30-11-2012, 03:07 PM
Adventure Excursions Unlimited (AEU)
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Adventure Excursions Unlimited (AEU) was formed to provide hard-adventure sport/travel packages with upscale accommodations, gourmet food, and celebrity service providers to wealthy clients. AEU hard adventures include helicopter-skiing, kayaking, white-water rafting, and mountain biking. The founders of AEU are Jordan Stephan (MBA/JD), Jillyn Certo (MBA), and Loren Harlo (MBA). In addition to their MBA status, they are passionate about the activities AEU will offer.
An opportunity exists for two reasons:
1. Tourism is a growing industry (4% annually), and within the industry adventure travel is growing at 10%.
2. There are few providers of hard-adventure travel to upscale clients.
Virtually all companies that provide "hard" adventure activities appeal to a lower income client. Companies that appeal to a wealthier clientele generally provide "soft" adventure packages. Hard-adventure activities involve difficult physical requirements. They carry a higher level of risk than do "soft" activities. Soft adventure activities may involve some physical exertion, however they involve a low level of risk and can be engaged in by non-athletic people.
The company's target customers are high income (min. $75,000 for single person), health-conscious individuals interested in popular hard-adventure sports. These are lawyers, bankers, executives, doctors, etc. The major purchasers are located in urban areas within major United States cities. Our customers are more likely to be married. 51% are men and 49% are women.
In addition, more niche markets are evolving. Initially, it will be difficult to compete with experienced providers, especially market leaders. However, AEU's target market is an exploitable niche and our service is differentiated. AEU's target market members will have similar activity interests, more disposable income and less sensitivity to price.
AEU will price its services at the top of the market. We will provide a luxury service with prestige value. Our prices will be out of reach for the majority of adventure travelers. Service will be priced based upon luxury competitor prices and the value added of our offering. Providers that offer luxury services similar to ours do so at similar prices. We are competitively priced in the luxury market. Because we appeal to a smaller market, volume will be limited. However, we will be able to capture a higher gross profit margin
Executive Summary
Premier Airport Transportation Service (PATS) is a Cleveland-based airport transportation service. PATS provides limousine like service without the typical high limousine price. Although PATS' cars are not true stretch limousines, they are late model high-end luxury vehicles. Premier Airport Transportation is lead by Sam Brougham, a transportation industry veteran. PATS has forecasted healthy sales by year three.
The Market and Services Offered
Cleveland currently has four limousine service providers and four taxi services. In addition to these transportation options, Cleveland also has short and long-term airport parking and a rapid transit public train system providing airport service. Premier Airport Transportation Service will span the gap between the mediocre taxi service and the high-priced limousine service. By having a middle price point, PATS will be especially attractive to both families and business travelers. The service will appeal to families as a reasonable and convenient alternative to them driving and parking at the airport. Business travelers who require a more deluxe solution relative to taxis but do not have such a debilitating effect on the company's travel budget will embrace Premier Airport Transportation. These two market segments are growing on average at 8.5% per year and there are over a million potential customers.
The Competitive Edge
PATS recognizes that their key to success will be providing unmatched customer service. Premier has infused the importance of customer service into the drivers' jobs by offering financial incentives to the drivers for superior service. This will ensure that the best customer service will be offered at every level and interaction with the company.
Management Team
Premier Airport Transportation Service was founded and is run by Sam Brougham. Sam began his transportation career as a taxi driver, a source of income to put Sam through school. After school, Sam worked at the Yellow Freight Company, initially in the logistics department. Sam then moved on to Yellow's customer service department, ultimately having managerial responsibility over Yellow's customer care call center. Sam's logistics and customer service experience will be essential to the success of PATS. The logistics experience will provide Premier with hyper-efficient operations and the customer service experience will support their competitive edge.
Premier Airport Transportation will fulfill Cleveland's unmet need for a reasonably priced, high service level airport transportation service. PATS will achieve break-even status by month eight and will double sales of year one by year three. While PATS will incur a loss for year one, they will generate a tidy net profit for year three.