2009/06/04

Session 1: Assignment One Question

Session 1 Question:
This week we talked about the role of information systems in a business (Slide 9 of Lecture 1).Think of a business or organization that you admire, then describe two examples of how that business is supported by information systems. For example, do they use it for operational excellence? Or do they use it to create new products and services?

Answer as below:
Debuted in 1997, the Octopus Card instantly became widely used in the public, as it simplified the transportation payment process to take only a couple of seconds! No need to carry coins, pay in exact fees, it's simple. Want to prove how popular it is? There are now over 10 million Octopus Cards in circulation, which exceeds Hong Kong's population of 7 million!

The Octopus Card can be purchased from any public transportation company's customer service centre, such as MTR's or KCR's. When first purchasing the Octopus Card, HK$50 is included as refundable deposit, and the remaining value will be stored in the card for normal payments.

On-Loan Octopus is available in four different types:
Child - for ages 3-11 (Deposit $50 + Stored Value $20= Price HK$70)
Adult (Deposit $50 + Stored Value $100 = Price HK$150)
Elder (Deposit $50 + Stored Value $20 = Price HK$70)
Personalized - can apply to child, student, adult and elder

Octopus has become an integral part of the daily life of almost all Hong Kong people. “Dood and go”. Its fast and convenient payment method widely used for our daily public transportation and purchase, Moreover it available at over 2,000 different service providers including apparel stores, bakeries, car parks, cinemas, convenience stores, fast food chains, household stores, leisure facilities, personal care stores, photo finishing stores, photocopiers, supermarkets, and vending machines, making it the pride of Hong Kong in the international arena.

With the Octopus payment service now extending to all sorts of merchants, a “Dood” on your Octopus is not only convenient when you’re shopping, but also provides a wide range of exclusive privileges for customers. Octopus has become not only an everyday payments means, but also an effective marketing and promotional tools welcomed by both consumers and businesses. Octopus is pleased to offer companies from all sectors innovative solutions to help them identify new business opportunities

As of today, over 200 types of Octopus cards and products have been produced. Apart from the common on-loan Octopus and sold Octopus for open purchase, many of them are Special Octopus uniquely created for individual corporations as premium gifts, company cards, membership cards or access control cards. Some are in the form of generic Octopus or Mini Octopus, and others of different sizes and shapes are embedded with Octopus functionality.

Special Octopus are very well received by both businesses and consumers, as they can not only be tailor-made to meet an individual company's requirements, but also function in the same way as any other Octopus. Corporate clients are welcome to provide their own card or product design that complies with specific guidelines, and Octopus Cards Limited will proceed to the manufacturing stage according to stringent quality control requirements

For instance, Octopus has recently produced exquisite Mini Octopus and handset chain sets for Beverley Pacific International Limited, sole agent for Sony Ericsson in Hong Kong and Macau.
In additional with Octopus Automatic Add Value Service (AAVS), your credit card account will automatically reload HK$250 or HK$500 to your Octopus (maximum once a day) when the remaining value reaches zero or a negative balance. In order to avoid hassle of manually reloading your Octopus. You can enjoy the convenience and pay smart to earn credit card reward points or cash rebates by using your Octopus. For security issue, Octopus with AAVS can be automatically reloaded for a maximum of once per day and customer are protected with lost-card reporting service.

If you wish to have added security against card loss, use a Personalised Octopus or the Octopus Automatic Add Value Service. Through these services, Octopus Cards Limited will have your personal particulars, allowing verification of your identity as an Octopus holder, and therefore protection by the Octopus Lost Card Reporting Service. If you lose your Octopus, simply call the Octopus Lost Card Hotline on 2266 2266, a 24-hour interactive voice response system, complete the lost card reporting procedure and minimize your possible loss. The system will activate the card blocking procedure, and you only need to bear the loss arising from unauthorized use by others of the Octopus for six hours after successfully reporting the loss. The balance of the deposit will be returned to you after deduction of relevant charges.

If you want to become a member of the newly-created "Friends of Octopus" activities, a program designed to strengthen their communication with customer and help them improve their services and products. You will be invited to take part in online surveys while they will also ask some of you to join face-to-face gatherings with Octopus representatives with a view to seeking your input on our services and products.

If you want more information about your recent transactions, make use of the 377 self-service Octopus Enquiry Machines across MTR stations. A simple "Dood" will show you the last 10 transactions free of charge.

With an Octopus in your hand, you can even download music, purchase movie tickets and pay for sporting and leisure activities at LCSD facilities – or in short, you can enjoy endless convenience and privileges!
Marking everyday life easier. Enjoy a relaxing and convenient way of living!
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