Cafe Portrait: Operations Management and Service Excellence Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Cafe Portrait's operations management and service excellence. It begins with an introduction and overview of the cafe, including its profile and operational hours. The report then delves into the key operations management processes employed by Cafe Portrait, such as resource availability, dish preparation, and customer satisfaction. It examines the application of the four Vs (volume, variety, variation, and visibility) in the cafe's operations. Furthermore, the report evaluates the five performance objectives (quality, speed, dependability, flexibility, and cost) and their application within the cafe. A critical discussion of the supply chain is included, and the report concludes with recommendations for operational improvements, justifying the rationale behind each suggestion. The report also includes tables comparing sales data of Cafe Portrait with a competitor, Lantana Cafe, over a five-year period.

Operations Management and
Service Excellence

Contents
1. Introduction and Overview..........................................................................................................1
2. Key operations management processes used by Café Portrait....................................................2
3. Five Performance objectives applied for the firm.......................................................................4
4. Critical discussion of supply chain..............................................................................................6
5. Identifying improvement that can be recommended to the operations and justifying rational...8
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................12

1. Introduction and Overview
This report is focused on Café Portrait which is small scale firm that provide different
type of dishes to their customers. Below given is the profile of Café Portrait:
Table 1: Profile of Café Portrait
Name and
address:
Cafe Portrait, 1, Queen Street, Edinburgh
EH2 1JD, Scotland.
Phone
Number:
[phone]
Employees: 22
Annual
Sales:
£4, 28, 000
Operated by: Cafes by Heritage Portfolio.
Email: [e-mail]
Main
competitor
Lantana Cafe
They provide lunch, cakes, bakes, soft drinks and beverages. They operate their business
operations for all the seven days in week. More specifically, they deliver services from Friday to
Wednesday (10 am to 4:30 pm) and on Thursdays (10 am to 6:30 pm). They focus on delivering
high quality services and this way they are able to attract more and more customers. Further, they
also take feedback from customers so that they are able to determine the issues that are faced
each of them. The locations that cited café is located are effective enough to attract more and
more customers. The company websites provide customers to provide feedback for the services
delivered by the café.
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Figure 1: Ambience of Café Portrait
(Source: Café Portrait, 2014)
2. Key operations management processes used by Café Portrait
In order to understand the operation management process of Café Portrait, there are
different types of activities that are applied by the café so that they are able deliver appropriate
services to their customers (Campbell, Jardine and McGlynn, 2016). Below given are the
processes of Café Portrait:
 Availability of resources: It includes investment for or setting up financial support so that
Café Portrait is able to determine the activities that have to be attained. Further, it also
consists of resources like human, equipment’s and raw materials so that they are able to
develop dishes and deliver it to customers (Smith, Maull and CL Ng, 2014). Employees
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working within the business are skilled and so that they are able to perform their set of
roles in effective manner.
 Preparation of dishes: There are many type of dishes that are prepared by Café Portrait
and it requires to have storage, raw materials, cooking, holding, etc. that taken place
(Oakland, 2014). Dishes are prepared as per the choice that that are made by the
customers. Then the dish is prepared and served and then it includes service delivery. In
this, it consists of billing, trilling and cashing up at the café. Workers are properly
monitored so that the issues that are faced by them can be identified. When there are
problems identified from the side of workers, then they are provided with training.
 Satisfaction level of customers: Evaluation is made by the customers and this is based on
the products and services delivered (José Tarí, Heras-Saizarbitoria and Pereira, 2013).
Evaluations are made on two basis complaints and compliments. Café Portrait
understands the requirements and considers the feedbacks that are given by clients and
improvements are made. When all the needs are satisfied, then it becomes favourable to
make them regular to loyal customers.
Under this process, there are many wastage occurred at Café Portrait when workers do
not perform their set of roles in effective manner. In order to manage waste workers are trained
so that they have proper coordination with each other (Evans and Lindsay, 2013). Further,
implementations of new technology are made so that better qualities of services are delivered.
This can be stated as the reviews provided by customers are positive in respect with quality and
they also maintain proper cleanliness.
Further, all the operations processes that are applied consists of different type of output
but there are similar type of input required which are knowledge, raw materials, time,
equipment’s, etc. Below given are the 4 types of V’s followed by Café Portrait:
Volume: This is a type of operational aspect in which the volumes of the products
delivered are determined. The volume provided by this café is high. They main sure that all the
customers get proper amount and get satisfied (Monczka, Handfield and Patterson, 2015).
Further, the prices for each of the products and services are also low. This is effective enough to
attract customers and in developing strong base. However, the total volume for the café is
generally high volume of output, less systemisation, less labour and all the employees are also
able to complete their set of tasks easily and quickly.
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Variety: There are many type of dished that are delivered by the Café Portrait. Further,
they also make changes in their menu on every Saturdays. This is helpful enough to develop
positive perception within the main of customers (Naser, Al Shobaki and Amuna, 2016). Further,
they also provide their services for all the seven day in week. This way, they are able to develop
a unique image within the mind of customers. Further, there are special offer that are provided to
children’s and family members. Price of the dishes that are set is low and so they are able to
develop an effective impact on preference of customers. They are able to get appropriate develop
their dishes at low volume.
Variation: The variations that are made by the Café Portrait are low as the skills that each
of the chef has is not appropriate enough to provide different type of dishes. However, as it was
discussed that variation is made on Saturday in which customers are provided with diverse type
of dishes (Brown, Bessant and Lamming, 2013). It is important for to understand the preferences
and proper steps are taken so that they are able to develop positive perception within mind of
customers. When similar type of services is delivered, then it has negative impact over the
business and the rate of satisfaction that they have get reduced. Apart from this, there are also
variation in demand occurs, during season time there is an increase in demand identified and it is
important for the business to take up appropriate steps for the same so that demand can be met.
Visibility: The ambience that is delivered by the firm is effective and it can be stated from
the figure shown of the café. Customers are able to enjoy their meal and the space that they have
is also large. There are certain set of expectations that customers have before that make purchase
(Grenha Teixeira, Patrício and Constantine, 2017). When these are fulfilled, then they are able to
make regular purchases. Further, Café Portrait also provides their customers with online services
in which they service users can select the dishes they want, make payment and the order is place
at their home.
3. Five Performance objectives applied for the firm
There are corporate strategies that are set by the business and then they focus on
operational performance objectives in order to meet them. Then they take up appropriate
measures to identify the gap in meeting up the objectives (Resta, Powell and Dotti, 2015). There
are five of the objectives that are set by the business and it is compared with the performances
that are made by Café Portrait and they are as follows:
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Quality performance objectives: As per the selected firm, that is Café Portrait, they
understand the importance of quality and for this, they make sure that proper cleanliness is
maintained (Agrawal and Smith, 2015). In this modern era, customers are highly health
conscious and so proper steps are taken by cited firm so that they are able to get benefited.
Workers are trained so that they are able to understand the requirement of customers and
appropriate steps are taken by them with the help of which satisfaction level is raised.
Speed performance objectives: The total waiting time is high for customers. The rate
through which firm generates sales is low (Calvo-Mora, Picón-Berjoyo and Cauzo-Bottala,
2015). Customers have to wait for longer period of time for their orders to get ready at Café
Portrait. This is a type of issues that are generally faced by service users. Further, the seats are
occupied and so customers have to wait so that they get place to sit. Moreover, the waiting time
for the dish to get prepared is also high. Main cause of this is lack of proper coordination among
workers. Further, the chef takes time to prepare the food and to present it to customers. This has
negative impact over the business and satisfaction level of customers gets affected.
Dependability performance objectives: The rate of dependability is low within Café
Portrait. They are not able to have a consistency in the service delivery (Boulter, Bendell and
Dahlgaard, 2013). The total time that is consumed for preparing the food is based on the type of
dish that is ordered. It is important that all the workers have proper coordination with each other
so that they are able to understand the requirements and on time services are delivered. Due to
low dependability, customers fail to focus on their quality of services.
Flexibility performance objectives: There are many changes that had to be considered by
the business so that they are able to reach out customers. At Café Portrait, it is identified that
there are changes made so as to meet the requirement of customers (Bon and Mustafa, 2013).
However, it is can be stated that employees working have different type of perception. All are
not able to accept the changes that management is willing to implement. In order to overcome
this type of problem, they have planned to provide all the information related with the change to
their employees before it is implemented. This is helpful enough for them to adjust and accept
the changes. This way, firm is able to be flexible for the services and products that are delivered
to customers.
Cost performance objectives: Café Portrait focus on maintaining their cost by
determining the wastage that is caused. They make use of new or updated technology so that
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they are able to reduce wastage and high quality services are delivered to customers (Doeleman,
Ten Have and Ahaus, 2014). Further, to attain their objective, firm also spend highly on training
and development of employees so that all are able to understand the type of roles that has to be
played by them.
Below given are the comparison made with Lantana Café, it is the sales that are made by
both the cafes from the year 2011 to 2015.
Table 2: Sales done by Lantana Cafe and Cafe Portrait in five years
Year Lantana Cafe Cafe Portrait
2015 331 443
2014 303 427
2013 269 397
2012 257 304
2011 232 276
In accordance with actual performance of the operations, it can be stated that they
consider the feedback that are provide by customers and take up proper steps to solve them.
Further, they also make use of social media so that they have proper interaction with customers
(Dahlgaard, Chen and Dahlgaard-Park, 2013). All the type of offers that management have
planned is informed to customers through social media. This way, it is favourable enough to for
them understand the perception of customers. Apart from this online services delivered by the
Café Portrait is also favourable but it is only for those customers who are near the physical store.
Further, there are is a receptionist who is responsible for billing. And it includes staff members
who will take the orders from customers. In addition to this, it also includes chefs who are
responsible to prepare food. Due to lack of proper coordination among these employees, it
becomes difficult for the customers to get on time delivery of their order (Boulter, Bendell and
Dahlgaard, 2013). The rate of employee’s turnover is high and this has negative impact over the
business. Due high turnover, management have to provide training to the newly hired employees.
New workers fail to meet the requirement of customers and the level of satisfaction gets reduced.
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4. Critical discussion of supply chain
Supply chain can be determined as the flow of goods and services. Further it consists of
storage of raw materials, its movement, etc. (Dahlgaard, Chen and Dahlgaard-Park, 2013). It is
important for the business to make sure that they have meet the demand of customers and supply
the goods. Further, supply network is the pattern of spatial and temporal processes that are
carried out at over distribution and facility nodes. This is helpful enough to add value to
customers through delivery of products and manufacturing.
Café Portrait has a simple flow of supply chain so as to meet up the requirements in
effective manner. Below given are the processes that are involved:
Figure 2: Supply network of Cafe Portrait
(Source: How an operations manager can improve supply chain management, 2015)
Suppliers: There are different types of suppliers who are helpful enough to provide raw
materials with the help of which Café Portrait are able to meet the requirement of customers. In
accordance with the above given diagram, it can be stated that there are five different suppliers
who are helpful to provide raw materials. In this context, it includes Meat suppliers, bread
product suppliers, vegetable suppliers, paper good supplier and condiment supplier. These are
the type of requirements that enable to develop the dishes ordered by customers (Calvo-Mora,
Picón-Berjoyo and Cauzo-Bottala, 2015). When the raw material is provided by suppliers, then
cited firm also make use of store house so that all the purchases made can be stored. There are
change made by the firm for their suppliers and this is made depending upon the price and
quality that are provided for the raw materials. It is important for the business to have strong
relationship with these suppliers. When these suppliers do not perform their set of roles
effectively, then they it becomes difficult for the organization to meet the demand of customers
(Agrawal and Smith, 2015). Before deal is made with suppliers, management make sure that all
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the products that are delivered are of high quality. Further, it is also important that suppliers are
provided with proper information about the total amount of supplies that has to be made so that
they are able to meet the requirement. Further, they also make home delivery in which customers
have to make use of the application of the Café Portrait and then they have to make payment, this
can be done online or on payment on delivery. This is helpful enough to make the services and
products reach customers. This way, it can be stated that the type of supply chain that is followed
by the firm is effective enough to make sure that their goals and objectives are attained in
effective manner.
There are certain set of steps that are followed by the Café Portrait so that they are able to
conduct their supply chain flow. In this context, they have develop an appropriate plan so that
they can identified that requirements and the demand that are made from the side of customers.
As per the requirements, it also needs the management to arrange for finance so that all the
activities can be completed properly. Then as per the available finance, they will make planning
in which sources from the raw materials can be taken are determined. There are many sources
that are available with the help of which the objectives that are set are attained. Then the plan
that is developed is properly executed in which there are key people who are involved who will
support the business in getting proper resources or quality of raw materials. Then they make sure
that all the aspects services or the demands of the customers are met by fulfilling them.
From the analysis made, it can be stated that generally suppliers are same, there are not
changes made. However, it depends on the price and quality that are delivered by them. It is
important that for the business to understand the requirement of customers so that they get to
know about the quality that are delivered by them.
5. Identifying improvement that can be recommended to the operations and
justifying rational
There are many different type of strategies that can be applied with the help of which
improvement can be made. There are many areas that require to have proper consideration that
has to be made so that they are able to raise their sales and profitability. With this respect, below
given are the recommendations that should be followed by Café Portrait:
Proper coordination: All the workers are provide with different type of roles that has to
be played by them (Resta, Powell and Dotti, 2015). It is essential to make sure that all the
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employees are able to have proper coordination with each other so that they are able to make
sure that all the work that are performed is completed. Different people have diverse set of skills
and capabilities. When each of the staff members is able to understand the requirement properly
then as a team they can perform effectively and efficiently.
Motivation employees: This is an important aspects that has to be considered by
management. When employees are not motivated, then they fail to perform with their full
efficiency (Grenha Teixeira, Patrício and Constantine, 2017). Further, it requires to have proper
understanding for the management of Café Portrait for the preference of employees with the help
of which they will get motivated. In order to boost up the moral and to raise the performance
level of employees, they can be provided with incentives, bonus, and pay as per working hours,
etc.
Training to workers: As it was stated above, there are certain set of capabilities and skills
that each of the worker possess (Brown, Bessant and Lamming, 2013). It is important that
management have proper monitoring of their workers so that they are able to understand the
areas in which they need help. With the help of which training and development, employees will
be able to develop or enhance their skills. This way, the support from their side will also
increase, they will better understand the need of customers.
Strategies to reduce wastage: The amount of wastage that is caused is high at the time
when food is prepared at Café Portrait. When the rate of wastage is reduced, then it becomes
favourable enough to increase the sales and profitability (Naser, Al Shobaki and Amuna, 2016).
It is important for the firm to take up appropriate steps through which the rate of wastage can be
reduced in effective manner. Further, all the doubts that employees have in relation with their
work should be clarified as it will be helpful to reduce wastage.
Streamline communication with customers: It is essential to have strong communication
or interaction with customers so that all the issue or problems that are faced by them can be
identified. Further, management need to take up proper steps so that they are able to overcome
the problems that are faced by service users (Monczka, Handfield and Patterson, 2015). With
communication, strong relation can be maintained and customers tent to develop positive
perception within their mind. Further, proper communication should be maintained with
employees as well so that they also share issues that are faced by them.
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Retention of employees: The rate of employee’s turnover is high and so there are
problems that are faced by Café Portrait. It is essential that appropriate steps are taken in which
they are able to understand the problems or causes due to which they leave the firm. It requires to
have strong interaction so that they are able to develop trust and confidence within the mind of
employees (Evans and Lindsay, 2013). This way, they will share their issues and accordingly
proper steps can be taken to overcome them.
Long term technology plan: There are many changes that take place with respect with
advancement in technology. However, firm is not able to make use of them as they lack financial
support. In this context, it is important that appropriate steps are taken in which they make
planning so that they are able to get proper support or finance so that they implementation of
technology is possible (José Tarí, Heras-Saizarbitoria and Pereira, 2013). By making use of
technology, it enables to deliver high quality services to customers and also increases satisfaction
level.
Managing time: There is different type of task that has be performed by each of the
employees. They face problem in managing their work in effective manner (Campbell, Jardine
and McGlynn, 2016). In this context, workers need to be effective enough so that they are able to
manage their time in effectively and efficiently. When all the employees focus at Café Portrait on
managing their time, then the waiting time can be reduced. All the employees will be able to
have proper coordination with each other and the problem of waiting time will be solved.
Regular meetings: Employees have direct interaction with customers. They have better
understanding of the problems that each of the service users face (Smith, Maull and CL Ng,
2014). When regular meetings are conducted, then it becomes helpful for them to develop strong
relation with workers and they will also be able to take up initiative for implementing strategies
to overcome the issues that are discussed by workers in the meeting.
Conclusion
The organizations need to provide their employees with training so that they are able to
enhance the skills and capabilities in effective manner. There are feedback provided by
customers and these should be properly considered by management. When proper focus is made
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