Case Report on SBRU
Summer Breaks 'R' Us (SBRU) represents an online travel service provider that books summer break trips to resorts for university students. Students have booked summer break trips for decades, but changes in technology have transformed the travel business in recent years. SBRU moved away from having campus representatives with posted fliers and moved to the Web. The basic idea is to get a group of students to book a room at a resort for one of the traditional summer break weeks.
SBRU contracts with dozens of resorts in key summer break (Dec- Feb) destinations in Bali, Bangkok, Dubai, Istanbul, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. Its website shows information on each resort and includes prices, room availability, and special features. Students can research and book a room, enter contract information, pay deposits, and make final payments through the system. SBRU provides updated booking information, resort information updates, and travel information for booked students when they log into the site. SBRU management is however concerned that students must feel comfortable with using their system.
The resorts also need access to information from SBRU once they have completed registration. However, registration is not free and involves a payment made to the SBRU management. The resorts need to know about their bookings for each week, the room types that are booked, and so forth. Before the summer break booking season starts, the resorts need to enter information on their resorts, including prices and special features. Resorts need to be paid by SBRU for the bookings. Furthermore, resorts need to be able to report and collect for damages caused by summer breaker students during their stay.
SBRU has recently decided to upgrade its system to provide social networking features for students. It is currently researching possibilities and collecting information from prospective customers (i.e. students) about desirable features and functions. From the business standpoint, the idea is to increase bookings by capturing good experiences before, during, and after the trip. Students must be provided with suitable and easy to use networking functionalities to provide their feedback
and share their experiences with their friends and fellow students. This will not only help in attracting new customers but also in building a community of loyal customers who return year after year.
In addition to the social networking features, SBRU is also considering implementing a mobile application to make it easier for students to access and book their trips on the go. This would cater to the younger, tech-savvy demographic that is increasingly using their smartphones for everything from social networking to booking travel accommodations.
Overall, SBRU's move towards incorporating social networking features and a mobile application into their platform shows their commitment to staying ahead of the curve in the increasingly competitive online travel industry. By listening to customer feedback, adapting to changing technology trends, and providing a seamless and user-friendly experience, SBRU is setting itself up for continued success in the future.