A client has approached your company to get help on starting a business. The client requires helpwith business strategy and technology selection. So$,$ your group will advise the client on the development of a business strategy and digital strategy for the new business. The client wants to start an online company in the Driving Instruction sector. The company$$s main$$

business activity will be to develop and operate a platform in Great Britain. The proposed platform will connect driving instructors with those who want to learn how to drive. In other words, via the platform, the company will be an intermediary between two groups: those offering driving instruction services and those searching for a driving instructor. Therefore, on the platform, the instructors will be able to advertise their services and people who are looking for an instructor will be able to find and book one who meets their requirements. The client came up with this business idea while learning how to drive herself several years ago. During the process, she experienced firsthand the challenge of finding a suitable and affordable driving instructor in her local area. She had to change her instructor a few times as their teaching style or experience did not meet her expectations, which affected her progress. This also made driving less enjoyable and somewhat intimidating, which, in turn, decreased her confidence as a driver. She knows some friends and family members also experienced similar difficulties in finding a suitable driving instructor. The client conducted online research and concluded that there is potential in the market for a platform like hers. She is eager to launch the business, believing that the demand for driving instructors will remain strong in the foreseeable future, especially due to the backlog created by the suspension of driving lessons and tests during the COVID$-19$ pandemic. $$

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Additionally, a large portion of the market consists of small driving schools and self$-$employed instructors, many of whom still rely on traditional methods $($e$.$g$.,$ phone calls or emails for bookings$).$ These methods are not favoured by younger customers, who form a significant part of the target audience, creating a clear opportunity for digital disruption.$$

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The client envisions a tech$-$driven platform that can transform how learners and instructors$$

connect. By leveraging technological advancements, she believes her platform could penetrate the market and become a leading business in the sector. Moreover, she feels that driving instructors are underserved and sees potential for the platform to enhance their efficiency and effectiveness by offering features like progress monitoring and other software tools designed to support their work.$$

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The client will fund the business using her personal savings. She has a maximum budget of $200$K$.$ She wants to ensure that this fund is allocated effectively to key business activities and resources to sustain the company until it begins generating income. To reduce initial expenses, she is prepared to run the business from home for the first few years, as she has a large office space available. Her goal is to launch the first version of the platform as quickly as possible. Her long$-$term vision is to achieve the kind of success that on$-$demand companies like Uber or Airbnb have in their sectors$,$ becoming a well$-$known leader in this space. To do so$,$ she understands the platform must be innovative and offer a competitive edge. However, she has never set up or run a business before and requires your expertise to develop a viable business model and strategy.$$

Given that technology will be crucial to the business$$s success, the client also seeks your assistance in creating a technology strategy and roadmap. She is aware that her budget may not be enough to build all the necessary systems and features at once. Therefore, she understands the need to prioritize the different technology components. She envisions that the platform will start generating revenue over time, which she plans to reinvest into further development. This will allow her to enhance the platform iteratively, incorporating new technologies and features to maintain innovation and growth. Once the company has established itself in the sector, the client plans to expand the platform's operations to other regions.$$

$1.$ Proposed application portfolio.$$

Your report should clarify the platform features and other business applications you$$

recommend to the client. $$

$2.$ Rationale for the applications in the portfolio.$$

To justify the proposed investments$/$implementations$,$ your report must demonstrate how$$

the proposed applications support or align with the business strategy, model or priorities.$$

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$3.$ Proposed implementation plan.$$

You need to discuss$/$outline in which order and timeline the platform features and the$$

proposed business applications should be implemented and why?