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I have a dream ...

Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2002 3:13 am
by gijs
Hi,

1) Who am I ?

Well I'am 39 years young and used to be a manager in the biggest Tour Operator company in Belgium, belonging to the second lagest TO-group in the world.
I was responsable for the Contracting Dpt. Those are the people who negociate deals with hotels, resorts, ... Basicly what we did was telling the hotel-owner: "You're to expensive!" :wink:
Due to the events of 11 sept last year we developped within the company some contingency plans.
I discovered that some of them were illegal and I opposed to them to protect my staff.
It finally led to me being fired and on top of that black listed with other T.O.'s.

2) What is my dream ?

I was a member of the strategic force within the company and helped developping the strategy for the period 2000-2010.
I know the business thoroughly aswell as its opportunities and threads.

Based on my knowlegde I want to developpe what I would call, the Next Generation of Tour Operator.


3) What do I need realize my dream?

Of course a damned good businessplan, based on the traingle Strategy-Structure-People.
But one of the critical succesfactors is an e-commerce site.

Tour Operation is a very complex business.
The relatively easy part is creating on on-line catalog, cq tourism brochure.
Difficulties lie within:
a) pricing: a very complex price structure in the buying or contracting process (mulitple types of reductions and supplements which are only applicated based on conditions) and a very complex selling structure (even if possible fluid pricing = prices change on principle of offer an demand)
b) stock: each product (f.e. a hotel) has many types of rooms and stock is related to days of the year
c) search facilities: the customers needs to be able to search and find what he wants: f.e. a hotel in spain, 4 stars with outdoor swimmingpool and childrens activities for the period of 12 august til 17 august. But on tot of that should be given alternatives based on business strategy.
d) Administrative section is far out the most complex thing: administrative communication with the supplier an the customer and a financial interfase.
Etc... etc... ect...

4) How do I want to realize my dream ?

In the search for investors (the economical climate isn't very good), quite some people were interested in the concept. But generally I got the answer: "Come back if you can show me an e-commerce site that does these things!".
I have the knowhow on the functional analysis side, but no technical IT-skills to implement them into code.

I'm not looking for simple php-coders. I'm looking for people who are "entrepreneurs" as well.
Peolpe who are unemployed as I am and/or people who want to grabb a business opportunity.

I'm offering to developpe the business together as a team for those who might be interested.
As I'm looking for "entrepreneurs" this logicly translates it self into co-ownership of the future company.

Please feel free to contact me,

Gijs


PS: since a week I'm learning a bit of php/mysql and I'm enjoying my self.

Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2002 12:18 pm
by gotDNS
I'm only 15.... :cry:

Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2002 12:32 pm
by volka
I wouldn't care about this because
maybe before this is going online and certainly before it's getting profitable you will have become (at least partial) contractually capable ;)

(correct me if I'm wrong about this)

Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2002 1:58 pm
by Takuma
gotDNS wrote:I'm only 15.... :cry:
I'm only 13 :cry: :cry: :cry:

Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2002 12:25 am
by gijs
Hi, gotDNS, volka and Takuma,

You all are (regardsless your age) without any doubt capable of programming such a system.
But, there is the matter of being economicaly major.

Any help is always welcome, but the reward for youngster like you is a big question mark ! Who knows anybody of us is still around when you're 18 ?

I'm still looking for people who are interested.
In the meanwhile I'm making the database structuur for this vehicle. This I know how to do, more or less, because it's the translation of the business specific knowledge.

Regards,


Gijs

Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2002 1:08 am
by volka
at this point I should mention I'm 26 ;)

Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2002 1:30 am
by gijs
Hi volka !
volka wrote:at this point I should mention I'm 26 ;)
So, does this mean your interested ? Or, did I mearly offended you by assuming you were under age as well ?

I've also noticed you're living in Berlin , Germany.
Unglaublich ! Wunderbahr !

The 2 biggest TO-groups in Europe have German roots. In the sector they are called the 'Reds' and the 'Yellows'. So it shouldn't be hard to find out were I worked in the past if I tell you the general headquarters are in Oberürsel near Frankfürt.

Regards,

Gijs

Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2002 2:00 pm
by codewarrior
29 :D

Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2002 10:00 pm
by phice
16 :o

Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2002 1:36 am
by Takuma
Lots of people are young, but I beat everybody :wink:

Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2002 3:32 pm
by gijs
Hi,

problem solved ... my dream is ... with a lot of hard work ... evolving into the right direction ... found a partner ... thanks to this forum :lol:

Thanks for the shown interest and i'm sure all you youngsters will have abright future.

best regards,

Gijs