NSCC Mentor Meeting mp3

Introduction

  • Interaction among participants about a case competition.

  • Discussion on nervousness and experiences.

Team Composition

Backgrounds

  • Teams formed from consulting club members at Langara College.

  • Team members have diverse backgrounds:

    • BTM (Business Technology Management)

    • Marketing

    • Accounting

Case Competition Overview

Key Challenges Identified

  • Operations

  • Improving revenue

  • Increasing funding

Objectives

  • Address the funding gap and declining revenues post-COVID.

  • Enhance customer experience and system efficiency.

Proposed Solutions

Electric Bike Riders

  • Implement a TransLink electric bike share program to increase accessibility.

  • Initial cost: $400,000 - $500,000

  • Operating costs: ~$40,000 annually

  • Potential revenue: $1.3 - $1.4 million annually, resulting in potential profits of $800,000 - $900,000.

  • Consideration of partnership with existing bike share services like Mobi for operational efficiency.

Cafe and Convenience Stores

  • Proposing cafes at SkyTrain stations enhancing rider experience and providing additional revenue through partnerships with local businesses.

Marketing Strategy

Customer Experience Improvement

  • Suggestions to implement themed buses to attract younger demographics.

  • Proposal for organized challenges rewarding participation to increase engagement.

Communication & App Development

  • Suggest integrating a unified app for real-time updates and easy access to services.

  • Discussed partnership with existing apps for efficiency and user engagement.

Sustainable Transit Solutions

Eco-Friendly Initiatives

  • Concentrating on sustainable travel initiatives and integrating advertising campaigns focusing on eco-friendly transit.

Viability of Initiatives

  • Importance of quick-to-implement, cost-effective solutions that capture non-users of public transit.

  • Considerations for safety, reliability, and convenience as primary barriers to public transportation usage.

Implementation Phases

Short, Medium, and Long Term

  • Short-term: Pilot program for user testing of initiatives and marketing strategies.

  • Medium-term: Increase bus frequency and evaluate the success of pilot programs.

  • Long-term: Explore larger infrastructure changes such as double-decker buses and understand operational challenges involved.

Prototyping and Presentation

Slide Deck Preparation

  • Emphasis on storytelling in presentations, using characters to present ideas engagingly.

  • Highlight prototype usage (e.g., Figma for app design) in presentations to captivate judges.

Team Roles and Presentation Dynamics

  • Importance of knowing every detail of the project for effective Q&A.

  • Encourage collaboration and shared responsibilities within the team.

Conclusion

  • Emphasis on preparation and clarity of solutions for success in the competition.

  • Affirmation of teamwork and motivation to refine ideas and implementations.