The term “marketing” is based on the word “market”, which means the market. Therefore, marketing is a concept of management, management in a market environment, proclaiming the orientation of production to meet the specific needs of specific consumers. Marketing is a system for managing the production and marketing activities of an organization, aimed at obtaining an acceptable amount of profit through accounting and active influence on market conditions.
Marketing is a system for planning the range and volume of manufactured products, determining prices, distributing products between selected markets and stimulating their sale in order to meet needs. Operational marketing is an active process of obtaining a given volume of sales through the use of practical means related to the concept of "4 R". These four elements together make up the marketing mix, which is developed for a specific market situation. At the same time, they talk about the complex marketing tools(marketing mix - the so-called marketing mix). Thus, the ability to correctly “mix” marketing elements to solve practical problems is the basis of marketing. Let's consider each element separately: Product Product The company's product policy includes the definition of consumer characteristics of the product and its positioning in the market, the development of an assortment and methods of marketing support at different stages of the life cycle. Price (Price) Pricing policy is a component of the competitiveness of the product, final goal which - to determine the pricing strategy, the competitive price of the goods. The methodology for determining the optimal price level takes into account the demand for products and the sensitivity of buyers to price changes; costs of production and sales of products; competitor prices. Accordingly, with the goals of pricing, the marketing service must choose the most effective from several pricing strategies: the strategy of uniform or differentiated prices; high or low price strategy; strategy of stable or unstable prices; a strategy of preferential or discriminatory prices, as well as a variety of discounts and surcharges. Promotion of goods on the market (Promotion) Promotion of goods on the market is carried out with the help of advertising, publicity (information), personal selling and sales promotion through the buyer, sellers, intermediaries. Sales promotion, as an effective type of product promotion, includes activities in relation to buyers, sellers and intermediaries: various benefits and forms of encouragement (discounts, contests, lotteries, credit, gifts). Advertising is also aimed at promoting goods, the purpose of which is to contribute to the implementation of marketing goals, which include: increasing sales; increase in market share; launching new products on the market; formation positive image firms, etc.
Delivery of the product to consumers (Place) Meaning marketing policy, which provides for the choice of sales method. Sales can be direct (directly by the enterprise) or sales through resellers, which can be wholesalers and retailers, dealers, distributors, agents, brokers, etc. The main goal of operational marketing is to generate income from sales, i.e., use the most effective methods sales and minimum costs. At the same time, the goal of achieving a certain sales volume is transformed into production program and a sales program for individual sales. The activity of operational marketing is a decisive factor in the activities of firms, especially in those markets where competition is aggravated. Any product, even of excellent quality, must have an acceptable price for the market, be available to buyers in the distribution network. It must be adapted to habits target consumers, meet their expectations and have communication support to promote it. To fulfill all these points, operational marketing is necessary.
commercial activity is profitable if it satisfies the needs of customers. It is possible to predict the development of the market, offer a product that is interesting for customers and ensure its sales by constantly monitoring demand and developing tactics in the organization's activities. Operational marketing of a company is a tool that allows you to successfully solve short-term tasks of developing an assortment, promoting and selling goods on an already developed market, while ensuring the implementation of a strategic plan, making a profit and the success of an enterprise in a competitive environment.
How to make a product in demand?
A person or company who decides to offer a product or service to consumers must first identify and analyze a number of factors that affect the level of demand. To do this, there is marketing - an activity whose purpose is to satisfy the needs of customers and, as a result, make a profit for the organization. It allows you to choose promising areas on the market and make the product attractive to the population, while contributing to the competitiveness of the enterprise.
Development of tactics - the path to success
Any leader should have a clear idea of what he wants to see his company in a few years. To do this, it is necessary to carefully plan its activities. That is why strategic and operational marketing is used. The first type is the concept of the business as a whole and the way of its development (strategy), it answers the questions:
- in what direction the organization will be improved;
- which client will be targeted;
- what market segments it plans to cover.
The second is nothing more than the direct phased implementation of this perspective plan. Operational marketing is designed to study the scope of implementation and influence it. It covers the development of a product, its release, informing the public about the products offered, increasing their value compared to analogues presented by other manufacturers. To increase profits, the company plans and conducts a number of promotional activities aimed at increasing the level of sales.
Both types of marketing are interrelated, together they make it possible to successfully sell goods to consumers, while ensuring an increase in the competitiveness of the enterprise.
Features of implementation planning
The operational marketing strategy is the organization of the sales process in already developed market segments, informing customers about the benefits of the product. This planning is carried out for a short term (mainly for a year) and is quite detailed. It allows you to determine the profitability of a business in a certain period of time. This is a tool that allows you to act in the conditions of "today" and move in the direction of "tomorrow", taking into account the vector of the company's development.
Tasks of Operational Marketing
The short-term program of action is useful because it provides a number of important functions in the field of sales, namely:
- improvement of the sales process, i.e., the search for new consumers and product distributors;
- preparation of the main assortment and formation pricing policy(the price must be competitive in the market);
- merchandising - in the process of operational marketing, a competent display of goods forms the interest of buyers in the product and thus increases the company's income;
- organizing and conducting a number of promotional campaigns (racks with a demonstration of samplers, promotions).
The fulfillment of these tasks in the aggregate will provide an increase in the income of the enterprise.
Features of the sales process
Activities aimed at making a profit, as a rule, are carried out in a certain sequence. For the effective functioning of the enterprise, it is necessary to know the stages of operational marketing and work in accordance with them. Step by step short-term planning is as follows:
1. Holding market research, i.e., the study of customer requests for goods and services. This stage is key, because it is on its results that the whole process will be built.
2. Development of tactics aimed at the implementation of the marketing program. If there are several options for business development, then the least expensive one is chosen.
3. Drawing up an operational plan. This document must clearly spell out the list of goods, their places of sale and activities aimed at promoting products.
4. Calculation of the budget. This step involves the analysis of the covered market segments and the distribution financial resources between them.
5. Implementation of the drawn up plan and control over the course of actions.
It should be noted that the more detailed all stages of marketing are thought out, the more correct the financial assessment of the enterprise will be, the lower the costs and the more significant the benefits from the commercial activities carried out.
Working on making a profit from a business is based on those components that you have to work directly with. It:
- products - goods that may be of interest to consumers and will be in demand;
- cost - the funds that will be raised in the sales process, as well as the pricing policy, taking into account all kinds of bonuses, promotions and discounts;
- points of sale - organization of deliveries to already developed areas and sales of products;
- promotion - a set of ways and techniques to familiarize customers with a product and form their understanding of its value in comparison with other similar products.
These components influence the planning of the sales process, they allow you to determine the requirements of customers for the products they need and make them in demand.
The role of implementing the short-term plan
The value of operational marketing is quite large. Many physical and legal entities they use its tools unconsciously, fragmentarily, but if a specialist is engaged in it, then he is able to significantly increase the level of income, form a steady consumer interest in the goods of this particular organization and ensure the development of the company in the right direction.
Operational marketing is a factor on which the profitability of an enterprise over a certain period of time directly depends. Skillfully developed tactics allow the company to confidently take its position in the market. But we must remember that it will bring positive results only in combination with long-term planning. Skillfully thought-out operational and strategic marketing will ensure the success of the company, its competitiveness and continuous increase in profits.
The term "marketing" as a process has an internal duality. Usually, the attention of marketers-practitioners is focused more on the active side of marketing in comparison with the "analytical" side. To emphasize and show this duality, additional characteristics of marketing are used - "strategic" and "operational".
Strategy is the direction of action or development of an enterprise in order to achieve strategic goal. A marketing strategy is a rational logical construction, guided by which, an organization expects to solve its marketing problems, including specific strategies for target markets, the marketing mix and the level of marketing costs. According to J.-J. Lambin, strategic marketing is a continuous and systematic analysis of market needs, leading to the development effective goods, designed for competitive groups of buyers and having special properties that distinguish them from competing products and, thus, create a sustainable competitive advantage for the manufacturer. G.L. Bagiev defines strategic marketing as the process of developing a strategic mix complex, the main directions of the company's strategic policy in the field of goods, prices, communications, distribution and marketing, taking into account the factors of constantly changing marketing environment. The authors offer the following understanding of the essence of strategic marketing: planning, development and implementation of strategic directions for the development of an enterprise using marketing tools and methods.
Operational marketing is an active process with a short-term planning horizon, aimed at retaining the existing market, which consists in using all marketing means: product, price, sales, communications - to achieve the set goals.
The role of operational marketing is to organize sales, sales and communications policies to inform potential
buyers and demonstrate the distinctive qualities of the product while reducing the cost of finding buyers.
The main goal of operational marketing is to "sell" and receive purchase orders by using the most effective sales methods while minimizing costs. The goal of achieving a certain sales volume translates into a production program for the operations department and a storage and physical distribution program for the sales department. Thus, operational marketing is a defining element that directly affects the short-term profitability of the enterprise.
Both marketing approaches - strategic and operational - complement each other and find their concrete embodiment within the framework of marketing policy enterprises. The main components of strategic and operational marketing and their logical relationship with the development strategy of the enterprise are presented in Figure 2.1.
The activity of operational marketing is a decisive factor in the activity of an enterprise, especially in those markets where there is intense competition. Any product, even if it is of excellent quality, must be priced appropriately for the market, be available in a distribution network adapted to the habits of the target consumers, and have communication support that promotes the product and emphasizes its distinctive qualities. There are rare market situations in which demand exceeds supply, when the company is well known to potential consumers and there is no competition. Operational marketing is the most dramatic and most visible aspect of marketing. Whatever the operational marketing plan, it cannot create demand where there is no need, and cannot sustain a line of business that is doomed to disappear. Therefore, to be profitable, operational marketing must be based on strategic thinking, which in turn is based on the needs of the market and its expected evolution.
The range of tasks of strategic marketing is as follows:
systematic and constant analysis needs and requirements of key consumer groups;
developing concepts for effective products and services that allow the company to serve selected groups of customers better than competitors;
providing the manufacturer with goods of a sustainable competitive advantage.
The role of strategic marketing is to identify those groups of needs potential consumers that can be satisfied through the creation of a particular product or service. From a marketing perspective, the customer doesn't need the product so much as he wants the problem-solving that the product can provide.
The product markets identified represent economic opportunities whose attractiveness should be assessed.
The attractiveness of a commodity market is quantitatively measured by the concept of market potential, and is dynamically characterized by the duration of its existence or life cycle. For a particular firm, the attractiveness of a product market depends on its competitiveness, in other words, on its ability to satisfy the needs of customers better than competitors. Competitiveness will exist as long as the firm retains competitive advantage, either through special qualities that distinguish it or because of higher productivity that provides it with a cost advantage.
The task of strategic marketing is to target the enterprise to attractive economic opportunities, i.e. those that are tailored to its resources and know-how provide its potential for growth and profitability. The process of strategic marketing has medium and long-term horizons, it consists in clarifying the mission of the company, setting goals, developing a development strategy and ensuring a balanced structure of the product portfolio.
Marketing in general, and especially strategic marketing, is called upon to play an important economic role in the market system of the economy, not only due to the fact that it provides an effective pairing of supply and demand, but also because it launches a virtuous cycle of economic development:
strategic marketing discovers unmet needs and develops products adapted accordingly;
operational marketing implements a plan of action that leads to the creation and growth of demand for these new products;
growing demand leads to lower costs, which allows lower prices, bringing new groups of buyers to the market;
this expansion of the market attracts new investment, which enables economies of scale and the development of improved or new products.
Strategic marketing is a factor in economic democracy because it creates a system that: a) listens to the voice of the buyer;
b) orients investment and production to foreseeable needs;
c) takes into account the diversity of needs through market segmentation;
d) stimulates innovation and entrepreneurial activity.
Marketing implementation is a process of transformation marketing strategies and plans into marketing activities aimed at achieving strategic marketing goals. Implementation consists of daily and monthly work to effectively implement marketing plan. If marketing planning asks “what and why” questions, then implementation asks “who, where, when and how” questions.
The implementation of marketing plans and strategies requires coordinated work at all levels of marketing implementation. The successful implementation of a marketing strategy depends, firstly, on an action program that coordinates the work of all performers and all activities in general. Secondly, important role in the implementation of the marketing strategy plays a formal organizational structure firms.
The strategic and operational parts of marketing complement each other: the structure of the strategic plan must be closely linked to operational marketing. Operational marketing focuses on such variables in the company's activities as price, distribution system, advertising and promotion, while strategic marketing focuses on choosing product markets in which the company has a competitive advantage, and on forecasting the total demand for each of the target markets. markets. Based on this forecast, operational marketing sets specific goals for gaining market share and the marketing budget needed to achieve them.
Once a company's overall marketing strategy has been selected, detailed planning of the marketing mix (the 4 P's) is required - the set of controllable marketing tools used to generate the desired response from the target market. The marketing mix includes everything a company can do to influence demand.
Synthesis of the results of the phased development of the strategy and operational planning implemented in the marketing plan.
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\r\nSTRATEGIC MARKETING\r\nTable 4.21
Marketing Plan\r\nSection Purpose\r\nMarketing Plan Overview Presents the main points of the proposed plan for management to skim through.\r\nCurrent Market Condition Provides basic information about the market, product, competitors, distribution of the product, incentive methods used, etc. .\r\nThreats and Opportunities Describes the main threats, opportunities that may affect the company's activities.\r\nTasks and problems Briefly formulates the tasks, as well as problems that the company may encounter in their implementation.\r\nMarketing strategy Represents the general marketing approach that will be used to achieve planned goals.\r\nAction programs Determine what will be done, by whom, when and how much it will cost.\r\nBudget Estimated income and expenses that allow you to give a preliminary financial assessment the results of the implementation of this plan.\r\nControl Indicates how the implementation of the plan will be controlled.\r\nIf strategic marketing develops a mechanism for monitoring the implementation of the strategy, then operational marketing exercises this control.
Marketing control - the process of quantifying and analyzing the results of the implementation of marketing strategies and plans, as well as the implementation of corrective actions to achieve the goals.
Goals operational control it can be, for example, an assessment of the company's achievement of the level of sales, profits and other goals established by the annual plan, determining the profitability of various products, territories, markets and distribution channels.
Table 4.22
Stages of operational control
Formulating specific marketing programs
Quantification of the results of the execution of tasks in the market and analysis of the reasons for any deviations of the actual performance from the planned one
Implementation of corrective actions to eliminate the discrepancy between the tasks set and their implementation (if necessary, it is possible to change action programs or revise previously formulated tasks)
90
More on the topic 4.7. Operational Marketing:
- 3. Management of the formation of operating profit based on the system "Relationship between costs, sales volume and profit"
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In practice Russian entrepreneurship operational document internal planning marketing plans and operating programs to support them are considered. In the process of drawing up a business plan, as a rule, economic and mathematical methods are widely used. This is of particular importance for taking into account the inflation factor and bringing the costs at different times, as well as for analyzing the sensitivity of the project to changes in the external environment.
In an operational business project, a significant place is occupied by calculations, the elements of which include elements of forecasting, expert assessments of the future state of a particular financial and production-economic process are involved, and the situation is described not only at the final moment of the project, but also quarterly (monthly). Currently, there is a very wide range of specialized software products. In connection with the great needs of the market and the cardinal improvement of hardware and software, more advanced versions of existing software products and fundamentally new software appear.
It is impossible to run a company, even if it is a very small one, without drawing up the elementary form of a marketing plan. The marketing plan is the one essential tool, which directs commercial activities in the right direction, towards the realization of the business goal. In other words marketing plan is a system document built on the basis of a comprehensive assessment of the market situation for the implementation of a program to achieve the goals of a specific business operation.
The structure of the operational marketing plan includes the following sections:
- analytical assessment of the market situation;
- substantiation of the main goal of market participation;
- finally justified strategy;
- a program of action with the allocation of executors and specific deadlines;
- income and total costs;
- control and evaluation.
The structure of the indicative operational marketing plan is presented in Table. 3.6.
Table 3.6
|
Brief overview and content of the plan |
Main sections of the plan |
|
|
Market situation |
Key data characterizing the state of the market, taking into account the influence of macro- and microenvironment factors. Assessment of consumer characteristics of the product and distribution channels |
|
|
Analysis and assessment of the real capabilities of the company related to the behavior of the business operation |
Assessment and calculation of the company's market potential with the definition of production, financial, infrastructural potentials |
|
|
Selection main goal conducting a business operation taking into account the strengths and weaknesses of the company, its main competitors, as well as possible problems technological, financial and commercial nature |
||
|
Marketing strategy |
Represents the definition of a profitable area of market presence based on segmentation, as well as taking into account the planned sales volumes, the level of profitability, competition in the target segment |
|
|
Action Program |
Includes the main sections of the marketing program with the allocation of specific deadlines and performers |
|
|
Determination of possible income, losses |
Contains a sales forecast taking into account losses and the impact of cumulative risks |
|
|
Monitoring and evaluation |
Carries out a comparison of forecast data with actually achieved indicators, taking into account feedback adjustments |
An exemplary program of action for a marketing plan is given in Table. 3.7. It defines the deadlines and performers who will use the marketing tools: product, price, distribution, promotion and positioning.
Marketing program is a system document developed on the basis of marketing research market conditions for the implementation of the function of commerce using a sound strategy of market participation in order to maximize customer satisfaction and achieve the intended profit.
The objectives of the marketing program are:
- 1) analytical assessment of the level of demand for corporate products in the framework of comprehensive market research;
- 2) creation of a profitable portfolio of orders;
- 3) development of an attractive range of goods, services;
- 4) the formation of a reliable system of commodity circulation with the allocation of blocks of transport, warehouses and distribution channels;
- 5) preparation of a high-class marketing team.
Any organization operating in the market needs a communication program.
The communication program should be formed taking into account the target segment and the needs of each client individually. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account possible contacts from both the internal communications of the organization and various target audiences consumers, partners, members of the public and authorities. A manager working in the field of commerce must be able to choose the most effective ones from the total volume of integrated communications.
In practice, the communications program as a system document includes strategic, tactical and performance blocks aimed at achieving the company's mission.
Before developing a communications program, it is necessary to perform not only an audit of the potential of goods, services, distribution systems, promotion, positioning, but also an assessment of customer needs to identify the level of unsatisfied demand. At the same time, it is necessary to prevent possible "barriers" in communication channels from competitors and unscrupulous media.
The effectiveness of communication is achieved due to the coordination of the actions of all components: on the one hand, by matching the content of the message to the expectations
Table 3.7
Sample program of specific actions of the plan marketing
|
Responsible officer |
Period of execution |
||
|
Development of technical specifications for the manufacture of a new product, service |
Ivanov N. A., Nikolaeva I. A., Pavlov S. A. |
||
|
Approve the price list with quarterly price changes, taking into account inflation and the prices of the main competitors |
Kruchinin A. P., Semenova E. P. |
||
|
Distribution |
|||
|
Propose a sales network including five major distributors |
Kuzmin V.I., Alexandrov V.I. |
||
|
Promotion |
|||
|
Carry out major promotions including flexible price discounts, advertising, tastings, etc. |
Komarov T. M., Smirnova V. A. |
||
|
Positioning |
|||
|
Organization of the presentation of a new product, press conferences with accreditation of journalists |
Kulagin N. P., Nikolaev A. N. |
||
recipient (communicator), on the other hand, with the help of professionalism, responsibility of the communicator.
The main components of a marketing communications program are:
- Information Technology as the main content of the information field;
- goals of communication;
- tasks related to penetration into sales markets, improvement of service quality, development of diversification and restructuring;
- tactics or specific actions using communication tools, setting deadlines and executors;
- monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of each section of the program.
The structure of the communication program is shown in fig. 3.10.
Thanks to the use of modern software products and the Internet, each company forms a corporate information field, the structure of which is shown in Fig. 3.11.
The process of managing the collection of information is carried out in practice by a provider manager who professionally manages the information flow and can develop the content of questionnaires, questionnaires, organize successful
Rice. 3.10.
Rice. 3.11.
A, B, C.D.E - target audiences
To assess the market situation, as a rule, SWOT and content analysis are performed. SWOT analysis allows you to systematize the commercial activities of competitors, highlight their strengths and weak sides, identify threats and benefits from a corporate opportunity perspective, and develop market participation strategies. By using content analysis a quantitative and qualitative assessment of the content of integrated communications is carried out and a decision is made on specific areas of its use.
When ranking communication goals in the first block of the program, it is necessary to adhere to the "KIROS" principle, i.e. goals must be specific, measurable in space and time, correspond to the progressive development of the company, be justified from the standpoint of the dynamics and patterns of the market environment, correspond to the resource potential and corporate capabilities.
The main goal of communications is to achieve the success of the company in the market and in society. To do this, it is necessary to perform a number of other tasks related to strengthening competitive advantage, increasing market share, positioning goods and services, improving the image.
The second block of the communication program, tactical, includes a specific action plan, taking into account the budget and the state of resources.
Corporate budget represents the amount of money spent on the development and implementation of a communication program. Advertising is the most expensive item in the budget. Television advertising accounts for the largest share of expenses. Therefore, when justifying the budget for communications, the cost of advertising space must be carefully considered. Approximate rates for advertising placement are given in Table. 3.8.
Table 3.8
Today, it is safe to predict that traditional media will lose billions of dollars in the coming years from advertising, which is likely to be published on free bulletin boards on the Internet.
The final block of the program, the evaluation one, is formed through the implementation of regular monitoring of the communication policy and summing up the results of its implementation. Communicative effectiveness can be assessed before, during and after the transmission of a message. Control is exercised by identifying how the chosen communication goals correspond to the corporate mission. At the same time, first of all, control over the use of funds allocated for marketing communications and changes in market positions is carried out, i.e. increase in turnover, market share, corporate influence in target segments.
Quite interesting is the experience of developing a communication program for CJSC Moskva, which manufactures furniture. CJSC "Moskva" is an enterprise whose team has been manufacturing upholstered, children's and office furniture for 70 years. The company has its own design center and trading house. She is a diploma winner of international exhibitions and fairs, a laureate of the All-Russian program of the competition "100 Best Goods of Russia", she has a diploma "Gold Business". Every year, the company's marketers develop and successfully implement a communication program for participation in international exhibition in Sokolniki "Furniture-Expo".
It should be noted that the successful development and implementation of a communication program requires a professional team that can work in a short time. Recently, the demand for managers of a new professional orientation has increased, namely:
- development managers with extensive commercial connections, experience strategic planning, as well as work in the field of creating media strategies; it is also necessary to have good organizational skills in the management system for the promotion of goods, services and promotions;
- account managers with marketing tools attracting them, providing services, promoting the brand and working with the media;
- public relations managers who have work experience of at least three years, established contacts with government agencies and the media, experience in conducting presentations, briefings and advertising;
- copywriters to develop creative concepts, advertising campaigns, slogans; these people should have experience in writing and editing advertising texts, participating in tenders and promotions;
- designers who are able to develop computer design, advertising concepts and materials (printing, POS-materials, outdoor advertising, package).
The most complete account of the dynamics of project implementation in the preparation and analysis of a business plan is possible using specialized computer systems economic and financial modeling adapted to solve such problems. Right choice and effective use computer software products can significantly improve the quality of the business plans themselves.
Most often in our country, the following application packages (APP) are used in the field of entrepreneurship: COMFAR (Computer model for feasibility analysis and reporting); "Alt-Invest" company "Alt" (St. Petersburg); PROPSPIN (Project profile screening and reappraisal information system), created by the United Nations (UN) Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO); Project expert package from Pro-Invest Consulting. Let's consider them in more detail.
1. Application software package COMFAR. The COMFAR PPP exists in various versions, largely adapted to the economies of specific countries. It has been translated into Russian. The first version of the package was created in 1982 and, despite significant improvements, some approaches to data presentation are still noticeably outdated. The package is officially distributed by the PLO, but due to the high cost, this software product has not found official buyers in Russia. However, the insufficient development of the civilized market of software products has led to the fact that it has received unofficial distribution and is widely used to evaluate investment projects. COMFAR is a licensed package, which greatly increases the credibility of the calculations made with it. It consists of three program blocks: data entry, calculations and output of results. The package also contains two additional blocks: graphical display of information and economic cost-benefit analysis. The graphic block makes it possible, using business graphics tools, to build diagrams that allow you to make organizational and financial decisions, taking into account the sensitivity analysis of such important variables as sales price, production and sales volume, costs, etc. The purpose of conducting an economic analysis is also to predict the result of the project implementation in the conditions of a specific national (regional) economy and to make an optimal investment decision for the entire period of its implementation.
Among the advantages of the COMFAR package related to the performance of a "control" function (ie, minimizing the possibility of both errors in the methodology and counting, and deliberate manipulation of the results), is closeness. The work cannot be interfered with, which guarantees that the results obtained correspond to the entered data and increases their reliability.
The main disadvantage of the package is the impossibility of its existing tools to adequately describe the features of the project implementation in the conditions of a country with a transitional economy. This system lacks a flexible mechanism for detecting inflationary impact both on costs and on currency ratios; no such inherent Russian economy realities like payment delays. It should also be noted:
- 1) incomplete compliance of the tax block with Russian legislation and the need to use special techniques to circumvent existing restrictions (COMFAR allows you to directly take into account only those taxes that are calculated on the basis of profit);
- 2) rigid specification of the list of initial data;
- 3) the lack of sufficiently developed tools in the system to describe the network schedule of the project, which leads to the need to additionally use programs Microsoft Project and etc.;
- 4) low level of service for the user.
- 2. "Alt-Invest" package. This package is implemented using spreadsheets Microsoft Excel and can work in the environment of other common spreadsheet processors (Lotus 1-2-3, QUATTRO Pro, etc.). This significantly affects the work with him. "Alt-Invest" is issued in Russian and English versions and provides for the possibility of settlements in two currencies. The advantage of the package is that all information is presented on one screen. By changing the values of the indicators, the user instantly receives a reaction to his actions. The package allows you to make calculations in constant and current prices. In this case, the calculation in constant prices is carried out using the real rate for each given moment bank interest. Using the package, you can predict how the main project parameters will change during various inflationary processes, which is especially important for the current situation. This software product is more adapted to Russian legislation, it has the ability to customize input data blocks based on conditions corresponding to the real situation (inflation, taxes, etc.). This approach gives the user a wide choice various forms financing the project through lending, issuing shares, searching for reliable guarantors and possible transactions with objects of unfinished construction and other forms of financing, as well as their combinations.
Universal tables for calculating payments on loans can be used to draw up optimal schedules for their repayment, taking into account the current financial condition companies. The package allows you to change the planning period for this project (90 days by default) and the number of such periods. The issuance of output forms is quite conveniently implemented, which allows, when working with the system, to create textual explanatory material with the inclusion of tabular and graphic information in it. The user has direct access to the formulas used for calculations. The disadvantages include:
- 1) the inconvenience of tables (when searching for the necessary indicators, the user must view the entire spreadsheet each time or remember its coordinates);
- 2) the complexity of changing formulas, which requires not only a deep understanding of their meaning, but also the ability to correctly program formulas in the language of this spreadsheet;
- 3) significant efforts are required from the user to correct the tables;
- 4) availability free access to formulas makes it difficult to verify the reliability of the calculations;
- 5) the package does not contain tools for building a network diagram, and the process of issuing results for printing and plotting requires the user to have special skills.
- 3. PROSPIN package. This package is information system preliminary evaluation of projects. It was developed by the United Nations in Vienna for the preparation, research and analysis of industrial investment projects. Like COMFAR, PROPSPIN is a licensed and internationally recognized software product. The PROPSPIN package is intended for:
- 1) preparation of possible scenarios based on various assumptions regarding the prospects of the project;
- 2) studies of the consequences of changes in the selected parameters;
- 3) formulation of an investment project.
A distinctive feature of this software product is its integration. The user simultaneously sees on the screen both the input data and their input. financial results. The resulting report is a variant financial profile project subject to given constraints. However, the package is not a tool for a complete financial analysis, but serves to quickly identify options suitable for further consideration. The tables created by the system contain the main physical and financial data, an internal assessment of the profitability of projects is given in terms of such indicators as the rate of return, payback period, break-even point. If weaknesses are found in the financial structure of the project during the analysis, the user has the opportunity to change the values of the input data until he selects a set of parameters that will make the project acceptable.
PROPSPIN consists of two parts: a data entry block and a report generator. The first one sets the initial investment, data on raw materials, cost work force and accessories, as well as a number of others. Some options may be accepted by default.
The report generator creates tables containing:
- 1) analysis of the proposed financial structure and debt servicing;
- 2) initial investment and depreciation analysis;
- 3) income dynamics;
- 4) sales volume and capacity utilization;
- 5) analysis of the effect of the company's entry into the international market;
- 6) value added analysis, etc.
The PROPSPIN package is a standard package that allows you to conduct a preliminary financial analysis of an investment project. The system can be used in the preparation of a business plan only as an aid.
4. Project expert package. The Project expert package is automated system planning and analysis of the effectiveness of investment projects based on a simulation model of cash flows.
The package is currently distributed in two versions:
- 1) Project expert for Windows 7 (Business plan guide) - a software product designed for planning and analyzing the effectiveness of investments;
- 2) Project expert for Windows (Biz planner 4.2) - a special version for small and medium businesses.
In addition to this project, an "Entrepreneur's Workbook for Developing a Business Plan" has been published. Thanks to it, any entrepreneur, even without a computer, can collect the necessary information and independently or with the help of specialists prepare a business plan, since all tables are simultaneously input data for the Project expert system. As in other calculation systems, this package provides for combining input data by semantic blocks. The tax block is sufficiently detailed.
The Project expert system implements a new concept that combines two types of systems: project management and enterprise systems. The unifying module is the "Investment plan", which includes network diagram project with a description of the stages of work, which are then combined into assets in accordance with the requirements accounting. The numbering of stages and the setting of clear time frames make it possible to automatically track information about the sequence of stages and the use of the results obtained in previous stages for subsequent ones.
The sales data block allows you to build individual strategy sales for each product. Unlike other programs, it is presented not only with sales volumes, stocks of products in stock and their prices, but also with data on the share of export sales, product price trends, the possibility of selling on credit and with advance payments (in the version of the Business plan guide). In addition, the program takes into account in sufficient detail the costs of promoting the product on the market (commission, share of deadweight losses in sales, bonuses to administrative staff).
The block for estimating production costs allows you to specify the name of materials and components, indicate their shares in the cost of production, the price and the trend of its change over the year, determine the strategy for the formation of stocks of materials and components. The capital data block makes it possible to identify and account for external and internal sources of funding.
Project expert provides tools that allow you to conduct a detailed financial analysis of a project. It allows you to take into account the influence of general economic factors that characterize the socio-economic environment, namely:
- 1) inflation trends;
- 2) the ratio of exchange rates;
- 3) the dynamics of the scale and structure of production costs, including raw materials, materials and components;
- 4) wages managers and staff;
- 5) cost of fixed assets;
- 6) features of the order and time of passing payments for sold products;
- 7) general investment climate and conditions for raising capital;
- 8) possible changes in the tax system.
Factors that determine market and production strategies and affect the efficiency of capital use are also taken into account. These include the export opportunities of the project, the conditions for the sale of products (services), payment for the supply of raw materials, materials and components used in production, the required volume of stocks of finished products in the warehouse, depending on fluctuations in market demand, as well as stocks of raw materials, materials and components depending on the regularity and reliability of supplies. In addition, the Project expert calculates financial indicators efficiency of investments corresponding international standards. The version of the Business plan guide also calculates indicators of financial condition (profitability, liquidity, solvency).
The package provides the presentation of the results of financial analysis in the form of tables, charts and graphs that can be printed. The user is given the opportunity to make an integral analysis of the project according to many criteria. Evaluating the software implementation, it can be noted that the package is made using a modern multi-window interface, and an extended hint system, convenient presentation of information on the screen, the ability to interact with information and ease of printing allow us to assert that the package meets the requirements for software products such a class. At the same time, improvements to the user experience and the graphical implementation of financial variables are possible.
For better preparation of the business plan of the project, in addition to the main package, the user can also purchase a package developed by Pro-Invest Consulting, which contains the Project risk & Project Questionnaire modules. Being independent software tools, they provide full organizational and technological support for the investment project. The Project risk module provides tools that allow experts to interactively analyze the risk of a project, highlight the greatest risk factors and determine the causes of their occurrence.
With help special means a list of risk factors is created, which takes into account the specific conditions for the implementation of the project. Project risk contains three sections covering all periods of project implementation: preparatory, production, marketing. During the analysis, the expert determines the level of risk for all items of the questionnaire. The program allows you to output analysis results and questionnaires to a printer or generate a file for transfer to MS Office Word.
Project Questionnaire allows you to make a high-quality examination of an investment project, calculate integral indicator project efficiency level. Using the program, you can store up to 10 different expert sheets in databases, each of which can contain up to 100 criteria. The results of the examination can also be printed or transferred to MS Office Word.
The Project expert system can be used both at the stage of project development, and during its implementation and subsequent operation. Entrepreneurs can purchase the software and develop a business plan on their own or take the help of specialists.
The cost of preparing a business plan varies depending on the task that the project creator sets for the developer, since the organization of this type of work may include:
- 1) development of individual sections of the business plan;
- 2) orders for research on new areas of organization of activities for the customer;
- 3) targeted involvement of groups of specialists at various stages of preparation and promotion of the business plan of the project;
- 4) implementation of a full cycle of work, from the stage of pre-investment expertise to the organization of current control over the compliance of the investment process with the key provisions of the business pan. In the latter case, the cost of using software will become integral part total development cost.
