Posters - Posters are slightly different to posters where you cannot control who sees the posters advertising the supermarket, for example a billboard or advertisement on a side of a bus, there is no way of controlling who sees this. This is not necessarily a bad thing as then the problem at hand is therefore being solved, as news of the supermarket is being spread and people are hearing about this exciting new development. Posters can again be created on Publisher to achieve many different affects, so that it stands out and catches the eye of potential customers. Without the use of a computer to produce these posters, which again would have to be printed off in mass amounts, then there is no way of producing them.
Member Database and Application Form – A member database is created on Microsoft Access and is extremely useful to supermarkets. Twinkle Berries supermarket could contact its members through means of flyers etc on special offers or new products, which would be of use or interest to their members. With information such as addresses, on the database then flyers can be sent directly out to these members, passing this new information on. The application to apply for a loyalty card requires you to answer such questions as marital status, number of children in the household and their age. The logic behind this is so that this information can be stored on the database and certain information, such as mother and toddler information can be sent out to the required audience. Without a computer, this information would have to be recorded on paper, written by hand, which would then be lost or destroyed. By using a computer, the database can be stored in the computers memory and new members can be added to the lists easily, as well as being legible.
Floor Layout – The Floor layout is extremely important. The layout can be planned out and designed effectively on a computer to the required standard. The layout of the store and where certain items are positioned within the supermarket has to be carefully considered and thought about. For example, more expensive items, such as clothes and electrical goods, should preferably be situated at the front of the store, so it is the first thing the customer comes across. The idea of this is so that people are more tempted to buy then before they have spent their money on other items in the store. If these expensive items where situated at the end of the store then they would be less attractive because people would have spent a lot of money already and would maybe by-pass this part of the store to avoid temptation. This is why they are usually at the beginning of the supermarket, as shown on my chosen floor layout. This is also true for delicate items, which should not be at the beginning of the store as it is possible that other goods of a heavier nature being placed on top of them in the shopping trolley may damage them. Without the use of a computer then this would have had to be drawn out by hand which would not be as neat and accurate and would have to be re-drawn every time something was moved within the store where as if it is on computer this problem can be fixed in seconds.
Loyalty Card - The loyalty card can be designed in Microsoft Publisher, and information such as membership numbers and names can be mail merged onto the separate loyalty cards from the member database. Without a computer, each loyalty card would have to be hand made and each persons name and number etc would have to be written out which would take up an access amount of time as well as the problem that mistakes may be made. The idea behind a loyalty card is to give something back to the customer for shopping in the store and makes people chose this supermarket for the goods if they know they are going to be rewarded.
Logo - The logo is also a very important factor to consider because it needs to be made recognisable and attractive so when people see it they automatically connect it with the supermarket, without necessarily being told. The logo can be designed on Publisher also. This is a good package to use as it allows you to create many different designs, colours etc as well as being able to produce a wide range of different logos and then being able to pick the most effective.
Letterhead - The letterhead operates like the logo in the sense that when people open the letter and see the proposed letterhead will automatically know that this letter is from Twinkle Berries Supermarket, which is what is needed in order to promote the supermarket and make it well known. The letterhead can be made in Publisher and like the loyalty card, member’s names and addresses can be mail merged onto the letterheads and sent out. Without ICT the letterheads would have to be written out with every individual name and address written onto them, which would be very time consuming.
