Benchmarking

2.)
Benchmarking Report

By: Thien Trieu

August 28th, 2021

• Introduction

The free market dictates the way any industry runs and operates. There are many competitors who are constantly trying to improve their products, in effect, reducing the cost and having a more efficient manufacturing process. Therefore, one must thoroughly study the industry before creating a prototype and introducing it to the market. This process is called benchmarking. It is often the very first step that companies will do in order to kick start their products.

• What is benchmarking?

Benchmarking is the process of coming up with a concept for a particular product. Then, companies will study their competitors to see what they can make them unique in the market. For example, in the automobile industry, features that will be looked at are dimensions of a part, its manufacturing process, and/or performance ability. Benchmarking is useful because some of the features have already been widely used and need not to be developed any further. For example, the window switcher’s motor in any car. This can help to reduce the time needed to design the product.

• Benefits of benchmarking

The first benefit of benchmarking is that it gives the company a direction to start their design. Companies would need some basic information about what the competitors are doing with their design. Benchmarking can also lead to finding new solutions for consumers. This can boost sales and improve the company’s reputation in the marketplace. Moreover, it can help to find the gap between the product and its competitor. In a sense, it will give the company a better view of where they are in the industry and thus leading them to finding an alternative to stand out.

• Conclusion

Benchmarking is seen as one of the most important steps in developing a product. Many companies implement this process in their preliminary design phase. Thus, its value is still highly regarded today in any industry.

3.) With a family of five, I think the most optimal car type is the crossover. Thus, there are four recommendations that I have.

Number one is the Nissan Rogue. This model is amongst the biggest crossover car models, which is what he is looking for. Its MPG is 25 for city and 32 for highway and has a horsepower of 170. It has lane keep assist and radar cruise control which can reduce the fatigue of the driver.

The Honda CR-V is also quite good. Its MPG is 28 for city and 34 for highway and has a higher horsepower compared to the Nissan Rogue of 190. So if the customer would want to reduce the gas prices, the Honda CR-V is highly recommended.

The Toyota Sienna is my third recommendation. Its MPG is 32 for city and 36 for highway and has a horsepower of 245. Though the price of this model is a little higher, it is a big car with great gas mileage that would be suitable for the customer.

The last model is the Honda Odyssey. Its MPG is 19 for city and 28 for highway and has a horsepower of 280. Although its power is a lot higher than the Sienna, the MPG of this model is not desirable. However, its cargo is quite big and the aesthetic is also very appealing.

4.) I would recommend the Toyota Sienna. It gives the customer the best of both world. High MPG as well as a large cargo for him and his family.