Managing Food and Beverage Operations - Case Study Example

Topic: MANAGING FOOD AND BEVERAGE OPERATIONS reflective critique of concept attended as a guest Customers are attracted not only by low priced food products but also by the value derived from the food. In their efforts to ensure that its customers are satisfied, the Chinese restaurant has emulated a good leadership. According to Bitner (1992), leadership entails guiding workforce in order to attain their individual goals as well as those of the entire business. One of the key aspects that have led to the success of the Chinese restaurant is the introduction of two managerial posts that includes the kitchen manager and the food service manager. The major role of the food service manager is to handle all the cases that relate to the human resource as well as administrative duties. In order to create strong positive relationship with his or her employees either in the kitchen or in the services section, the manager is supposed to empower employees leading to a higher level of motivation. As depicted by John and Jennifer 2008, kitchen manager have various duties that includes controlling other staff in the kitchen as well as ensuring maximum safety in the kitchen as depicted by the law. One of the major aspects that make the Chinese restaurant to attain a competitive edge in the market is the introduction of a menu that covers all the items as needed by the customers. In addition, the restaurant takes into consideration the cultural diversity of its customers. This is depicted by the introduction of an English and Chinese menu. To create strong customer awareness the restaurant indicates the various ingredients that are used to prepare the various foods prepared in the kitchen. The restaurant delivers it services in an excellent way thus leading to customer satisfaction. For example, through standard recipe the restaurant has a control of the quantity as well as quality of the food prepared in the kitchen. Key aspects as indicated by John and Jennifer (2008) that are covered by the standard recipe include portion size, ingredient lists, cooking time and temperatures, menu item name among others. Likewise, the restaurant image is enhanced by the attractive decoration, appropriate layout as well as efficient sitting plan. According to Graham (2006) the history and the style of the food is a major consideration during decorating of a restaurant. Similarly, Graham and Oxley (2003) argue that servicescapes also referred to as built environment plays a vital role of enhancing personal traits, customer satisfaction in a restaurant. As a guest to the restaurant I am not only attracted by the wide range of information that guides me in the purchasing process but also by the effective flow of services both in the kitchen and in the service section. As argued by Graham (2001), work flow in the kitchen is an aspect that ensured continuity in the production and offering high class services to the customers. Use of the right equipment is one of the primary aspects that have resulted to efficient work flow in the kitchen. The adoption of food safety is another aspect that has made the restaurant to attain a competitive edge in the market. It is worth to note that safety of the employees and food cannot be overlooked in any restaurant. In its effort to ensure that all its food is safe, the restaurant emulates the Hazard Analyses Critical Control Point (HACCP). According to Almanza et al, (2000) HACCP is an approach that is employed by firms dealing with food and beverages to identify evaluate and control food safety hazards. Reflective critique of my concepts AL Fareej is a local restaurant that specializes in the production and selling of Arabic food. One of the major aspects that I have emulated is excellent food at value pricing. According to Kotler, and Philip (2011) appropriate marketing mix is paramount in retaining the trust and loyalty of the existing and new customers. Kotler and Keller (2012) in their contribution argue that it is becoming increasingly more difficult to differentiate concepts adopted by various restaurants. However, AL Fareej does this by establishing Arabic traditional concept that puts into consideration the income of its consumers. Company Locations and Facilities Al Fareej range in size from 2000-3000 square feet and will seat from 50-75 guests. Location feature authentic Arabic traditional antiques. We equip the restaurant with a state-of-the-art sound system connected to an old-time juke box where our customers are able to select their favorite songs for free. To ensure that customers experience the value of their money and that they feel comfortable during their visit, my restaurant is built based on our prototype specifications: clean lines, open, and pleasing to the customer (Costas and Chris, 2009). The site/building selection is chosen based upon the following list of criteria: Community size minimum of 60,000 people High visibility that includes proper lighting and attractive colours Easy access to parking lot with a minimum of 130 parking spaces Heavy white-collar worker makeup in the community No overabundance of competition in the trade area. All of these qualities are consistent with Al Fareej goal of providing a top quality, entertaining dining experience at an unbelievably low price. We want "word of mouth" to be our best form of marketing, where our guests cannot believe the value of their dining experience and cant wait to tell their friends and neighbors. Objectives The objectives of Al Freej restaurant includes Maintaining tight controls on quality, costs and operations Achieving monthly and annual sales target. Stay as a local restaurant with excellent food and service. Averaging sales between 2,000,000-3,000,000Dhs annually Receiving orders for large quantities and parties Mission Al Freej restaurant is focused at becoming the premier traditional Arabic restaurant in the local and foreign markets. We want our customers to have the total experience when visiting Al Freej. Our customers will not only receive quality meals and beverages but also they will enjoy a fun atmosphere that caters for their needs (Bowen et al, 1995). As a manager, I will undertake my duties in a unique way taking into consideration the needs of our customers. Our paramount aim is serve quality food at a great value. We feature a large selection of freshly-prepared food, most in full view of our guests. Ensuring that our customers are satisfied is our focus. Company Summary Entertaining surroundings Quality food Attractive Value Meals Variety, variety, variety Friendly atmosphere and employees Architectural Plans and Kitchen Design As argued by Cousins and Foskett (1951) attractive designs are key in attracting the attention of new customers. In this regard, I will hire professional architect to undertake kitchen design as well as architectural plans in our service section. Manuals/Handbooks/Recipes As the competition becomes stiff in the hospitality industry, firms have adopted various ways to retain their customers. In our efforts to ensure that our workforce is skilled to undertake various duties we will use laminating recipes for kitchen use, manuals and handbook to train our employees. Market Analysis Summary Al Freej targeted market segments. Age -- Baby-Boomers, young married couples with children, and white-collar workers of all ages. Family Unit -- We appeal to young families with new babies or mature families with children under the driving age. Most of our family units have two wage earners. Gender -- We are equally targeting both sexes. Income -- We are appeal to the high side of low income individuals and to all in the middle income bracket. Occupation -- We target the white-collar worker, young professionals with a family. Education -- high school graduates or individuals with some college. Potential problems and solutions Brian and Gina (2005) argue that firm should undertake extensive analysis to identify potential problems that may jeopardize their operations. One of the key problems that we may face is lack of adequate funds to undertake marketing and other activities. To address the issue of funds, we are focused at undertaking an initial public offer (IPO) that will result to an increased number of investors as well more capital inflow. In this way, we will also have adequate funds to train and motivate our workforce. Lack of adequate personnel in the kitchen and in the service section may result to loss of customers in future (Hochbaum et al, (2011). To solve this problem, Al Freej restaurant will start up by hiring new employees through the department of human resources. This will be followed by annual training program for all employees in the kitchen as well as in al other departments. Based on the stiff competition that our restaurant will face in the market, we are exposed to the problem of few customers. To address this issue, we are going to undertake extensive marketing strategies through television and Arabic based radio stations. Other tools that we will adopt in our marketing include social sites including face book and twitter. In this way we will attract the attention of the young people including the college and university students as well as celebrities. Budget As stipulated by mmmmm appropriate allocation of financial resources is imperative in order to attain the preset objectives. Based on the large number of expenses that businesses face, it is vital for financial managers to appropriately allocate adequate funds to cater for the expenses (Dopsonet al, (2008). In our efforts to meet the objectives, we will look for funds from various sources including donations and sell of shares through the initial public offers. The table below indicates the budget estimates that Al Freej restaurant will adopt. Item Amount Kitchen 65,000 Legal fees 20,000 Design of logo 2,000 Manual/handbook/recipes 7,500 Marketing plan 15,000 Staff training 20,000 Uniforms 3,500 Office expenses 15,000 Security 8,500 Miscellaneous expenses 6,500 Reflective critique of a concept I attended as a member of staff Adcock and Caroline (2001), argues that in addition to providing workers with adequate financial pay, managers must come up with appropriate flexible benefits that will motivate their employees. Some of the major tools of motivation include insurance, training, gifts, rewards, promotion and holidays among others. According to Kotler and Keller (2012) it is vital to ensure that employees are regularly evaluated as a way of making them to perform their duties according to the company policies. As a member of staff, my manager provided me with adequate training in food preparation as well as addressing customer issues. In addition, the regular evaluation of my duties acted as a guide towards achievement of my goals as well as those of my organization. In order to improve my skills in the food and beverage management, the human resources manager organized various forums that brought together various players in the industry thus allowing the exchange of ideas among the participant. Another strategy that may manger undertook was to pay for my part time classes that included training of leadership skills, team management, safety as well as communication skills. Based on the cultural diversity that is experienced in the food industry, extensive training in the social and cultural aspects such as languages was paramount in order to appropriately deal with our customers. As mentioned earlier motivation of employees is an aspect that firms in the food industry cannot over look. This is based on the fact that the productivity of all the employees largely depends on the level of motivation that is initiated by the management. In their efforts to ensure that I was productive and focused towards achievement of my goals, managers provided me with various benefits that included insurance coverage, annual holidays and opportunities to act as a team leader. In this way, I felt as part and parcel of our organization. References Adcock, D and Caroline R.2001.Introduction. Marketing: principles and practice. New York: Pearson education. Almanza A., Kotschevar, H. and Terreu, E. 2000. Food Service (Layout, Design & Equipment) Planning.New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Bitner, J. 1992. Servicescapes: the impact of physical surrounding on customers and employees. Journal of Marketing, 56, 51-71. Bowen, F., John T. and Morris, J. 1995. Menu design: can menus sell? InternationalJournal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 7 (4), 4 - 9. Brian, F and Gina, M. 2005. Start and run a restaurant business. Northam: Roundhouse. Cousins. Brown, R.2003. Controlling restaurant & food service food costs: 365 secrets revealed. Canada: Atlantic Publishing Group. Costas, K and Chris, T. 2009. Design and Equipment for Restaurant and Food service. Canada: John Wiley & sons, Inc. Cousins, A and Foskett, D.1951. Food and beverage management [ELECTRONIC BOOK]: for the hospitality, tourism and event industries. Woodeaton: Goodfellow Publishers, c2011. Dopson, R., Hayes, K and Miller, E. 2008. Food and Beverage Cost Control. N.J: John Wiley and Sons Graham, D. 2006.The Return of Gueridon Service. The Hospitality Review Vol 8 Number 3 pp 5 -11 Graham, D. & Oxley, L. 2003. Exploratory Study – The Chef & the Open Kitchen. CHME Research Conference, Cardiff Graham, D. 2001.The Changing Face of the International Themed Restaurant CHME Conference. London: Macmillan Publishers Hochbaum, E., Moreno-Centeno, P and Catena, A. 2011. Rating Customers According to Their Promptness to Adopt New Products. Operations Research 59(5): 1171-1183, 2011. John A. and Jennifer, G. 2008. Profitable menu planning. N.J: Pearson Prentice Hall. Kotler, A and Philip, G. 2011. Principles of Marketing. New York; Pearson education. Kotler, P and Keller, K. 2012. Marketing Management. London: Sage Read More