Analyzing Service Delivery: Mr. Smith's Restaurant Case Study

This case study analyzes the customer service operations of Mr. Smith's restaurant, focusing on service blueprints and customer relationship management (CRM). The report begins with an introduction highlighting the dynamic nature of customer service and the importance of aligning services with customer preferences to achieve long-term business growth. It then delves into the concept of a service blueprint, detailing how Mr. Smith's restaurant can use it to design and innovate its services, diagnose operational problems, and enhance customer interactions. The blueprint includes customer actions, on-stage contact employees, backstage operations, and support processes. The study also examines customer relationship strategies, including workforce setup, employee training, and offering quality service. Strategies like setting up the right workforce, providing training, and offering quality service are discussed to improve customer satisfaction and build strong customer relationships. The report concludes with a customer satisfaction questionnaire and an analysis of service delivery standards.

CASE STUDY ANALYSIS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
QUESTIONNAIRE.........................................................................................................................6
SERVICE DELIVERY STANDARDS...........................................................................................7
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
The customer services are considered as highly dynamic in nature. All the service which are
provided by the companies should be designed according to the customer’s preferences. In the
modern world, all types of services which are offered by the businesses are adapted according
customers’ requirements and the services are provided according to them. The customer
satisfaction is primary objective of the business as through it, the activities of business can be
conducted and business ensures long term business growth (Calabrese and De Francesco, 2014).
In this, the business need to make sure that all the services which are provided by the company
should meet requirements of customers. It integrates to every part of the business whether large
or small. The present report is focused on the service industry and evaluates the services
provided by a restaurant. In the present report, the services provided by Mr. Smith who runs a
restaurant have been explored. It has included major concepts of service industry such as
development of blueprint for the services through which the company can offer its services
(Hyun and Cho, 2014). In addition, it is also includes strategies for developing customer
relationships in the business and also develop a customer’s satisfaction questionnaire. At last,
this report analyzes customers delivery standard which are offered in the business operations.
Services blueprint for customers satisfaction
A service blueprint is a unique strategy which is used by the business organization for designing
its services and innovation. With the help of the service blueprint, the company can diagnosis its
problems and also increase its operational efficiency. The service blueprint is an applied process
chart which shows the service delivery process from the customer's perspective. It becomes a
widely used tool for managing service operations, design and positioning. By conducting a

diagnosis, the company can identify problems which are mainly faced by them in their daily
operations (Chuang, 2007). Through this service blue print, the company is trying to make
effective interaction with customers and they are also able to understand the services which are
going to be provided to them. In the restaurant business, it is important to give high priority to
employees because in the hospitality industry major interaction with customers is done by the
employees. Thus, in order to develop an effective service blue print, first, the consultant has to
make an effective diagnosis of work culture for the employees.
Mr. Smith’s restaurants offer different types of services to their customers. The restaurant in
mainly focused to provide bistro style food and a wide range of wines to their customers. There
is limited staff which is working as permanent and other are working as the casual staff (Hyun
and Cho, 2014). In order to make effective interaction, the company needs to develop a service
blueprint. This blue print is based on establishing effective interactions with customers. In the
following section, the service blueprint of the restaurant has been discussed:

Figure: Service Blueprint of Restaurant
(Source: Author)
Customer’s Actions –
This is the point at which customers and the services interact. At this point, when customers
enter the restaurant they make general interactions with the company’s employees. It includes
when customers place an order in the restaurant for food (Hyun and Cho, 2014). In the
restaurant business, it includes the process through which customers purchase, consume and

evaluate the services (Calabrese and De Francesco, 2014). In Mr. Smith’s restaurant, the service
blueprint should provide a complete list of food items according to their prices.
On -stage Contact Employees
It includes steps and activities that the employees perform which are visible to the customer. It
may include all of the activities, people, and physical evidence that the customers can see while
going through the service journey. In the restaurant business, it generally includes people and
process of the restaurant. In Mr. Smith’s restaurant, the communication points are the waiters
and waitress (Song, Wu, Li and Xu, 2015). Along with this, it also includes the design of
restaurants. In order to make effective interaction with customers, it is important that all
employees in the restaurants give them warm welcome and also helps them in placing an order.
It also includes allowing services according to the preferences of the customers.
Backstage
The backstage service encompasses the services which cannot be perceived by the customers;
however, they are essential in maintaining the customer satisfaction. It means that restaurant’s
kitchen is included in it. The backstage refers to that place where the actions of employees fulfill
the business requirements of the company. It includes place, people, and process through which
customer’s demand can be fulfilled. Through this, the expectations of the customers are
fulfilled.
Support Process
It includes extra services which are provided by the business. In the support process, the internal
services and interactions required to assist the customers in keeping the customer satisfaction

level high are included. It is the final stage of the blue print of an organization’s services. In Mr.
Smith’s services, the support services include providing food and making bills for the customers
(Kundu, 2015). At the final stage, the food served to the people and the bill clearance is
considered. The support services also include providing services with efficiency and also ask
customers review.
All the services are focused to gain customer’s satisfaction. It also helps the business in
providing effective services to the customers. Through this blueprint, the company gets clear
outlook regarding the way in which diverse services are offered to the customers and ways in
which employees should make interactions with customers (Wang and Hu, 2014). Along with
the above elements, there are certain elements which are also included in the restaurant’s blue
print.
Line of Interaction
The line of interaction refers to the process through which the customers make direct interaction
with the employees. It mainly includes placing order by the customers and orders are recorded by
the employees. The line of interaction includes thinking, experiments and actions. In the
restaurant, the line of interaction is controlled by the restaurant manager who manages the order
of stock (Song, Wu, Li and Xu, 2015). It also includes the physical evidence of the services such
as the design of the restaurants and place where they are setting.
Line of Visibility
The line of visibility, separate all activities which are visible to the customers and from those
which are not visible. In refers to the onstage activities, such as finding the vacant place for the
customers, giving menus to the customers, taking orders from the customers, placing them to the

chef and then delivering food to the customers. It also includes services such as making
payments to the customers and also maintaining clear and hygeinic tables for the customers
(Song, Wu, Li and Xu, 2015). In order to make an effective customer interaction, and to track the
activities, the on stage activities should be clearly provided to customers.
Line of Internal Interaction
The line of internal interaction is conducted by the internal management staff and people who are
processing the operational activities of the organization. It mainly includes restaurants related
activities, such as maintaining the kitchen of the restaurant (Hyun and Cho, 2014). The
employees include the staff working in the kitchen as dish cleaner, chef, a sous chef, and a cook
or kitchen hand. All these people are included in the internal communication process of the
organization. The final stage in customers’ interaction is also included in preparing bill by the
organization’s accountant.
Customer’s Relationship Strategies
Customer relationship management (CRM) follows the entire lifecycle of a customer’s
interaction with a business. The main aim of CRM includes marketing, sales, support, and
feedback. It is associated with every business whether large or small in size. All the services and
products which are provided by the business organization are based on gaining the customer’s
satisfaction (Hollensen, 2015). For ensuring the customers’ relationship, it is important to build
an effective business relationship with customers. In order to develop effective relationship with
consumers, different types of strategies can be selected by the company. In the hospitality
industry, it is essential for the company to offer the best services to buyers and along with it, it is

also important to ask for their valuable suggestions. In the following section, the CRM strategies
of the MR. Smith’s restaurants have been discussed:
Set up Workforce
The main aim of restaurant business is to offer effective services to the customers. In the
hospitality industry, it is important to make effective interaction with skillful workers. In the
present times, when the customers enter into the business premises, it is essential that workforce
make an effective interaction. For this, the company has to select the right person for the right
job. In the businesses, different types of jobs are available (Khodakarami and Chan, 2014). So,
for each type of vacant job the company has to select the right candidates. In the restaurant
business, major selection is done by the senior chef who is responsible for recruiting employees
and providing them incentives. So, for recruiting employees, it is important that the company can
also setup interviews for employees and in accordance to their experiences and knowledge. Thus,
this strategy helps the business in ensuring the company builds an effective relationship with its
customers.
Providing Training
After selecting the right candidate, the company needs to provide training to employees. In this
part, the company gives all essential information and knowledge to its employees by which they
can make effective interactions with customers (Palmer, Palmer, Bejou and Bejou, 2016). In the
training, there are various types of skills which are needed to be provided to employees. Skills
such as active listening, analytical and problem-solving skills are an essential part of the training.
These skills are essential in training employees regarding various organization’s activities and
operations.

There are different types of training method which can be selected by the company such as on
the job training or off the job training for training employees. However, on the job training is
considered as the most effective and cost-efficient training method. Initially, the organization
should focus on on-the-job training as it is the best approach for a company to train new
employees an increase the interaction between the employees and the manager (San-Martín,
Jiménez and López-Catalán, 2016). With this training method, the organization can provide all
information related to the business and operation’s organization process. Thus, in order to make
an effective CRM (Customer Relationship Management), training is an important strategy. In
this strategy, the employees get full information about the company and ways they interact with
customers. In addition, training should also be imparted to the employees so that they can offer
services to customers in an effective manner.
Offer Quality Service
The other strategy of the company is dependent upon offering quality services to their customers.
In order to make an effective customer relationship stratrgy, it is essential that the company ask
buyers about the services and maintain quality in its services (Choudhury and Harrigan, 2014). In
order to maintain quality in services, a company can adopt different types of techniques such as
lean technique or Six Sigma. The best technique for improving quality in the service industry is
by adopting the lean technique. This technique is focused on offering defect free services to the
customers. In this, the company should also focus on offering training and quality management
services to the customers. The business can also adapt the customer’s services according to the
feedback by the customers. All the customers, who visit restaurants ask them about their services
and also provide suggestions for making any type of modifications. With customer feedback, the
organization can also make changes in their services according to customer’s preferences. Thus,

in order to establish effective relationship with customers, the company should also boost their
consumer’s services and improves the quality of services (Kubina and Lendel, 2015). In the
present business, they can also add more flavors in food and drinks so more customers can be
attracted to the business.
Deliver Global Consistency by Maintaining Data
The restaurant can implement and enforce a set of operating standards for all customer care and
collection interactions in all their business operations. Due to globalization, each customer in the
business expects to receive a higher standard of service throughout their interaction with the
organization. It is also important for the company to provide all type of the foods and cuisines at
their restaurants (Stein, Smith and Lancioni, 2013). In the present case, the company should also
add more flavors in the food items. In the restaurant, the visitors fall under the age of 18-50. So,
the business should ask its customers about the food which they like to eat and other different
types of drinks. For this, the company should also develop a complete list of different customers
who visit restaurants and ask them for different types of food which they want to eat. It helps the
company in building a strong relationship with their customers and also retains customers for
long term in the business. Along with it, the company also needs to develop CRM software
which helps them to access data of their customers. With the help of this data software, the
company can evaluate how many customers’ visit the restaurant and what type of customers visit
more in the restaurants. In order to build a strong relationship with consumers and add more
value to the company’s performance, they need to allow CRM software.
Online Presence

In this digital era, the businesses are now moving to become more online, due to the rapid use of
the social media and other tools in the business. Therefore, it is important for the company to
develop their business with the online presence. It does not make any sense if the company’s size
is large or small. With the strategy of online presence, the business can expand on the global
level or in a particular region. So for the business organizations, it is important to make online
presence (Reicher, Komáromi and Szeghegyi, 2015). In this strategy, the business can develop
their own websites and also take an order or conduct advance booking for the restaurant. Along
with it, the restaurant can also make a page on the Facebook through which they can establish a
direct connection with customers. With this method, business and other consumers of the
organization can also post their reviews on the page through which they can make direct contact
with other customers and business personnel. It also helps the company in taking action against
the negative reviews so they can build strong business relationship with customers.
QUESTIONNAIRE
A questioner is a set of questions which is developed by the company in order to map the
customer’s satisfaction level. In the following section, Customer’s satisfaction Questionnaire of a
business organization is presented:
Customer’s satisfaction Questionnaire
Name
Age
Gender
How often do you visit a restaurant?
 Once a year