University of North Texas Small Business Case Study

Case Two: TPS Needed to Support Small Business

Cal is setting up a small business to prep, cook, and deliver healthy and nutritionally balanced meals to customers in his local area. Cal meets with prospective customers to acquaint them with the program, discuss their eating habits and nutritional needs, and help them select from one of several menus (vegetarian, gluten free, low carb but high protein) that meets their needs. Twice a week Cal and his workers buy food ingredients based on what has been ordered. They then cook three or four days of meals for each customer and seal them in airtight bags for reheating. Deliveries are made twice a week. All the customer has to do is take the bag from the refrigerator and pop it into the microwave for 60 seconds.

Business has really taken off and Cal has had to hire two part-time cooks and two part-time delivery people. Cal has been so busy lining up new customers, shopping, and cooking that he has not had time to carefully track all his expenses. He pays his workers in cash, but realizes he will need to set up a formal payroll system and start deducting for taxes, social security, and Medicaid. Cal also wishes he had some sort of system that could help him better plan the kinds and amounts of ingredients needed based on customer orders. As it is, he usually purchases too much of the various ingredients and ends up giving leftovers away at the free store.

Activities due:

1. Cal wants to develop his own program using access database software. Create a requirements document that lists tables and data he should keep up with. Use access to create the new database for Cal. You have to create at least 3 tables. In the customers table input the individual group members as a minimum; you can add more customers if you desire. When you submit the database it should have the query created in step 2). Only turn in one database.
2. From the “Business Intelligence and Analytic Tools” section of the Stair text, choose an analytic concept. Describe how Cal can use this BI concept in Cal’s business. Create at least one query to demonstrate this usage (use the database created in step 1). Explain how this is helpful to Cal’s business. Turn in the explanation of how BI can help Cal and the explanation of the query here.
3. Cal is also looking to increase customer service. Explain to Cal how a knowledge management system could help increase customer service. Create some type of knowledge management system for Cal.
4. Looking over the artificial intelligence section in chapter 9. How can AI assist Cal either now or in the future?