UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCE

Rent-A-PetResearch Proposal

Research performed by request of The Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

Class IB09

Rolf van Moergastel, Priscilla Koolman, Richard Cejer, Ana Liliana Aviao9-1-2015

Teacher: Paul Jaspers

Rent-A-Pet

Table of contentsINTRODUCTION.................................................2CHAPTER 1 - Background of the project........................31.1: Organization description...............................31.2: Situation analysis.....................................71.3: Reason for the project.................................8

CHAPTER 2 - Description Of The Assignment...................102.1: Assignment............................................102.2: Formulation of objective..............................102.3: Central research question.............................102.4: Secondary questions...................................10

CHAPTER 3 - Definitions.....................................11CHAPTER 4 - Project structure...............................124.1: Methods of data collection............................124.2: Population and sample.................................124.3: Operationalisations...................................12

CHAPTER 5 -Planning andphasing..............................13CHAPTER 6 – Preconditions...................................16CHAPTER 7- Is the research reliable and valid?..............17CHAPTER 8 - Limitations.....................................17CHAPTER 9 – Organization of the project.....................19CHAPTER 10 - Communication plan.............................20CHAPTER 11 – Budget.........................................22Bibliography................................................23APPENDICES..................................................24

1

Rent-A-Pet

INTRODUCTION

This document contains information about a new business plan called Rent-A-Pet. This research group has conducted research about the feasibility of a new C2C platform with B2C influences aimed at letting customers exchange pets with one another. This document starts with a small description of the project itself, follows up by describing the Dutch pet market at the moment and concludes it with a Business Model Canvas (BMC). This research group hopes you find this document to be useful.

2

Rent-A-Pet

CHAPTER 1 - Background of the project1.1: Organization descriptionThis research has been performed by request of The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. When the comparable business idea of BorrowMyDoggy hit off in England this investment bank sought to start an enterprise in this direction for the Dutch and perhaps the European market. This research group is investigating the validity of this idea.

The aim for this project is to provide people with a new way to experience pets. Rent-A-Pet wants to bring people and animals together on an online platform to exchange their pets. A C2C platform with some B2C influences for pets does not exist in the Netherlands yet. Rent-A-Pet wants to fill this gap in the market.

Rent-A-Pet is a C2C platform where owners of pets can exchange pets with people who want to rent the pet. Both owners and renters of pets can set a price for their services. This means someone could offer to walk your dog for free, perhaps groom the dog for €15 or rent out their trained dog for €10. If Rent-A-Pet wishes to flourish as a C2C platform Rent-A-Pet can not control the prices. However, online payment options will be offered when a C2C transaction is held. If paid through the website, a small fee goes to Rent-A-Pet. The pet owner will be insured for any damage against their pet if he/she chooses to pay through the site.

Rent-A-Pet itself will be free for the first six months of existence, to be followed with a subscription fee for borrowers. Offerers of dogs will be able to do so for free.

To further describe the organisation, this research group uses the Business Model Canvas

3

Rent-A-Pet

4

Rent-A-Pet

Key partnersRent-A-Pet will consist of the following key partners

Various animal shelters. Regular shelters who take care of cats, dogs and rodents but also specialized animal shelters such as the Zeehondencrèche (seal daycare) and Stichting Vogel (bird rescue). If these specialized animal shelters are willing to rent an exotic animal to a consumer then thisshould be their own choice. The consumer has the responsibility to provide the proper care for it.

Advertisers. The advertisers on the website will provide thefirst revenue stream.

Pet specialty shops and breeders. These pet specialty shops and breeders will be part of the B2C part of the website. They can offer the pets on their own terms, allowing them to‘try’ a pet before actually selling it. Pet shops have been contacted to see if they are willing to pay money to be a ‘sponsored’ search term. An example: a consumer searches ‘golden retriever near Utrecht’. A sponsored link for this could be a breeder specializing in golden retrievers could be the first link. About 40% of the pet shop owners are interested in this.

Veterinarian. To provide peace of mind for the people who offer a pet, a hotline to a veterinarian should be availableat all times. Suppose someone rents a pet and the pet suffers a health problem. A veterinarian is available on phone to support the renter at that time.

Key activitiesRent-A-Pet will perform the following key activities

Verifying pet owners and borrowers. To provide lenders of pets with peace of mind an employee of Rent-A-Pet will perform random background checks and visits to renters. Thisway Rent-A-Pet can ensure that the pets are treated properly

Website maintenance. This will be a long-term activity. An employee will need to answer customer emails and solve any bugs that can arise. As the site starts generating more revenue, the programmers Rent-A-Pet hires will include extrafunctionalities on the website.

Maintaining customer relationships. Maintaining the customerrelationships ranges from approaching additional shelters tosee if they are willing to cooperate, approach pet shops to see if they want to do business with Rent-A-Pet and answer any question a customer could ask.

5

Rent-A-Pet

Value Propositions The main value proposition is: A low cost, low commitment pet

experience for consumers. Other benefits that our service offers are:

Pet owners will have peace of mind knowing that their animals receive more love.

It can stimulate the adoption process from shelters Increase revenue for pet specialty shops and breeders Increase social cohesion in the neighbourhood.

Customer RelationshipsCustomer relationships will be maintained through the following channels

A Facebook A Youtube channel The website: http://www.rentapet.com Direct mailing A phone line

Crowdsourcing websites for initial revenue such as: GoFundMe Kickstarter

ChannelsThe ‘distribution’ of the pet does not happen traditionally. The consumers need to decide their own methods of transporting the pets from one place to another

Customer segmentsThis research group has performed a survey amongst 80 possible customers. After confirming which demographic is interested in which not, the following segments will be focussed on:

Demographics Families Young professionals The elderly & retired Nursing homes Students Pet lovers in all shapes & sizes

6

Rent-A-Pet

1.2: Situation analysisThe animal market in the Netherlands has multiple suppliers with different intentions, shelters have a different business model than pet specialty shops although their goals are comparable: providing pets to people. A survey performed by this research group amongst 80 people shows a strong desire under potential customers to experience pets in some way or another. However, dueto personal or financial limitations this is not possible. Currently the pet market in the Netherlands has four discernable suppliers.

SheltersDue to the varying nature of different shelters in the Netherlands (StichtingCavia, Zeehondencrèche, Vogelopvang) it is difficult to estimate the amount of shelters on the market. The Dutch shelter site has over 75 shelters mentioned (Dierenasiels, 2014). Most shelters charge a small fee or give the pets away for free. The shelters are contacted to see if they are willing to cooperate. Shelters will offer their pets in the site for a ‘trial’. If the consumer enjoys the time with the pet, they can adopt. If they do not enjoy the time with the pet, they can return it to the asylum. The first answers have been dropping in and so far 100% of the shelters are willing to cooperate.

Pet shopsWhat follows is some data about Dutch pet specialty shops (HBD, 2014)

The Netherlands has over 1500 pet specialty shops. The average income of a pet store is €368.000 70% of the shops is profitable Pet specialty shops have been attaining an average of 5%

revenue growth in 2014 compared to 2008. 42% of the revenue is obtained through the sale of animal

food. 26% of the revenue is obtained through the sale of other

supplies 5% of the revenue is obtained through the sale of live

animals.

It is striking that only 5% of the revenue is attained through the sale of live animals, the bulk of the revenue is obtained through food and other supplies. This shows that a pet is a long-term cost post for consumers. Rent-A-Pet can give the pet experience without committing to long-term costs.

7

Rent-A-Pet

BreedersBreeders are comparable to highly specialized pet specialty shops. Breeders can be possible key partners and advertisers on the platform. A comprehensive list of Fokkers can be found http://www.hondenpage.com/fokkers/index.php

C2C internet marketThrough websites such as Markplaats and Speurders potential customers can purchase and sell any animal they please. The beforementioned C2C markets are currently competitors. These online platforms lack functionality and are cluttered for pets, Rent-A-Pet will specialize in pets and offer increased functionality.

Those are the four main suppliers in the Netherlands. Over 55% ofthe Dutch households possess a pet (Nu, 2014). That means there is still 45% of the population who doesn’t get to experience pet, Rent-A-Pet could offer its services to this segment of the population.

These four main suppliers will be the competitors of Rent-A-Pet. The pet suppliers mentioned can be seen as (online) shops whereasRent-A-Pet will position itself as a C2C supplier of pets and thepet experience. Figure 1 illustrates the internal and external factors of the SWOT analysis.

1.2.1: SWOT Analysis

8

Rent-A-Pet

1.3: Reason for the projectIn the long term the reason for starting Rent-A-Pet is to earn revenue. This research is not a sequel of another project although this research group let itself be inspired by its English competitor BorrowMyDoggy. This research group thinks the time is right to perform this study in 2015. The past couple of decades have been a time of increasing individualization and hectic lifestyles, this prevents people from owning a pet. The Rent-A-Pet research group beliefs this era is perfect for the product and this will only increase the next few years.To further describe the reasons for this project this research groups uses the 6 W’s.

1: What? - What is the reason for this project?Rent-A-Pet has a mission statement and a vision that describe thereasons for this project in detail.

9

Rent-A-Pet

Mission statement: Rent-A-Pet wants to deliver a unique way to experience pets to animal lovers in the Netherlands Rent-A-Pet will improve the quality of life for animals and humans alike. Vision: Have an active user base of 10.000 members within one year

2: Who? - Who are our current and potential customers?Please see: 1.1 -Customer segments

3: Where? - Where are our current and potential customers buying our products? The product does not exist in its current form. What follows is an analysis of the pet market in the Netherlands.

A potential customer can live anywhere in the Netherlands. Due tothe timely nature of renting a pet customers don’t need special living circumstances to be able to keep a pet. Whereas people living in student houses, flats or city areas normally couldn’t keep a pet, Rent-A-Pet gives them this opportunity

4: When? - When are our current and potential customers buying our products? A survey performed under 80 different potential customers shows that most potential customers for a pet are not ready for the commitment. Their lifestyle and/or residence does not provide theproper care for a potential pet although the will to keep one is there. People who already owned a pet mentioned in the survey that they bought the pet as soon as a stable household had been formed.

5: Why? - Why are our current and potential customers buying our products? Why not?Why: Pets do not fulfill a quantifiable need such as food, shelter or education. People buy pets because of the emotions attached to a pet. Pet owners grow to love their pets and form a bond with them. Rent-A-Pet needs to be able to provide the same experience without the commitment.

Why not: A survey performed under 80 different potential customers showed four discernible reasons why potential customersare not buying a pet yet.

ResidenceThe potential customer has a small house or shares the house withother people. Keeping a pet in those circumstances would be fun nor ethical.

10

Rent-A-Pet

LifestyleThe potential customer’s lifestyle does not allow the proper carefor a pet. Although different pets require different levels of care, most pets require the owner to be present at least once a day.

A dislike of petsSome people simply don’t like pets. With very effective marketingthis group could be swayed into purchasing the products of Rent-A-Pet.

Financial reasonsThe cost of a dog can range from €400 to €800 a year depending onsize (Pedigree, 2014). Cats cost around €450 a year (Kattenbescherming, 2014) People with a lower income are not capable or willing to make such an investment. Rent-A-Pet can offer a low-cost alternative for these potential customers.

CHAPTER 2 - Description Of The Assignment2.1: AssignmentThe assignment of this research group is to see if the company described in Chapter 1 is economically feasible. To make this happen, Rent-A-Pet needs to find a new way to deliver value.

2.2: Formulation of objectiveThe objective of this research group is to find a new way to experience pets for aspiring pet owners so that they can experience pets in a new, non-committal way.

2.3: Central research questionCentral research question: How and why do aspiring customers purchase their pet experience?

As a ‘product’ pets are an odd ‘product’, pets are mostly ‘used’ to form an emotional connection with.  What drives potential customers to purchase a pet and how do they orientate themselves on the pet market?

Answer: After evaluation of the survey we can conclude that pets

11

Rent-A-Pet

in the Netherlands are bought mostly for companionship at the asylum.

2.4: Secondary questionsFew sub questions that can be useful to answer the central question

1. Do pets increase happiness?

Yes, it is safe to say pets increase happiness. Studies found that: “in a community sample that pet owners fared better on several well-being (e.g.,greater self-esteem, more exercise) and individual-difference (e.g., greater conscientiousness, less fearful attachment) measures” (McConnell, 2011). This means the service Rent-A-Pet will be providing is beneficial for the customer in the long-term, increasing the likeliness a customer will be returning.

2. Can the companionship of a pet help beat loneliness?

Yes, it is safe to say pets can prevent loneliness. Studies “experimentally demonstrated the ability of pets to stave off negativity caused by social rejection” (McConnell, 2011). Not only the pets can help beat loneliness. The contact between pet owner and pet borrower can increase social cohesion in the neighborhood. Which is increasingly beneficial for the elderly, another study suggests that “older adults who live alone particularly profit from the benefits of socially cohesive neighborhood environments” (Bromell, 2011).Dogs have had positive effect towards people who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s (Botek, 2014), increasing possible revenue by renting out pets to nursery homes. Nursery homes have been contacted by this research group, at the time of writing around 74% of the nursery homes were interested in the idea (for a full list of nursery homes and responses, see: appendix).

3. Are people willing to experience pets temporarily?

The answer to this question is inconclusive, but likely affirmative. The existence of BorrowMyDoggy.com and its relative success (Companycheck, 2014) acts as a benchmark for the potential success of Rent-A-Pet.

12

Rent-A-Pet

4. Where do people purchase their pets?

American research has shown that the shelter is the most popular place to choose a pet from, followed by a pet specialty shop / breeder (Huffington Post, 2011). The Dutch consumer survey performed by this research group confirms this.

5. Why do people purchase their pets?

People purchase pets for companionship. Since the beginning of time humans have used animals in a number of ways: food, safety or hunting. Nowadays, most of the pets are used as companionship (Scientific American, 2012).

CHAPTER 3 - DefinitionsThe list below explains the definitions used in this preliminary research, aimed to increase understanding of this research proposal plan.

Borrower: Any consumer who rents a pet from a donor

Consumer: Any human being who uses services provided by Rent-A-Pet

Donator: A consumer that is willing to lend out his/her pet to a consumer.

Experience: Coming into contact with a pet for a prolonged time (longer than 60 minutes).

Pet: Every animal that a potential consumer is interested in keeping as a companion. This does not exclude exotic or other unusual animals.

Pet experience: The entire emotional experience of renting a pet.A pet is not a regular product as it doesn’t have a ‘purpose’. The aim of getting a pet is a sense of companionship, fun and bonding. Rent-A-Pet tries to offer this experience without the commitment.

Pet specialty shops: Shops that sell pets and/or pet related items. This is not limited to actual shops but also includes

13

Rent-A-Pet

breeders and other sellers of animals. Although live pets form only a small part of revenue for most pet shops they are still a key partner.

Social cohesion: An increased amount of social contact with people in the direct neighborhood.

Survey: Unless specifically mentioned the survey refers to the survey performed by this research group under potential consumersand donors.

CHAPTER 4 - Project structure

4.1: Methods of data collectionThe first method of data collection will be via desk research. Bydiscovering a variety of different sources describing the subjectmatter including books, newspapers, magazines and websites. The group will be able to collect reliable knowledge, which will contribute towards constructing a feasible service.

The next step is to undergo an extensive secondary research process where the group hopes to gain the opinions of several related parties to the Rent-A-Pet business model. The survey willbe used to investigate the behaviour of members of the public towards animals and gain their feedback on the Rent-A-Pet idea and whether they would be interested in becoming a part of the process. This is a quantative research. By pertaining the views of the public and interviewing potential key partners such as petfood companies and adoption centres, the group hopes to gain enough evidence to positively support the central and sub questions.

We will also have telephone calls and personal interviews with shop owners and breeders. These interviews are the qualitative part of our research.

The sub questions are answered mostly by desk research, since theeffect of pets on mental research has been thoroughly researched.

4.2: Population and sampleThe first research is consumer research. The population of this research will be determined via quota sampling, as the

14

Rent-A-Pet

identification of a clear target market segment is crucial. The aim is to gain the contributions of at least 80 members of the public via the initial survey. The aim is to gain the insights ofat least 20 different individuals (individuals can be companies in this situation) who could be considered as potential key partners to Rent-A-Pet. Not only will they display their opinionson the subject but they will also be aware of official rulings and facts regarding the pet market.

The second research is key partner research. Are key partners such as elderly homes, pet specialty shops and breeders interested in cooperating with this idea?

At the time of writing the positive response rate of the institutions were as follows:Nursery homes interested: 74%Pet specialty shops interested: 66%

4.3:OperationalisationsThere are a few factors that will be measured during this research process:

Revenue - How much money can be made?Assuming the website generates 10.000 unique visitors every monththe projected revenue looks as follows:Ad revenue: 230 euros / month (Marginhound, 2014)Subscription revenue (assuming ½ of the visitors are lenders of pets): 50.000 euros / month

Customer Satisfaction - How pleased are the customers with the service of benchmarked companies e.g. BorrowMyDoggy.com?The data for this seems to be unavailable.

Pet Experience - How have these animals contributed to your life? Positively or negatively?Animals have contributed positively to an overwhelming majority of our survey. Scientific research agrees with this statement. For answers about this we refer you to 2.4

15

Rent-A-Pet

CHAPTER 5 -Planning andphasingBelow is a table that depicts how the group’s time is planned during the initial research process. Depending on how fast respondents react to surveys/interviews, this process will takebetween 12-15 weeks:

Activity Time period

Desk Research: During the first few weeks of the research phase this research group will be focusing on primary desk research. With this information, a basic understanding of the market will be gained. The sourcesthat will be used to gain this understanding will be from a variety of literary types including newspapers, books, journals, websites of previous/current models.

Week 1-2

Benchmark Study: As a more extensive form of secondary research, the group shall be closely analyzing a fellowcompany within the rent a pet market. The success of the company, BorrowMyDoggy.com, could help influence success for Rent-A-Pet also. Doing this would largely contribute towards identifying many of Rent-A-Pet’s potential competitors.

Week 2

Survey: As knowledge of the subject increases, the construction of the survey will begin. The more information absorbed, the more confident that the questions devised are appropriate and will garner the necessary information for Rent-A-Pet to determine whether the potential service is feasible.

Upon the construction of the survey, testing will beginvia a random selection of the Dutch population. The survey will be sent to a wide range of Dutch people, via e-mail and post. The aim is to have at least 80 respondents to the survey. This is considered as the minimal amount of people necessary in order to correlate the views of the Dutch population. With this in mind, surveys will continue to be sent until this quota is met so this process is estimated to take up tothree weeks.

Week 3-6

16

Rent-A-Pet

Interview Key Partners: Simultaneously, the group will begin to interview key partners.. This process will be start by first enticing the interest of said partners through a sales pitch, in which the group will explain the concept of Rent-A-Pet and request an audience with the receiver in order to gain further insight about themarket. This insight is important because it will draw upon the experience that professionals in the pet market have and can go a long way towards ensuring feasibility.

The aim is to interview 30 key partners but this may vary. No key partner should work in exactly the same market as another e.g. one pet shop owner, one pet foodmanufacturer, one animal shelter employee etc. It is important that certain opinions noted in the interviewse.g. slighting of rival pet shops, should be disregarded. Responses such as these are blatant and irrelevant to whether Rent-A-Pet is a feasible service.

The interview process will take a number of weeks, depending largely on how fast the key partners respond to the group’s attempts to communicate with them. Within the interviews, the primary focus is to learn about what is specifically required in order to make Rent-A-Pet not only successful but more importantly feasible. Amongst the many factors included are how best to interact with customers, how to maintain healthy relationships, how to make the process more efficient for consumers and how much start-up is required to make Rent-A-Pet evolve from an idea to reality.

Weeks 5-9

Completion of Research Proposal Plan: The research proposal plan is the go to guide of how the research isto take place. Within this plan are several key elements to the research such as the central and sub research questions that the group wishes to answer uponthe completion of the project.

Weeks 1-7

Ongoing revision of Business Model Canvas: As the Weeks

17

Rent-A-Pet

research continues, the BMC will continue to be alteredas the research reveals more about the feasibility of the Rent-A-Pet business model. U-turns might need to bemade if feasibility is questioned

1-15

Occupation of web domain: By occupying a stand-alone web domain for the Rent-A-Pet platform, there is a potential for the patency of the Rent-A-Pet name i.e. if the domain “Rent-A-Pet.nl” is available, the serviceis more feasible regionally. From the website, there isan opportunity to get more feedback from more potentialcustomers, pet suppliers and key partners.

Week 6

Finalise budgeting plan: As the research progresses, the group can start making more detailed assumptions about the final costs of this research. Within these assumptions are the financial budgets associated with Rent-A-Pet.

Week 8

Attempt to pertain stakeholders: Upon receiving all thenecessary feedback from the surveys and interviews, thegroup can work towards tweaking the business model thatmuch more after gaining the opinions of several different respondents.With this information being put to good use, the Rent-A-Pet business model can altered and continuously tested to gain a premium amount of customer interest and satisfaction. The more customers are satisfied, themore likely key partners are likely to take the Rent-A-Pet model seriously. Having already gained support for the service from nursing homes, it is the group’s wish to gain further support from other potential stakeholders, primarily those who wish to financially endorse the service such as pet shop owners and advertising companies. The more support gained, the more that Rent-A-Pet seems feasible.

Weeks 7-12

Final Presentation: All sufficient research will be revealed. This research group will then know whether ornot this idea is feasible.

Week 13

Test Prototype: Upon being satisfied with the Week

18

Rent-A-Pet

collection of data and whether the client approves, thegroup will  begin physically testing the Rent-A-Pet business model, a prototype of the service that will beprovided in the future. The prototype will be the website in its rough form, without added functionalities or customer-friendly design. This is purely to see if the service itself is feasible when applied in the real world. This process will include testing whether the Rent-A-Pet social platform works, whether customers think it is easy and efficient to useand it will also address the primary service of rentingpets off to our customers. It will be very valuable to see how this process works, it will give the group a lot of insight into what is still needed to make Rent-A-Pet successful and feasible. However, what must be taken into account is possible time and financial limitations. If they occur, the less likely it will be to have the time to create a prototype.

13-15

After all of the above data is collected, the group will learn whether Rent-A-Pet is a feasible idea or not. This process will take a few days and upon learning whether the service is feasibleor not, the group will be able to continue working or rethink towards the business model.

19

Rent-A-Pet

CHAPTER 6 – PreconditionsThe following described is what we need to complete the project properly.

CHECKLISTPROJECT PLANNING

Background work Due

Analyze business idea by doing a SWOT analysis Week1

Establish business and personal goalsWeek 1

Do a thorough market research Week2-3

Identify our customers Week1-4

Identify our stakeholders Week4

Identify our competitorsWeek 2-3

Steps

Prepare and deploy our communication/marketing strategyWeek 6-7

Communication plan to team members Week1-7

Choose a name for the product/ service

Validate our idea Week 1-5

Write down thoughts on the product/service we want to build also what we needs want to solve. Detail hypotheses.Validate these hypotheses with as many potential customers as we can. Ask customers if they will buy or use our product/service we want to build. Learn about what features they want and will pay for. Ask customers for more ideas.

20

Rent-A-Pet

Build prototype of our product and offer a test run of our product orservice Term Dand ask customers what they think of it. Customers will provide much better input when they can see the product or test the service.

Define our Business model Week6-7

21

Rent-A-Pet

CHAPTER 7- Is the research reliable and valid?By sending out the survey to our direct acquaintances to answer the survey, this research group hopes to obtain contributions from every customer segment. By doing this, the survey results will be reflective towards the actual beliefs and thoughts of thepopulation, thus ensuring both reliability and validity and avoiding bias.

When interviewing key partners, the group want to ensure that anyconflicting beliefs and opinions from certain companies will not disrupt the reliability and validity of the research. Thus, the questions asked should be answered with quantifiable facts e.g. %of satisfied dog owners in the Netherlands.

The group will respect any differing opinions that is used in theprimary research and act from a neutral perspective e.g. towards the beliefs of different journalists and authors towards a certain situation.

At the time of writing the response rate has been:

80 responses from potential consumers19 responses from nursing homes 9 responses from pet specialty shops

This research group considers these results valid for representing a general market interest.

CHAPTER 8 - LimitationsThe following list includes all possible limitations that can andhave occurred during the project execution. However to prevent these limitations from escalating they need to be recognized and approached beforehand.

Uncontrollable animal behaviorThe social platform will not be held accountable for any uncontrollable behavior that the animal might have towards the pet borrower. A legal disclaimer will be put up on the site (See: Appendix). To prevent any unacceptable behavior from happening, the website offers the pet owner and the pet borrower the opportunityto arrange a meeting among each other to initially analyze if there is a mutual connection between the pet borrower and the pet. If the borrower accepts to take care of the pet despite a

22

Rent-A-Pet

lack of connection or intimacy, Rent-A-Pet will not be consideredresponsible for any damages or unpleasant events that could occur.

Time frame limitationTime is limited. Unfortunately the time that was invested in the first and second BMC attempt cannot be reclaimed. This research group is forced to start from scratch in order to execute the feasibility research for the rent-a-pet idea. Time is scarce thusthe research needs to be done in a short amount of time whilst ensuring quality. The actual deadline for the research proposal is due the 18th of December.Lack of resources and time for the prototypeThe creation of the preliminary model, in this case the website, is time consuming and conflicts with the project schedule. As a result this research group does not know whether it’s possible todevelop the prototype by the 9th of January 2015 to proof the feasibility of the product.

Reaching the non-technologically advanced audienceThe elderly and retirees are known for their technical illiteracy. The majority is not as technological enriched has they should be, therefore it will be difficult to reach and locate them. Thus offline advertising means need to be used as well in order to reach all customer segments. On top of that, this research group has contacted various retirement homes to seeif it can be organized from within a retirement home.

Verifying accountabilityVerifying the subscriptions (accounts) is not enough to measure customers’ intentions. To guarantee trustworthiness, the social platform allows subscribers to rate each other based on their personal experience with one another. This is an extra mean used to alert other subscribers for fraudulent accounts or pets with uncontrollable behavior.

Limited power to prevent future interaction between pet owner andpet borrower.The possibility that the pet owners and pet borrowers can form a bond in the future after a positive experience with one another is present. These two can interact in the future and set arrangements among each other without the help of the social platform. However, the website is also considered to be a community forum thus people still have reasons to visit the site.

23

Rent-A-Pet

Survey representationDue to the limited time the survey mostly contains results of direct acquaintances of this research group. Due to this researchgroup’s age the survey mostly contains answers from the age rangeof 18 - 25. One of our potential customer segments are the elderly and retired yet this is an assumption since it is difficult to verify this.

24

Rent-A-Pet

CHAPTER 9 – Organization of the projectTasks/responsibilities involved in the project coordination

Name Tasks/ responsibilitiesRolf van Moergastel 1. Describe the organization in

which the project takes place. Give a situational analysis (environmental analysis and market analysis. 2. Description of the assignment. Formulate objectives, central research question and sub questions.3. Define the concepts of the objective, central question andsub question.

Lily Aviao 1. List possible limitations ofthe project. What we as a groupwill and will not do.2. Describe the communication plan, what is involved and whenand how we as a group will be informed.3. Layout of document

Richard Cejer 1. Describe and list the project activities.2. Make a schematic overview ofthe timing and research activities for each phase of the project.3. Explain whether the researchconducted is reliable or valid.

Priscilla Koolman 1.Provide a checklist of all that is needed to complete the project properly2. Describe the tasks and responsibilities that each member of the group will be performing in the project coordination3. List the costs that are

25

Rent-A-Pet

incurred during the execution of the project.

26

Rent-A-Pet

CHAPTER 10 - Communication planIn order to communicate value in the most effective way, this research group is going to use several B2C communication methods to reach the target audience. Pointing out the follow W’s:What - What is being communicated (value)Who - To whom is it communicatedHow - How will it be communicatedWhere - Where is the value being communicated?What - An online social platform and community forum where local pet owners can lend their pet to those who are interested in borrowing for a certain period of time. Users are free to make their own profile but the following profile information bits willbe suggested

Do you have kids? Do you have a garden? What kind of services are you offering? (grooming, walks,

playtime, relaxing) When are you available?

Who - The core product is being communicated to all pet owners and borrowers of different age categories: Kids, teenagers, youngadults, adults and the elderly. These individuals are included inthe following sub-cultures:

Families Couples Travelers Business professionals Retirees Elderly

How - To communicate value in the most effective way, both offline as well as online advertising means are going to be used since not all target groups are technically active to reach the social platform.ONLINE COMMUNICATING METHODSWebsite:http://www.rentapet.comThe website is the main fundament where the target audience can interact. In addition to that the communication mean is also usedto expose crucial information.   

27

Rent-A-Pet

Pet bloggers:To create an online viral marketing event, free memberships are going to be offered for a free trial to several bloggers who write pet related articles online on their blogs. Depending on the received trial experience they can recommend and write about their experience with the social platform to their viewers/subscribers and so on. The following list includes potential pet related blogs:- Verhuisdieren.nl- Dieren.blog.nl- Extreemschattig.nl- Petmania.nl

Crowdsourcing:Crowdsourcing can be used to start initial funding. It also spreads the idea and provides easy marketing. Some crowdsourcing websites that can be used are GoFundMe and Kickstarter.Social media:The following social media sites are consumed for promotional purposes.

Facebook page: A Facebook page allows the creation a viral marketing event. The more ‘’likes’’ Rent-A-Pet gets on its Facebook page, the higher the chances are that Facebook users will be convinced to take their time to visit and read the content on Rent-A-Pet’s Facebookpage. At times Facebook pages are recommended by Facebook to other Facebook users to see. However in order for this to come tolight, Rent-A-Pet’s Facebook page has to reach a certain popularity rate to be recommended by the website itself and to randomly appear on any newsfeed.Furthermore on http://www.rentapet.com visitors can click on a separate Facebook link that directs them to the Rent-A-Pet Facebook page, where they are asked to like and recommend.

Twitter:A Twitter account is a useful social media tool to update followers about special events and pet offers.

Youtube:The Youtube channel is going to be used to place the customized introduction video ofRent-A-Pet. The trailer visualizes the passion that pet lovers carry, and where pet borrowers and ownersverbally express their positive experience with the website.

28

Rent-A-Pet

Direct mailing: Weekly or monthly updates for the subscribers in the form of a direct email.

Community forum:The following pet related community websites sell banners for other e-commerce companies to promote. Rent-A-Pet can use these community websites to promote its name and where the viewers can directly be linked to www.rentapet.com on:packdogs.comdogster.com

OFFLINE COMMUNICATION METHODSPosters and flyersPosters and flyers are going to be created and distributed to reach all target groups. They will be distributed at the following places

SchoolsNursing homesAnimal shopsAdoption centres

Small advertisements on pet related magazines1. Hondenleven2. Hart voor dieren3. Animal planet

29

Rent-A-Pet

CHAPTER 11 – Budget

START-UP COSTS WORKSHEET

Costs Actual BudgetedTransportation ( Weekend fee)Actual per person €39.2 (based on 2 times in weekend)Budgeted €2 per person

€117.60 €56

Meal Actual: Pizza, beers, chips, thuisbezorgd etc.Budgeted 2.5 per person (based on 2 times in the weekend)

€560 €35

Opportunity costs€235,84 per weekend €1415,09 €1650,94

Printing supplies HP ink black €24.99 €20

Printing supplies HP color €35.99 €25

Supplies A4 €4.99 €8

Telephone costsActual: 0.25c per minute ( Out of bundle costs)

€23.75 €15

Total €2182.41 €1809.94

At the beginning of the term this research group made a complete budget in order to cover all the head costs. However the only costs that exceeded its budget was the meal costs. It appears that the project group had consumed more than budgeted since the initial budget per person was 2.50 for food thus an under-appliedcosts occurred of 524 euros.

In regards to the transportation budget, 3 team members took the bus as a transportation mean during the execution of the project and 1 team member traveled by bike.

30

Rent-A-Pet

Due to the heavy workload that came along with the project, 1 team member made the decision to temporarily quit its weekend jobat a Curacao Media Organization company to fully devote into the project. The team member normally worked during the weekends for Curacao Media Organization but had to call off during the 7 week project. These 7 weeks cost the team member2 pay-checks because of the greater opportunity cost that was involved.

31

Rent-A-Pet

Bibliography

Botek, A.-M. (2014). Canine Caregivers Change the Lives of Alzheimer’s Sufferers. Botek, A.-M.Retrieved from:http://www.agingcare.com/Articles/guide-dogs-for-people-with-alzheimers-153469.htm

Brody, J. (1982). Owning A Pet Can Have Therapeutic Value. New York Times. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/1982/08/11/garden/owning-a-pet-can-have-therapeutic-value.html

Bromell, Lea. (2011). Companionship in the Neighborhood Context Older Adults’ Living Arrangements and Perceptions of Social Cohesion. Bromell, Lea. Retrieved from: http://roa.sagepub.com/content/36/2/228.refs

Companycheck. (2014). BORROWMYDOGGY Limited. Companycheck.com. Retrieved from: http://companycheck.co.uk/company/08339960

D’Costa, K. (2012). The Animal Connection: Why Do We Keep Pets? Scientific American. Retrieved from: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/anthropology-in-practice/2012/01/20/the-animal-connection-why-do-we-keep-pets/

Jackson, Sarah. (2011). Pets As Generators Of Social Capital: A Preliminary Review Of Primary Evidence. Jackson, Sarah.

McConnell, Allen R. (2011). Friends with benefits: On the positive consequences of pet ownership. McConnell, Allen R. Retrieved from: http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2011-13783-001/

HBD. (2014). Dossier dierenspeciaalzaken (feiten en cijfers). HBD. Retrieved from: http://tinyurl.com/pvalz6n

Manning, Sue. (2011). Pets Poll. Huffington Post.

32

Rent-A-Pet

Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/15/pets-poll-gift-stray_n_1094570.html

Marginhound. (2014). Website Revenue Calculator. Marginhound. Retrieved from: http://www.marginhound.com/calculators/website-revenue-calculator

Pedigree. (2014). Wat kost een hond? Pedigree. Retrieved from: http://www.pedigree.nl/gezondheid/welke-hond-past-bij-mij/wat-kost-een-hond

Vet, J. (2011). The influence of animals on the development of children. Vet, J. Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21195645

33

Rent-A-Pet

APPENDICES

Legal DisclaimerBelow is a legal warranty that disclaims any responsibility Rent-A-Pet has with regards to the caring of any animals that are being displayed via the Rent-A-Pet platform. In order to make useof the service that we provide, users have to read and agree withthe terms below:

“Rent-A-Pet wants to make sure that your pet is in a suitable environment during it’s brief tenure away from you. Random visitations by our company officials will be performed, who will conduct an investigation as to whether your home is a safe and stable environment for any pets you may be taking care of. Anyonewho refuses to have their home investigated will be noted and could result in being refused to take care of another person’s pet.However, Rent-A-Pet has NO responsibility towards the direct careof the animal(s) being offered by respective owners. The responsibility lies entirely with the carer and thus they will beeligible to pay damages if they breach the duty of care they initially accepted.”

Email Nursing Homes A Dutch version of the following email has been sent to various nursing homes asking if they’re willing to cooperate with the services provided by Rent-A-Pet

Dear Madam/Sir,

The following students of University of Applied Science Utrecht: Rolf, Richard, Priscilla and Lily are currently working on a social C2C platform project where pets can be rented out for a certain amount of time to those who due to circumstances are incapable of maintaining a pet on a long-term basis. As a nursinghome we are perfectly aware that clients staying at (……) are not allowed to possess a pet for hygiene and safety reasons. Therefore we would like to organize a special event for pet lovers among your clients to still be able to interact with a petfor a day under supervision. This is an interesting way to diversify their daily lives and a good mean for them to socialize with other residents. To ensure

34

Rent-A-Pet

that the event runs smoothly we are planning to verify and selectall pets that are deemed fit, this is just to prevent any uncalled for proceedings from occurring.

If you are interesting in participating then we are more than willing to organize such event.  If this turns out to be a success we can perhaps organize it on a monthly basis.

Note that this letter was written just to measure the interests in the idea, the actual project will be realized by the end of 2015.

We look forward to receiving your reply

35

Rent-A-Pet

GRAPH SHOWING INTEREST NURSING HOMES

GRAPH SHOWING INTEREST PET SHOPS

36

Rent-A-Pet

GRAPHS RESULTS CUSTOMER SURVEY

37

Rent-A-Pet

38