1. Introduction
This work shows a series of possible solutions to one of the most common problems that can arise in any company of goods or services; it is about capacity as a limiting factor, that is, a system saturated in its demand that does not have the necessary response capacity to supply it.
This study is based on the particular case of a bus company, in this station the problem of capacity is battled day by day, so some alternatives will be provided to eliminate this problem.
2. Objective
Provide alternatives to solve the capacity problem present in a bus station, so that it aspires to cover a greater demand, provide better customer service and consequently generate greater profit.
3. Statement of the problem
The bus station offers travel services to different destinations, currently it has been observed that the demand of all customers who come to request this service cannot be met due to not having the necessary capacity and consequently there is saturation in the system.
Generally this problem occurs for the following causes:
- The buses are insufficient. Some buses stop providing service for maintenance. Sometimes the buses are delayed due to traffic, weather, crash, etc. Demand is concentrated only at certain times of the day.
This problem causes the following effects:
- Dissatisfied customers Stagnation in generated profits Customers tend to leave with the competition The company is no longer improving or growing.
This is a problem that is constantly seen in the bus station, if it is not attended and a solution is found, in the future the following collateral problems will arise:
- The company's prestige will be lost. Customers will no longer return. Profits will decrease. The investment required will be greater than the profits generated. The company will go bankrupt.
4. Justification
The service provided by the company has been characterized in recent years by a marked increase in demand. In this period of time, the number of buses with which we work has not increased, on the contrary, some of them have been temporarily or permanently disabled due to different failures. Increased demand, combined with less capacity to provide the service, has brought the company to the brink of saturation and loss of numerous clients. The owner of the company has a concern about this problem so he needs to find a solution.
For this reason, this work is proposed since possible ways of solution are presented to be able to satisfy the average demand of the company.
5. Scope
This research will open new paths for companies that offer similar services or that are involved in the same problem of insufficient capacity, which is why its realization is of the utmost importance.
6. Alternative solutions
Below is a comparative table where advantages and disadvantages of each possible solution to the capacity problem at the bus station are expressed.
|
Alternative solution |
Advantage |
Disadvantages |
| Rate increase in peak periods. | · Regulates demand by encouraging users to change their trips outside of peak periods to
less used ones. · A more uniform demand profile is achieved throughout the day. · It is a simple alternative. · It is an alternative both in the short and long term. |
· There is a risk that users prefer the competition. |
| Automation is the service. | · Technology speeds up the service process, making it more efficient. | · Requires investment in the necessary equipment.
· Not all people know how to use automated equipment. |
| Service auction. | · The sale, to the highest bidder, would generate a greater profit.
· The adoption of the alternative is justified by the fact that if the use of the station is limited, then the service should be treated as a scarce resource. |
· A downside is the possibility of them being hoarded by stronger buyers, thus disrupting access to the
airport for other potential users. |
| Terminal design
(Distribution plant). |
· They minimize the distances between the terminal entrance and the boarding area, making this process faster.
· Provides flexibility for future terminal extensions. |
· It does not generate large changes that are noticeable in the short term.
· It may involve stopping the service when it is carried out. |
| Limitation and control of the volume of passenger traffic. | · This method proved to be effective in managing demand in peak periods for companies in the same line of business.
· Does not explicitly restrict access to the station. |
· It requires powerful computer software that best accommodates users. |
| Application of the simulation. | · The risk of a bad investment is reduced.
· It allows to see the different scenarios in which we could find ourselves. |
· You need a person familiar with the simulation software. |
| Extension of the existing station. | · This has been a proposal widely adopted by other companies in the same line of business.
· Increasing the capacity of an existing facility does not always entail its physical expansion. The reconfiguration of space may be all you need. |
· In some cases it would be cheaper and more effective to build a totally
new installation in the long term than to carry out various partial modifications to an existing terminal. |
| Construction of new terminals. | · The development of new terminals directly increases the capacity of the system. | · Has economic restrictions, space, location, etc.
· It is not a feasible solution to cover needs in the short term. |
7. Conclusion
With the alternatives presented in this work, a broader panorama was achieved to current power and face the capacity problem that the company presents.
It should be noted that although each technique applied individually has the potential to reduce to some extent the capacity problem of the bus station, there is also the possibility of the joint application of different alternatives, since some of them complement each other. With this, it is finally sought to obtain greater efficiency in the company's facilities, benefiting users, that is, passengers while the company generates greater profits.
