Qmgt407 - The Project Assessment Answer

MAS5564

Business Management Assignment:

Case Study 1: “A café called Maggie’s”

You have just started a new business in Sydney CBD – A café called Maggie’s. The café is brand new with no existing customer base, but it is located in the business district where large concentrations of business workers move during weekdays, and you have identified that there is a need for a café in this particular location where business meetings can be held, and people can come in a grab a quick takeaway coffee on their way to work or during the afternoon. The café will be closed over the weekends, as you do not believe there will be sufficient demand during those days. You have spent significant time and money setting up the café environment to accommodate and attract the people you think will be your main customers. However, your business partner thinks you should do some research and compile a formal customer service plan to ensure you are able to meet the customer service needs and requirements of your potential customers. Your business partner also wants you to put measures in place to ensure consistency in quality and service. He has spent significant time sourcing the “perfect” coffee beans, and he wants to ensure that each customer has a perfectly brewed cup of coffee each and every time accompanied by fast and friendly service.

Questions:

1. Identify what you think some of the trends of products and services delivered by Maggie’s might be. What are the needs of your potential customers? You should investigate, identify, assess and summarise their needs. How will you include these needs in your planning process?

2. What are the quality, time and cost specifications for your plan? How do you ensure these specifications are aligned with expectations and agreements with customers?

3. Establish quality and delivery standards. How are these standards aligned with both customer specifications/expectations and Maggie’s business plan?

4. How will you monitor team performance to consistently meet these standards each and every time?

5. Outline your plan for assisting employees to meet these customer service standards. The support you provide may include training, coaching, mentoring, providing advice and monitoring of performance.

6. Develop strategies that will allow you to monitor progress in achieving product and service targets and standards

7. Develop at least one method you can use to obtain customer feedback which you can use to improve the provision of products and services. Include a sample of this method with your submitted answer.

8. What resources will you require to carry out your plan effectively? How will these resources be used effectively?

9. Give 2 examples of possible product/service promotions and public relations campaigns that Maggie’s could do to gain some attention and attract customers.

Case Study 2: “Express” delivery company”

The company has grown from a small, privately owned company run by Tom Hunter and just one delivery van. Tom’s company grew
significantly in the first 3 years, and he expanded to buy 3 more delivery vans and employed 5 delivery drivers. 3 of the 5 delivery drivers work full-time and the other two work part-time, mainly in the evenings and on weekends. Express’ reputation was exceptional in the beginning; services and deliveries were fast, friendly and efficient, however in the last year or so there have been increasing numbers of customer complaints, including complaints about slow service, unfriendly driver interactions and mixed up or wrong deliveries.
To make matters worse, Tom has had to deal with a few serious customer complaints after realising that his employees have actually made the issues worse by handling complaints in a poor and rude manner. Today, Alex, one of the business’ long-term and most loyal customers
phoned Tom personally because he was very concerned; 3 of the last 5 deliveries he had ordered were at least one day late and one of the orders was damaged upon delivery. In all circumstances, the drivers who delivered the items were less than apologetic and the customer
was very upset. This afternoon, Tom has realised that he needs to take action before Express’ reputation is seriously damaged and the company starts losing customers like Sam. Tom is very concerned about his employees’ behaviour and is determined to find out what the issues are.

Questions:

1. Write a customer service policy and procedures for Express which includes support and guidelines for handling customer complaints. Who would you consult with to do this?

2. Write 3 service standards that you think Express should have, and describe any best practice models that you know of that you could model the service standards on.

3. Describe how you would have dealt with Sam’s complaint, in line with your new customer service standards and procedures. What techniques would you use to solve the complaint?

4. Suggest some guidelines and procedures for managing:
Customer relations
1) Ongoing improvement of product and/or service quality
2) Identification and resolution of problems
3) Identifying and managing customer behaviour

5. Describe the records and reports you think you should keep in relation to customer service. How would you manage these within the organisation’s systems and processes?

6. Give 2 examples of technology that you think would be useful to Express in improving and providing quality customer service.