Essay/Term paper: Skittles

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Economics

Skittles

OVERVIEW

Skittles is a variety entertainment and dining establishment located in
Washington, D.C. . Our mission is to provide our patrons with a unique blend of
live entertainment while delivering a top quality dining experience. We will do
this by emphasizing service excellence and the highest level of performance in
all aspects of our operations and services. Our prominent services include live
entertainment, ranging in form from comedy to jazz performances to poetry
recitals and others. We also offer lunch, dinner, drinks and dancing to our
customers.
The restaurant is operated by its several partners who have an equal share in
ownership. The partners are Tracy Jackson, James Johnson, Sonja Dawkins, Kevin
Brown and Steffi Carr. The restaurant is ideally located on the D.C. waterfront.
There it will be easily accessible to a large cross section of consumers and
make it possible to provide patrons with a safe and controlled environment.
Our establishment brings a relatively new concept to the Districts restaurant
industry. What we provide is an everchanging mix of live entertainment to
customers while serving all of their drinking and dining needs as well. We are
somewhat of a one stop, night on the town, in that we provide not only the
drinking and dining needs of person going out but we also provide, in the same
location and depending on the night, everything from dancing to live music
performances to a night of comedy entertainment. Because of its uniqueness to
the marketplace in D.C., Skittles has an excellent opportunity to establish
itself and become a force in the restaurant/entertainment community in the
District. This is partly because of the limited direct competition the company
has to face. Although direct competition is limited, there are several
establishments which we feel will pose competition to us in the market. They
include Blues Alley, Hogates, H.I. Ribsters, Phillips, Gang Plank, The Wharf,
and Club 721.
Despite the threats which the competition poses to the restaurant, we are
still very confident in the ability of this concept and restaurant to thrive and
succeed in the District.

SITUATION ANALYSIS

We, the owners of Skittles, are very enthusiastic about our chances of
success with this new and exciting restaurant concept. Our enthusiasm was
bolstered even more by what was revealed to us after performing a situation
analysis for the company. The analysis showed that as a company, our strengths
and the opportunities that exist, far outweigh our weaknesses and the threats we
perceive ourselves having to face. This indicates to us that with hard work and
a total team commitment, Skittles will be a definite success. As for the
particulars that were revealed through the analysis they are as follows.
First, the businesses internal strengths include the location of the
restaurant, because of its convenient access to all the residents in the Metro
Area. Another strength is the room for growth that we have as a company, because
without it the company would reach its maximum potential in a relatively short
time and then have no where to go but down. Also we have a strength in our
prices which, for the services and the variety of entertainment we provide, are
better than favorable when compared with the competitions prices. Finally, our
internal strengths include the variety which we provide for our customers, both
in the services and in the entertainment which we deliver.
Next, there are the internal weaknesses that we have as a business and they
include, first our inexperience with being managers and operators of a business
as well as the inexperience in dealing with the real world, unforeseen problems
that are bound to arise with a new business. Secondly, there is the fact that as
of yet we don't have an established customer base to rely on. Also, we also
don't have a loyal market of consumers whom we can depend on even during the
most difficult economic periods. Finally, there is the fact that we don't have
the established reputation for service and excellence that some of our
competitors may have with the consumers in the area.
Next, the situation analysis turned to the external factors that would be
affecting our establishment. These factors include both our opportunities and
the threats that we will have to face. First, there were the opportunities which
include, the economic situation in the district which has the mayor and other
prominent officials encouraging and supporting the formation of new businesses
in the District in hopes of creating more revenue for the city. This is an
opportunity because with the cooperation from the city and the powers that be,
it will be less difficult to deal with all of the red tape and bureaucracy one
has to go through when starting a business. Secondly, there the opportunity to
become a tourist attraction, because we are located in the nations capitol which
receives millions of visitors on a yearly basis. By becoming a city hot spot, it
would enhance our reputation not only with the local residents but nation wide
as well. It would increase our business revenue drastically if we could become
one of the "must see" places for visitors to the capitol. The second opportunity
has a direct relationship with the third and final opportunity which is to
franchise and branch out. If we are successful in becoming a tourist attraction,
that would open up markets for us all over the country in places where people
don't have but want the services and entertainment concept which we provide to
our customers.
The final segment covered in our analysis was the threats we perceived
ourselves having to deal with. They include, first the many hassles and the
bureaucracy we would have to deal with, such as obtaining the proper licenses,
zoning and building permits and meeting the required health, building and safety
codes and regulations. Secondly, there is the threat posed by the slow economy
we are currently faced with. It is causing more people to opt to stay at home
rather than going out. Finally there is the threat posed by the competition in
the District for disposable income. Because D.C. is the U.S. Capitol, there are
many establishments which provide a variety of things to do for the consumer
which will make attracting those disposable dollars all the more difficult for a
new business.
Over the coming year, it will be our goal to build on the strengths that we
posses and to take full and complete advantage of the opportunities that exist
for Skittles in the D.C. market. We also plan, to the best of our ability, to
overcome the threats which await us and to eliminate as many, if not all, of our
internal weaknesses. This will be achieved through strong management leadership,
dedication to the company and careful decision making and planning on the part
of Skittles owners and all of our employees.

ORGANIZATION OBJECTIVES

Since we are a new organization , there are many marketing objectives that we
have yet to achieve and which we will strive to accomplish within the next year
of business. Three of the more prominent objectives we have include first,
establishing and maintaining a high level of customer loyalty and a large loyal
market base in the D.C. metro area. Secondly, we seek to eliminate all of our
internal weaknesses. Third and most importantly, we want to provide our
customers with the most outstanding and superior quality of service found
anywhere.
As a new business, we are faced with the task of having to find a place for
ourselves in the market among consumers. We can best make a place for ourselves
by establishing a large , loyal base of consumers. We plan to achieve this
objective by providing patrons with an experience like no other and by
delivering top quality entertainment. We will be able to determine if the
objective has been achieved by monitoring the increase or decrease in the level
of regular repeat customers over the next year.
Our second objective is one in which we have a great deal of concern. It is
to eliminate our internal weaknesses. While we are concerned, we feel most
confident about getting it achieved. This is because internal weaknesses are
those which we have the most ability to influence and change. Currently our
internal weaknesses include inexperience in management and a lack of a loyal
customer base, to name a few. We will determine if the objective has been
reached by performing a second situation analysis at the end of the year and
comparing it with our current analysis.
The third objective we have is probably the one most essential to determining
our future in the marketplace. It is to provide our customers with the most
outstanding quality of service found anywhere. By achieving this objective we
will have little problem with achieving our first objective of developing a
loyal customer base. This is because if we deliver a high quality of service
excellence to our patrons, they will only naturally think highly of us and want
return to our establishment. Also, by delivering outstanding quality in all
aspects of the company, it will help to develop a positive reputation in the
eyes of the consumers which will lead to more business for the restaurant which
will in turn lead to more profits for the business. We will determine if the
objective has been accomplished by getting feedback from customers after they've
had the Skittles experience. Surveys will be taken randomly throughout the year
to determine if service and overall quality is being maintained, improving, or
getting worse.
In any event we feel the achievement of these goals are essential to our
remaining a viable venture in the marketplace and we plan to do everything
within our powers to make certain that they are achieved.

PERCEPTION OF GOODS

Skittles target market will find the restaurant to be ideal for their dining
and entertainment pleasure. This is because our services as well as our
marketing are geared towards attracting and satisfying the wants and needs of
our target market. Through our reasearch, we have found that our target
demographics enjoy jazz, live music, and comedy, as well as full course dining
when going out. By inquiring of the specific target market demographics, we have
determineed exactly what they want in terms of entertainment and dining. As a
result, we have focused our endeavors to meet those needs.

HOW IS USP MANIFESTED?

The unique selling position of Skittles will be manifested by our ability to
provide a variety of live entertainment forms. It will further be manifested in
our ability to provide for our customers, dining excellence as well as fun and
excitement, all in the same location. In addition, our ability to cater not only
to those looking for live entertainment fun but also those who wish to use our
establishment for business purposes as well as other private functions will add
to creating a distinct U.S.P. for Skittles.

BRAND NAME DISCUSSION

Skittles was chosen as the name of our establishment because the word skittles
has now become synonymous with a variety of flavors. This is, we feel the most
appropriate name to describe what it is that we have to offer our consumers in
terms of goods and services, a wide variety. In the entertainment, as well as
in the dining options and the overall concept of our business, ,Skittles the
restaurant much like Skittles the candy, will provide a rainbow of variety and
flavors to its customers.

ADVERTISING OVERALL PLAN

Skittles overall campaign will utilize several mediums and techniques in order
to get the publics awareness of our existence up. The mediums we plan to utilize
include flyers, posters, billboards and newspapers. The advertising campaign
will be somewhat aggressive in its approach because we are a new entity trying
to create a niche for ourselves in a very competitve environment. The
advertisements will be targeted to appeal to the wantrs and sensibilities of our
specific target market. We will accomplish this by focusing the ads on the
entertainment and the variety aspects of our restaurant. Likewise, we will
convey through our ads a sense of the atmosphere and ambiance which exists at
Skittles. The ads will be run in major papersd tri-weekly, while billboards,
posters and metro ads will be continuos in their display. We will make use of
free passes for entertainment and meal discount coupons as well. As with any
product , we are hoping that word of mouth will also help in establishing the
reputation of Skittles as a great place for entertainment and dinning.

DISCUSSION OF SUPPLY TO RESTAURANT

The supply of Skittles' food and beverages will be handled through a
combination of several wholesale and retail suppliers. For our beef, pork, lamb
and veal supply we will utilize the National Beef and Provision Co. of
Baltimore MD. The prince Wm Co. Poultry and Egg Company will provide our needs
in those areas. Our seafood will be acquired fresh from the D.C. Wharf. Finally,
our liquor and alcoholic beverages will be providerd by two suppliers. The F
Wine Specialists will supply our wine needs while the International Distribution
Corportion will supply all of our other alcohic beverages and the Pepsi Bottling
Co. will supply our Fountain Sodas/beverages.

To insure for our customers, the freshest food posible. Our meats, seafood,
poultry and vegatables will be ordered weekly. To add, because all of our
suppliers are in the D.C. area and in such close proximity, we will receive our
supplies by way of refrigerated trucks. Again with the furthest supplier being
in Baltimore, we are assured that our oders will be delivered within 24 hours of
the reciept by the suppliers.

PERSONAL SELLING MESSAGE

Skittles servers will be trained to provide customers with both quality
service and congeniality. To ensure that our employees are both courteous and
respectful when dealing with customers, we will establish an incentive program
for our employees which will be based on customer responses toward the service
they receive. Ideally, the interaction of a Skittles server and a customer
should be similar to the following dialogue:

Server: Good evening, my name is Jacque and I'll be your waiter for this evening.
Would you care for any appetizers or Drinks at this time?

Cust.: No thank you, we're not quite ready to order yet so could you give us a
few minutes please.

Server: Certainly. (returns shortly) Are you ready to order now?

Cust.: Yes, we are ready to order.

Server: May I recommend our specials.

Cust.: Thank you, but we would like to order ...

Server: Would you like anything to drink?

Cust.: We'll have ...

Server: O.K. I'll be right back with your drinks.(returns) Here are your drinks
and your dinner will be ready shortly. (leaves and returns w/
food) Here is your dinner, I hope you enjoy it. If there is
anything that I can get you please let me know.

Cust.: Thank You.

The server will then check regularly to see if everything is fine with the
customers and after they are finished with their meals, he will again check with
them.

Server: Would you like any dessert or is there anything else that I can do for
you?

Cust.: No thank you, we are ready for the bill please.

Server: Of course.

The server then will deliver through our computerized billing process, the bill
to the customer.