For these assignments we were required to come up with a service which would appeal to a post consumer. During the first few weeks of the project our team got together to brain storm ideas, using mind maps, images, and any relevant information we had sourced.
After deciding what our idea was going to be we decided which role everyone in the team would play:
Karen and Ruth: Visual Identity and Advertising
Connie and Aisla: Research and Production
Dave and Jennifer: Finance
Graeme: Interior and Exterior Design
We gave ourselves weekly deadlines for the completion of our individual projects which worked effectively. We would meet every Thursday afternoon to discuss progress and make any relevant changes.
Skills Studio: Group 9Profile of Post Consumer
The first step of our business proposal was identifying the profile of a post consumer. We decided that a post consumer is someone that:
- • Would be interested in helping the environment and recycling
- • They would buy ethical and fair-trade products
- • They might grow their own fruit and vegetables or buy locally
- • A post consumer would have non material values • Passing on values and family influence is important to them
- • They might be interested in being part of a community
- • A post consumer might be middle class age 30+
Ideas
Once we had identified a post consumer profile, we started to brainstorm ideas for possible products or services that might appeal to a post consumer. We thought that they might be interested in:
- • Remaking/reusing
- • Bringing back traditional values
- • Trading skills
- • Learning
- • A service
- • Joining community
- • Local trade shop
- • A mobile workshop
Our Service
We decided to focus our business proposal on a service to develop skills and community. Our service is a mobile skills bus. We felt this would provide a lot of the services that a post consumer would value. The benefits of our service are:
- • Saving energy (we come to you)
- • Learning new skills
- • Saving money by recycling/mending/making
- • Community involvement
Market Research
After researching skills workshops and speaking to a school head teacher we came up with skills which we thought a post consumer could benefit from. Some of these consist of bike repair( which is designed for post consumers as they would usually try and avoid public transport so if classes such as bike repair are available it would help them maintain the health of their bike.) knife sharpening (is a skill which is useful for a post consumer because it saves them from buying new knives when the old one gets blunt),knitting(people refer it to grannies knitting but it has been around for many years so these skill workshops will regenerate interest in traditional methods such as knitting by hand), sewing and upholstery(Sewing and mending is self explanatory, it is so people can mend their clothes or make alteration if they wanted their item altered.) These skill workshops are designed so that people can learn skills, which were once used often and now forgotten. We put baking down but we thought of all the complications, which it may cause so we thought of making tray bakes where an oven is not required. These skill workshops will bring people in communities together so people know their neighbours and also to make new friends and hobbies. For market research, we looked at different skill workshops and how they operate. We looked at a local skills workshop held at the recycle centre in Dundee. They were offering skills such as soil sew and cycle, which we thought a post consumer would be attracted to. They had certain dates, which each workshop would be held so we based our idea around that. We interviewed o2 on their guru roadshow and they gave us interesting feedback on how their bus operated. We asked about their advertisement and how successful the guru bus was and if there was anything important they had to consider such as safety and positioning. After the researching we had to consider our target audience and advertisement. O2 said that people usually come over due to curiosity and the word usually spreads about the services, which they had to offer. Advertisement is important in order for the word to get about so we made posters, mobile phone apps and websites, which will help with this.
Idea
Our mobile skills studio would visit different areas of Dundee at weekends, to give the public the opportunity to learn essential skills. We think this service would appeal to a post consumer, and that they would perhaps bring their children along to the events also. However we are also aware that varying age groups would enjoy taking part in these kinds of workshops and that passers by may be intrigued by the bus as we would gain business that way.
Some of these skills we would offer have been listed in the section above but after time we would hope to add new skills, which would come from feedback given by skills studio users.
Not only do we want to teach people valuable skills and bring back traditional values we want people to engage with their community. The skills studio bus is a great opportunity for people to get together and have fun, and hopefully make a few new friends along the way. Since our service also aims to integrate people back into community we would encourage unemployed members of the public, older citizens and skilled volunteers to come forward and run their own workshops.
As popularity of the skills studio grows we would take our service to different areas of the country so that we can get as many members of the public involved. We would also aim to contact schools, so that our services could be used by school pupils, with the activities arranged accordingly.
Brand Identity
We decided to call our service 'Skills Share' as it is simple and rolls off the tongue. It also suggests exactly what our company is about instantly so that people can realise what we are about quickly, even when seeing it on a moving bus.
- • The logo is made up of a ring of people, which is reflective of the importance of people in a community coming together to learn these skills. The image of the people in a circle also becomes reminiscent of a bus tyre, showing that it is a mobile service.
- • We used a primary based colour scheme as it expresses that we are about learning and bringing back basic primary skills that can be very useful.
- ▪ Our Skills workshops will be based and begin in and around Dundee. The bus will travel to different areas within the city, this allows people to avoid using their cars and causing pollution as the bus will come to them locally. Once the mobile service is tried and tested in Dundee it can expand to other towns and cities.
- ▪ We will have a basic set of flyers and posters that will be used to simply inform the public of where in their area the workshops will be held, when and also to promote what skill they can learn that month.
- ▪The posters will be placed in public areas, such as in bus stops or local shops or post offices to promote the event in that particular area.
Website
Advances in technology means that more and more people are using the Internet. Our website has therefore been set up to reach as many members of the public as possible. It allows users to learn about who we are and what we do. Users are able to view upcoming events as well as access recaps on previous workshops.
Since our service also aims to integrate people back into community information regarding voluntary opportunities is outlined online. We hope to encourage unemployed members of the public, older citizens and skilled volunteers to come forward and run their own workshops.
Mobile Phone App
Apps have become increasingly popular in recent years, and in order to make as many members of the public aware of our mobile workshop we have designed our own app. Similar to the website it will contain information on up coming events as well as recaps on previous workshops e.g Step by Step guide to Knitting. The app would also give the user the opportunity to book their next session with the skills studio.
Interior
The bus would be re-appropriated to house skills events. It would include adequate storage and workspace for each event. Both floors of the bus will be laid out in an open plan design allowing for optimal social interaction within this modest space. In order to provide a versatile and fluid space for each event, seating and work surfaces should be packable, folding into the floor and walls as needed. This will also create temporary storage space when in transit and continue to hold the furniture in place. The bus will centre as a base for activity within the vicinity, providing shade and shelter outside using canopies. This will also provide space for more space consuming activities like bike repair. The on board generator will provide for services such as tea and coffee, operation of tools, lighting and heating.
Finance
Initial Income
The first step of working out our financial forecast was looking into what funding we could get.
- We found a European Cultural Foundation Collaboration Grant that could give us 25,000 Euros which works out to be around £25,000
- We could get a business loan for £25,000 with an interest rate of around 2%.
- We could pay off this loan within three years paying £12,000 a year for the first two years, and the remainder, £9,970 in the third year.
- Initial Expenditure
- Our initial outgoings were going to be the cost of our bus and a budget for refurbishment. This came to a total of £22,000.
Expenditure
We looked into how much our petrol costs would be each year, and decided that in the first year, we would be working in a 40-mile radius around our base and increasing this gradually over the following years.
After some research, we came up with some rough numbers for our other outgoings (advertising, stationery, etc.).
This gave us our total expenditure for the first year.
Income
For our ticket prices we decided to have adults paying £10 and children/concessions £5. In one session we estimated that every adult would bring two children, totalling 8 adults and 16 children. This would give us £160 for each session.
• Year 1
In one day we would have 3 sessions and we would be running this 3 days a week for 40 weeks. This would give us a total of £57,600 in a year.
The bus would also be available to book out for the day (for school, groups) at a cost of £500. Doing this one-day a week for the 40 weeks would give us a total of £20,000.
• Year 2
We would continue our 3 sessions a day but run for 4 days a week instead. Continuing this for the 40 weeks would give us a total of £76,800 a year.
We would also aim to continue booking full day events once a week for 40 weeks giving us another £20,000.
• Year 3
We would do 4 sessions a day, 4 days a week for the 40 weeks, which would give us £102,400.
We would also aim to run 3 event days every 2 weeks for the 40 weeks, which would give us £30,000.
After year 3 we will have paid off our loan and started and have a positive bank balance. In the years to follow we would have enough money to expand the business with additional busses or expanding our area even wider.
Bibliography
Art, Soul and Events, 2011. Greens Art Network Skills Share. [online] Available at:
Information on a skills share event, which has already taken place is listed. Details on what it is, why it is happening, how it works and what the workshop will include are highlighted.
City Centre Management, 2011. City Centre Management. [online] Available at:
This section of the Dundee Council website provides information on how the council works closely with other organizations to help promote local organizations and bring people to Dundee.
D-air: Dundee Artists in Residence, 2011. Events. [online] Available at:
‘D-AiR (Dundee Artists in Residence) profiles the work of Dundee-based artists, celebrates Dundee as a city of culture and creativity, and fosters links between artists and the wider community.’ Provides information regarding up coming events in the local area.
Flatters, P. and Willmott, M., 2009. Understanding the Post-Recession Consumer. Harvard Business Review, [online]. Available at: http://hbr.org/product/harvard-business-review-july-august-2009/an/BR0907-MAG-ENG?Ntt=paul+flatters+july+2009 [Accesed 23 January 2011].
Paper investigating the changing needs of the post recession consumer. Analysis of trends gives an indication of the needs of pre and post recession consumers. Details regarding new services which are designed with these new values in mind are highlighted.
Funding 4 Dundee, 2011. Government and Other Funding Schemes. [online] Available at http://www.open4community.info/dundee/O4Schemes.aspx?WCI=htmSchemeSummary&WCU=DSCODE%3dO4CUK3RS%2cBROWSEOPTION%3d1 [Accessed 10 March 2011].
Information regarding the various different types of grants and funding schemes are available through this website. Selection of sub categories, that relate to your business needs provides more specific details which can aid business start up.
Grove, K. 2010. I wish I worked there. Wiley and sons: London
This book has inspiring spaces which gave us some inspiration. It is full of images which have modern visions of space and colour.
Kane,G. 2009 The three secrets of green business, Unlocking competitive advantage in a low carbon economy. Earthscan: London
This book gives us an idea of how to make a green business focusing on the needs of a post consumer.
Mathew Taylor’s Blog, 2011. Post Consumerism. [online] Available at:
< s="post+consumer"> [Accessed 20 February 2011].
Blogs written by the RSA’s chief executive provided information on the post consumer profile, details regarding the needs and values of the average post consumer were also given.
Skills Share, 2011. Current Skilled Volunteer Roles. [online] Available at: <> [Accessed 20 February 2011].
Website providing information on company which provides help to non profit groups. List of voluntary projects already in place are listed. Details of opportunities and voluntary roles are highlighted.
The Daily Green, 2011. Be a post-consumer consumer. [online] Available at :
< click="main_sr"> [Accessed 23 January 2011].
Information detailing the views and needs of a post consumer are outlined on this webpage. Particular attention is placed on recycling and how this can improve the environment.
The Official Tourist Board of the Peak District and Derbyshire, 2011. Activities and Special Interest Breaks, [online] Available at http://www.visitpeakdistrict.com/activities/special-interest-breaks.aspx [Accessed 2 March 2011].
Details of activities and events which the public can participate in are highlighted on this section of the website. Gain an insight into the type of activities which are popular amongst members of the public.
Used Coach Sales, 2011. Used Coach Sales. [online] Available at:
Website providing prices of new and used coaches. Images of converted coaches were available.
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