Ticketing and Baggage
The ticketing and baggage department handles the ticketing aspect of the business. As mentioned earlier, the business does not print the ticket themselves but it is ordered from the airline’s authorised agent. The ticketing department thus carries out the following tasks:
- Booking of flight seats on the respective airline subject to availability. The department would inquire whether a seat is available on the airline in question. If a seat is available, the department would order the ticket from the authorised agent. This can only be done once the following information is collected by the customer relations department:
1. Customer details which includes the customer’s name, customer’s addres, customer’s DOB etc. .
These details are provided to the customer relations department by the customer when he fills the customer details form. This is then inturn passed to the ticketing and baggage department. These details are of utmost importance. The customer’s name, for e.g. should appear on the printed ticket. Depending on the customer’s age his fare would also be calculated.
- Flight details which would include the flight no., date of travel, class of travel etc. These details are provided to the customer relations department by the customer when he fills the flight details form. This is then inturn passed to the ticketing and baggage department. Inorder to minimise errors the customer is requested to enter these details as accurately as possible.
- Production of invoices for the individual customers. This would then be passed on to the customer relations department. The invoice would contain all the details required for the payment of dues owing by the customer. The customer relations department would receive the payment of any amount owing and would the pass this amount along with the invoice to the ticketing and baggage department which would then produce a receipt which would then be passed back to the customer.
- Production of recipts for the individual customers. This would then be passed to the customer relations department and then to the customer.
Hotels and Resorts
When a customer purchases a travel package along with his air fare, he is entitled to hotel accomodation during the length of his stay. This accomodation is provided to the customer by various partner hotels that the business is associated with. Depending on the type of package, the accomodation may differ. This department books the hotel room for the customer and ensures that the accomodation is up to the standard required. The complete the following tasks:
- Booking of the required accomodation by phone and fax. This will be done when the customer completes the tour package form where he will provide details of the type of accomodation that would suit him/her. For this the department would also require the use of the following documents from the customer relations department:
1. Customer details which includes the customer’s name, customer’s addres, customer’s DOB etc. .
These details are provided to the customer relations department by the customer when he fills the customer details form. This is then inturn passed to the ticketing and baggage department as well as the hotel and resort department to determine the length of the customer’s stay. These details are of utmost importance. The customer’s name, for e.g. should appear on the printed ticket as well as the hotel register. Depending on the customer’s age his fare would also be calculated. For eg. Children below the age of twelve would only be entitled to stay for free if their parents book a double room.
- Flight details which would include the flight no., date of travel, class of travel etc. These details are provided to the customer relations department by the customer when he fills the flight details form. This is then inturn passed to the ticketing and baggage department as well as the hotel and resort department. This would be used to determine the date of arrival and departure of the customer and so accomodation can be arranged for that length of stay.
- Production of invoices for the individual customers. This would then be passed on to the customer relations department. The invoice would contain all the details required for the payment of dues owing by the customer in relation to the accomodation selected. Sometimes the customer would have to pay a deposit only and the amount due would be settled on a later date. In most of the cases, the customer would have to pay the whole amount due on the spot. The customer relations department would receive the payment of any amount owing and would the pass this amount along with the invoice to the hotel and resort department which would then produce a receipt which would then be passed back to the customer.
- Production of recipts for the individual customers. This would then be passed to the customer relations department and then to the customer.
Transfers and Tours.
Depending on the holiday package purchased by the customer he may also be entitled to transfers from the airport to the hotel or from to any other location as determined by the holiday package. They may also be entitled to tour packages. The tasks carried out by this respective department are as follows:
- Production of invoices for the individual customers. This would then be passed on to the customer relations department. The invoice would contain all the details required for the payment of dues owing by the customer in relation to the accomodation selected. Sometimes the customer would have to pay a deposit only and the amount due would be settled on a later date. In most of the cases, the customer would have to pay the whole amount due on the spot. The customer relations department would receive the payment of any amount owing and would the pass this amount along with the invoice to the Transfers and Tours department which would then produce a receipt which would then be passed back to the customer.
- Production of recipts for the individual customers. This would then be passed to the customer relations department and then to the customer.
Customer relations
The customer relations department is one of the very important departments when considering the operations of the business. This department is in direct contact with the customer and thus has to ensure that the services offered to the customer should be acceptable to the customer. In brief, the tasks that this department carries out are as follows.
- Welcoming the customer, explaining the various services that the business can offer and helping the customer fill the various forms available. The department then passes these details to the various respective departments
- Accepting payment when invoices are received from the respective departments. The department passes on this payment to the respective departments. Then the receipt is passed on to the customer
- Answering queries from customers.
- Addressing complaints and suggestions made by the customers in relation to the quality of services provided.
It is important to note that all departments except the customer relations department han dles receipts and invoices. All the documents described above are shown in more detail in the following part of this project
It can also be noted that in the manual system used by the business, the mediums of communication used are pre-printed forms, fax machines and telephone.
The customer application form shown above is completed by the customer for the customer relations department. This is essential for providing the department with the necessary information required for any task at hand. This procedure requires the customer to be as accurate as possible to ensure that there are no mistakes in data entry.
The different fields above are explained in detail below. Reasons are provided as to why these fields are required and any substitute to these fields, if available.
- Surname and Given Names: These details are required by the agency so that they can be entered in the relevant documents. The customer’s name, would be required for e.g. on a printed ticket or for a hotel booking. It would also be used for further correspondence between the agency and the customer.
- Date of Birth: The date of birth would be used to calculate the customer’s age. This would be very important when calculating fares for the customer. An airline, for e.g., would offer discounted fares for infants, junior and senior persons.
- Nationality: The nationality of a customer is important especially for visa procedures.
- P.O. Box and Emirate: This would be important when the customer wishes to have his documents delivered at his doorstep. The address is also used to mail invoices and receipts to the customer if he is unable to collect them.
- Info Details: This is used for specifying details that there is no provision for, such as special requirements or needs. The required department will then address these requirements. The customer code is also provided here.
- Total Cost: When a customer registers with the agency, a small fee is payable. In special cases this fee would not be charged and the space would be left empty.
- Valid Until: The information provided by the user would only be valid during the time that it maintains correspondence with the customer. Once the customer does not require the use of the services provided by the business, his details are scrapped as per the Data Protection Act. This also helps to maintain a proper file storage system.
- Signature and Date: This is required by the customer to ensure that he has verified the details he has entered and that he has no objection for it to be used by the business.
The invoice is produced after a customer has registered to the business and has requested the use of services available. An invoice only requests for payment and does not necessarily prove that payment is made. Once payment is made a receipt will be produced in this regard. If payment is made by cash, the receipt is produced on the spot. If the payment were made by cheque this would consume a fair amount of time until the cheque is cleared.
The different fields above are explained in detail below. Reasons are provided as to why these fields are required and any substitute to these fields, if available.
- Customer code: This is a unique code provided to identify a customer. This code is also provided in the customer application form. Thus this key field relates both these documents. The filing system makes use of this code to identify a particular customer.
- Invoice no. This is used to identify a particular invoice. Since the business produces a number of invoices on a regular basis it is important to understand that this field will help to identify a particular invoice at any time.
- L.P.O no.: A Local Post Order is provided by a business to a business in order to guarantee payment. Thus it is an invoice within an invoice. A L.P.O is also considered at the same basis as a cheque. A receipt will only be produced once the L.P.O is cleared and payment is received for the service/services provided.
- D.O. no.: A debit order is a statement providing payment to a business. Because the payment is not on a credit basis, a receipt is produced once a debit order is issued.
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Serial no. The serial no is used to define the order of services provided to the user. This follows the order of 1st 2nd 3rd etc.
- Item: This provides a description of the service provided to the customer. It is important to determine the type of service that has been offered.
- Qts: This field determines the quantity of the particular service offered to the customer.
- Units: This defines the total number of units of a particular service provided to the customer.
- Rate. The rate per unit of the service provided is given here
- Price: This field is calculated by multiplying quantity and rate.
- Total amount due: This is used to provide for the total of all prices.
- Department: The particular department that has provided the services to the customer is identified here. Since each department produces their own invoices, the department field would be entered differently.
The receipt voucher is issued when payment is received on a particular invoice as stated above. It is important to note that both the invoice no. and customer code fields are used. Thus information from both these documents is used when producing the receipt voucher. To ensure its simplicity, the receipt voucher is provided with minimal details as opposed to the other documents shown.
All these documents once completed are filed in the filing cabinet. With the exception of the customer details form, the other documents are returned to the customer. The customer details form is kept by the business until it is no longer required by the business and is then shredded.
The clerks at the agency fill the invoice and receipts, while the customer application form is filled up by the customer himself/herself. The forms are hand written and are thus required to be filled in block letters to be legible.
Identification of the problems.
The main problem faced by the system as stated by the questionnaires filled by the various members of staff is the stress placed on the various departments by the procedure that is currently used. The individual departments have to produce their own invoices, receipts, and carry out the tasks that are entrusted to them. This can prove to be very taxing especially during the peak traveling period when customers flock to the agency to purchase air tickets as well as holiday packages.
The manual system used presently by the business offers very little prospect where effectiveness of speed is concerned. The various clerks in the respective departments fill in the data entry forms manually. If the business has to offer their services to a number of customers at the same time, this would be a lengthy procedure. The ineffective filing system used may also cause delays. The system requires the staff to maintain the system in an alphabetical order. Thus if a member of staff misplaces or places a customer details file in a wrong filing compartment, this would cause great inconvenience to the customers as well as the staff because the file will have to be searched for and the system re-arranged. If this takes a length of time customers may feel neglected and may decide to discontinue the use of the services provided by the business. This would, in turn, result in foreseeable losses. It is necessary for the business to ensure that the customers are provided with the services they require within a minimal time period. This is important to ensure the long term running of the business, especially in a competitive field as the travel industry.
Another important issue would be the accuracy of the present system. The system requires the staff to enter the required information on the data entry forms manually. Typing speeds are sometimes far greater than writing speeds and thus a typist would be able to enter far more information in a shorter period of time. The system lacks proper validation and verification procedures and would not be very effective in producing an accurate output. Because human error cannot be minimized, the system cannot guarantee accurate results. A clerk, could, for e.g. enter a wrong value for rate while filling the invoice. If this amount were less than the actual amount the firm would face a loss in respect to the particular payment due. If this amount is greater than the actual amount, the customer would misinterpret this and the firm would lose a loyal customer.
The validity of data would also be another important issue of concern. The customer application form for e.g. would only be valid and of use until the customer decides to halt the use of the services provided by him by the business. The filing system is serviced once yearly and the only during that time would unnecessary documents be discarded. For the rest of the time, these documents are kept in the filing cabinet and use up the storage space. At the same time retrieval of data is slower because the documents that are not are still being kept. For this reason, the business has implemented a larger filing system allowing the accommodation of several more files. This has greatly further slowed down the speed at which data is retrieved thus proving to be more of a hassle to
the staff as well as the customers. The cost of implementing such a system is also important to consider as well.
Proposed solution to the above stated problems.
At this stage it is important to note in brief all of the problems faced by the existing system. They are as follows:
- Work stress on administrative staff
- Lack of speed.
- Lack of accuracy.
- Validity of data
- Use of large storage space
An effective solution would be one that encompasses effective remedies to the deficiencies stated above. It is also important to consider that the system should be accepted by both staff and customers alike, so maximum effort should be produced to ensure that their concerns are addressed to the best of the system analyst’s ability. Keeping the above facts in mind, two proposed solutions have been sketched out to help produce an effective remedy to the above deficiencies:
SOLUTION A
Computerization of all the departments.
This would be a very effective solution. By computerizing all the departments, much of the workload would be placed on the computer systems rather than the staff member. The system would be faster and thus more effective pleasing customers. By using validation and verification methods, data will be safe from inaccuracy and would not affect the profitability of the business. Data that is not required by the user would be deleted after a length of time. Data would be downsized and stored on compressed drives rather than large filing cabinets. Retrieval of data would be far quicker and effective.
The main disadvantage of such a system would be the excessive cost that it would endure. All the departments would have to be computerized and all the staff would have to be computer trained. This would require large funds during a time when the business is facing a financial crunch.
SOLUTION B
Computerisation of the customer relations department only.
Here, only the customer relations department would be computerized. After computerization, this department would assume the responsibility of producing invoices as well as receipts. This method would only require the staff of the computer relations department alone to be computer trained and this would cost far less than expected. At the same time, much of the workload will be removed from the departments and will be placed on the customer relations department.
The customers are in direct correspondence with the customer relations department alone and so this would go well with them. The biggest advantage of this solution still remains the cost, which is very important considering the financial crunch that the business is now going through.
Considering all the limiting factors, Solution B is the most feasible. It not only addresses the problems faced by the existing system but also proves to be cost effective. If Solution B is to be adopted then the following will have to be considered:
- Misplacement of records and other human errors will delay work in the other departments. The customer relations department would have to work effectively to ensure that it’s actions do not affect the other departments
- The other departments should also be aware of the system used. They may have to cover up if the customer relations department is not in operation due to un foreseeable circumstances. In the likelihood of any breakdown a backup system should be in operation.
- The system should not take away the authority of the other departments. It should allow the other departments to operate with as much normality as is expected.
- Queries from the other departments should be answered with as much speed as possible to avoid delays. The customer relations department should work alongside the other departments with the aim of providing the best of quality of services to all the customers. This will be essential for the long term existence of the business.
- The customer relations department will handle all money related affairs because of the production of invoices and receipts. They will thus have to be thorough in money handling and banking procedures.
- Security concerns will also be of utmost importance. The operations carried out by the customer relations department will have to be monitored inorder to deter fraud. This would be done by any senior department.
Data entry forms.
Now that Solution B will be adopted it is important to decide what part of the existing manual system will be computerized. The customer relations department will be carrying along as normal and will be assigned extra responsibilities.
It is important to note that alterations will be made to the process of data entry to make it faster quicker and more effective. The fields may also be edited to ensure that only required data is entered. In the data entry stage key fields should be identified and made apparent to the user. The user should also understand what is expected of him.
The following are the existing documents that will be computerized from the manual system:
- Customer Application Form.
- Invoice
- Receipt
In addition to this, other documents from the other departments will also be computerized these are:
This is a statement that will be produced by the customer relations department and will include all the flight details. This will then be sent to the ticketing and baggage department so that the ticket can be produced
- Hotel Reservation itinerary
This is an itinerary that will provide details of any hotel booking made for the customer. This will thus have all the details of the accommodating and the length of stay of the customer
This would provide details of any tour package purchased by the customer
The computerization of the above facilities should enable the other departments to work quicker and more effective. Fields that are not required will be eliminated while fields that are required but not provided for will be added. This will make queries faster and thus more effective.
All the departments should share the maximum benefit of this procedure. Priorities will be set to enable all departments to have a common advantage over all the services that the system will provide to them. It is of maximum importance that all the departments do not find any flaws in the system. For this reason, various members of staff will be investigated (as done earlier to determine their needs and wants from the system.
Points to note:
- The key fields on the manual data entry forms are usually pre printed. The computerized system on the other hand would produce a random number as a key field. This is to ensure that the system recognises the key field and produces a unique field for each customer.
- The documents will have to be printed before authority can sign them. The manual system does not require this.
Further Investigation.
The following are transcripts of the interviews that were carried out to obtain a better understandingof the curnt manual system used. It is important to understand that these views are only expressed from a minor part of the business staff members and they do not cover the views of all the staff members.
Interview 1
Mr James Warrick.
Chairman International Travel Services.
Interviewer: Good day Mr. Warrick.
Mr. Warrick: Good day
Interviewer: Let me go directly to the beginning. Yourself and an esteemed and reliable partner named Joe Stanfeld founded International Travel Services back in 1975.
Mr. Warrick. Yes, it has been a long time since then. We had started with a small capital and meager services. We were the only employees then but times have changed for the best.
Interviewer: What genre of services do you offer at present and at what cost?
Mr. Warrick. We offer all types of travel services such as air ticketing, booking, tour packages and hotel reservations. It all sums up to the tourism sector. Our services vary in price but we offer packages to suit every budget and/or taste. Some packages cost even less than USD 200. It really depends on the customer.
Interviewer: I totally agree. You now accommodate 25 employees. Tell me more about them.
Mr. Warrick: I pride myself on my quality of staff. They are very reliable and much of the success of this firm should be credited to them. I have no complaints where the work of my staff is concerned. Even though the present system used is strenuous to them, they have been very considerate and have adapted well to it. My members of staff consist of the senior management team and the administrative staff. The administrative staff consists of the Head of Departments as well as the clerks.
Interviewer: Do all your staff have basic computer literacy?
Mr. Warrick: Yes they do. They can type word documents and send emails. They will have to be obviously trained to use to a new system. All our staff are given basic keyboard training before they join the workforce and this enables them to type at high speeds.
Interviewer: What are the major problems that you face with the present system?
Mr. Warrick: The first is the queues that line up during the peak hours. During this time our resources are stretched to the limit. We have to cater for the need of all the customers at the same time. Some of them usually get angry waiting in queues for long periods of time. This does not help our image at all. In rare cases our system breaks down and we are left handicapped. We can then not satisfy the needs of our angry customers. It is really frustrating to make them understand that we cannot offer our services to them. They then make use of services provided by other travel agents. We lose potential customers and income that we would have gained from them.
Interviewer: What changes would you like to see in the new system?
Mr. Warrick: The new system should be adapted to minimise the workload on the various departments. It should be accepted by both my staff and my customers and should assist the staff in carrying out the task assigned to them effectively. Only then would, in my view a successful system be established.
Interviewer: Thank you very much Mr. Warrick. As the system analyst I will, to the best of my ability carry out the task assigned to me and I will ensure that this is carried out as per your expectations.
Mr. Warrick: Thank you and Good Bye.
Interview 2
Mr. Rashid Al Bwardy.
Head of Department: Ticketing and Baggage
Interviewer: Good day, Mr. Bwardy.
Mr. Bwardy: Good day!
Interviewer: How long has it been since you have joined the agency?
Mr. Bwardy: It has been eight years since I have joined the agency. Since then, the agency has gone through a minimal expansion phase where I was the project leader.
Interviewer: What is you responsibility in this organisation?
Mr. Bwardy: I am the Head of the Ticketing and baggage department. My responsibility consists of monitoring the operations of my department and communicating this to the senior management at the end of the year. I am also responsible for part of the financial aspect of my department, such as ensuring that invoices and receipts are accurate and complete. I am also responsible for receiving payment from the customer relations department and documenting this in the ledger.
Interviewer: How does your staff respond to the work assigned to them?
Mr. Bwardy: They are very effective in completing the work assigned to them in the time feasible. Our department is one of the most important departments in the business because we are responsible for providing customers with airline tickets, which has been a large money making aspect of this business. This is not much of a problem for most of the year when people do not have to travel often. During the holiday season, however, my staff is stretched to the limit. They have to work overtime and even during weekends to meet customer demands. It is mainly during that time that they make expensive mistakes.
Interviewer: How do you think that a computerised system assigned to the customer would help to solve this problem?
Mr. Bwardy: It is very simple. By assigning the customer relations department with a computerised system would greatly relieve stress on our department. The customer relations department can handle the invoices and receipts of the customers because the receipts and invoices are provided to them anyway. The customer relations department is not assigned much work anyway and the computerisation of their department would make their existing responsibility easier.
Interviewer: Why would you not have your department computerised as well?
Mr. Bwardy: The main reason behind this is because the system we use has never proved to be totally ineffective. The only problem we face is the amount of workload we have to handle. If the customer relations department were to be computerised, then we would be able to spare more time in improving our system to make it more effective. It all really goes down to saving time.
Interviewer: After the customer relations department is computerised what changes would you like to see in the as compared to the present system used?
Mr. Bwardy: I would definitely want to see queries answered faster. This would help us a great deal because we will not have to go and look for answers ourselves. We should also be able to examine such a system so that we may then consider whether this would be suitable for our department or not.
Interviewer: Thank you Mr. Bwardy for your time and I will definitely address your concerns and queries.
Mr. Bwardy: Thank you very much
Investigation analysis
The interviews that were conducted have proven to be fruitful. Issues of concern have been made, especially the three addressed below.
Financial crunch!
This is important when considering the type of system that should be proposed. A system should be established which will fit within the budget assigned by the senior management. This is again one of the main reasons why the customer relations department is being computerised alone rather than the other departments.
Excessive workload.
This is again another important issue to be addressed. By computerising the customer relations department, much of the workload should be relieved from the other departments. At the same time, the customer relations department should not be assigned excessive work as well. The whole system should be balanced. If the customer relations department was assigned excessive work then extra staff would have to be employed to compensate for this and this would add to the existing financial burden of the business
Quick response.
If a system was assigned that was slow and lagging, then the other departments would also be affected if they needed to rely on this system. Thus a system should be proposed that could answer queries at the quickest opportunity.
Designed forms to be used by the computerised system.
The following are the various forms intended for the computerised system of the customer relations department. Please note that changes to the manual version of these forms are identified and explanations are given to support the change:
Customer Application Form:
The changes made to the manual equivalent of this document are the following:
- Customer no. is added as the key field.
- Info details has been replaced by additional comments
Invoice
- Invoice no. is set as the key field.
- Customer no. and customer name is carried forward from the customer application form.
Receipt
- The Customer no., Customer name, and Invoice no. and Amount are all carried forward from the Invoice.
Flight itinerary
- In the flight itinerary the customer no. as well as customer name are carried forward from the customer application form
Hotel booking itinerary
- The customer no. and customer name fields are brought forward from the customer application form.
- Reservation no. is set as the key field here.
Tours Itinerary
- The customer no. and customer name fields are brought forward from the customer application form.
- Reservation no. is set as the key field here.
Alternative solutions.
It is important to consider alternative solutions at this stage so that a comparison can be made with the proposed system to ascertain which options would be more feasible. Here I have given a list of all feasible solutions with descriptions:
Option 1.
Leave the present manual system in operation.
This is the best economical solution. There would be no need to invest massive resources in a feasible solution if the present system was used. At the same time it is also important to consider that if the system were efficient, there would be no need of having it computerised.
The advantages of this option are given below:
1. No excessive investment would have to be made on the existing system such as buying expensive peripherals or upgrades
2. Staff members are usually stressed by the system they presently use, but sine they are used to work with such a system, they may want to maintain it. They may not be very pleased with a new system because it will change their working procedure and the training would consume more of their free time.
3.No risks are apparent in the old system because it is operated manually. The users of such a system would rarely have to go through work lapses because of electric short circuit or a system breakdown. They will not also have to depend on network resources such as bandwidth or baud rate.
4. If a new system is established and proved to be effective then many employees may not be needed and they may then be sacked. Staff who are then employed by the business may have to be trained to use the new system, which may take a length of time.
5. Initial costs of implementing a computerised system may be excessively expensive. Apart from purchasing the hardware and software required by the system, the business may have to purchase licenses to use the hardware and software over networks and on other systems. A system administrator may also be employed to handle networking tasks.
There is also the cost of using a LAN or gaining internet access, which may also have to be considered.
The following are a few disadvantages of this option.
1. The system is proving to be an additional strain to the workload of employees using the system. It is ineffective in handling a large organisation such as this travel agency.
2. Employees will not work to the highest possible ability if they are not happy with the system used. They may also start to neglect their work if they are left to use the manual system.
3. Customers are delayed by an ineffective system. In a highly competitive field as travel and tourism, this does not help maintain the businesses image. If the customer decides to discontinue the services of the travel agency, the business may face financial crisis.
4.The manual system cannot answer queries immediately. The user will have to filter through a filing cabinet to obtain the information he/she requires. It is important to understand that the best services offered by a business are those offered at a minimal delay.
5. Employees also usually complain of the time that it takes to retrieve data through the manual system. It takes almost the same amount of time to place back data in the manual system. This retrieval and replacement of data consumes essential time, which can be saved through a computerised system.
Thus from reading the above it is very easily to realise that this option should not be adapted at all. The disadvantages of this option overshadow the advantages and the aim of this project would be to replace such a system. Only after this is done would the business work effectively.
The main reason that the system has been analyzed would be to ensure it’s replacement.
The business wishes to have this system replaced, for that reason a system administrator has been employed. If the manual system in question was effective, it use would still be considered.
For the given reasons above, Option A is scrapped.
Option B
Use the manual system along side the computerized one.
This system is also feasible but relies on the user to balance both ends. Using such a system would mean that the workload would have to be divided between both the systems and the data will also be shared.
The advantages of using such a system are given below:
1. This would allow an easy transition from the manual system to the computerized system. It provides the staff time to adjust to the new system, which is important if the staff are to work effectively.
2. A clear-cut comparison can be made between the manual system and the computerized one. After this comparison is made the differences between both the systems can be identified and this would be documented. It is very important to note that only once both the system is in operation would the differences be clearly identified and not before that, especially in the design stage.
3. If one system were to breakdown then the other system could be relied upon. Even in the design stage, it is not possible to identify defects in the system used. These defects will only be apparent once the system is established.
4. It will provide the staff time to document all aspects of the new system, only after that would a complete system be in operation.
5. If the business decides that the system is proving to be financially ineffective, then they can always revert to the original system used. This is essential because most businesses find that the financial matters of utmost importance for the successful running of a business.
6. The manual system does not rely on networks constraints such as bandwidth or baud rate. If the computerized system was being used to the maximum level and causing delays then the manual system can be used.
Apart from the advantages given above, this option also faces certain disadvantages as given below:
1. If new staff were employed by the business, they would have to be trained to use both the systems. This would be time consuming and cost the business financial resources. Because the newly employed staff are new to both the systems rather than one, they would find both the systems difficult to handle at the same time. For this reason, they would not be able to work effectively.
2. If the manual system were used, the business would have to face the constraints imposed by it. The business would have to face delays posed by the system.
- If both the systems were linked and one broke down then the other would also prove to be ineffective. For e.g. retrieving a manual file number from a computerized system. If the computerized system were to break down, then it would not be possible to retrieve the file number from the computerized system and the manual system would be un-operational.
- The manual system and the computerized system would consume a lot of space. If the business is working in a small area, there would be less area to entertain customers or to position staff.
5. If the manual system were still in operation, then the present staff would have to t to be kept by the business to provide the newly employed staff with training of the
manual system. If the business wanted to terminate the employment of these
Individuals they would not be able to do so because of their need by the business.
From the detailed information given above it is easy to understand that working both the systems together would again prove to be ineffective. Our aim should be to replace the manual system with one that it more effective and not to face the problems posed by it. The manual system, if considered ineffective, should be replaced and not used with the computerized system.
Thus Option B is again considered inappropriate and is rejected.
Option C
Working with the computerized system only.
Working with the computerized system alone would suggest that the manual system be scrapped. The only system then under operation would be the computerized one. In this no optional backup manual system is planned or implemented. Because of this, the user will not be capable of using any other system apart from the one in operation.
The advantages of such a system are given below:
1. There is no need of allotting space for any other system. Since manual system takes up a reasonable amount of space, especially where filing cabinets are concerned. If storage space is an issue of concern for a business then this will be disregarded by using the computerized system alone
2. The user will not face the deficiencies of by the manual system. He will be able, for e.g., queries would be answered faster. The new system would solve the problems faced by using the manual system.
3. The staff would have to be trained using one system alone rather than both the systems as in Option B. This saves time and resources. The staff would work more effectively on one system rather than two systems.
4.The focus would also be placed on ensuring that one system is in operation rather than two. This would greatly help incase the system breaks down. The system administrator would only have to focus on restoring one system rather than both of them.
5. Customer satisfaction will be guaranteed because queries will be answered at high speed and services will be provided to customers within a minimal time period.
Apart from the advantages described above a few disadvantages are encountered while using this option. They are given below:
1. The staff would have to be trained to use a new computerized system. They will have to spend most of their free time understanding the fundamentals of this system. This time could be spent for other more important matters, such as, addressing customer needs
2.There is no guarantee that the system would work effectively. If the system breaks down then the staff can revert to the manual system. If the computerized system cannot be restored then the business will face bankruptcy because it cannot offer its services to its customers for a length of time. Even if the system is restored, the negative impact that will greatly affect the businesses profitability.
3. The system may have to incur massive initial expenses. This will be feasible if the system can guarantee results for the near future. If the system breaks down after these costs are incurred and cannot be restored, then the business will have spent a large amount of funds in a vacuum.
The disadvantages above are minimal compared to the advantages given. Cost would not be a major issue because the quality of the proposed system would super impose the cost. It is very important at the same time to ensure that the system to be used should be effective, carry out the intended tasks and no noticeable deficiencies which would affect the operation of the system should remain ignored.
As stated earlier, the main aim of the system analyst should be to replace the existing system with one that is effective and appropriate. Even if cost is a concern, it can be minimized in various ways. A business that wishes to replace its system with an effective one should endure the financial costs of it. In the long run, however, these funds will be returned to the business by the increasing influx of customers using the services provided by the business.
For all the reasons above, the best option from all the options given is Option C.
Aims and Objectives of the computerised system.
It has already been decided that the computerised system is to be implemented as our chosen solution. At this stage it is important to identify the aims and objectives of such a system so that a final result can be aimed at. Only after this can a design of the prototype be made for the new system. This prototype will be run, tested and used by the employees to determine whether the new system fulfils the requirements at the suggested level.
If the aims and objectives of the system are not met by the prototype, then modifications have to be made to produce a system that is effective in this regard. Additional adjustments that have to be made will also be mentioned so that the user will be able to understand why these changes have been made and will adjust to them.
To ensure that the testing stage is more accurate, the members of staff would use the system themselves. They will then determine whether the output is the one that is required or not.
The aims and objectives of the computerised system are mentioned below in as much detail that is required.
1. The system should be as cost effective as possible. This can only be carried out if the initial costs of using the system are kept to a minimal. A member of staff could, for e.g. be assigned the task of a system administrator rather than employing a system administrator from outside the business. The member of staff appointed would have a good understanding of both the system so future concerns of the system can be addressed by him.
2. It should provide answers to queries quickly and efficiently. This would benefit both the customers and staff alike. The customers would have their queries answered and for that reason they would be pleased. The staff would be save their own time if queries are answered quicker and they would have to work extra hours to cover this gap.
3. It should be efficient enough not to freeze under normal circumstances. If a system hangs then substantial time is used up restoring it to its normal working position. If errors are produced by this procedure, then the system will have to be scanned to detect these errors and this will consume additional time. To solve this problem, the system should be regularly maintained to detect these errors and solve them.
4. Errors in typing should be identified by the system. Errors in spelling and grammar should be rectified. This is very important when considering the quality of the output provided to customers. A customer who has his name spelt wrong on a booking may not be very pleased with the business when he finds out the his booking is not accepted. A very important consideration is that the system should be acceptable to both the staff and the customers. It is also very important to note that while inefficient staff can be replaced, but loyal customers cannot.
5. Accurate and comprehensive validation and verification methods must be used. This is essential to determine that the output produced by the system is of the required type and is maintained to the highest level of accuracy.
The aims and objectives of the computerised system given above is not set criteria in determining how the final system should perform. They aim at given a suggested background of the computerised system. Apart from the aims and objectives given above, the system will be provided with additional features, which will help tio improve its performance. These details will be provided when a proposal for the system is set.
Pseudocodes.
The following pseudocodes are applied to the manual system. Even though the manual system does not use pseudocodes as in a computerised system these pseudocodes allow the user to understand how the operations of the manual system can be modified to suit the operation of the computerised one.
The 1st one below allows the staff to determine the travel fare to charge a customer:
Start.
customer name = space 30
customer age=0
Do
Display ‘enter customer name, customer age’
If customer age<3, then customer fee = 10/100*fare
Customer code = “infant”
Else If customer age >=3 and <12, then customer fee = 50/100*fare
Customer code =”junior”
Else If customer age >=12 and <18 then customer fee = 75/100*fare
Customer code =”student”
Else customer fee= fare customer code = “adult”
End if
End if
End if
Stop
It is for the benefit of the user as well as the system that revisions of fares are not considered here. A customer has his fare calculated revised of all taxes and extra costs before being input as part of the pseudocode. The final result is one that does not take account of group discount as well. This is calculated by using the next pseudo code
This 2nd pseudocode is used to determine the group discount that is applicable when a customer decides to go as a group. The group discount is applicable when the customer and his group travel on the same flight. This discount is not applicable to tour groups or large organisations.
Start
customer name= space 30
number=0
fare=0
If number>=10 and <15
Then fare=90/100*fare
If number>=15 and <25
Then fare=85/100*fare
If number>=25 and <30
Then fare=80/100*fare
If number>=30 and <35
Then fare=75/100*fare
If number>=35
Then fare=70/100*fare
Else print “No discount Applicable”
End if
End if
End if
End if
End if
Stop
An important point to note that fare is calculated using the first pseudocode shown above. this revised figure is then calculated for group discounts using the pseudocode shown above. It is important to mention that no discounts are applicable to those who are traveling in groups of 9 and below. If the business wishes to make an adjustment in this case then it will be calculated separately and will not be dealt with by a pseudocode.
The group discount will only be applicable if the customer wishes to pay full fares for his tickets. and will not be applicable during special promotions and discount periods. The importance of this procedure is that to ensure that the travel agency does not apply excessive discounts, which could lead it to bankruptcy
