The interviewee should summarize his or her findings and give the client a solid recommendation.
Possible conclusion:
The client was concerned about the profitability of his new retirement home in Munich. However, after calculating the profits of both the Munich and Berlin homes, we see that the Munich home has a higher profit margin than the Berlin home.
There are a few ways that client could improve the retirement home’s profitability (the interviewee could suggest other ways).
- Increase the Berlin’s home’s occupancy rate:
25% of apartments are not occupied. If the client can increase occupancy rate by 10%, the client’s profit will increase by €10,000 (= (800 - 300) * 10% * 200).
The client should try to make the Berlin home more attractive to customers. The client could build an entertainment center (similar to the one in the Munich home) or by conducting an aggressive advertising campaign targeted towards people with parents who are above the age of 60. - Reduce costs through synergies:
SG&A costs in Berlin did not decrease after the Munich home was launched. SG&A costs in both cities are similar. (€8,000 in Munich and €10,000 in Berlin).
The client could centralize departments such as customer support, HR, purchasing, and sales. - Create new revenue streams:
Currently, the only revenue stream is apartment rental. The client could partner with companies who provide products and services for elderly people.
Since the rent does not include breakfast or dinner, there could be small shops and restaurants built near the homes. Coaches could train people in sports.
This case is all about realizing that the client is concerned for no reason because the new retirement home in Munich has a higher profit margin than the older retirement home in Berlin.
To arrive at this conclusion, the interviewee should use the profitability framework (revenue minus costs) to uncover all necessary information.
One of the first clarifying questions the interviewee should ask is obvious: if the company is already 5 years old and just opened a home in Munich, what other homes has it run? The interviewer should state that the company has only run one other home in Berlin.