Final Strategic Plan Wk5

Final Strategic Plan 1

Running head: Final Strategic Plan and Presentation

Final Strategic Plan and Presentation

Suzy Bell

University of Phoenix

Bus/475 Integrated Business Topics

Maria Rutledge

June 20, 2011


Strategic Plan, Part1: Conceptualizing a Business

This paper is about a new Pet Cemetery and Crematorium (Tranquility Estates) starting in

Pontiac, Michigan. Reviewed in paper the products and services the company handles, and

states the mission statement. A vision statement needed creating for the company that

demonstrates decisions made for what the company should become in the future. Then the paper

defines the company’s values for the business considering customers cultures, social

responsibility, and ethics. Mentioned also is an analysis of how the mission, vision, and values

guide the company’s strategic direction.

The new business for the paper is (Tranquility Estates) a pet cemetery and crematorium

combined needed in Michigan. The company has purchased acres of land very picturesque for

the customers with a serene creek flowing through the land. Tranquility has placed strategically

play sets for families who have children to use while visiting their beloved pet. Tranquility

believes where ones family member (pet) seeks a burial for eternity is the first priority in

deciding where a family wants to go for their pets needs. The more beautiful and peaceful the

ambiance the happier families will react on each visit. Tranquility also offers unique or custom

made urns and jewelry pieces that they fashion from a customer’s pet remains at reasonable rates

to attract new customers.

Tranquility Estates realizes how difficult it is for families to lose a beloved pet. Pets in

today’s society always seem treated as a big part of one’s family and when they pass a customer

wants only the best for the pet. Tranquility is here for family pets eternal resting needs.

Tranquility is here to help in making decisions at a rough time in a family’s life. Tranquility

Estates mission statement states, Tranquility came into existence to provide pet owners and

veterinarian professionals a company that places concern for the safe and humane disposal of


one’s pet after passing the most important issue. The company will always provide and develop

innovative ways to meet a loving pets needs and the pet owner’s peace of mind during an

emotional period in a family’s life.

The vision for Tranquility Estates is to create a comfortable, atmospheric environment for

a family to visit when the family pet passes. A place where the serene property alone will attract

customers who want the family pet to either have a burial plot or cremated on property and have

the remains put into a keepsake for eternity. Where the family just know he or she has made the

right decision in picking the pet’s final resting place. When leaving the pet with Tranquility a

customer leaves with a warm sensation knowing the company will give the beloved pet the care,

concern, and understanding he or she deserve. In the future Tranquility wants to purchase as

much land around the estate as possible, so one only sees markers for someone’s beloved pet.

Tranquility would also like to keep creating unusual jewelry, made from pet remains, so the

clients will by word of mouth spread the information on about the company, and referrals from

the community may help the company retain more business in the future.

Tranquility Estates wants to ensure the neighboring towns and cities that the business will

never come across as blight to the area. Certain people do not like cemeteries placed in areas

surrounding town and such and believe that it will bring the property values down. Tranquility

Estates ensures the public in the areas surrounding the company that the grounds and equipment

used for cremations continually receive proper maintenance on a weekly occurrence. Tranquility

understands the responsibility required in making sure everything is humanly and ethically done

in the disposal of one’s pet. The pet remains used in making jewelry pieces need kept stored

safely until picked up by customers to avoid any health risk for the community. Again the


equipment on site is up-to-date and a weekly maintenance crew needed hiring to ensure

everything is done for health and safety reasons, and kept up to code.

Tranquility Estates wants every customer to feel the choice made for the pet is the right

one for the family concerned, so there is a small deposit request required, so families have a

chance to think about the site for the eternal rest of the pet. If a family believes it will work for

the family pet to have the burial or cremation done by Tranquility one may precede. Making the

customer feel at peace about the decisions made for the pets final rest place is the most important

point to the company. Customer satisfaction is the number one quality Tranquility tries to stress

for the client. If a customer seems satisfied Tranquility has done the job right and peace reigns

for everyone concerned.

Customer needs come in second to the company, so if he or she needs a burial plot

picking the best one for him or her is done by walking the grounds and picking one suited just

for that family. Michigan has only a few pet cemeteries and crematoriums in the area equipped

to handle the demise of customers pet remains needs. Tranquility offers special rates and

payment plans for customers who may not otherwise have his or her pet buried or cremated the

way needed for the family. Families tend to move as a family grows, so a beloved pet may

ultimately remain behind if buried in one’s yard. Tranquility believes a new company in

Michigan seems good for certain customers in the geographical areas, who may not otherwise

have this service available to him or her. Also by having lower rates set into place more

customers may use the services provided by Tranquility Estates.

In conclusion, Tranquility Estates is the new company discussed in the paper.

Tranquility realizes how hard the demise of a beloved family pet is to handle. The company

wants to reassure the family that the decisions made by them may seem easier with Tranquility’s


help. The company’s mission to provide pet owners and veterinarian professionals a company

that places concern for the safe and humane disposal of one’s pet after passing the most

important issue. Starting a new pet cemetery and crematorium may deem useful if started up in

new places in Michigan and may reach customers not otherwise able to use this kind of resource,

so Tranquility came into existence. Tranquility meets the safety and health requirements for the

business and has purchased prime property in Pontiac, Michigan with a serene creek running

through the property and play sets available for children. Tranquility feels the business is ideal

for the Michigan-based customers in the area and will cause much happiness for pet owners and

the families pets have left behind to mourn.

Strategic Plan, Part II: SWOTT Analysis

In this paper the subject to analyze is seven forces and trends taken into consideration for

Tranquility Estates to create a SWOTT table with summaries. Then it reviews how the

organization may adapt to change. The supply chain operations needs analyzing in the paper

also. Then the paper identifies any issues created during the beginning stages of the growth

cycle, and any opportunities the company may face. Then last, research questions needed

formulating in conducting an analysis for each issue mentioned above.

The seven forces and trends used for this paper:

1. Legal and regulatory – legal the laws established by or founded upon law; regulation the rules

and restrictions to control humans or any societal behavior, and takes many forms as legal

restrictions by any government authority. An example of this, for Tranquility Estates it consists

of how the machines for cremations properly receive inspections and receive maintenance so the

environment may feel safe (Answers Corporation, 2011).


2. Economic – relates to an organization or business in the production, development, and the

management in finances (Farlex, Inc, 2011).

3. Environmental – that, which relates to any external conditions or surrounding (Farlex, Inc,

2011).

4. Competitive analysis – analyzing a markets competitions strengths and weaknesses to improve

one’s position in a marketplace, and ways to prevent the competition from gaining the upper

hand in the market (Answers Corporation, 2011).

5. Resources – from a business standpoint consists of human, financial, physical, and knowledge

factors that help provide a business means to enable one to perform the business process (Web

Finance, Inc, 2011).

6. Goals – consists of observable and measurable ending results that have one or more objectives

needing achievement in a particular timeframe (Web Finance, Inc, 2011).

7. Innovations – consists of a process in which ideas or inventions need translating into goods or

services where people pay for anything that will result from the process (Web Finance, Inc,

2011).

Tranquility Estates seems to adapt well to change. The business stays in the black even

as the new land purchased, and new updated machines receive placement because the business

consists of family donations to keep it going and the investors see the profits. For the business as

long as the investors see customer contributing to the profits on regular a basis the money

continues. When the company hits a snag investors seem only too pleased to help for now. By

implementing the new plans the customers come only too pleased to use Tranquilities services.

The supply chain involved with Tranquility moves along nicely. The products sold (plots

for burial) need selling on property, so only the products used for the jewelry purchased,


containing pet remains, require the parts for the jewelry delivered to site. This alone helps to put

money into the maintenance repairs needed by a supplier. Also landscapers seem needed but

they work for the company too so this also help the business to have fewer people outside the

company to come in to do the work. Most of the work that Tranquility requires daily stems from

the premises and not many outside vendors need acquiring, so the monies may go back into the

running of the company.

The issues that may arise for the company include:

1. How will the machines that requiring fixing in the middle of the night receives maintenance?

When a machine breaks down during the am hours when business is empty should someone be

there to fix it before anything happens to create a disaster for the environment. The water

surrounding the property, and going through the property needs protecting daily. When the eco

system seems contaminated the whole environment may suffer the effects so the business needs

to think hard about hiring a person for a third shift to keep the business safe from problems.

Hiring a new crew just for the maintenance may well help the problem as long as one knows

about the call in the night to fix issues. Trying it for a few months may well help in the decision

for a long-term position for the employees hired.

2. Does the company think one needs to hire maintenance crew for daily use and around the

clock use, such as on call? The company would fare better if they employ someone 24 hours to

be at business in case of an emergency. In the long-run theory this may elevate the problem and

create new jobs for the community that in turn helps the economy. When someone is available

24 hours a day the environmentalist may not come down so hard on the company, and the water

issues. In every area that retains a machine, they may pollute keeping the environment safe


makes more sense because people need a cause to fight for and sometimes he or she look for

issues when there are none.

3. Will customers enjoy play sets put up around the property, or will the money seem wasted?

The company needs to take surveys for customers online to see how the public reacts to the new

plan before committing the finances. Then if the survey has good feedback then move forward

with the plan. The surveys may provide valuable information for the business to see how the

customers feel about the plans needing implementation in regard to play sets on the property.

Also asking the stakeholders and investors how he or she wants to have their money spent may

help in the decision to go forward with the plan implementation.

In conclusion, the paper relates the SWOTT table to the business by taking into

consideration the forces and trends analyzed in paper. Seven forces and trends needed reviewing

and summarized for a better understanding. Then it reviewed how the organization adapts to

change. The supply chain operations needed analyzing next in the paper. Then the paper

identifies a few issues created during the beginning stages of the growth cycle, and opportunities

the company may face. Then last, research questions needed formulating in conducting an

analysis for each issue mentioned. Recommendations needed creating for a better understanding

of issues Tranquility may have in the future. In the future Tranquility may service everyone’s

pet burial needs, either with a picturesque burial plot, or with a customized piece of beautiful

jewelry to keep the pet remain in for eternity. Tranquility is the wave of the future to meet every

family’s pet personal burial needs. Tranquility also plans on employing more employees to help

any problem that may arise in case any of the machines break down, so the company wants to

hire employees from the surrounding areas to service them on a 24-hour basis. Tranquility wants

to give back to the neighborhood by creating more jobs. Tranquility seems to be for the people


in every way possible. Tranquility wants only the best for customers and the areas surrounding

the property. A happy customer means a happy working environment for Tranquility.

Strategic Plan, Part III: Balanced Scorecard

The purpose of the paper to identify and explain the critical thinking strategies that

explain how one reached the objectives for the balance scorecard attached to the paper. The

information for paper derived from the SWOTT analysis completed in another paper for this

project. The information also came from the vision, mission, and values completed earlier for

final project for the paper.

The effective strategic objectives attained for this paper deemed specific in order for the

company to achieve successfully every objective the company made meaningful, and highly

specific objectives made by the company indeed seemed important for the achievements made in

the paper. One objective made for the company stems from the vision of company, first that the

comfortable and scenic atmosphere created by Tranquility indeed makes a customer believe

warm and fuzzy when one comes to the Estate to visit the passing pets grave site, or even a nice

reaction when coming to pick out an urn or piece of jewelry to place the pet remains. Tranquility

put loads of research and development into the grounds alone for the company so customers will

want to return. The grounds daily require maintenance to achieve the special look one sees upon

arriving at the front gate. The grounds needed a special fence installed to keep out animals and

vandals for the safety of employees and customers. Tranquility indeed has the customer’s best

interest at heart.

The mission for the company is another objective thoroughly planed out before the

company started, which states, Tranquility came into existence to provide any pet owner and also

veterinarian professionals a place where the concern for the safe and humane disposal of one’s


pet after demise constitutes the number one important issue. Tranquility also provides and

developed innovative ways for meeting the pet’s needs so the owners always hold onto his or her

peace of mind during the emotional period of a family’s life.

The company created honest and caring values associated within the company toward the

customers because when a customer returns; the company knows the best efforts required from

the company existed. For the financial perspectives creating an honest financial payment plan

for customers achieved a higher reward because customer who could not afford the burial of the

family pet may visit the grave site or receive an affordable urn for a keepsake. The vision here

seemed partially accomplished because the customers happily return to the company for the

services and products the company offers.

So from this standpoint part of the customer perspectives also seem met. The customer

services offered to customer seems 100% approached because the online surveys offered proved

the customers completely satisfied with the companies services. The company keeps changing

the services offered by Tranquility adding new products and keeping the property refreshed and

new looking through the maintenance employees new incentives added to the payroll. The

company seems to add commissions to anyone’s payroll check when he or she sells plots or urn

products. The incentives added 80% to the employee satisfaction and the employee turnover.

The business process perspective sees that the target areas seem right on target for the

year. The company seems at a large 90% to the good on improvements made to the grounds and

to the machinery. The company added several new machines for the cremation section of the

business and it runs more proficiently and at a better pollution setting for the environment. This

pleases the company stakeholders and the employees who have stocks in the company. This


caused the company profits to rise for the year and the company seems pleased by the success of

the company for the first quarters.

The learning and growth perspectives see the employees 95% happier in their job

positions and the incentives helped in the rise for job satisfaction. Tranquility only requires a

smaller employee roster, and because of this every employee speaks up at the weekly

management meetings, each employee says how he or she thinks about the way the company

needs handling. The new machines the company purchased create an easy environment to work

in, seems the jobs became much less stressful on the workforce and even the employees seem

happier. This creates a happy environment for the customers and the employees; thus the

reasons for a higher profit rate for the year.

In conclusion, the company seems at a good place for the customers and the employees

right now. The profits seem at a high percentage rate now, and this cause seemed because of the

satisfaction and the innovative ideas the company came up with to see customers completely

happy in the choice s made to do business with Tranquility Estates. When the customers return

and send new clients to Tranquility the profits will stay in the black and everyone will smile.

Balanced Scorecard

Financial Perspectives

Seems the market share is on target

The revenues and costs will work themselves out for the year and see a black

Profitability is seeing black again for the quarter

The competitive position is way ahead as this business is the only one for the region


Customer Perspective

The strategies implemented by company has been a positive one and customer returning and his

or her word of mouth sales are on the rise

The customers are 100% satisfied with the products and services offered

The values offered the customer have risen because of incentives offered to repeat customers

Business Process Perspective

Performance for the process is stable, the company is on target 90%, and maybe 10% of issues

are with product materials faulty

Improvements to grounds and new machinery are up 5%

Have improved over 5% for customer service issues and improved 3% on most of the issues for

new surveys taken online

Learning and Growth Perspective

The employees are 95% satisfied with his or her jobs and the employee turnover is at a low

percentage

Acquiring fewer employees causes everyone to be included in the daily operations for company,

so everyone has an opinion

The new machines are creating an easier environment to work in; jobs are becoming less

stressful because of less work because of the new machinery

Final Strategic Plan

This part of the paper consists of adding to the paper the strategic and tactics toward

implementing and realizing the strategic objectives, measures, and targets for the company. Then

mentioned for paper three methods to monitor and control the company’s proposed strategic


plan. Last in paper recommended actions needed to address the ethical, legal, and regulatory

issues facing the company and how to improve corporate citizenship within the company.

When a company wants to reach the objectives and intents a plan needs reaching through

short and long-term goals, and desired success. This sets the guidelines to accomplish a

company’s purpose for one’s business. To reach those goals an organization needs to include the

following in the strategic planning:

1.) Mission and vision statements

2.) Short and long-term goals and objectives

3.) Values

4.) Strategy

External and internal analysis needs conducting before a strategic plan for the company becomes

set. This analysis should include the following:

External Analysis

a.) Industry analysis

b.) Competitive analysis

c.) Market analysis

d.) Environmental analysis

Internal Analysis

a.) Financial performance

b.) SWOTT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, and trends)

c.) Corporate culture

When a company needs to monitor and control the proposed strategic plan, first by

making sure the vision statement becomes set, through creating advertisement schemes for the


surrounding areas needs accomplishing. This may require weekly newsletters sent to public

locations so one becomes knowledgeable about Tranquility Estates’ service and product rates,

and the hours of operation for the business. Also by putting up fliers in public areas such as

stores, gas stations, and laundry mats, to name a few may help in gaining new customers. Last

by going online and creating a company web page this also may help in monitoring and

controlling some aspects of the business strategic business plan.

Next making sure the company’s mission is clearly understood and accepted by the

company and public needs accomplishing by-weekly meetings for managers to discuss new plans

created for the business. By monitoring and controlling next the company may create monthly

meetings so as to maintain fresh new employee ideas that may help to gain public awareness for

the company. Last the company employees and managers need to remember the customer comes

first in any decision made by the business. The strategic plan for the business needed timelines

handled, this requires weekly meetings held to discuss new products, and conducting by-monthly

meetings to communicate to the employees any new changes made toward the company by the

head of the business. The company also needs to hold monthly meetings to communicate funds

allocations. Last the company needs every day meetings held so the employees know the daily

and weekly schedules for job allocations.

Next the company recommended actions to address the ethical, legal, and

regulatory issues facing the company and how to improve corporate citizenship within the

company need addressing. This needs to be done by teaching the employees the ethical issues

facing the company through either web-based training or going out to class-based training, and

the old fashioned way by training the employees on site. The employees need to know that

Tranquility is a very ethical company and stand by the right way to take care of the customer’s


pet remains the legal and ethical way. The company adheres to the laws for the euthanasia

machines and keeps the mechanics on call and up-to-date on the equipment processes for the

business. Training is also done for the machines making sure the employees become well versed

on machine mechanics. The company does everything above board concerning the regulatory

acts for the state board. The company makes sure the water surrounding the Estates receives

constant testing for pollutants that may arise from the company’s daily working conditions. The

surrounding land adjacent to the Estates needs purchasing to keep the company on an even keel

property wise. Last the company needs to review annually the communication plan for changes

or updates that need making within the business, and to update the plans as opportunities become

identified to the business. The last to update plans as processes become ineffective. Corporate

citizenship to the extent to which businesses become socially responsible for meeting legal,

ethical, and economic responsibilities placed on them by shareholders. The aim needs for

businesses to create higher standards of living and quality of life in the communities in which

they operate, and still preserving profitability for stakeholders (Answers Corporation, 2011). By

this Tranquility becomes involved more with the community by promoting better rate plans for

the community and sometimes donating sites for burials or raffles for the community to win, by

this the community benefits.

In conclusion, the paper identifies the strategic and tactics toward implementing and

realizing the strategic objectives, measures, and targets for the company. Next three methods to

monitor and control the company’s proposed strategic plan needed reviewing in the paper. Last

the paper recommended actions needed to address the ethical, legal, and regulatory issues facing

the company and to improve corporate citizenship within the company.


References

Answers Corporation (2011). Competitive analysis. Retrieved June 6, 2011, from

http://www.answers.com/topic/competitor-analysis

Answers Corporation (2011). Regulations. Retrieved June 6, 2011, from

http://www.answers.com/topic/regulation-3

CFO Publishing LLC (2011). Corporate Citizenship. Retrieved June 20, 2011, from

http://www.answers.com/topic/corporate-citizenship-1

Farlex, Inc (2011). Economic. Retrieved June 6, 2011, from

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/economic

Farlex, Inc (2011). Environmental. Retrieved June 6, 2011, from

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/environmental

Web Finance, Inc (2011). Business resources. Retrieved June 6, 2011, from

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/business-resources.html

Web Finance, Inc (2011). Goal. Retrieved June 6, 2011, from

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/goal.html

Web Finance, Inc (2011). Innovation. Retrieved June 6, 2011, from

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/innovation.html

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Final Strategic Plan Wk5