Page 295 - DMGT522_SERVICES MANAGEMENT

Services Management

Notes Escorts Education which is an investment of the tractor-and-auto major Escort Group
(owned by the Nandas) also has other ventures in education and healthcare (Escorts
Heart Research Institute). They were the Indian partners who put up the seed capital.

Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur,
Indian Institute of Management, Kozikode,
Xavier Labour Relations Institute, Jamshedpur.
The last three were content developers and suppliers, giving faculty support. Direcway
offered degrees in Business Management, Computer Application, etc.
The process of service delivery is unique: Franchisees from all over India are connected by
V-SAT systems (satellite) to the nodal centre in New Delhi. At the nodal centre, a faculty
takes a normal class using all his normal pedagogical tools. The only difference is that he
does it in an empty classroom. All he addresses is a TV camera which broadcasts his live
and online his lecture to all the franchisees. At the franchisees’ place, the students sit in
front of TV/computer consoles/monitors and all hear and see the professor at the same
time. If any student has any query, he presses a button in front of him, attached to his
console, and the professor is alerted. The monitor in front of the professor shows a still
photograph of the inquiring student and his identification. The professors, and all students,
are able to only hear the query. All students who are attending classes, all over India, will
be seeing and hearing the same exchange at the same time. When the professor is ready
with his reply, he presses a button and now he is back in focus and on broadcast.

The Direcway case proves that the inseparability factor that plagues marketing can be
sought to be overcome by technology and lots of cooperation from channel partners.
Post Script: Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies and Research, now a deemed
University, has gone ahead in introducing an online, full time post-graduate course in
Business Management with the help of Direcway.
Calculate tariffs: Through the CRS, the passengers’ flight plan could be mapped and
his tariffs calculated exactly and as per the plan with the prevailing rates. This
included taking into account the intricate details of the passengers’ itinerary, food
components, and add-ons and also had all the details of his journey. Previous benefits
accrued to the passengers like frequent flyer and other loyalty programmes were
taken into account automatically.

Do reservations: The reservations for the complete journey – round trip or
otherwise–can be made through the CRS. It can show the passenger the seating
choices available in all airlines of his choices, in all flight plans including the
connecting ones. A three-dimensional computer generated picture will reveal the
seating arrangements, if required. Passenger details, preferences for food and drinks
could all be entered to help the airline personnel – whether inside the aircraft or in
the airport – give better service and personalised care. This included seating choices,
food choices (very crucial and important for Indian passengers having a sizable
percentage of vegetarians)

Logistics: Package delivery firms like FedEx/DHL/Airfreight have increased their
productivity and become global players by installing advanced computer technology.
They can track packages and documents accurately. Their drivers have electronic
clipboards that include a stylus and a pressure-sensitive receipt pad. The clipboards
allow them to track shipments and help them in speeding up the collection of
receivables.
Contd...

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