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The following information is provided as a substitute for the first point of contact with your “business

client”.

Treat this information in the same manner as you would if you are being introduced to your client or have

just had a physical visit to the client’s premises.

This information is usually part of the initial “getting to know you” introduction to the client.

From this point, you are expected to proceed to the next stage which is

the initial detailed “client interview”.

This initial detailed “client interview” should explore the details of the client’s operations

specifically in the areas that feel are of interest and relevant to the consultation.

I would expect that the responses to this interview will result in further questions and clarification,

perhaps once or even twice until you feel you are satisfied with the information you are able to

gather.

How should you conduct the interview?

This depends on the group, but one suggestion that often works well is that you take the

information in this document, and formulate a number of questions that you feel might be relevant,

(sometimes helpful to you and to the client if you group the questions into relevant sections) and

submit these questions to the client via MS Word document. I will then respond in detail to each

question raised.

The next phase then might be conducted “live” (perhaps using the online Collaborate system) interview that

can be used to “flesh out” the responses and clarify points you need to raise and at the same time discuss

what to do and how to approach it. It will make more sense to do it at this stage rather than the beginning

as you will have a better idea of what you want to do at this point.

At a later stage you can revisit the questions and either send me more written questions or have another live

interview as the consultation progresses.

Note: do not be too concerned as to whether the market strategy is a good one or otherwise. Obviously you

will need to have an understanding of what the business is trying to achieve and the associated methods so

that the system can support it…but you are not being consulted as marketing or business consultants but as

systems accounting consultants (albeit that there is some overlap and that in real life the difference is often

impossible to distinguish).

E-COMMERCE STATIONERY RETAILER

– CLARKY’S PAPERLESS ONLINE STATIONERY STORE

I INTEND TO HAVE A WEB PRESENCE

TAKE ONLINE ORDERS

MARKET OF SMALL BUSINESS’S AND ORDINARY CONSUMERS IN THE TOP END OF

AUSTRALIA - INCLUDING NORTHERN QUEENSLAND, THE NORTHER TERRITORY

AND NORTHERN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

CUSTOMERS NEED TO ACCESS INFO ON MY PRODUCTS

WILL PROVIDE NEXT OR TWO DAY DELIVERY SERVICE 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR ALL

PRODUCTS

COST OF DELIVERY WILL DEPEND ON THE CUSTOMER’S LOCATION

CERTAIN PRODUCTS SUCH AS BULK PAPER CAN BE DELIVERED DIRECT FROM THE

SUPPLIER - BUT DELIVERY TIMES MIGHT VARY

I HAVE MY OWN WEB PAGE DESIGNER, IT EQUIPMENT/SOFTWARE PROVIDER & ISP BUT

REQUIRE AN ACCOUNTANT TO PROVIDE ME WITH SYSTEM/OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES

AND ADVICE

EXISTING ACCOUNTING PACKAGE IS MYOB ACCOUNTRIGHT – BUT HAVE NOT INSTALLED

ANY ONLINE POINT OF SALE SYSTEM AS YET. I ANTICIPATE THAT YOU MAY WISH TO USE

ALTERNATE SOFTWARE FOR YOUR NEW/PROPOSED SYSTEM.

AND I HAVE FULL EFTPOS/CREDIT CARD MERCHANT FACILITIES WITH MY BANK

(WESTPAC)

I HAVE ACCESS TO APPROX $400,000 IN CAPITAL/FINANCE IN ADDITION TO EXISTING

INVESTMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE

MY STATIONERY RETAIL OUTLET IS LOCATED IN BERRIMAH/WINNELLIE WITH A LARGE

WAREHOUSE TYPE FACILITY AT THE REAR

CURRENT INVENTORY LEVEL IS APPROXIMATELY $250,000 WITH APPROX 5,000 LINE

ITEMS APPROX 30% OF WHICH ARE VARIATIONS ON A THEME (IE BLUE, BLACK, RED

PENS) BUT HAVE RESTRICTED THESE VARIATIONS AND INCLUDES NORMAL STATIONERY

ITEMS BUT ALSO INCLUDES VARIOUS OFFICE EQUIPMENT ITEMS, (EXCLUDING MAJOR

ELECTRONIC ITEMS SUCH AS FAXES, PHOTOCOPIERS, COMPUTERS ETC) AND SOME

OFFICE FURNITURE. THE LARGER AND MORE EXPENSIVE OFFICE EQUIPMENT ITEMS ARE

NOT HEL IN STOCK BUT ORDERED DIRECTLY FROM SUPPLIERS FOR DIRECT DELIVERY TO

CUSTOMERS - CUSTOMERS CURRENTLY SELECT THESE ITEMS FROM A PRINTED

CATALOGUE PROVIDED BY THE SUPPLIER

I HAVE SEVERAL EXISTING STAFF INCLUDING TWO SALES PERSONS, AN OFFICE AND

ADMIN ASSISTANT, A BOOKKEEPER/CLERK, A STOREMAN AND MYSELF

I HAVE CONTRACTS WITH EACH OF THE MAJOR AND LOCAL FREIGHT COMPANIES THAT

ALLOWS ME TO PROVIDE SAME DAY FREIGHT TO LOCAL AREA NEXT DAY FREIGHT

SOUTH TO KATHERINE, KUNUNURRA, NHULUNBUY AND JABIRU AND TWOS DAY

FREIGHT TO ALL OTHER AREAS IN THE NORTH OF AUSTRALIA

AT THIS POINT IN TIME I PROVIDE A WALK-IN RETAIL STATIONARY OUTLET AND DON’T

ANTICIPATE CLOSING THAT OPERATION UNTIL MY ON-LINE OPERATION IS SUFFICIENTLY

VIABLE

SALES ARE PREDOMINATELY FOR CASH/CREDIT CARD BUT THE FIRM DOES HAVE A

SMALL NUMBER OF CREDIT CUSTOMERS. IT IS NOT ANTICIPATED THAT THE E-

COMMERCE FACILITY WILL INVOLVE CREDIT SALES

AREAS I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT ARE THE SALES AND INVENTORY MANAGEMENT AND

PURCHASING AND SHIPPING

INTENTION IS TO CAPTURE 25% OF TOP-END AUST AND NT RETAIL MARKET WITHIN 2

YEARS. THE POTENTIAL FOR DIRECT MARKETING AND DIRECT DELIVERED STATIONERY

IS ENORMOUS. THE CURRENT BARRIERS TO ONLINE RETAILING AS I SEE THEM ARE THAT

CUSTOMERS OFTEN LIKE TO BROWSE/GRAZE AND TO BARGAIN HUNT??

POTENTIAL MARKET PROBLEMS WOULD INCLUDE THE FACT THAT THE SYSTEM WILL BE

THE LEADING/BLEEDING EDGE OF RETAIL STATIONERY SALES IN NT

INDUSTRY IS HIGHLY COMPETITIVE WITH LOW GROSS AND NET MARGINS