Problem
You will need to visit a service-oriented storefront - a fast food establishment works well. For example, Tim Hortons, Starbucks, Pizza Pizza, etc. You will want to choose an establishment that is relatively busy, as you will need data to record.
Find a spot where you and your partner can observe how the process of serving customers works. Observe for 45-60 minutes (depending on traffic). Record data points such as:
A. Periodic line length counts to determine a high / low / average queue size.
a. Every 5 minutes works well.
B. Number of employees and their function (manager, cashier, food preparation, etc).
C. Time to serve customers once they order.
a. Focus on the details.
D. Number of people ordering large vs small orders.
E. Are there any order mistakes, or customer complaints?
F. How many customers return to the counter after receiving their order?
G. Think up your own variables as well - based on what you see and what might be specific to your observation choice.
This is not mandatory, but you may also want to try ordering something to observe the process more closely.
Your deliverable for this assignment is to submit a report (2-3 pages):
i. Record the details (where did you conduction the observation, the time you observed, how long you were there, any limitations you had).
ii. Provide a summary of your data.
iii. Describe 2-3 anecdotal observations - for example, your experience of ordering, how a customer complaint was handled, or a difference
in efficiency (e.g. one order taker processed orders at 50% faster speed than others).
iv. Summarize observed bottlenecks or process improvement opportunities.