CASE: Pizza USA †An Exercise in Translating Customer Requirements Into Process Design Requirements Essay

Production & Operations Management Pizza USA is a chain of pizza restaurants that currently offers sit-down and take-out service. Many customers have said that they would buy more pizzas from Pizza USA if it offered a delivery service. This exercise is in two parts. In Part I, you play the customer. In Part II, you play the manager at Pizza USA who is responsible for developing the pizza delivery process design requirements. PART I To start with, you have to think like a customer. This should be easy since you probably have experience with ordering pizza to be delivered. Put that experience to work! Make a list of the attributes of pizza delivery that are important to you AS A CUSTOMER! As we said, this should be easy. Right? Or is it? In devising your list, consider the following: What must a pizza delivery service accomplish so that you are reasonably satisfied? Beyond your being reasonably satisfied, what could a pizza delivery service do that would make it really unique and create a differential advantage? In other words, what could a pizza delivery service do that might cause you to ALWAYS order from one particular service (and, perhaps, to pay more for the privilege)? Assume that this pizza restaurant can make whatever kind of pizza (and side items) that you want. PART II Now, put on your â€Å"Pizza USA manager’s hat.† For this part of the exercise, you will NOT be teamed with some other students. First, using the lists of all of your team members, create a master list. Next, try to group the items on your list under a series of major headings; for example, â€Å"condition of the delivered pizza† or â€Å"quick, on-time delivery† or â€Å"order accuracy,† and so on. Finally, make a list of the â€Å"pizza delivery process design requirements† that your pizza delivery process will have to meet. As you do this, think about measurable standards; in other words, what would you measure in order to ensure that your process is operating effectively and efficiently? Why do you think that these measures will be useful? Here’s an example of how a part of this analysis could go. One customer requirement may be that the pizza should be hot when it is delivered. The fact is that  as soon as the pizza comes out of the oven, it starts to cool. So, how could you keep the pizza from dropping below some minimum temperature before you hand it to your customer? †¢ Make sure that in question 3, you identify quantitative measurements. (See the second paragraph of Part II.) ASSIGNMENT 1 Make a list of pizza delivery attributes that are important to you as a customer. 2 Categorize your list of items under a series of major headings. 3 Make a list of pizza delivery process design requirements. Associate with each requirement a measure that would ensure that the process meets the requirement. CASE: Pizza USA – An Exercise in Translating Customer Requirements Into Process Design Requirements 1. Make a list of pizza delivery attributes that are important to you as a customer. Quick order taking: is important that when calling the restaurant to place the order, they answer and take the order in a timely manner. Pizza arrives on time: customers want their delivered as soon as possible. Pizza is hot: is important for the pizza to be kept hot as it arrives. 2. Combine your list with the lists of a few other class members and categorize the items under a series of major headings. Good customer service Good food quality Fast delivery service 3. Make a list of pizza delivery process design requirements. Associate with each requirement a measure that would ensure that the process meets the requirements. Customer call (take order) Failure: Incorrect order Poka-yoke: Double-check order with customer before proceeding Place order and process payment Failure: system failure/cannot process payment Poka-yoke: provide cash payment option Prepare pizza Failure: delay during preparation Poka-yoke: notify customer and provide a discount/ extra product (i.e. free dessert) Deliver pizza Failure: delay during delivery Poka-yoke: provide discount coupon 4. Design a process that meets your requirements. Describe it by using a flowchart similar to those shown in Exhibits 7.4, 7.5, and 7.6. Stage: 1: preliminary activities Stage 2: Customer ServiceStage 3: Work performance