BUSINESS PLAN ASSIGNMENT

PROGRAMME: BSc (Hons) HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

PROGRAMME CODE: LM321
MODULE: MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATIONS
YEAR: 1 SEMESTER: 1

NAME: KEILAH SEEBORUN

STUDENT ID: 2115617

NAME: HANNA BIBI SOULMA OUME BHOYROO

STUDENT ID: 2110162

NAME: RADESHLALL CHEENEEBASH

STUDENT ID: 2116603

NAME: DOORPUTHEE DRUSHTI

STUDENT ID: 2117250

TABLE OF CONTENT

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1. Executive summary……………………………………………………..3
1.1.Industry Overview……………………………………………………
1.2.Mission and Vision Statement……………………………………......
2. Jobs and Responsibilities………….………………………………….....4
2.1.Chief Executive ……………………….…….………………….......…
2.2.Company Cashier………………..............................................……….
2.3.Catamaran/Boat Supplier………….…………………………………..
2.4.Customer Service Executive………..………………….………………
2.5.Boat Chef…………………………….………….......…………………
2.6.Boat Steward/ess……………………….…………....…………………
2.7.Driver………………………….………………….……………………
3. Operational Plan…………….…………………….…….………………..5
3.1.Production………………………….….……………………….............
3.2.Quality Control……………………….….……………………………..
3.3.Legal Environment…………………….….……………………………
4. SWOT Analysis……………………….…………………………....……..6
4.1.Target Market……………………………….………………………….
5. Marketing Strategy…….………………………………………......……..7
6. Sales Forecast…………………….………………………………....…….8
7. Advertising Strategy…………………………………….............………..8
8. Pricing Strategy……………………....……………………..........……….9
8.1.Payment Options………………………………......................…………
9. Budget…………………………………………………………………..…10

1. EXECUTICE SUMMARY

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1.1. Industry overview
Vavavoom Cruise Ltd offers you to go on an unforgettable cruising experience on a top-class
luxury Catamaran. The cruise will be in the North of Mauritius which is considered to be one
of the best places to see when visiting Mauritius specially the Three Northern Island; Coin de
Mire, Ile Plate, and Ilot Gabriel. Vavavoom Cruise Ltd have been established for 20 years
and we are specialized in dolphins swimming, Island Cruise and aqua sport activities. We
normally go in the South West coast of Mauritius by speedboat where we encounter our
lovely dolphins and may also have the opportunity to swim with them. You will stop for
snorkeling breaks, where you can enjoy a swim in the sea throughout the day, enjoy some sun
and drinks on board the catamaran. We have two Catamarans and three speedboats at the time
being and more in the near future. We are based in Balaclava where situates our Pick-Up
point.

1.2. Mission and vision statement

Vavavoom’s main goal is to provide customer satisfaction at its level best. If the company
brings itself closer for clients, it easily fulfils their needs and desires, for in a long period of
time. Therefore, a crucial factor of building a long-term success of the company is ongoing
satisfying client’s needs. Customer satisfaction is often associated with the customer
gratification. Products or services, that are a source of satisfaction, provide the desirable
value to our customers, at least in sufficient degree. One of our visions is to be among the top
5 Cruise company of Mauritius and we believe firmly that we can achieve it sooner or later
but certainly. We plan also into thriving and in investing in a Yacht next year and this will
surely attract lots of customers as we do not have many Yachts in Mauritius. We also hold
upon our Values which we believe is the key to success; Passion, Professionalism and Know-
how, Hard work & Reactiveness, Teamwork & Partnership, Respect & Confidentiality, Cost-
Effectiveness & Profitability and Honesty & Transparency.

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2. Job roles & Responsibilities

 Chief Executive Officer

The Chief Executive Officer shall submit recommendations to the Board for its approval
with respect to matters requiring Board approval under Applicable Requirements, matters
deemed appropriate by the Chief xecutive Officer, as required by Board mandate or
Board committee charter, or as requested by the Board. These matters may include, but
are not limited to, the following:
i. The Company’s major capital expenditures;
ii. The Company’s long-term financial plans;
iii. The consideration of matters relating to senior management, including compensation,
appointment, evaluation and termination;
iv. The acquisition or disposition of material capital assets and investments;
v. The Company’s involvement in material joint ventures;
vi. The establishment or material amendment of significant Company policies and
procedures;
vii. Any other material matter that comes to the attention of the Chief Executive Officer
in undertaking his or her functions or responsibilities under this mandate.

 Company Cashier
Cashiers scan items, ensure that prices are quantities are correct, and collect payments.
They also assist customers by explaining or recommending items, answering questions,
and processing exchanges or refunds.

 Catamaran Boat Skipper

Catamaran/Boat Skipper are experienced skipper who knows the area and will be able to
handle the boat/Catamaran, navigating islands and mooring and also, they are
professional who are able to deal during different weather conditions.

 Customer Service Executive

A Customer Service Executive’s role is to ensure a business’ customers receive
outstanding support and all their needs are met. Customer Service Executives oversee the
customer support department’s day-to-day functions as well as establish standards and
protocols to be used by the customer service team to promote customer satisfaction.

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 Boat Chef
Cruise ship Chef is responsible for the production of all foods available to passengers in
the various food outlets and buffets found on the ship. The principal cruise Chef job is the
management of the day-to-day operation of the Gallery.

 Boat Steward/ess
A Steward/ess is responsible for the hospitality and housekeeping of the interior of the
boat, and for the service to the owners and guests. Tasks include; cleaning, table setting,
serving food and beverages, silver service, bartending, flower arranging, inventory and
planning.

 Driver
A driver is responsible for transporting clients to and from of their respective hotels and
also employees to work and back home. A driver also is responsible for the transportation
of food and beverages to the boat/Catamaran Pick Up Point.

3. OPERATIONAL PLAN

The operational plan outlines the daily tasks required for running Vavavoom Cruise Ltd. It is
essential to have an operation plan so as each employee knows their specific obligations as
well as how they should execute them within specific timeline.

Production

To be able deliver the service in an excellent way and have an excellent customer
satisfaction, all the crew members including the skipper and customer service must be ready
on time. All the duties and instructions are assigned to the crew members as mentioned in the
roles and responsibility’s part. Fire extinguisher and safety gears such as life vests are
available on the boat in case of accident. Varieties of delicious meals are prepared everyday
by chef to ensure all clients are satisfied. For the costs management, all the revenues and
expenditures are available in the budget.

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Quality control

Quality control is a top priority at Vavavoom Cruise Ltd. All the foodstuffs are fresh and
bought everyday to ensure high quality of meals for clients. There is daily inspection of the
boat and equipments such as the engines and navigational system to ensure efficient and safe
operation of the boat. Each month, the boat is sent for inspection, maintenance and repairs. In
order to ensure the efficient operations and high quality of services provided to customers on
a trip, the crew members are observed, monitored and given instructions on where they can
improve.

Legal environment

Before operating the business, licenses and insurances are a must. We already have the
license to operate the boat. The boat captain also has a license and necessary skills and
qualifications. We also have an insurance coverage for cases including injury to guests or
employees, accidents and damage to the boat. To comply with the regulations and standards
of the legal environment, the boat and equipments are environmentally sound, secure and
energy efficient.

4. SWOT Analysis

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Vavavoom Cruise Ltd
has an amazing sales team that is well-versed in commercial operations. As a consequence,
we have a positive relationship with our consumers as well as effective internal
communication. Also, one of our assets is our marketing team's outstanding marketing
techniques, which bring us new clients and help us maintain the ones we already have.
Furthermore, Vavavoom has a reputation for innovation since we are continually attempting
to bring new ideas to life in order to boost client’s satisfaction.

However, one of the weaknesses of Vavavoom is that we have no real relationship with
online ‘influencers’. We rely on only one online brand promoter, which we are trying to work
on and get more visibility on social medias. In addition, our organisation has very strong
competitors which may be included in our weaknesses as we need to deal with strong
competitiveness.

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The opportunities that Vavavoom has are that we recruit high quality staff. Also, we have
developed a customer relationship culture and we try to compete with high quality service.
On the other hand, the threats that we have include unpredictable trends and disruption.
Moreover, the catamaran oil cost has been increasing considerably during last few months.

4.1. Target market

Vavavoom Cruise Ltd has been very profitable and successful due to the economic upturn.
Within the last few years, sales have increased by over 30%. Vavavoom owns two
catamarans, three speed boats and so on. Every year, we get fully booked during the summer
season in Mauritius by tourists as well as local residents.

We plan to provide our customers with the best possible experience at Vavavoom. Even with
a low price, we shall make it worth for all our clients to have a truly memorable and fun day
in the catamaran. We also offer lunch on board in our packages for the catamaran as well as
refreshing snacks during the day. Our customers are mainly the youth who wants to enjoy a
day out with friends and families.

However, our organisation’s target market is tourists who has come to visit Mauritius. As
they want to explore our island, our trips at Vavavoom are the best to discover the beauty of
Mauritian sea and small islands around Mauritius. We aim to provide our target market with
some good music as well on board to improve their experience and so as they may enjoy the
beautiful view more properly.

5. Marketing strategy

Vavavoom has its own website and advertising/promotion programs where its services are
promoted. Reports found out that 75% of our customers use the website to do their online
bookings. We aim to expand our promotion network on Social Medias by doing more
collaborations.

Furthermore, we have opted to place our services of catamaran and speed boats on a platform
known as ‘Marideal’ to attract more customers. Vavavoom Cruise is also advertising its
services on travel magazines all around the island and internationally also. We have been into
contact with hotels who have put posters in their lobbies so as clients are made aware of
catamaran experiences.

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In addition, to everyone who make their booking online via our website, we put an option
where they can be notified about all our special offers and deals and all of our clients have
subscribed to getting these mails from our organisation.

6. Sales forecast

By performing a sales forecast, Vavavoom Cruise Ltd will be able to know an approximate of
the future details of the sales of the company to be able to put forward a plan for revenue and
expenditures. Through this, the company will have the ability to make better decisions. This
forecast is typically made by combining the past sales data, industry benchmarks and
economic trends. With this method, Vavavoom Cruise Ltd will have the ability to better
manage its workforce, ash flow, and any other resources that may affect revenue and sales.

In its early years, the cruise company have had its difficulty. As the only way, it was able to
receive data about sales numbers and revenue was through market research, competitive
benchmarks and other forms of interest. However, with its current 20 years’ experience,
producing more accurate sales forecast has become easier since Vavavoom Cruise Ltd has
become an established business. Through sales forecasts, the company is able to set a stage
for a complete financial forecast to setting the future goals, mission and vision. Right now, by
continuing on the same trend, soon Vavavoom Cruise Ltd will have enough revenue to buy a
Yacht (one of its future goals). Our sales approach at Vavavoom Cruise Ltd is to leverage the
same booking system that has been critical to the firm's success while also projecting where
the company will stand in the future. The following is a three-year sales prediction:

 Rs 1,560,000 in the first fiscal year

 Rs 5,986,200 during the second fiscal year
 Rs 9,754,000 in the third fiscal year

7. Advertising Strategy

Vavavoom intends to create sales through direct mail and magazines advertising. For
strategic ideas and proper exposure, we have outsourced our advertising and marketing to
Norms PR business. Aside from the contract we have with our PR partner, we have further
promotional initiatives. The following are the public relations strategies that we want to use

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in-house. Print advertising and article distribution: We aim to publish our advertising
package, which will include ads in local newspapers and periodical publications such as
Welcome to Vavavoom Cruise Magazine. We also want to provide feature pieces about the
services offered in these magazines. Our objective is to create and implement a distinctive
corporate colour.

In terms of the firm Website Development, our specialists will utilize their expertise and
experience to incorporate our customers’ suggestions into a website that will exceed their
expectations and help us stand out in the catamaran charter industry. Cooperating with other
businesses: Since catamaran is not normally a full-day activity, having additional activities or
things to offer our customers makes for a more comprehensive and healthy experience. It is
critical to determine which of these amenities adds value to our cruising services and
distinguish which are rivals or alternative offerings.

8. Pricing Strategy

There are two sorts of crewed yacht charters available in the world of yachting: "All-
Inclusive" charter experiences and "Plus Expenses" charter experiences:

 All-Inclusive Catamaran Charters — Catamarans provide all-inclusive pricing. That

is, charges are determined by the number of people and include all food and
beverages, water sports, and gasoline expenditures. However, dockage and taxes are
often charged individually.
 Charters with Plus Expenditures — Rates for bigger motor boats do not include
operating expenses, which must be paid separately. The base fee for these premium
charters is solely for the boat. Food, beverages, gasoline, dockage, port taxes, and
other expenditures are invoiced individually.

Market Condition: It might be claimed that market conditions are unstable during pandemics
since consumer spending has reduced due to coronavirus. However, the findings reveal that
there have been advancements in its recovery. Traveling as normal remains difficult for
holidaymakers, but it creates new chances for travel companies. As terms of the competition-
based pricing approach goes, making the price slightly higher compared to the competitors
especially during peak season (especially during summer) will propel the firm to tremendous
success as well as mentioned before envisioning to become among the top 5 Cruise company

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in Mauritius. Since providing a first-rate luxury catamaran, the quality and service given are a
value-based pricing strategy.

Payment Options:

We at Vavavoom recognize that organizing dependable and different payment solutions for
clients is one of the most beneficial things we can perform for our company. We want to
provide payment methods that will make it simple for our consumers to pay for the services
we provide. We have collaborated with a well-known bank in the nation and aim to benefit
from that relationship. Our bank account details will be made available on our website and
advertising materials so that clients may make payments more easily when necessary:

 Payment is made through bank transfer as well as cash is accepted.

 Payment using a POS machine
 Online bank transfer and mobile money payment

9. Budget (Start-up Expenditure)

Maintaining a catamaran cost around 15-20% of the boat value, which includes the cost of
annual haul-outs, insurance coverage and yearly boat service and repairs. Below is a list of
potential expenses that Vavavoom Cruise Ltd uses to manage its budget:

EXPENSES AMOUNT (RS)

Dockage or mooring fees 100,000
Launch/hauling 20,000
Storage 35,000
Transportation 150,000
Repair and Maintenance 1,500,000
Commissioning 50,000
Marina fees and/ or yacht club membership 810,000
Insurance 400,000
Excise tax 750,000

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State boat registration/documentation 60,000
Fuel 1,800,000
Safety equipment (charts, PFDs, flares, etc.) 500,000
Other equipment and miscellaneous 1,300,000
Custom 15,000

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