Background

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 773.

Case study Orbit Records: Discus ideas to recover a failing music retailer.

Take turns to be the team leader. Use expressions from the list of phrases given above.

Role play the situation.

You are senior managers at a computer graphics company. Your business has expanded rapidly: your workforce has doubled from 60 to 120 in two years. You urgently need to move from your small city-center location to a new suburban development area with bigger offices.

Hold a meeting to discuss what needs to be done, and by whom. For example: drawing up a schedule; liaising with a union; informing customers and suppliers; keeping staff informed; dealing with negative feelings; hiring a removal company. Then draw up an action plan to ensure that the move goes smoothly.

Orbit Records was founded in London 20 years ago, and now has 12 large stores in the UK and five in Germany. The company grew at a fast rate because it had a successful marketing strategy. The stores offer a wide range of CDs which they sell at reasonable prices. Their record stores carry over 80,000 titles – about three times more than their main competitors. What's more, if a customer asks for a CD which is not in stock, the store will get it for a customer within two weeks, if it's available.

About two years ago, Orbit stores diversified into selling computer games, videos, tee-shirts, adventure holidays, concert tickets, books and comics. Not all the new areas were profitable, and as a result the company's profits fell sharply.