e-commerce platform is
known to customers. They also have to invest in mechanisms, which will help
them sell their brand effectively such that customers understand the core benefits
of the product offering, value proposition and various discounts, and offers, which
come with the brand.

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Customer retention – BBQ Fun will invest in sophisticated e-commerce
technology that will ensure customer retention. When customers visit the website,
they should get a memorable experience from it and the company. The technology
therefore must have features and functionalities, which will enhance customer
experience.
Optimization based on key metrics –BBQ Fun will have to invest in resources
that will enable it to measure the health of the e-commerce venture in terms of
revenues generated, cost of acquiring customers, number of customers converted
and those who visit the website through different channels. Once these are
defined, the company must look at optimizing both the technology and business
aspect of the e-commerce website.
Financial Resources-BBQ Fun must have the financial resources, which will
enable it to successfully develop and launch its e-commerce website. The company
has to invest well on this if it wants to grow the business.
Human Resources- Human resources will be needed to manage the e-commerce
business. Since it will be an interactive platform, customers have to be given
support in terms of customer service in case they have any queries. The company
must therefore have customer service staff, who will ensure that customer needs
are met as required. Warehouse and delivery staff will also be needed.

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3.0 TASK 3: RESOURCING CONSULTATION ROLE PLAY
3.1 SALES MANAGER – HUMAN RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS
In consulting with the sales manager on the human resource requirements of BBQ Fun, the
following areas will be discussed so that the company acquires the right staffing required for the
role.
Technical Skills – The staff that will be acquired will need technical skills so that the website
runs well.
STAFF TECHNICAL SKILLS
IT STAFF Basic HTML understanding
C.SERVICE STAFF Navigation of Site and answering of online queries
WAREHOUSE STAFF How to identify orders that have come in and indicate
when the same have been delivered
FINANCE STAFF How to extract sales figures from the website and come
up with financial statements based on this information
SALES STAFF How to do online sales and extract numbers from the
website
Business & Reporting – The staff should be able to understand the business model in terms of e-
commerce. The staff will be acquires should have a solid understanding of the business that is
done by BBQ Fun especially as pertains to online advertising. The staff should be able to
understand the company’s pricing, value added tax and how BBQ fun’s profit lines are affected
by the same.
Google Analytics – The staff should have knowledge in google analytics and be able to extract
reports from the same and analyze them.

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General Admin – The staff should be able to have writing skills due to updating of products on a
regular basis. They should also understand how the product descriptions and search engine
optimizations are related.
Customer Services – Skills in customer service will be necessary as the website will involve
constantly interacting with customers and ensuring their needs are met and their queries are
solved.
Managing Orders – The staff should understand how to manage orders, control stock and ensure
that the distribution process runs smoothly.
Image Editing – The imagery in the website has to be of quality hence staff must be able to take
good pictures and understand image-editing software.
Online Payments & Security – The staff should be able to understand how online payments
operate and the security of such services including laws and regulations.
Legal & General Regulations-The staff must be able to understand the legal obligations of the
BBQ Fun website and this will include selling regulations, privacy and cookie laws, PCI
compliance and importing/exporting rules.
Marketing – The roles of the key e-commerce personnel of BBQ Fun will need that they have
exposure to the following areas:
 Marketing via email
 Online selling in retail
 Advertising through banners
 Affiliate Marketing
 Social networks
 How consumers behave and market segmentation