Thinking Like a Seller End of Chapter Problem Edith is the owner and manager of a small coffee shop that employs three workers who use the shop's one coffee machine to make and serve coffee to paying customers. Business has begun to pick up lines are getting longer every day in her shop. On a busy morning, she sees her baristas scrambling to take orders, get cups, fill coffee from the coffee machine, add cream and sugar, and serve customers in a timely manner.
Edith realizes that they need to streamline their operations in order to serve customers more efficiently. She decides to observe the workflow of her baristas and identify any bottlenecks or areas for improvement.
First, she notices that the baristas are spending a significant amount of time walking back and forth between the coffee machine and the condiment station where they add cream and sugar. To address this, she decides to relocate the condiment station closer to the coffee machine, reducing the distance the baristas have to travel.
Next, Edith observes that the baristas often have to wait for the coffee machine to finish brewing a new pot of coffee before they can fill cups for customers. To alleviate this bottleneck, she purchases an additional coffee machine to increase the capacity for brewing.
She also notices that the baristas are frequently searching for clean cups and struggling to keep up with the demand. To solve this issue, Edith decides to establish a system where one barista is responsible for keeping the supply of clean cups stocked at all times.
Lastly, Edith realizes that although her baristas are working hard, they sometimes forget to ask customers if they want cream or sugar in their coffee, leading to additional steps and wasted time. To address this, she creates a checklist for her baristas to follow, ensuring that they ask the customer about their preferences before serving the coffee.
By making these improvements, Edith is able to streamline her coffee shop's operations and serve customers more efficiently. The baristas are no longer scrambling and the lines are moving faster, leading to happier customers and increased business for the coffee shop.
To address the issue of long lines and ensure efficient service, Edith can take the following steps:
Step 1: Assess the current workflow
- Observe the baristas while they handle customer orders and serve coffee.
- Identify any bottlenecks or areas where the process could be improved.
Step 2: Purchase additional coffee machines
- Consider investing in one or more extra coffee machines to speed up the coffee-making process.
- This will allow multiple baristas to work simultaneously, increasing the overall productivity and serving capacity.
Step 3: Implement an order management system
- Introduce an order management system to streamline the process of taking and fulfilling orders.
- This can be done using a digital tablet or a software system that records and organizes the orders, making it easier for the baristas to keep track of them.
Step 4: Train the baristas on multitasking
- Provide training to the baristas on how to effectively multitask.
- Teach them how to efficiently handle multiple tasks at once, such as filling coffee while taking an order or preparing multiple drinks at a time.
Step 5: Optimize the layout of the shop
- Evaluate the shop's layout and make adjustments to improve efficiency.
- Ensure that the coffee machine, cream and sugar station, and other necessary equipment are easily accessible to the baristas, minimizing their movement and saving time.
Step 6: Hire additional staff
- Consider hiring more staff members to handle the increasing customer demands.
- This will help distribute the workload and reduce the pressure on the existing baristas.
Step 7: Offer self-service stations
- To further expedite the process, consider implementing self-service stations for customers to add cream and sugar to their own coffee.
- This will reduce the tasks that the baristas need to handle, allowing them to focus on taking orders and making coffee.
Step 8: Regularly communicate with the team
- Keep an open line of communication with the baristas.
- Hold regular meetings to discuss any challenges they are facing and gather their input on how to improve the workflow.
Step 9: Monitor and adjust
- Continually monitor the efficiency of the new processes and make adjustments if necessary.
- Stay open to feedback from customers and staff to ensure ongoing improvement.
By following these steps, Edith can optimize the workflow in her coffee shop, reduce wait times, and provide a better overall customer experience.