Small Scale Business Management

EXECUTE SUMMARY

This is business expansion. The business name is Mcraj Arts & Designs – catering and decoration busy. t started on 04 December 2010. It was funded by the Department of Youth on the 29th of June 2010. When I started this project my aims was to make something that is unique in my place, I wanted to combine catering and decoration as I have registered at registration of companies, the project that I wanted to run was to hire tents with catering combined with a garden decorated for photos and video shooting. Unfortunately, the finance that I got from the Department of Youth wasn’t enough for the project. In catering, t be done during wedding, parties and funerals ceremonies because some customer they usually ask why is it not possible for me to cater to them with food also. And I will be catering for rallies, exhibitions, workshops, and meetings because in my area when there are activities like workshops, rallies, and exhibitions they ask for catering of youth first. And in Kgalagadi north, there is none existing business of youth for catering. I have also realized that in my area there is no resting place and where people can take photos and video shooting.

Then I came up with an idea for a plot for photos and video shooting and sometimes. And sometimes people need to celebrate their weddings outside their place that’s is why I came with an idea of making a plot decorated for photo and video shooting, this will be not only for photos and video shooting and it will be for the customer who wants celebrate their weddings and parties outside their place. In may market research, their some customer who need a place for resting with their friends and families. As for now, I have been operating tent hire only. Since I have started this project I have realized that during the festive season there is shortage of tents in areas because this festive I have more than four to five customers booking a tent on the same date but I have only one tent. I have realized that I have to increase the number of tents so as to cater to more events on the same date. According to the income statement of my business from December 2010 up to December 2011, I have realized that the loss that I have is only for buying materials and transport as can see from attached documents. When I started the business the project was having fully equipped materials especially dress lining for draping and decorations. My plans were to start saving for the project after I had fully equipped material in the tent and also to buy small gazebos and jumping castles as my customer usually need then they hire the tent. The business was operating by the following organization and management structures.

The managing director will be a decision-maker, supervising the whole project to see if all work is done properly. The accountant will be doing records and booking keeping and also the employee’s payments. Secretary will be typing the projects minutes and hand – to – hand with the accountant. Cleaners will be cleaning storerooms, doing the laundry when there is a tender for tents hire, clean plates, glasses, cutlery, chafing dishes, and bowls Tents pitchers will be washing tents before the events, also pitch tents during the events Tents decorators will be preparing decorations, lining for draping according to the colors of events, and decorate during events. The driver will be transporting equipment wherever the events are, acting as messenger e. g checking mails at the post office and also transporting employees for caterings. Groundsmen will water, cleaning, cultivating, cutting trees and lawns and the garden plot. Cookers will be cooking food for events and acting as cashiers e. g weddings, parties, funerals, workshops, rallies, exhibitions, individuals e.t.c.  Stock supply will be supplying employees with equipment needed e,g books at the office, pins, cable ties, draping materials, decoration equipment for tents, and count equipment like tables, chairs, cutlery, plates, chafing dishes, and glasses before and after the events to see if they are which is missing and also buy all materials that will be needed in the business.

MARKET PLAN TARGET MARKET

The business will be targeting wedding events, parties, funerals, meetings, workshops, rallies, exhibitions, and individuals as the business will be offering combined services making wedding planning simpler and cheaper.

• Longwave home base care tent hire
• Mantle tents hire
• That’s tents hire Catering
• Itabeni guest house

MARKET SHARE

The price that I have for tent hire 9 x 18 m with chairs, rectangle tables, cutlery, plates, glasses, draping, carpets(green and red), stand and decorations catering for 200 people is BWP 6 000. 00 per event.

Prices of my competitors are as follows: TENTS 

HOME TENT HIRE: fully equipped (tent 9 x 24m, chairs, rectangle tables, cutlery, plates, glasses, draping, stand, and decorations) catering for 250 people – BWP 12 000. 00

MANTLE TENT HIRE fully equipped (tent 9 x 21m, chairs, rectangle tables, cutlery, plates, glasses, draping, stand and decorations) catering for 200 people – BWP 10 000. 0 *

LOKGWABE HOME BASE CARE: only a tent of 5x10m with chairs, rectangle tables, plates, glasses, and cutlery: catering for 50 people – BWP 2 500. 00

THAT’S TENT HIRE: the only a tent of 7 x 15m with Lokgwabe chairs, rectangle tables, plates, glasses, cutlery, draping, and decorations; catering for 100 people – BWP 5 200. 00

ITABENI GUEST HOUSE: Breakfast – P 25. 00 Tea break – P 25. 00 Lunch – P 28. 00 Supper – P28. 00 Bookings for events{placed orders}: Breakfast – P 30. 00 Tea break – P30. 00 Lunch – P40. 00Supper – P40. 00

WELCOME RESTAURANT: Breakfast – P 27. 00 Tea break – P 25. 00 Lunch – P 30. 00 Supper – P30. 00 Bookings for events{placed orders}: Breakfast – P 35. 00 Tea break – P30. 00 Lunch – P45. 00 Supper – P45. 00

MARKET STRATEGIES

I intended to beat other suppliers in the area of my market by providing products/services at affordable prices. I will be maintaining high-quality services to retain customers and build a reputation in the market e. g my tents will be having caterings, jumping castles, and gazebos. And also I have designs arcs that will be decorated in front of tents and also others that will be partitioning inside the tents e,g inside the tent there will be a portion for the bride and groom maids, for groom‘s parents, bride’s parents, and others.

DISTRIBUTIONS

I will be delivering my products/services to my customer where they want it to be e. g if I have catering orders for workshops, rallies, exhibitions, weddings, parties, funerals, and meetings. And also tents equipment will be delivered to my customer for events.

SUPPLY CHANNELS

All tents, catering equipment, and landscaping companies will be found in Gaborone and Lobatse. Materials for draping and decoration will be bought in Hukuntsi. And also grocery for catering will be bought in Hukuntsi. In Hukuntsi there an only two wholesalers and one textile and clothing shop: (Sefalana and Trans and Hilda’ clothing and courting for the material of decoration and draping). There are two shops of tents in Gaborone: (Funhire and T and T ) and one in Lobatse: (Lobatse canvas). There also two landscaping companies that I found in Gaborone:(Soft rolls and BCD) All my suppliers are reliable.

PRICING

Tent hiring: * 9 x 37m tent that will be catering for 400 up to 500 people and I will be BWP 19 500. 0 per event * 7 x 15m tent catering for 100 up to 150 people it will be BWP 5 800. 00 * 9 x 9m gazebo catering for small events like parties it will be BWP 1 500. 00 Catering * Breakfast – P 20. 00 * Tea break – P 20. 00 * Lunch – P 25. 00 * Supper – P25. 00 * Bookings for events{placed orders}: * Breakfast – P 25. 00 * Tea break – P25. 00 * Lunch – P35. 00 * Supper – P35. 00 Garden plot for Photos and video shooting only: Full day: BWP 3 500. 00 Half-day: BWP 2 500. 00

PROMOTION

I vigorously market my project by advertising through local channel media i. magazine, newspaper, Facebook, and also fliers, posters, signboards, business cards e.t.c. When I have a wedding I usually offer them free usher tags, and wedding programs and I put my contact on the back of the usher tags. I also ask my customer to put me in the program to advertise my products/services during the event. I maintain a database of customer and their requirements. Excellent services and attention to detail will attract repeat orders.