For the Think Tank

Part I: Texts Written by Decorative Services Company

Introduction

Before write this analysis report, I send out a brief email to Jennifer Tang to request a short phone interview. Jennifer Tang is the Executive Director and the owner for HaoMan Decorative Services Limited Liability Company in Chongqing, China. I had a full seven months working experience as sales associate at this small business company. During that period, I found out that I have strongly interested in this career field. Miss. Jennifer is able to provide me with useful information and advice to guide me into decoration industries; she raised three most important forms and texts that would apply to any decorative services company. A powerful invitation for bidding proposal would help a business to strive for further improvement, a qualified material form would keep the company out of trouble, and a thank you letter would enhance the connection between customer and company.

Bidding Proposal

“In today's competitive business environment, your ability to write powerful proposals could mean the life, or death, of your business” said by Sue Clayton (Sue, 1996). In now society, corporations are facing increasing competitive pressures, so we could image the importance of the bidding proposal, especially for small company.

As Jennifer said, they prepared bidding proposal as long as government agencies and large corporations released Request for Proposal (RFP). However, her movement is kind of violating with the three questions given by Sasha Kovaliov: can we deliver, can we win, and can we profit (Sasha, 2013). According to Sasha’s article, you should not to jump into bidding if your company are not able to meet the requirement or did not do a similar project before. Otherwise you just wasted the valuable time and human resource. Secondly, to guarantee to win the bidding proposal, you have to gather as much information as possible about the client, then to meet their requirements as much as you can. Moreover, you to add some extra to beat down the competing companies. Lastly, the “profit” is not only limited on this one time cooperation, you have to concern the influence and the long-term profit from this project, such as will this project can gain more client ?or will this project can change your existing customers?

To write a powerful proposal should following five steps. Step one is analyzing the current situation, which is giving the background information for the client and their request for proposal form. Step two is to explain the goals of your proposal, write your understanding base on client’s RFP form. Step three and four are the proposed methodology, time and cost. As Decorative Services Company, you should submit the specific construction time period (normally concern as weeks) for each construction item, and give back the quote with specify billing methods to client. The last step is to present why your company could qualify for this project, and what is benefits for client if they implementing your recommendations (Sue, 1996).

Material Form

The second type of workplace text is material form. This form would bring out the specific finishing material on each project, and does it certified by the Nation Fire Service Equipment Quality Supervision and Inspection Center. For a decorative services company, you required to stick-on anywhere that people can easily review. For instance, to write down the degree of flammable of the wall materials, and the category of materials, such as is that wallpapers or wall cloth?

Thank You Letter

During the interview between me and Jennifer, she had mentioned several times about the customer thank you letters. As she said never typed the thank you letter, it was pointless because customers receive those letters routinely. Not only did a handwritten letter make more personal connection with customers, but it also reinforced their message thus increased repeat and referral business. Normally, those letters would send out after the conclusion of projects. The correct spelling and grammar, polite greetings, beautiful fonts are also the key of a perfect thank you letter.

Conclusion

I have learned the basic forms and texts on decoration industries, those three, bidding proposal, Material Form, customer thank you letter, would help me to avoid the career detours in my future career.

Part II: Analysis of Bidding Proposal by Decorative Services Company

Introduction

Compton Community College District Business Service was participated in a lighting upgrade project in a public bidding. I found their bidding proposal form from their home page under the purchasing section. According to a famous quotation: “the details determine success or failure,” part II will focus on more details and giving depth analysis on their bidding proposal through the purpose, function, organization and genre, and language and style.

Purpose

The intent of the District is to enter into an Agreement with a responsive and responsible bidder for the campus lighting upgrade project ECM 1through ECM 4. The contractors have responsibility, to provide an accurate fixture count and provide labor and materials pricing for the Campus lighting projects, for their primary audience----Compton Community College District Business Service. In this case, part II will teach and advocate first-year students in the decorative services field and U.D. business writing professors to write a powerful bidding proposal from different angels.

Function

The common using of bidding proposal is the contractors provide multiple plans, therefore the audience could choose the best option that has maximum benefits and minimum costs. For instance, according to figure 1 contractors have to provide the specific price for ECM #1 through ECM#4, also the Exhibit A shows the use of types, quantities, and input Watts in different areas. After audience’s consideration, there might be several contractors working together, because there are four subentries under the lighting upgrade project.

Organization and genre

This proposal began with general announcements and conditions for bidders, and insert workers’ compensation certificate form and affirmative action status code form. However, the genres of this proposal are the three major forms: bid proposal form, “no bid” response form, and exhibit form. As I mentioned above, bid proposal form and exhibit form are most important reference factor in audience’s final decision. The reason that I choose “no bid” response form as part of the genre is, this form will provide the feedback to contractors if they fail from the bidding process. Without doubt, this form has significant impact for contractors’ future business plan.

Language and style

A biding proposal must be a formal professional style, and all forms have to be filled as audience required. Since the quantity and price of fixtures and completion date must to be accurate and unmistakable, it would not allow any words as “might” and “probably”. There are not too many jargons except terms that describe the conversion process for the light upgrade.

Conclusion

A powerful bidding proposal should be complete, accurate, true, and responsible. They are the basic requirements and also the most important points. As any services companies, business competitions as a race, you will fall behind in the race if you fail at the bidding proposal.

Part III: Abstracting and Critiquing In Decorating Business

Informative Abstract

A decorating business is not only focusing on the public bidding, the interior decorating business is another streams where there is money to be made. Kristie Lorette had a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing and multinational business from Florida State University and a Master of Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University. According to her article, “Marketing Plan for an Interior Decorating Business”, it introduced the importance of the marketing plan which would promote a business and build loyal customers. This marketing plan consists of five major components that process a successful interior decorating business: (1) Identification of target market is an indispensable link. Based on the different types, styles and products that the companies provide, and the customers’ consumption level, the target population would vary.so the demographic research is the first thing before companies enter the target market. (2) Developing an appropriate image for companies, such as the showroom and the image in any marketing and promotional materials, is other way to demonstrate the design quality. (3) Creating a goal that clear and definite which field would be your collaborating objects, then using promotion and advertising to enhance the cooperative relationship. (4) Evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of your competition, and gathering information as much as possible are basic business management. (5) An interior decorating business usually spends more budgets on marketing to establish themselves in the community.

Article Critique

The primary audiences for this article are the people who might or interest in interior decorating business. The author points out the marketing plan to audiences to start an interior decorating business in a clear and simple way, therefore the audiences would avoid unnecessary problems and get their business on track. This document archived Serval articles giving five major aspects to connect author’s purpose, also the function of this document is to teach and guide readers to make their business to profitability. The author gives a few examples to support her opinions, such as she uses “your competition specializes in Victorian style decorating, but you specialize in modern style decorating” (Kristie, 2010) as an example of evaluate the competition. She raises the opinion that offers services that different from your competition. As I know, the interior decorating business is a fiercely competitive occupation, so how does your business stand out from the competition? I totally agree with her opinion, firstly focus on different service that your company is expert in than others, secondly keep updating and develop new decorate means. The author expresses her theories in a clear and simple way, so there is not jargon terms in used, except a very few examples.

Conclusion

A public bidding is such as a lottery, it can bring huge profits and turn a destiny for decorating business. However, Part III introduced decidedly dissimilar aspects from part II, part II focus more on the interior decorating business, and the interior decorating business can keep the basic operating model of the business. In conclusion that both of the public bidding and interior decorating is an integral part of the decorating business.

References

Kovaliov, S. (2013, February 15). Business proposals kick-ass guide: How to write, present and manage. Retrieved April 19, 2015, from http://blog.quoteroller.com/business-proposals-how-to-write-guide/

Clayton, S. (1996, January 31). 7 Steps To A Winning Business Proposal. Retrieved April 19, 2015, from http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/21834

Bid #CCC-020 Prop 39 Lighting Upgrades Project. (2014, May 23). Retrieved March 3, 2015, from http://www.district.compton.edu/docs/CCC-020-Prop-39-Lighting-Upgrades-Project.pdf

Lorette, K. (n.d.). Marketing Plan for an Interior Decorating Business. Retrieved March 3, 2015, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/marketing-plan-interior-decorating-business-770.html

Appendix

Figure 1:

Exhibit A: