A. C Travel is a small travel company privately run business owned and run Mr. Davies and his son. They run their business together, selling holidays and travel insurance mainly to American destinations. They try to focus on keeping customers for more than one holiday, so they have a good customer list that is increasing every year. Sales are not good because, their prices are cheaper to be competitive with the bigger travel like Thomas Cook, Going Places and the other bigger travel agents.

Although the Davies have do hold a list of customers on DOS-based filing system, they have no means of targeting the customers who might be looking to go on holiday soon. They also have no easy way of advertising, like mail merge or sending information out to potential customers or original customers. The also have a filing system for the places to go in America and no easy way to access them, they have to sort through files even to phone certain plane companies and hotels. Mr.

Davis has decide to invest in a comprehensive customer system to hold the details of who their customers are he also need a easy to access database to access places to go in America and how much it costs to go profit levels on each flight. Mr. Davis would also like some sort of accounting system as well as an easy way to advertise. There are a number of weaknesses in the current systems. During the interview, some new relative points came up. These are shown and discussed below. Mr.

Davis does not want anything to complicated; he does already have a Pentium computer at 333Mhz and would like to use it if possible, but he can upgrade if need be. He has three people working for him so far his son and a sectary how does have a little knowledge of computers and can use Microsoft Word 97. He would also like a general manual for everyone to use for all the key systems that the travel agent will use. There need to be some detailed manuals for receptionists. Mr. Davis does not mind taking more staff on, as he wants to expand his business anyway but not more then the business can handle.

Mr. Davis uses the phones a lot so will need to have a basic questionnaire for the receptionists to fill out when a phone call is made, on average he has about twenty enquires a day about holidays. He also has a large database of previous customers who can be sent new information and adds. He would also like a website which can help him bring in more business. He would like some sort of mapping software, to know where in America everything is including large city airports and main tourist attractions.

Problems With Current System Sending previous customers new information With the system the already have, when a customers phones in to book a holiday or to make a enquiry, there details are written down and filed in a cabinet if it is just a booking then it is put in a easy access cabinet but if it is a sell then it is put anyway for storage. This then means that it is hard to find the documents again, if they are needed and you cannot send out any other information on new holidays or special deals.

Even if they did want to send information out to customers they would have a lengthy job looking for names and address through the files. Tracing previous orders placed by a customer Each time a customer phones in, they are automatically asked for name and address, this information is then stored for long-term reference in storage cabinets, taking up valuable space and time storing them. Then when you need to access the information. It is very complicated and laborious task, to look through and gather the information.

Alternatively, even find the information that you need. Lack of information about customer base With the system they have the amount of information you can access when it has been filed is poor. You cannot really find out how much one customer comes in and how frequent a user the client may be, which could lose the company a lot of money as there customers can go to different travel agent instead of yours. Access to summarized information of this kind could be useful for planning future stock purchase, marketing campaigns and so on.

he system is to be developed is a customer information system; it is intend to replace the old system rather then try to enhance it. I will be linking it to the Internet for wider advertising, it will also have some kind of website for extra business. It will also have a large Database to hold all customer details. Also some kind of mapping software, this will be used for finding all big cities and main airports on the maps. Software The customers has requested to have the latest software, which would be Microsoft Office 2000 so I have advised them to go for this product.

She will be able to use Microsoft Access 2000 for the database and the Word section for typing. I have also advised them to go for Encarta World Atlas, which will help them find destinations and near by airports. I have also advised Mr. Davis to get some anti virus software and some utilities software. Hardware In order to run Microsoft Office and be able to run Mail merge on Microsoft Word, a PC 486 or Pentium with minimum of 8Mb, and preferably 16Mb, will be required. A fast processor such as a P120 will be needed if the system is not going to appear slow in switching between screens.

I have advised them to go for more powerful computers so they can run new software e. g. Pentium 3, 600Mhz, 128 Mb ram, this computer would be used as the main computer of the business holding all the main information it. Mr. Davis already has a Pentium 200 8Mb, which will be suitable for some basic work, so it can still be used. User’s level of information technology skills Mr. Davis son has some good keyboard skills, although he not the fastest for data need to be inputted they will need a professional reception how can input all the data at an efficient rate.

Consideration Of Possible Solutions A database package would be the best software for this problem, Mr. Davis has not requested anything for it to be done on but think we should go for the whole Microsoft Office package because it would work out cheaper and give better recourses, for the whole company. Anther reason for using Microsoft is that is easy to get hold of and runs on windows. Access is very easy to pick up on with some basic instructions here are some of the good points on why I have chosen access and Microsoft Offices Package.