In this case it is basically a confirmation for the statement the other person said before "we're gonna be doing this all the time now". "That's right." "That is what it means." "Exactly." Or it can be a statement that suggests that the other persons question was "stupid" as the answer should have being obvious right from the beginning. "That is the whole point of it." "What did you think?!" At least that is how I see it. It is hard to tell exactly without knowing the whole story behind it.

No, in this case, "that's the general idea" means what the lady asked, is exactly what he had in mind, ....they are going to be doing this all the time. However, it is not blantantly saying so...it is a probability that things will go that way.