Operational Plan for Blackshop Restaurant - Case Study Example

Introduction Service operations management is an imperative sector in service industry. This is considering the fact that it oversees the day to day activities within the organisation. This is to ensure that customers get quality services at the right time. This also helps in enhancing an organisation’s competitive advantage. Operations management in organisations can be implemented using bottom up or top down. They can also be inclined to the organisation’s marketing strategy. Blackshop restaurant has a good reputation in the market and competitive advantage in the market. This paper shows that Cerny needs to incorporate Open Table software. It further illustrates the reasons that make this venture viable. Finally the paper illustrates an operational plan for Blackshop restaurant in order to enhance its competitiveness and increase its profit margin. (Marcouse, 2003) Discussion OpenTable An overall analysis of Blackshop restaurant shows that it needs to incorporate the OpenTable system of handling reservations. It is evident that the restaurant has been using a manual system to carry out customer reservations. This makes tracking process quite difficult for those involved. Furthermore it is even quite cumbersome to make changes on the manual reservations in the restaurant. This is more so in handling the walk-ins in the restaurant. (Ryan, 2009) The entire process is quite time consuming as one can take quite a long time turning pages and trying to trace a specific reservation. The manual reservations give assigned managers a lot of paper work. This is quite cumbersome. The fact that the information is taken in pencil means that it cannot be used for further reference. Sometimes the information is taken by different people hurriedly and this results in illegible data. This manual system of reservations results in load on systems in case customers arrive at the same time. Cerny therefore needs to incorporate the OpenTable software to handle its reservations. This is considering the fact that the software will enable the management in the restaurant to have future reference on previous reservations and easily carry out modifications on reservations. This also includes easy tracking of customer’s special days like anniversaries and birthdays. (Heineke, 2007) All customers’ contacts will be easily captured in the website. Furthermore, the website will allow the management to have pre-assignments and quick identification of VIP guests. This also includes carrying out blockings where necessary. The aspect of no shows and turning away customers due to lack of space will be overly avoided. Each day’s shift notes will be easily checked. It will be easier to hold large parties since the system will allow easy combination of tables. OpenTable will enable the management to keep many reservation sheets especially for events that are special. This also includes increasing table turns through proper tracking. This will also enable highly efficient kitchen enable maximum utilisation of seats in the restaurant. Blackshop restaurant’s customer preferences will be easily tracked. The OpenTable website will allow the management to have email marketing and hence retain and increase its customer base. The restaurant will be in a position to share data with other competitor or sister restaurants hence quick updates on current market. In case of future expansion, other branch restaurants would be controlled from a central point. This website will allow reservations to be done at other locations such as back office. Furthermore, this will allow other staffs to concentrate on their duties unlike interruptions on taking up reservations in the absence of the manager. (Metters, 2007) Considering the cost of incorporating OpenTable system, Blackshop restaurant maybe forced to slightly increase the costs of meals therein. This will help the restaurant avoid losses caused by the extra cost of using the system. It is essential that the management evaluates the cost of other similar online systems such as Toptable.com, Yelp.com Save My Table and Guest Bridge among others. The management can be able to get quality but cheaper services to manage reservations in the restaurant. Many restaurants have been able to incorporate this service in managing their reservations. This has resulted in highly efficient services offered to customers therein. These restaurants include Rue Saint Jacques restaurant, Espetus Churrascaria, Chapeau, Jardiniere all in Sanfranciso and Geja’s cafe in Chicago use OpenTable system for managing customer reservations. This shows that many restaurants are moving from manual to online reservations due to many limitations of the former. This shows that Cerny needs to embrace the OpenTable system in Blackshop restaurant. (Sveiby, 2001) Operational strategy It is quite imperative that an operative strategy be implemented in Blackshop restaurant. This will help gear the day to day activities in the restaurant to ensure effectiveness and efficiency is enhanced. This calls for a plan on the tasks to be carried out by all the stakeholders in the organisation. It is essential to note that many other restaurants have implemented this strategy and have had enviable results. Below is the operational strategy that should be incorporated in Blackshop restaurant. (Metters, 2007) Sourcing for supplies It is evident that Blackshop restaurant prepares diverse meals for its customers. This calls for high quality foodstuffs. This calls for the restaurant’s purchasing department to carry out research on producers and suppliers. It is essential that all the supplies be thoroughly analysed and checked for quality. This is to ensure that only quality products, raw materials or foodstuffs are sourced by the restaurant. This calls for continuous training of purchasing department staff in relation to checking for quality of farm products and other supplies sourced by the restaurant. This is considering the fact that the quality of supplies definitely affects the quality of food and meals prepared in the restaurant. This was recently implanted in Espetus Churrascaria restaurant in San Francisco Online reservations As earlier on illustrated, Blackshop restaurant used to carry out manual reservations for customers. The management has to incorporate the OpenTable system to carry out online reservations. This will enable Blackshop restaurant to serve its customers more effectively and efficiently. (Sverlinger, 2000) The system will easily be managed by one of the managers in the restaurant. This system was incorporated by Rue Saint Jacques restaurant, Espetus Churrascaria, Chapeau, Jardiniere all in Sanfranciso and Geja’s cafe in Chicago. This has resulted in multiple benefits for the restaurants. This includes easy identification of regular customers, quick tracking and easy recognition of customers. Through this venture, Blackshop restaurant will be able to market its products online and make customers easily access organisational information easily. This also includes appealing to global customers. Planning daily menus If Blackshop restaurant is to have improved service quality therein, there is need for planning of the daily menus. This should be carried out by the executive chef in the restaurant. This needs to be planned on the previous day. This also needs to be implemented by analysing the reservations while taking into consideration the walk in customers in the restaurant. The planning of daily menus should take into consideration all the days events such as dinners and parties. All the meals and drinks to be prepared should be planned beforehand. The executive chief has to be specific on quantity and types of meals. The day’s menu should be made accessible to customers so that they know the foodstuffs available on the very day. (Gronroos, 2001) Preparation of meals After the planning of daily menus, the preparation has to be done by the cooks on duty. There needs to be cooks on night and day shift. This is considering the fact that some of foods need a lot of time for preparation. Furthermore, this will enable early customers to find most of the food ready. This will definitely enhance the restaurant’s efficiency hence it will be able to increase its customer base. (James, 1991) This also means that the customers will be served more quickly than before hence minimising the time used to serve. This entire process will be overseen by the chef du cuisine that has to undergo rigorous training. All cooks will have to undergo continuous training to ensure that they are abreast with new standards. The chef de cuisine will have to check every meal on a daily basis to ensure quality food is maintained in Blackshop restaurant. (Robbins and Coulter, 2004) Cleaning in the restaurant This is an essential aspect of any organisation that handles foodstuffs. The management in Blackshop restaurant should have a plan on cleaning therein. Cleaning should be carried out on a daily basis. To avoid disruptions to customers, the restaurant needs to be cleaned every night. The cleaners can work in shifts. The entire restaurant needs to be spotlessly clean. Utensils should never be piled up but cleaned immediately after use. This also includes the washrooms in the restaurants. They have to be checked and constantly cleaned during the day. This was implemented in Rue Saint Jacques restaurant in San Francisco. The results were quite pleasing since this increased the customer base in the restaurant by forty five percent. This plan will therefore help in retaining and increasing the customer base in Blackshop restaurant. (Beaumont and Amrik, 2004) Serving of customers The restaurant has a good strategy of having a personal touch with the customers. The customers should be greeted warmly as they enter the restaurant premises. The staffs are expected to exchange pleasantries with the customers. Returning customers need to be identified by name, their special days, favorite seating places and meals. The orders need to be taken immediately and the food served in the minimal time possible. This calls for greater co-ordination between the cooks in the kitchen and the waiters who serve the customers. This will result in efficient service being given to customers. Interior arrangement in the restaurant It is highly recommended that the interior arrangement in Blackshop restaurant be constantly changed. This should be overseen by the management in the restaurant. Change in interior arrangement should be carried out on monthly basis. This will give customers a feeling of ‘newness’ and creativity. (Metters, 2007) Pricing of meals In order to leverage the costs incurred in the added services like OpenTable system. It is essential that prices of meals be slightly increased while adhering to quality service provision in the restaurant. This will be able to attract the high income earners in the vicinity. (Smart, 2008) Continuous evaluation of service quality It is essential that Cerny ensures that there is continuous evaluation of the quality of services offered in Blackshop restaurant. This is by the management carrying out daily, weekly, monthly and annual evaluations of services. This can be carried out by issuing questionnaires to customers and evaluating them. A suggestion box should be placed at the reception area of the restaurant. This will allow customer to easily air out their views on service provision in the restaurant. They need to be checked and handled on a daily basis. All the staffs in the restaurant need to have name tags for easy identification by customers. As continuous evaluation is implemented, continuous improvement should also be carried out on a daily basis. This is from the quality of food provided, the receiving of customers, serving food and taking of reservations. This will enhance effectiveness and efficiency within Blackshop restaurant. (Metters, 2007) Conclusion In conclusion, Blackshop restaurant needs to incorporate the OpenTable system in handling reservations therein. This is considering the fact that this system will allow easy tracking, recognition of regular customers and avoid the problem of loading of diverse sectors of the restaurants due to many customers arriving at the same time. It is recommended that Cerny incorporates an operational strategy where quality service is upheld. This is through sourcing of quality supplies, online reservations, planning daily menus, proper preparation of meals, interior décor and continuous assessment of quality among others. This will enable Blackshop restaurant to increase competitiveness in terms of efficiency and effectiveness hence improved customer base. This will result in improved profit margins for Blackshop restaurant. Read More