A local Vancouver-based company by the name of Routific provides delivering companies with the opportunity to discover the most efficient route that reduces time and money. The mastermind behind this tool, Marc Kuo, utilizes his academic knowledge and experience from consulting to generate a system where his business ensures that delivery companies are able to optimize their service using the online route-planning software presented by Routific.

Routific’s target market includes companies that may not have the tools to create “sophisticated…route-optimization systems.” With this goal in mind, my belief is that this is very appealing to small-scale businesses who are just starting up with very little experience. There are a lot of businesses that are in need of a boost such as this one.

What intrigues me is Kuo’s ability to use innovative technology to minimize his customer’s workload. He recognizes that operations managers often need to plan their delivery schedules through producing spreadsheets and the time consumption behind this approach is fairly severe. With the constant improvement of technological advancement, this platform builds a strong foundation to allow delivery companies to work more effectively and efficiently. The company also utilizes the environmental factor to attract its customers stating that this tool lowers emissions and improves the planet due to the reduction of time usage.

In my opinion, this provides Routific with an edge against its competitors in the sense that they are only charging $29 each month for every vehicle with the flexibility to opt-out and unsubscribe if one is not satisfied.

I’m very interested to continue to hear about the progress of this idea.

Sources:

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/technology/Vancouver+startup+gives+drivers+more+efficient+drive/10215322/story.html

http://superbcrew.com/startup-routific-optimizing-delivery-routes-around-the-world/

It has been no surprise that the lack of progress by the Vancouver Canucks has been a threat when it comes to the franchise’s goals of selling tickets for the 2014-15 season. What was once an avid hockey market has declined when fans have been skeptical about purchasing tickets to games due to the inadequacy of performance by the team and the failure to make the post-season last year.

I suppose that the franchise has taken positive steps to improve their team with changes to their management staff as well as their roster. However, it is clear that the team is still in “rebuild” mode and must think of other ways to engage their fans beyond the Canucks’ execution on the ice. My belief is that this is where their marketing team needs to step in. The fans are still out there. Essentially, they simply have no motivation to pay a large sum of money to watch their favourite team lose time and time again.

In my opinion, sufficient tactics could include an improvement on the arena’s food and concession and upgrading their promotion behind it. By enhancing a fan’s experience during the game, such as reducing the cost for its food and beverages, it will draw fanatics to be motivated to attend a game.

Social media has also done a terrific job with contests to provide hockey devotees with the opportunity to attend games. Although free tickets disables a team from making profit, free single tickets will allow fans to purchase a ticket for a friend or a loved one to accompany them.

The bottom line is that, they may need to reduce their prices on tickets or at least, provide free incentives for each fan who has purchased access to the game.

Source: http://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/577035

Reports of scandalous activity in several parts of Asia among some of the world’s most famous restaurant chains have made various international headlines. Common restaurants including but not limited to McDonalds, Burger King, Starbucks, and Papa John’s have been “accused of selling expired beef and chicken” through their supplier Husi Food Co. in Shanghai, China. The shocking news is that this controversial incident was originally discovered when video evidence of “workers handling food with their bare hands” scattered across the internet. They were spotted to have been picking up meat that has touched the floor and placing them back to their respective machines in order to continue the processing procedure. To make matters even worse, it has been witnessed that workers have been repeatedly repackaging their meat and altering the expiration date tags.

My personal insight leads me to believe that this unethical activity allows the common day-to-day consumers to be hesitant to purchase their meals from these restaurants. I assume it is no surprise that the amount of customers eating at these locations has decreased drastically and has left a permanent strain on the companies. After all, we know that news travels rapidly in modern day society.

R. Edward Freeman stresses that a company’s success depends on the “value for customers, suppliers, [and] employees.” With another disastrous occurrence that may potentially severely affect the health and well-being of individuals in society, I suggest that food corporations, especially those who represent a strong brand name must be more meticulous when deciding who their suppliers are and who they are aligning their brand with.

I conclude that the most frightening point is that often times, buyers are completely oblivious as to what they are consuming.

Isn’t that sketchy?

Works cited:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/29/world/asia/explainer-china-meat-scandal/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/china-tainted-meat-scandal-widens-to-burger-king-starbucks-1.2714333

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/china-meat-scandal-spreads-starbucks-burger-king-n162286