Internship Report: Observation, Recommendations for Solace Cafe

This internship report analyzes Solace Cafe, a newly established cafe in Rotorua, focusing on its organizational practices, HR strategies, and overall business performance. The report details the cafe's informal organizational structure, the roles of its owners, chefs, and service staff, and its marketing efforts. It highlights the cafe's HR practices, including the use of contractual staff and the lack of formal policies. The report also includes the author's reflections on their internship experience, discussing challenges faced, lessons learned, and areas for improvement. Furthermore, the report provides recommendations for enhancing the cafe's business performance, addressing issues related to organizational structure, HR practices, marketing, and service delivery. The report concludes with a summary of the cafe's strengths and weaknesses and the author's personal growth during the internship.

Internship Report Observation and
recommendations for improving
business performance
Assignment 2
Student Name: Student ID:
Subject Name: Subject ID:
Date Due: Professor Name:
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Chapter 3: Organisational practices & Recommendations to improve
business performance
3.1. Introduction
Organisational practices determine effectiveness and efficiency for any organisation, hence it
becomes relevant to adopt appropriate practices. Organisational practices are determined by the
structure of the organisation and delegation of responsibilities. At Solace Café on Eat Street,
organisational structure is informal in nature (Scheeres, 2010). The scope of this café is to cater
to increasing influx of customers who come to Rotorua. The restaurant had been set up to cater to
a number of non-alcoholic drinks along with innovative products to cater to diversified tastes of
customers. This chapter aims at describing the current organisational practices followed within
its current organisational framework along with prominent HR strategies and practices that are
used to function the restaurant (Björkman, 2007). Then there are relevant recommendations that
can allow the organisation to develop itself and cater to customer needs and demands in a better
and enhanced manner.
3.2. Organizational Structure of Solace Café
Solace Café has been set up from personal learning and experience of Sandra Graetz and Ajay
Chopra, who earlier themselves worked within the restaurant industry. The café is a newly
established organisation that is aiming to cater to customer tastes and demands in the area
(Chung, 2008). Though the organisation has been able to establish itself within a niche in the
market, yet it remains a fairly informal organisation with no apparent well-defined organisational
structure. The co-owners of the organisation are heads and run the organisation actively. They
take part in day-to-day affairs of the organisation and takes decisions actively in all matters
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related to the café. There are 2 chefs at the restaurant, 4 helpers for aiding the chefs arrange
various orderings, 6 staffs are there to cater to customer services. These staffs are waiters and
they also help in cleaning the restaurant and other aids when the café remains closed. There is
one accountant, who is responsible for printing bills and maintains invoices in an appropriate
manner (Abdullah, 2009). Apart from these staffs and employees, there are steady suppliers of
the organisation, who supplies regular food materials and other condiments which are required to
prepare the items. The owners take part in purchases, deciding menu options and arranging all
other things that might be deemed necessary. There are no formal marketing agency of the
organisation, seldom the owners print discount brochures and other vouchers for circulating
amongst customers for attracting them to the café. Its tie-up with Trip Advisor along with other
social media platforms and location on Eat Street helps it to attract significant number of
customers regularly.
3.3 Overview of Solace Café
Solace Café aims to provide exclusive taste to its customers and refresh them through their
beverages and non-alcoholic drinks. The scope and aim of the organisation is to make customer
purchase their product along with other purchases on Eat Street as a substitute to water or other
ready-made beverages available in sealed bottles. The organisation’s owners take active
participation in the regular business affairs to ensure steady delivery of quality products to its
customers. It ensures that customers make repeated purchase at the café and others are attracted
to it as well. Its chefs devices appropriate products to cater to customer taste buds and suite the
weather at the location. The service staffs ensure timely delivery and bill to customers, they also
handles any sort of customer grievances or complains in case any.
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3.4HR Practices
Solace café is a small organisation that is informally managed. Though staffs and employees are
given proper appointments but majority of staffs are contractual in nature. The organisation lags
significantly behind in its HR practices and ways to manage its people in an effective manner.
All policies and regulations within the organisation are mostly verbal and there are very few laid
down codes or rules of conduct (Alvesson, 2009). Employees and staffs also do not have access
to appropriate safety practices. With all staffs being contractual in nature, there is a high turnover
associated with such staffs. Payments to staffs are fixed almost arbitrarily and chefs are given
below par industry standards salary. Though the owners promises of bright future ahead for all
staffs and employees, but there are no formal system for appraisals. There are no maintenance or
record keeping of employee conduct or performance levels which deters accomplishing a set
standard for appraisal practices.
3.5 Supervisory Practices
The owners acts as supervisors within the firm and they take responsibility for evaluating all
possible standards and outcomes (Forbes, S.L. and Kennedy, R.). Absence of managers or
supervisors often lead to confusion within the organisation, owners are responsible for all kinds
of supervisions and management of staffs along with employees.
3.6 Marketing Practices
Lack of formal organisational structure or marketing agency has led to setting of no appropriate
marketing practices. However, the owners are greatly concerned regarding up-keeping of
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business to meet industry practices as well as competitive forces. In lieu of such efforts, they
have made tie-up with several online travel portals and highlighted their presence through social
media platforms. Through active indulgence in social media and other travel portals, the café has
been able to gain significant popularity across various countries and tourists. Owners of the café
often try to develop marketing campaign by circulating brochures for discounts through their
staffs during off-seasons. Such marketing practices yield low benefits but create awareness
regarding the café.
3.7. Service delivery
The café aims at catering to its walk-in customers. However, during off-season, once the café
had aimed at setting up of a stall near an University. Service delivery of products of the café
happens mostly through over the counter service. At various times, service staffs has to go out of
the store and deliver products to customers. The café delivers unique and immense valuable on-
time services to its customers (CG Davidson, 2011). The organisation is aiming at delivering
home based services to its nearby customers such as to increase overall volume of business.
Service delivery of the café meets industry standards and competitive rates hence customers
flock to purchase products from the café.
3.8. Meetings and Conference
The café is an organisation set up in a manner that it is run and functioned wholly by its owners.
The owners take active decisions for all aspect of the organisation and barely consults formally
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with its staffs and employees. Meetings and conferences at the organisation is rarely organised,
only owners meets the chef on a regular basis to understand his needs and demands to cater to
customer tastes. When staffs faces issues or grievances from any customer then the owners meets
them to understand their concern. Conferences are barely held within the scope of the
organisation.
3.9 Sustainability practices
All products made and rendered to by the organisation are unique in nature and are original
recipes. The owners aims to patent some of his creations that he provides to his customers at the
café. The café makes use of products that are derived solely from nature and does not make use
of any artificial colors or condiments. All products are sourced from natural sources. The owners
ensure that suppliers furnish the highest quality products to the café such that they are in turn
able to provide best quality products.
3.10 Chapter Summary
Solace Café is a highly dedicated café that wants to serve customer valued products and services.
All its efforts are diverted at attending to customer satisfaction levels and creating innovative
products. The location of café has been able to attract a number of tourists and regular customers
towards the various beverages that the café serves. The café is however conducted in an informal
manner by the business owners. Though it has several staffs and employees, its key functions are
entirely coordinated by business owners themselves. Thus, HR strategies and functions are not
managed by professionals, instead they are conducted by owners themselves. This often creates
levels of dissatisfactions and high amounts of employee turnover ratios. The organisational
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structure is also not clearly defined which has created major challenges for the organisation.
Meetings and conferences are called informally and arranged according to needs of the
organisation as and when it arises. Inspite of all such challenges, the café has been able to curved
out a niche for itself in the field of beverages at the location.
Chapter 4: Internship reflections
4.1 Introduction
Internship provides practical training and experience within a particular industry. Since the
beginning of my course I had been interested in gaining experience in café or a small restaurant
as it will provide me opportunity to learn regarding various roles and responsibilities (Boud,
2013). Internship in café or restaurant industry comprises of varied types of endeavors and
requires one to commit to multiple roles often. Internship is a training period for students who
want to learn the whereabouts of a particular industry by understanding ways it functions. An
internship provides enriching experience along with certification of participation, it can be paid
or unpaid in nature, due to the experience it offers. The scope of the current chapter provides a
brief description regarding internship experience gained by me and several challenges incurred.
Ways and means of overcoming such challenges were also identified and subsequently a totality
of reflection of experience from internship was understood (Gillespie, 2007).
4.2 Experience from job-hunting for the internship position
Internship positions are extremely difficult to search and achieve. Most firms and organisations
wants to keep trained staffs and employees who have already achieved a formal degree or
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qualification (Baldwin, 2006). As I was stubborn in gaining experience of internship from first
hand sources of café or restaurant owners, I faced a number of challenges. Primarily none of the
organisations were ready to appoint me as a n intern as I had not finished a formal degree. They
were not wanting to waste their productive time training a student who would get knowledge
regarding the industry and then could start off working at a better position. I had to plead and
contact directly the owners to convince them. At the end when I could not convince then I had to
offer my services for free to allow me the opportunity to learn from industry participants (Nesbit,
2012).
4.3 Internship Reflections
During my internship period there was high transfer of learning that has taken place. In the first
position I was thrilled to participate and see the way everything works within a café. Their
planning, purchasing behaviour, the way they plan their special menu for the day and ways they
decided they would attend to customers in a day (Fook, 2007). All these factors brought me close
to the nifty-gritty that was occurring within the industry. I learnt how the chefs focuses on
creating menu and serving the customers for the day. I learnt ways of serving and catering to fast
services to customers from the staffs. Earlier I did not know what it was like to work under
pressure but from the experience gained I learnt ways staffs and employees work under pressure
when customer influx or ordering is high. I learnt immense management skills from the staffs
and employees such that I could cater to better efforts in management. My overall experience
had been immensely challenging and full of understanding of various factors within the industry.
My learning experiences would help me find a better designation and position when I join the
industry post completion of my degree. I also learnt areas in which I lag and ways that I could
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upgrade my skills (Peasnell, 2009). Hence, I decided that I would accommodate an improvement
plan in my life schedule such that I could overcome the challenges that I faced at the café.
4.4 Challenges during the Internship period
Though my internship period had been rich from various experiences and learning’s, I did
encounter a large number of challenges as well. The major challenge that I encountered while
working at the café was in regards to handling immense pressure. I was unable to concentrate on
my assigned roles and responsibilities when there was large number of customers, which led to
me failing in my responsibilities (Moon, 2013). As I was in my internship period I was also
unable to ask for less roles from the business owners. Often staffs left the café within short time
spans and there was no staffs to attend to customers or for cleaning purposes, this time it was
difficult for me to carter to various roles including my own. Often I felt that I would not be able
to complete my internship period and would have to leave my current position. Another
prominent challenge that I faced during the internship period was in regards to meeting customer
challenges and grievances. Customers would come to complain and I could not understand what
replies or answers I needed to provide them, at times I was able to answer them appropriately but
at times it used to create high levels of mental pressure for me. Roles and responsibilities across
café and restaurant industry can be extremely challenging if one does not have the patience or
first-hand working understanding of the industry (Kuhn, 2008). A person can easily face
tremendous challenges while working in the industry and feel pressurized to fulfill roles.
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4.5 Improvement Plans
From my internship experience I had faced immense number of challenges that would have been
tough to overcome. I decided that I would develop an improvement plan that allows me to
overcome the current situation and allow me to establish as a potential employee in the industry.
Hence, I devised an improvement plans that would allow me to overcome my current challenges.
In the first instance I would maintain a personal reflection journal where I would entry feedback
for myself and take feedback from my friends and colleagues (Govaerts, 2010). This journal I
would update on a six monthly basis. This journal will allow me to keep a track of my
developmental activities and endeavors. In order to deal with pressure and stress working
conditions, I would resort to case studies and self-help books from the university library. We
have a well-equipped library such self-help books will allow me to visualize similar challenges
faced by others in the industry and then overcome the same myself. I will analyse case studies
where individuals had faced similar situations as I am facing and then understand ways they had
overcome the same. In my improvement plans I would also include yoga as a formal practice to
deal and cope up with extreme stress levels (Lanxiao, 2007). Such yoga will allow me
capabilities to deal with extreme pressures and stress like conditions. Through this improvement
plans I will definitely overcome the challenges faced within the café and become a successful
individual for the industry.
4.6 Learning or Skills developed
Through my internship experience I had tremendous learning and skill development. The
internship experience was firstly undertaken to allow me to develop skills relative to the working
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in the restaurant industry (Berings, 2009). I learnt skills pertaining to customer handling, I also
leant means and techniques in which a small café or restaurant can be effectively handled. In my
learning of several managerial skills, I was able to learn certain culinary arts as well. I learnt
ways to prepare several beverages and preparations in the industry. Thus, in totality I was able to
develop a wholesome understanding related to the restaurant and café industry with opportunity
to understand direct client handling.
4.7 Contribution to the Café
From my internship period or experience I believe to have made several contributions as well.
Firstly, I am extremely hard working hence I have helped them achieve their targets for several
days together at the café (Gray, 2007). I have tried my level best to meet customer demands and
satisfaction levels by taking their feedback through interactions. I initiated to take feedback from
customers regarding their experiences and ways in which the café could enhance their products.
This was earlier not attempted at the café, I developed a feedback form such that I could interact
with customers and take their understanding of beverages and what their exact likings were.
Such interactions with customers allowed engaging with them and they felt a part of the café,
this greatly influenced their visit to the café. Hence, I feel In was able to draw significant number
of customers towards the café (Lyke, 2009).
4.8 Chapter Summary
Internship experiences are crucial prior to one getting exposed directly in a industry. The scope
of this internship experience reflects several learning and contribution made. It had been a
challenging experience where along with learning there was significant contribution made
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towards the organisation (Nilsen, 2012). This internship reflection provides several learning
experience that has occurred from the restaurant industry and ways in which customers are
handled. Customer handling experiences are unique and is a vital aspect that employees of this
industry needs to learn. Further, challenges were identified while working at the café, such as
stress and pressure while dealing with large order inflows. Customer grievance handling is
another part which is catered to in the industry. Thus, the internship experience had been value
addition to understand the potential challenges and ways of working that are conducted in the
industry.
Chapter 5: Personal evaluation of the internship period and
recommendations
5.1.Introduction
The entire scope of internship experience had been highly interesting but challenging as well.
The café has provided first-hand working experience within the restaurant industry which is
critical to understand for becoming a successful professional in the industry (Hughes, 2008). In
order that the café becomes a better place to work for interns as well as staffs and I am able to
become a better professional within the industry, certain recommendations are developed. The
scope of this chapter provided several recommendations along with plan for improvement such
that one is able to become a successful professional within the industry.
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