Reference no: EM131209618 , Length:

Part 1: Written Report

Part 2: Summary Presentation

Working in a group of four (4), you are to conduct in-depth research and apply relevant services marketing theories, concepts, and tools in delivering a report (and summary presentation) that informs and advises our industry partner according to their key requirements.

This semester, our industry partner is Chocoholics Tours (www.chocoholictours.com.au). Ms. Jessica Gilchrist, Director of Chocoholic Tours, would like to learn (from you) about:
-­- Chocoholic Tour's market
-­- Chocoholic Tour's key competitors
And seek your advice and recommendations specifically in relation to:
-­- Areas of improvement (such as in term of the services they offer)
-­- ‘Outside the box' innovative ideas to market/promote Chocoholic Tours

Part 1: Written Report

It is recommended that your report cover the following components:

1. Executive Summary

2. Chocoholic Tour's Market/Customer Analysis:
a. What type of customers make up the market in which Chocoholic Tour operates?
b. Identify Chocoholic Tour's key market/customer segments

3. Chocoholic Tour's Competitor Analysis: Who are Chocoholic Tour's key competitors? Who are their direct and indirect competitors?

4. Chocoholic Tour's Targeting and Positioning:
a. Which market/customer segment/s does Chocoholic Tour currently target? Which segment/s can they potentially target in the future?

b. Develop a positioning map for Chocoholic Tours capturing its position in the marketplace as well as that of its key competitors
c. Develop a positioning statement for Chocoholic Tours

5. Review of Chocoholic's existing strategies (in relation to the 7Ps)

6. General recommendations for areas of improvement
(These can be based on your review of the items above, a service audit, market research [e.g.: interview/survey of your personal contacts/network that have/have not been on a Chocoholic Tours' tour], and/or research on market and marketing trends)

7. Innovative recommendations:

a. ‘Outside the box' innovative ideas to market/promote Chocoholic Tours

b. What is the potential of a ‘Curated Chocolate Range' tour? Who may be the target market? How can Chocoholic Tours capture this target market?

8. Conclusion
(Summary reflection of your most important/impressive idea/s and recommendation/s [with justifications])

Word Limit: 3,000 words

The report will be assessed based on the quality of the information presented in terms of depth, accuracy, and relevance.

Meeting/Communication Log (to be included in the Appendices): Please keep a log of all group meetings (including date, time and duration) and communication (including emails and other forms of messages) necessary to demonstrate equal contribution of each member. Where possible, include brief descriptions of key items discussed in each meeting, the key tasks and responsibilities agreed upon, and other outcomes. This log will serve as evidence in the case of disputes/complaints arising from unequal contribution of a specific member/s, and their final results may be adjusted accordingly based on the Course Coordinator's discretion (in consultation with the tutor). Any complaints about group member/s' lack of contribution to the project should be lodged with your tutor in writing as soon as possible but no later than Week 8.

Sharing Your Project with Your Tutor: We recommend that you create and edit your work via a shared ‘Document' (e.g., Google Docs). Please ‘share' this document with (i.e., send an invitation to) your tutor before Week 5, who may periodically inspect student contributions and progress (and provide feedback, if applicable).
This Google Document may also be inspected in case of group work contribution disputes/complaints.

Submission of Report: A representative from each group must submit the report electronically via the specified Turnitin link in Blackboard, as well as a hardcopy in the tutorial in Week 10 accompanied by a completed Assignment Cover Sheet (with a declaration and statement of authorship/s) containing signatures of all group members and a Turnitin originality report (with a similarity index of no greater than 10%).

Part 2: Summary Presentation (The ‘Elevator Pitch')

During the specified time-slot (in Week 10 or 12) allocated by your tutor, students are to present a 5-minute summary of your key findings (i.e., recommendations for Chocoholic Tours).

The presentation will be assessed based on the level of preparation and effort, depth of research, quality of information presented (e.g., in terms of relevance and accuracy), as well as overall presentation qualities such as ability to sustain audience interest, clarity of speech and timing (i.e., 5 minutes).

Students MUST submit TWO hard copies (i.e., printout) of their slides (in ‘3 slides to 1 page' format) at the BEGINNING of the tutorial in which they are due to present (one copy for the tutor, and one copy for the course coordinator who will also be present for the presentations). Failure to do so will result in loss of marks.

Presentation to Chocoholic Tours

Your tutor and course coordinator will nominate five (5) top performing groups across the course to present their work to Chocoholic Tours, where Ms. Jessica Gilchrist, Director of Chocoholic Tours will select and award Chocoholic Tours vouchers (worth $99 each) to the best performing students/group/s.