Page 548 - Business Principles and Management

C HAPTER 19 A SSESSMENT

CASE 19-2: Delivering a Quality Vacation Experience
Rebecca and Jacob DeNucci vacation with their family each summer on an
island just off the coast of North Carolina. The island is a popular tourist
area, with several large hotels and a ferry boat that brings people from the
mainland to the island for day-long visits. Rebecca and Jacob began to
think about ways they could use their time to make money during the
summer. They considered the needs of the tourists visiting the island and
decided to begin a guide service for people who wanted to explore the hills
and forests of the island.
They spent some time planning two different tours. The short tour
would last one hour. It would be for people who wanted to see some of
the beautiful spots on the island but were not prepared for extensive hik-
ing. The long tour would take half a day and would include hiking over
5 miles. It was designed for more experienced outdoors people who wanted
to study the plants, trees, and wildlife unique to the island. Rebecca and
Jacob would provide the short tour to groups of 10 to 15 people at a rate
of $2 per person. The long tour would serve four to eight people and would
cost $10 per person.
After planning, Rebecca and Jacob developed small posters and some
business cards that described their guide service, listed the days and
hours the tours were available, and gave their home phone number. They
distributed their materials to the hotels and restaurants on the island and
the mainland.

THINK CRITICALLY
1. Do you think Rebecca and Jacob have done effective planning for
their service business? What are some additional things they may
want to consider before beginning the business?
2. Suggest ways that the DeNuccis can (a) help prospective customers
understand the type and quality of their service, (b) ensure that
customers get a high-quality service each time, and (c) provide the
service to customers at an appropriate time and location.
3. Explain how Rebecca and Jacob can ensure they are providing
quality service.
4. During the second summer, the DeNuccis’ business became ex-
tremely successful, and more tours were requested than they could
personally lead. Now they are considering hiring other teenagers
who also vacation on the island to lead the tours. What recommen-
dations would you make concerning the qualifications and training
of the new employees?
5. Describe what the DeNuccis can include in their advertising to con-
vince potential customers that they are offering a quality experience.

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