Change Management - Installation of MS Surface Table Top in Macdonald's Restaurants - Case Study Example

Change Management: Installation of MS Surface table top in Macdonald’s Restaurants Student Tutor Course Date Microsoft Surface This platform is a combination of both hardware and software technologies which can be used by multiple users simultaneously. This technology was first launched by Microsoft as Surface 1.0 in 2008 and it was mainly marketed to business consumers. The goal of this technology is to recognize touch and objects without the need for external devices. It uses a Natural User Interface (NUI). MS Surface’s sensitivity to touch is due to a series of cameras that are built into it, the device also has software that processes information from the cameras and responds accordingly depending with the application that is being used. Due to multi touch technology, MS Surface can detect and process touch from several positions at the same time. This device uses a 40 inch LCD screen and a 4 inch thickness, 2.9 GHz 64-bit AMD Athlon X2 core processor. 1 GB AMD Radeon HD graphics processor, 4 GB DDR3 RAM, 320 GB hard drive, wired (1 GB Ethernet) and wireless (802.11 and Bluetooth) network hardware. MS Surface has physical connectors which include HDMI, Stereo RCA, USB and SD card. It also comes with embedded 64-bit windows 7 professional operating system. To protect the surface, it is corned with gorilla glass. It has recognition for more than 50 touch points and they can all be recognized simultaneously (Davies. 2009). In order for the device to perform all the functions it performs, it needs to have cutting edge technology. The operating system is based on a surface shell which runs and manages the sub processes involved in running of MS Surface. The software makes it easy to know where to tough, by displaying the touch points on the surface enabling the user to touch the touch points nearest to him. Touch highlights an object, MS Surface also allows objects to be held and dragged to different parts of the surface. It also allows scaling by touching objects at two points and scaling them accordingly. There is also turning and flicking which allows an object on the surface to be put aside but still is acceptable. Ms Surface can also have a multi media function in which entertainment features can be installed (Roodyn. 2009). Impact of MS Surface on a restaurant In a restaurant like MacDonald’s, MS Surface can make it easier for customers to place orders; especially dine in customers. It would also eliminate the need for menus being printed and also have them presented in more detail e.g. the menu can give information on the nutritional value of the different meals on offer. MS Surface can also be used to present images of the meals on offer to ensure the client has a clear picture of the food. Once a client has decided on the meal to take, they can order and pay at the table using their credit cards. The impact is that there will be less interaction between the customers and restaurant staff. As a result of paying through credit cards, the restaurant will be sure that all money paid for meals cannot be misappropriated. Exclusive use of credit card will mean that waiters will no longer be receiving tips. Installation of this technology can allow customers to be listening to music as they await their orders to be processes and their orders delivered. This way they can be kept busy, and there will be an entertainment feature in the restaurant. The system might also be able to facilitate communication between the main server and customers in case there is need for clarification on an order once it has been placed. While using MS Surface, customers would pay for their meals exclusively using credit cards which mean there would be less cash in the restaurants. This will reduce the rate of robberies will be reduced since there will be no takes. Likely objections to the change from different stakeholders The franchise The franchise, while it may benefit from installation of MS Surface may be opposed to the installation of MS Surface due to fear of the fact that they are relatively unknown and the restaurateurs are not sure how they work. The main consideration, however, is likely to be the cost involved in installation of the devices and their maintenance, which would be a recurrent cost. These installations will also mean training of staff on their use which will mean spending money. It might also be necessary to have in-house maintenance staff, this is skilled labour and their payment is likely to be higher than that of an ordinary worker thus pushing up expenses. Increase in expenses might translate to increase in prices of meals or reduced prices. Both of which cases are likely to cause opposition on the part of the frachise. Since the MS Surface is basically a computer, newer models will continue being produced and the technology in the ones installed will become outdated making it necessary for them to be replaced, which will be an expense on the part of the franchise holder. MS Surface installation would reduce the element of human contact considerably and this might lead to customers opting not to come to the restaurant. The franchise opposition might also be due to the fact that some customers, who are not technology savvy, might feel out of place and decide to shun their restaurants, while some may be willing to have their restaurants as a reserved for a certain niche in the market, others are likely to feel uncomfortable with the loss of customers and revenues. The employees Introduction of MS Surface and the use of credit cards for payment would greatly reduce the amount of tips received by the waiters and waitresses. The system would also reduce the control in ordering that is normally in place when the waiters and waitresses go to take orders from customers since they deliver those before taking others. If many customers come at the same time and start ordering at the same time, they might get impatient and cause problems between clients and customers. Employees might also be opposed to the introduction of the new system for fear that their regular earnings may be reduced as a result of the perception that they would b doing less work, owing to the fact that the part where a waiter goes to take orders from customers will no longer be a part of the job. Introduction of technology, more often than not, means loss of jobs since it makes work easier for the ones working. Employees might resist introduction of MS Surface for fear that they will lose their jobs. The customers Customers are likely to resist the introduction of MS Surface due to fear for the security of their credit card details after they use them concerns are likely due to the information being accessed by hackers once they have gotten into the system. There might also be fears of their details might be accessed by customers sharing the table. Once a customer has paid using their credit cards while placing their order, it is impossible for them to leave if they are dissatisfied with the service. This is because they cannot be given their money back, owing to the fact there is no cash in the restaurant. Not all people who go to Macdonald’s are tech savvy, introduction of the new system might make some of the less savvy customers feeling out of place due to the fact that they find it difficult to use the new system, they might find that they need more time to place their orders than they would if they are giving the order directly to a waiter. This might make that category of customers, due to this discomfort and the time factor, decide to avoid this restaurants. Strategies to reduce conflict and uncertainty Should the decision to implement this change be taken forward, there is likely to be conflict and uncertainty concerning the process. This uncertainty, according to Kotter, can be reduced through the establishment of a sense of urgency in the project implementation and identification of the potential crises and opportunities. It would also be important for the franchise to form a team to guide the process in individual restaurants. Leadership in the restaurants should also explain in simple terms the vision they have for putting in place these systems. This should be aimed at making all stakeholders understand exactly what the system is about. This will ensure that there are no unfounded fears or unrealistic expectations. Together with key stakeholders, strategies for achieving the vision should be put in place and every one brought on board. New developments should be communicated promptly and honestly. One way that restaurant staff can be empowered to play a part on the this process is by being recruited and trained so that they can explain the impeding change to customers, explain to them what it means and pick their brains for opinions and suggestions. The staffers can then be called to regular meetings for them to report on their findings from conversations with customers. From this feedback, plans will be put in place to accommodate the views of customers. It would also help to implement the project in phases. If a part of the restaurant is installed with MS Surface while the other is not, it would be possible for a comparison to be made and the transition made easier. Communication to employees should particularly be clear and focused particularly where matters regarding possibility of their earnings being affected are concerned; the management should talk to them clearly and honestly in order for them to decide on an informed basis on their future working in the organization. In order to reduce the feeling of loss, it might be agreed that not all Macdonald’s restaurants will install the new systems but they would be zoned according to neighbourhoods. Those from high end neighbourhoods to install MS Surface and those from lower end neighbourhoods to maintain the current system, it would also be a good idea to install MS Surface in the robbery prone areas as a way of reducing the amount of cash in restaurants at any given time, however, the robbery prone areas are also the low end areas. It would therefore be important to make a decision whether the cost involved in training and installation of the systems in robbery prone areas is worth it to reduce losses incurred through robbery. The decision on which restaurants to use the system and which will retain the current system can be made by a team consisting of representatives from Macdonald’s corporate and the franchise; this would be the strong team to lead the change as suggested by Kotter (1996). This team needs to have strong and focused leaders because as Kotter (1996) suggests, change is about 70 to 90 percent leadership and only 10 to 30 percent management. It should also be inclusive so that the views and fears of all stakeholders are catered for. Kotter’s suggestion for the creation of short term wins is also important to ensure that the planning is systematic and evaluation can be made for each short term win gained. In this case, it would be useful to sequence the actions and make a checklist of expected achievements. These activities might include training which would be assessed by how well restaurant employees are able to handle the proposed system. There should also be a test run to see how the customers relate with the new system, their suggestion on how the new system can be made friendly to them. There should also be a reward system for the employees and customers who are able to learn the use of system as a way of encouraging all involved to use and internalize the new system. As the credibility of the new MS Surface table top increases among employees, more changes may be brought in, for instance, payment can be made to be exclusively via credit card, customers would, very likely, now feel confident enough with the new system to have allayed their fears concerning likely system inefficiency to feel they may not need to have their money refunded after placing their orders. At this juncture, the team guiding this change should have come up with a way of ensuring that that customers are able to input their credit card details into the system without having them being accessed by others in the restaurant. If these steps as recommended in Kotter (1996) are followed, levels of conflict will be reduced and the entire process would be relatively smooth. References Davies, C, 2009. "Ideum MT2 Multitouch Table beats Microsoft Surface in size & resolution." Feb. 5, 2009. http://www.slashgear.com/ideum-mt2-multitouch-table-beats-microsoft-surface-in-size-resolution-0533139/ Retrieved 7th March, 2013. Kotter, P, 1996. Leading change. Harvard Business School press. Roodyn, N, 2009 "Dr. Neil: Microsoft Surface Shell." Aug. 10, 2009. http://drneil.blogspot.com/2009/08/microsoft-surface-shell.html Retrieved on 7th March, 2013. Read More