Management Information System -Website Development For A Small Business

Nimble Clothing Inc.initially started with only one store inRoswell, Atlanta region. The store key aim is to provide trendy, low priced, and high quality clothes to their customers. Today,Nimble Clothing has four branches spread across the Atlanta region. The store takes pride in providing top-notch customer service to its clientele, and thus the rapid growth. Nimble Clothing Inc.’s management is now looking to create an online presence by establishing a company website. The website will expand the company’s catchment areaand improve the quality of service offered to customers.

  1. What Internet business model would be appropriate for Nimble Clothing Inc. to follow in creating a website?

The Nimble Clothing Inc. website will take the virtual storefront business model. The company will sell its products both in their physical store as well as in the new online store. The company will receive payments for goods sold online through online forms of payments such as credit card payments (Afuah &Tucci, 2000). Once the payment has been approved, the purchasedgoods will then be shipped off to the customer.The customer will be given information regarding the purchase via emails. An invoice will also be attached to the dispatched goods.

Nimble Clothing Inc.chose this method of transaction, as it is easy to use and effective. Most big organizations have this types of website and with majority of small businesses following suit, such websites will no longer be an advantage for businesses but a necessity (Afuah &Tucci, 2000).

  1. In what ways can Brawny Luggage Inc. benefit from the website? What function should the website perform for the company? (Marketing, sales, customer support internal communication etc)?

Establishing a transactional website will be very beneficial toNimble Clothing Inc. with the main benefit being the ability to access global connectivity. This will help the company reach more potential customers easily and cost effectively (Grewal, Iyer & Levy, 2004). The website will also give the company multimedia capabilities that will allow it to create interactive applications, as well as provide better services. A well implemented website can help an organization reduce its expenses, especially those costs that are related to communication and transaction (Grewal, Iyer & Levy, 2004). It will also enhance coordination and foster sharing of knowledge and information.

  1. In what other ways might Nimble Clothing Inc. use the Internet for its own benefit?

Nimble clothing can gain countless benefits from having access to the Internet. It will not only help them serve their customers better but it would also help them reach suppliers more easily. The company can use the Internet, which is a cheaper and an effective way, to communicate to its suppliers (Grewal, Iyer & Levy, 2004). Another way that the Internet could benefit the company is by providingaccess to the company’s accounts. Nimble writers can use the Internet to manage their customers and other business dealings virtually, from anywhere in the world. All company’s transactions will be automatically entered in the company’s database that will be reviewed on regular basis (Grewal, Iyer & Levy, 2004). Subsequently, when the company’s employees are away either on vacation or business trips, they can still access important information regarding the business virtually whenever need be.

4.Prepare functional specifications for the company’s use of the Web and the Internet. Include links to and from other sites in your design.

Nimble Clothing Inc. can access useful information from numerous sites on the Internet. Being a company that deals with clothes, Nimble Clothing should evaluate websites of other companies within the fashion and design industry (Amza, et. Al., 2002).This will help the company in determining how its competitors use the Internet to their advantage.

The company could develop site, which will be used to provide general information to their customers, display the products they offer, and allow customers to make purchases (Amza, et. Al., 2002). Nimble Clothing Inc. could also create a page that would enable customers to contact the company and thus improving customer and after sale services.

  1. Technological specifications for implementation ofNimble Clothing Inc.’s use of the Internet. 

Web designing involves ensuring that the web developer has all the relevant tools, both the hardware and the software.The main tool required is a computer with a large hard disk and a large RAM (Random Access Memory). The computer should also have a large storage capacity and a high processing speed to facilitate processing big files (Amza, et. Al., 2002). The other requirement is a server that will be used to host the website. The relevant software must also be in place before the website construction process can commence.

The Internet is full of external threats and thus one must have an antivirus to protect them from such threats. Additionally, the website should be backed up for extra security in case of crash. With the improved technology that allows people to access websites from hand devices such as phones and tablets, it is advisable the company optimizes their site to ensure that it is accessible from such devices (Amza, et. Al., 2002). Depending on the website’s content, Nimble Clothing may also require databases. If the website will be dynamic, there will be need to use a database (Amza, et. Al., 2002).

Before the company develops its Internet-based projects, it is advisable that it conducts a cost-benefit analysis to ensure that the projects will be successful. When performing a cost-benefit analysis, Nimble Clothing must evaluate the expenses incurred in relation to the benefits gained, both tangible and intangible ones. A tangible benefit is any benefit that the company can quantify and/or one that it can assign a monetary value (Grewal, Iyer & Levy, 2004). Tangible benefits include increased cash flow and reduced operational expenses. Intangible benefits on the other hand are benefits that the company cannot quantify (Amza, et. Al., 2002). They include better decision-making processes and improved customer service.

There are a number of costs that are associated with incorporating the Internet into an organization’s operations. One of the costs is the cost incurred when purchasing the computers that will be used to access the Internet. Other than purchasing the hardware, the company will be required to get an Internet connection from an Internet Service Provider (Grewal, Iyer & Levy, 2004). Whether the company decides to access the Internet through a modem or a network, there will be a cost incurred. The company might also be required to acquire software depending on the purpose of the Internet. Another cost will be the technical maintenance expenses incurred. In addition, the company may have to add personnel in order to cater for the additional tasks, especially the technical tasks such as maintenance.

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