Cyberservice: Taming Service Marketing Problems with the World Wide Web Net Present Value (NPV) / MBA Resources

Introduction to Net Present Value (NPV) - What is Net Present Value (NPV) ? How it impacts financial decisions regarding project management?

NPV solution for Cyberservice: Taming Service Marketing Problems with the World Wide Web case study

At Oak Spring University, we provide corporate level professional Net Present Value (NPV) case study solution. Cyberservice: Taming Service Marketing Problems with the World Wide Web case study is a Harvard Business School (HBR) case study written by Leyland Pitt, Pierre R. Berthon, Richard T. Watson. The Cyberservice: Taming Service Marketing Problems with the World Wide Web (referred as “Cyberservice Web” from here on) case study provides evaluation & decision scenario in field of Technology & Operations. It also touches upon business topics such as - Value proposition, Internet, Marketing.

The net present value (NPV) of an investment proposal is the present value of the proposal’s net cash flows less the proposal’s initial cash outflow. If a project’s NPV is greater than or equal to zero, the project should be accepted.

NPV = Present Value of Future Cash Flows LESS Project’s Initial Investment

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Case Description of Cyberservice: Taming Service Marketing Problems with the World Wide Web Case Study

Service marketing is usually considered more difficult, complex, and onerous because of the problems created by characteristics unique to services. However, the World Wide Web has dramatically changed this received wisdom forever. Cyberservice not only overcomes previously imagined limitations of service marketing, it also creates new opportunities. The Web enables marketers to manage those characteristics--intangibility, simultaneity, heterogeneity, and perishability--once regarded as formidable barriers to service marketing. Web sites can, and should, lend a tangible dimension to services--if the quality, frequency of update, and server speed are up to par. The Web can even provide a "sample" of the service. Service marketers can use the Web to manage simultaneity by customizing, involving the customer as a part-time employee, industrializing services, and reducing customer errors. Cyberservice overturns the traditional hierarchy between products and service with its three unique characteristics: the ability to quantize, search, and automate.

Case Authors : Leyland Pitt, Pierre R. Berthon, Richard T. Watson

Topic : Technology & Operations

Related Areas : Internet, Marketing

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Calculating Net Present Value (NPV) at 6% for Cyberservice: Taming Service Marketing Problems with the World Wide Web Case Study

Years	Cash Flow	Net Cash Flow	Cumulative     Cash Flow	Discount Rate @ 6 %	Discounted Cash Flows
Year 0	(10016059)	-10016059	-	-
Year 1	3462237	-6553822	3462237	0.9434	3266261
Year 2	3967802	-2586020	7430039	0.89	3531330
Year 3	3958119	1372099	11388158	0.8396	3323313
Year 4	3233435	4605534	14621593	0.7921	2561183
TOTAL			14621593		12682087

The Net Present Value at 6% discount rate is 2666028

In isolation the NPV number doesn't mean much but put in right context then it is one of the best method to evaluate project returns. In this article we will cover -

Different methods of capital budgeting

What is NPV & Formula of NPV,
How it is calculated,
How to use NPV number for project evaluation, and
Scenario Planning given risks and management priorities.

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Capital Budgeting Approaches

Methods of Capital Budgeting

There are four types of capital budgeting techniques that are widely used in the corporate world –

1. Payback Period
2. Net Present Value
3. Internal Rate of Return
4. Profitability Index

Apart from the Payback period method which is an additive method, rest of the methods are based on Discounted Cash Flow technique. Even though cash flow can be calculated based on the nature of the project, for the simplicity of the article we are assuming that all the expected cash flows are realized at the end of the year.

Discounted Cash Flow approaches provide a more objective basis for evaluating and selecting investment projects. They take into consideration both –

1. Timing of the expected cash flows – stockholders of Cyberservice Web have higher preference for cash returns over 4-5 years rather than 10-15 years given the nature of the volatility in the industry.
2. Magnitude of both incoming and outgoing cash flows – Projects can be capital intensive, time intensive, or both. Cyberservice Web shareholders have preference for diversified projects investment rather than prospective high income from a single capital intensive project.

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Formula and Steps to Calculate Net Present Value (NPV) of Cyberservice: Taming Service Marketing Problems with the World Wide Web

NPV = Net Cash In Flowt1 / (1+r)t1 + Net Cash In Flowt2 / (1+r)t2 + … Net Cash In Flowtn / (1+r)tn
Less Net Cash Out Flowt0 / (1+r)t0

Where t = time period, in this case year 1, year 2 and so on.
r = discount rate or return that could be earned using other safe proposition such as fixed deposit or treasury bond rate. Net Cash In Flow – What the firm will get each year.
Net Cash Out Flow – What the firm needs to invest initially in the project.

Step 1 – Understand the nature of the project and calculate cash flow for each year.
Step 2 – Discount those cash flow based on the discount rate.
Step 3 – Add all the discounted cash flow.
Step 4 – Selection of the project

Why Technology & Operations Managers need to know Financial Tools such as Net Present Value (NPV)?

In our daily workplace we often come across people and colleagues who are just focused on their core competency and targets they have to deliver. For example marketing managers at Cyberservice Web often design programs whose objective is to drive brand awareness and customer reach. But how that 30 point increase in brand awareness or 10 point increase in customer touch points will result into shareholders’ value is not specified.

To overcome such scenarios managers at Cyberservice Web needs to not only know the financial aspect of project management but also needs to have tools to integrate them into part of the project development and monitoring plan.

Calculating Net Present Value (NPV) at 15%

After working through various assumptions we reached a conclusion that risk is far higher than 6%. In a reasonably stable industry with weak competition - 15% discount rate can be a good benchmark.

Years	Cash Flow	Net Cash Flow	Cumulative     Cash Flow	Discount Rate @ 15 %	Discounted Cash Flows
Year 0	(10016059)	-10016059	-	-
Year 1	3462237	-6553822	3462237	0.8696	3010641
Year 2	3967802	-2586020	7430039	0.7561	3000228
Year 3	3958119	1372099	11388158	0.6575	2602527
Year 4	3233435	4605534	14621593	0.5718	1848727
TOTAL					10462124

The Net NPV after 4 years is 446065

(10462124 - 10016059 )

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Calculating Net Present Value (NPV) at 20%

If the risk component is high in the industry then we should go for a higher hurdle rate / discount rate of 20%.

Years	Cash Flow	Net Cash Flow	Cumulative     Cash Flow	Discount Rate @ 20 %	Discounted Cash Flows
Year 0	(10016059)	-10016059	-	-
Year 1	3462237	-6553822	3462237	0.8333	2885198
Year 2	3967802	-2586020	7430039	0.6944	2755418
Year 3	3958119	1372099	11388158	0.5787	2290578
Year 4	3233435	4605534	14621593	0.4823	1559334
TOTAL					9490528

The Net NPV after 4 years is -525531

At 20% discount rate the NPV is negative (9490528 - 10016059 ) so ideally we can't select the project if macro and micro factors don't allow financial managers of Cyberservice Web to discount cash flow at lower discount rates such as 15%.

Acceptance Criteria of a Project based on NPV

Simplest Approach – If the investment project of Cyberservice Web has a NPV value higher than Zero then finance managers at Cyberservice Web can ACCEPT the project, otherwise they can reject the project. This means that project will deliver higher returns over the period of time than any alternate investment strategy.

In theory if the required rate of return or discount rate is chosen correctly by finance managers at Cyberservice Web, then the stock price of the Cyberservice Web should change by same amount of the NPV. In real world we know that share price also reflects various other factors that can be related to both macro and micro environment.

In the same vein – accepting the project with zero NPV should result in stagnant share price. Finance managers use discount rates as a measure of risk components in the project execution process.

Sensitivity Analysis

Project selection is often a far more complex decision than just choosing it based on the NPV number. Finance managers at Cyberservice Web should conduct a sensitivity analysis to better understand not only the inherent risk of the projects but also how those risks can be either factored in or mitigated during the project execution. Sensitivity analysis helps in –

What are the key aspects of the projects that need to be monitored, refined, and retuned for continuous delivery of projected cash flows.

What will be a multi year spillover effect of various taxation regulations.

What are the uncertainties surrounding the project Initial Cash Outlay (ICO’s). ICO’s often have several different components such as land, machinery, building, and other equipment.

Understanding of risks involved in the project.

What can impact the cash flow of the project.

Some of the assumptions while using the Discounted Cash Flow Methods –

Projects are assumed to be Mutually Exclusive – This is seldom the came in modern day giant organizations where projects are often inter-related and rejecting a project solely based on NPV can result in sunk cost from a related project.

Independent projects have independent cash flows – As explained in the marketing project – though the project may look independent but in reality it is not as the brand awareness project can be closely associated with the spending on sales promotions and product specific advertising.

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Negotiation Strategy of Cyberservice: Taming Service Marketing Problems with the World Wide Web

References & Further Readings

Leyland Pitt, Pierre R. Berthon, Richard T. Watson (2018), "Cyberservice: Taming Service Marketing Problems with the World Wide Web Harvard Business Review Case Study. Published by HBR Publications.