Make Hay While the Sun Shines - Game Script Challenging the roadmap


Background

BesTravel is a sophisticated travel engine for travel agents. Providing fast results, and in real time, BesTravel is a leader in the market. It enables travel agents worldwide to plan trips for their customers in the best possible way. Recently BesTravel realized that there is a growing demand for end users to plan their own trips. Market research indicates that there is an ongoing decline in the use of travel agents. After much deliberation, the company adopted a new strategy to develop a version of the platform that will meet the needs of an individual end user in addition to the travel agents. As usual, the timetable is short, and the launch is planned for the upcoming travel season. 

Characters

Arne Dee VP R&D

Arne is 39 years old, highly respected in the market with proven results. Previously worked at Booble.com that went public, people say that his ESOP shares amounted to a nice sum. He is known for being very creative and capable of finding the right technical solution to almost every problem. 


Your Task

You are a highly respected R&D manager. Your team knows that you expect them to deliver a high quality product and they trust you to avoid external “noise” that can distract them from doing that. You are determined to deliver a stable release at the scheduled deadline - by staying focused.  


Resources

Scene - 01

Produ Care Product Manager

Produ is very smart, 31 years with a computer science degree from MIT, which he completed summa cum laude. Produ is a very good listener but not a great talker and is known to be a creative thinker. 

 


Your Task

There are plenty of expectations from you. This is your first job as product manager, and you must make this work! You see the opportunity on the one hand; on the other hand you know that the future is with the end-consumer and thus a B2C product should be in the market soon. This is your opportunity to position yourself in the company.    


Resources

Scene - 01

Mercada Presi VP Marketing

Mercada is 38 years old and one of the co-founders of BesTravel. Women do not always make it in this industry and she is committed to proving otherwise. Mercada owns an MBA from Harvard and values a strategic plan.  She is not a friendly person but known to be sharp and focused. 


Your Task

You know that the process of convincing the board to adopt the new strategic plan was lengthy and complex. The new direction has finally been embraced, a comprehensive campaign was designed and completed and the product is already in development. You are determined to continue with the plan and make it happen. You are not a friendly person. You are sharp and focused. 


Resources

Scene - 01

Saleso Venta Sales Director

Saleso is 27 years old and owns an MBA from Stanford. He is young, ambitious and aims high. 


Your Task

This is your opportunity to shine by closing a great deal for the company. This will also help you climb up the corporate ladder. This is a great opportunity and you will not let anyone stop you.


Resources

Scene - 01

Serva Opera Service Manager

Serva is 42 years old, with many years of experience managing professional services teams at leading traveling companies. She is known for her superb customer relationships and a great deal of organizational experience. 


Your Task

You know that by the end of the day it’s all about relationships, no computer can change this. It is a peoples' industry based on relationships and your team has developed great relationship with Hilto that you are committed to maintain. 


Resources

Scene - 01

Scene 1: Make Hay While the Sun Shines


1.

Public Message

Produ called up an urgent meeting. “I just heard from Saleso", he said, that Hilto Resorts, one of our existing partners and one of the largest hotel chains in the world wants to use our platform to offer a loyalty program to travel agents worldwide. “It’s a golden opportunity” Saleso said, "we can’t afford to miss out on this, think of how it will impact our position in the market!"

Arne couldn’t believe his ears, "You must be nuts" he said, "we have a roadmap to follow, and we are practically working around the clock to meet an impossible deadline. In fact I was going to recommend a lockout for the team - starting at the beginning of next month.  In order to support this new requirement we will need to put more development work. How exactly do you think we could pull this off?"

Mercada was shocked and disappointed. She didn't like what she was hearing. Prudo and Selaso didn't even consult with her before bringing this up. “We made a decision to focus on B2C, I think it is a BIG mistake to change our company's focus at this stage. It's not a golden opportunity, it’s a booby trap,” she said. 

Servsa smiled and thought to herself, "They think computers can solve everything but I care about the relationship we have with Hilto. This is extremely important for them, and they choose us for the launch of this new loyalty plan. It is crucial to maintain the good relationship we have with them."

"Hilto Resorts needs an answer by the end of the day or they'll approach our competitors", Saleso said.  


2.

Private (Shortly After previous message)

Arne Dee:

Arne you are against. You know that accepting this tempting offer will risk the upcoming release. You do not have the team nor the time or the budget to meet all of the objectives at the same time. If a decision like this passes you will be directly blamed for not meeting the deadline or quality, regardless of who made the decision.    

Produ Care:

Produ, you see the opportunity as well as the risk. You have a roadmap to follow, yet you are known for your creative solutions. Your challenge is to find a solution that will be great for everyone. 

Mercada Presi:

You are against of any change in the last minute. Introducing change now, may impair company’s ability to meet goals and adjust to the new reality in time.Furthermore, the campaign is ready and the release is scheduled to meet the upcoming travel season shopping spree. 

Saleso Venta:

Saleso, you are in favor. You must convince them that it is a window of opportunity for the company. Remember what Mary Oliver said: “It's not a competition, it's a doorway.” Needless to say, it is also an opportunity for you, personally. 

Serva Opera:

You are in favor, you think this is an opportunity. Needless to say it’s also much easier for you to provide services to large businesses and not to millions of virtual clients.    


3.

Public Message (Shortly After previous message)

From Service to Self-service

"Millennials prefer autonomy and speed over process. Flexibility is
also important: a typical Egencia traveller modifies their itinerary 20
percent of the time. For Millennials, this figure rises with 24 percent
admitting to doing so compared to only 13 percent of those 46-65.
Facilitating travel through self-service applications, like surfacing last
minute hotel deals or early hotel checking via mobile, are the way
forward."

From The Futue of Travel


4.

Private (Shortly Before next message)

Arne Dee:

Message from one of your team-leaders:

“One of the features required for Hilto deal may take longer than anticipated”.  

Produ Care:

Manage the meeting, make sure that everyone participates and presents an argument, encourage the team to respond to the arguments made so that all issues are explored fully.

Once the arguments have been presented, be creative and offer a solution that will make almost everyone happy.    

Mercada Presi:

Market trends show that the future of your business lies in reaching-out to the end user. Your company should go for its long-term strategy, and act accordingly.

The new product is almost ready to be launched. Much was invested in it, and there is no budget for a new project.  

Saleso Venta:

Don’t give up! It’s not only about your reputation at Hilto-Resorts, it’s actually about fighting for your job - they will need you much less when the business shifts to B2C. The sales team is depending on you. You have to convince the others that this opportunity is great for the company…not only money wise.

Identify the most convincing argument and present it. Use facts/research to back it up. 

Serva Opera:

Yes the world is moving from service to self-service, yet this can be an opportunity if you can somehow do both.

Think outside the box.  Maybe you should regard a travel agent as an end user. At the end of the day, the consumer wants to pay less…let them compete for the best service and offer."    


5.

Private (a while before next message)

Arne Dee:

null

Produ Care:

null

Mercada Presi:

Suddenly, you receive a WhatsApp message from your co-founder the CEO:

"Hate to tell you but Hilto push for a joint press-release now…don’t want to sound hesitant."      

Saleso Venta:

null

Serva Opera:

null


6.

Public Message (a while before next message)

The office manager rushed in to share latest news: Travooling.com your biggest competitor has just announced that they will be launching as well a consumer based engine in time for the upcoming travel season.    


7.

Public Message (Shortly Before next message)

The are 2 minutes left, please make last convincing argument to impact voting. 


Vote

   



Option 1
For Hilto-resorts offer
Option 2
Against Hilto-resorts offer

Ending message for when most people voted for option



Option 1

You team has voted to accept Hilto's offer, i am sure Hilto will be happy to hear that. 


Option 2

You team has voted to reject Hilto's offer, the upcoming new product must justify it. 

  



Discussion Points

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