Chapter 1-Minicase 1 (Page 37)

Chapter 1-Minicase 1 (page 37) Computers in mid-sized business: Killington Ski Resort

1. Enter the web site of Ski Ltd. www.killington.com. Identify some of the marketing strategies.

Click on web site www.killington.com The Web shows many different marketing aspects: First: many of the possibilities for a one-week ski vacation as well as the possible service available to the clients: the overall range of facilities and layout, reservations, etc. Second: conditions of the ski areas at the time or shortly before - they update often. Third: different promotions. Fourth: alternative activities and over 100 places to stay at, etc It also gives information for the employees or for potential employees: job opportunities and similar information. See some content copied from the web page:

Killington Resort 4763 Killington Road Killington, VT 05751 (802) 422-6200 Fax (802) 422-6788 [email protected] For Reservations: 800-621-MTNS

NEW ENGLAND'S PREMIER SKI WEEK DESTINATION 7 Mountains - 32 lifts - 100 Lodges - Endless Nightlife - One Great Vacation

mEticket -The best deal in skiing and riding! Endless Winter... continues across our seven Mountains. With Tons of natural Snow Complemented by The most Extensive Snowmaking System in North America, you can Book your Vacation now with Confidence. With Over 100 bars, Restaurants and Hot-spots, sleigh Rides and Snowmobile tours, Shopping and More lodging Options than any Resort in the east, Killington is the Premier eastern Ski week Destination.

What's New:

2000-2001 Season Passes Send a Killington Postcard Thanksgiving Storm Photo Journal Bring a Friend, Ski or Ride Free Mademoiselle Travel Club Ski Week Online Booking Gift Certificates Hot Jobs Killington This Week

Killington's Competitive Advantage Snow You Can Count On 32 Ways to Get Up These Mountains By Far the Longest Skiing/Riding Season in the East Vertical Drop and Elevation Advantage Early Season Skiing and Riding at Killington

Killington Gift Certificates

Ski and Stay Packages

Everything You Need to Know About Learning to Ski

Your First Time Skiing How to Get Started – 4 Easy Steps | Renting While You Learn | At the Ski Area: • Signup • Renting your Equipment • Attaching Your Lift Ticket • Your First Lesson

Print or Read All Info

About Killington Current Conditions Employment Kids at Killington Killington Stage Race Mail and Chat News Bureau Perfect Turn Program - Ski and Ride Better Pico Mountain Plan Your Vacation Prices, Deals, and Products Services Trails and Maps Travel and Lodging

Current Conditions Snow Report Lift Report Trail Report Ski Report by email Pico Snow Report Pico Lift & Trail Report

About Killington (More Mountains Than you Can Ski in a Week)

32 Ways up the Mountains – the Lifts College Events Directions Directory of Services Events FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) Featured Trails Getting Here Ground Zero Tubing Park How to get here Killington This Week mEticket FAQ's Miles and Driving Time More About Killington/History Mountain Facts News Bureau Press Releases Rates Sign up for Killington Weekly Newsletter (Sweepstakes) The Killington Difference The Snow Trail Maps Vacation Extras Bars and Nightclubs Lodging Off Mountain Activities Real Estate Restaurants

Prices, Deals, and Products College Deals Conferences Deals Deals for Family and Kids Early Season Groups Rentals Double Diamond Tuning Services Multiple Day Rates Holiday and Special Packages Pico Deals Pico Multiple Day Rates Rates Season Pass Ski and Stay Packages The Edge Card Vermont Ski Days Your Little Angels Ski Free

Pico Mountain at Killington Pico Deals Snow, Lift, and Trail Report Trail Map Slopeside Lodging Rates Mountain Facts

Travel and Lodging Online Booking - Packages Online Booking - Properties Grand Hotel Etc

Ski-and-Stay Package Packages Resort Villages Lodging Area Bus Service

Condominiums & Chalets Fall Line HighRidge Pico Resort Hotel & Condominiums Etc

Motor Inns & Motels Best Western Inn & Suites Cedarbrook at Killington Motor Inn & Suites Clear River Inn & Tavern Comfort Inn at Killington Center Comfort Inn at Trolley Square Econo-Lodge Rutland Etc.

Property Management Companies Killington Rentals Martin Associates Real Estate Mountain Rental Company Wise Vacations

How to get here Directions Ethan Allen Express Train Colgain Air from Boston Miles and Driving Time Travel Form

Talk to Us Comments Please Request Info Chat Room The Web Guy ASC Cyberlodge Ski Report by Email Special Offers and Updates

Kids at Killington Rams Head Family Center Kids' Ski Programs Daycare Kids' Skill Level and Hints Ski Week Adventures Ground Zero Tubing Park Your Little Angels Ski Free

Employment Winter Jobs Benefits Winter Employment Opportunities Job Fairs

News Bureau Press Releases Request a Press Kit Perfect Turn Program - Ski and Ride Better Sprint Discovery Center Learning Vacations Mountain Adventure Clinics Perfect Turn Programs Programs for Skiers Programs for Riders Children's Ski Programs Kid's Skill Level and Hints Child Care

Perfect Turn Locations Perfect Turn Cards Equipment Rentals Double Diamond Tuning Services Learning Vacations Multiple Day Clinic Programs (Learning Vacations) Perfect Turn Pros on PSIE Eastern Division Demo Team

Alpine Training Center

Trails and Maps Trail Maps All the Trails

Plan Your Vacation Lodging Packages Early Season Learning Vacations Ski-and-Stay Children's Ski Programs Child Care Ski and Ride Better Rental Equipment Rates Events Getting Here Ski Week Adventures

Killington Stage Race 2000 Gallery 2000 Results Race Details Stage Race Press Releases Courses Search The Site Past Results from 1993 - 1999 Sponsors History

Services Area Bus Service Ski House Hotline Seeking your Own House Seeking People to Share your House Seeking Shares in a Ski House Off Site, of Interest American Skiing Company (Peaks) Site Grand Summer Vacation

Summer at Killington Activities Adventure Center Alpine Slide Child Care Killington Resort Villages Fall Foliage Golf Martin Luther King Ski and Stays Available Right Here Online

Snow Report: updated 5:55 AM on Tue. Jan 9 199 trails 19 Lifts 87 miles Pico is 100% open!

View Report

Everything you need to know about learning to ski

Selling this software is an additional income. The competition could obtain similar software from other sources. Thus it is better for Ski to obtain the additional financial resource.

Software by itself does not provide the strategic planning and even less the strategic marketing and the appropriate resource utilization unique to each enterprise. Yes, the competition gains time over Ski's strategic advantage. But not the strategic advantage itself.

Also having designed such a system internally will generate new improvements. This is very likely to happen on a continuous basis. The innovations will not necessarily be sold right away. The advantage stays in place.

3. The CEO said: "The customer is like a Rubik's cube. Figuring out and responding to his [or her] needs is a complex puzzle, and there is always some better way to solve it". How can IT be utilized to find a better way?

The good use of information technology is very important here. Customers can provide suggestions on the Internet. See the web: Ski Ltd. asks to communicate with them. Databases provide information about the customers: next year’s prospect may have been skiing here last year - 2.5 million have been here while the IT system is storing the visits! Good decision support software and, more so, data mining software can provide insight into the unfulfilled needs of customers. IT can show us that some people come always in March for 5 days: where did they ski this winter already? Why? Etc.

4. The CEO said, his company "created a culture where people are addicted to information ". What does he mean by that, what are the benefits and drawbacks of such a culture?

Information is the lifeblood of the Corporation today and Ski Ltd. has set up information stations all over its extended work area so that workers can easily access them and also provide feedback to supervisors and management. The big advantage is that information is readily available at different places of the enterprise. The disadvantage is that there is need for equipment and infrastructure to tie it all together and that does not come inexpensively. Even the customer is tied to the information flow: slope conditions at any given time - just before leaving today for a ski run, last-minute lodging availability, what is the show tonight at …, etc

5. What kind of trends in the business environment, in management and organization, and in technology are evident in the case? The case shows that technology today is part and parcel of the business environment. Management has made significant efforts in using the technology for good resource utilization and strategically: marketing and planning. The organization has adapted to the use of the technology. And the technology is used not only for management tasks, but also for physical maintenance (some sensors tell when & where snowmaking is needed) and other significant and profitable tasks are guided by the technology system.

6. Why is the system considered to be customer-focused?

Ski Limited aims at providing mainly entertainment based on snow. It provides up-to- date information directly to the client through the Internet not only at home but also on the slopes through kiosks. It also provides all the support needed to make skiing a good experience: help for housing, transportation, entertainment, school, ...even jobs for some.

7. Relate the IT applications to the critical response activities discussed in this chapter.

Network computing is the centerpiece of information of a modern enterprise: Ski does it. The communication net is the core of technology: Ski has it. Information technology offers information to all in the organization: Ski provides it. Organizations have to adapt to be customer-focused, an approach that has helped to succeed at Ski Ltd. See page 35 & 36 in text.