Instructions

Consider the following case and prepare a response based on the task description that follows:

A financial services training provider, Finance for You and Me $($FFYAM$),$ offers thousands of two$-$to$-$six$-$day$-$long courses around North America. The courses take place mostly at hotels but sometimes also at conference centers or university campuses. In addition, FFYAM has an increasing number of online programs available. It is essential for FFYAM to understand and serve its customers$$ needs as effectively as possible. Therefore, it is very important for the company to offer a smooth registration process, maintain a good quality$-$control system, and frequently reach out to its customers to understand what their training needs are.

Each of the courses has up to thirty students. $($FFYAM wants to keep the numbers small to be able to offer a high$-$end alternative to low$-$cost online providers.$)$ Currently, participants can sign up for a course online, but if they have any special requests, such as dietary restrictions, they need to call the company using its $1-800$ number. A participant$$s requests will need to be stored not only for the purposes of a particular course but also as part of the participant$$s history with the company, to be used in the context of future courses. At times, an administrative assistant registers several participants from a company to the same course. In the case of more than ten participants in the same course, a company will get a volume discount.

After a course has been completed, the instructor will use the system to specify which participants completed the course successfully. Furthermore, FFYAM will invite each participant to respond to a quality$-$assurance survey. One follow$-$up invitation is also sent. Once the answer period has ended, a research analyst evaluates the data and creates a summary that will go to the instructor and FFYAM VP of Quality. In the case of particularly poor results, the VP will start an investigation.