Scheduling to Prioritize Demand

Drive-Thru Confusion Impedes Smooth Flow

Customer confusion is not uncommon in drive-thru lanes.

Increasing demand, and various order types such as in-person, online, and 3^rd party delivery, have complicated the drive-thru line. Many restaurants are adding multiple lines to handle demand, adding complication for the customer.

Many Chick-fil-A’s have experienced backups that extend into the street blocking traffic. A new Chick-fil-A in Lafayette, Louisiana, is a recent example. Many of their customers have been driving into the area where employees park. Chick-fil-A employees are working to help […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2023-09-22T05:29:34+00:00September 22, 2023|Tags: queuing theory, waiting line|

Amazon Achieves Its Fastest Delivery Times

Amazon has reported its fastest ever time for Prime deliveries in the second quarter of 2023.

For the 60 largest metro areas, over half of Prime deliveries were same day or next day. Amazon continues to invest in its same-day delivery service–promising to double its same-day delivery facilities in the coming years.

This strategy has allowed the company to gain a 1/3 share of online orders in the U.S, six times that of its closest competitor, Walmart. Amazon also delivered more than […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2023-09-06T07:32:48+00:00September 6, 2023|Tags: artificial intelligence, distribution, inventory management, logistics, same day delivery, strategy, supply chain|

Zipline Drones to Serve 10,000 Locations This Year

Zipline’s amazing delivery drone technology, which launched in Rwanda six years ago, has now made over a half a million deliveries of life-saving supplies in several African nations and Japan.

Currently, Zipline drones deliver to 3,000 hospitals around the world, and the company plans to serve 10,000 locations by the end of the year. Its sights are set on active drone delivery systems for a variety of purposes in the U.S. by the end of 2023.

Video Spotlight:

By Lisa M. Spencer|2023-04-26T07:44:14+00:00April 26, 2023|Tags: healthcare, logistics, medical supply chain, product design, quality, redundancy, reliability, safety, service design, sustainability, technology|

Furniture Glut in Silicon Valley

One man’s loss is another man’s gain.

The rise of remote work, an economic slowdown, and tighter access to capital have forced tech companies to retreat or disappear. The situation is especially dire in the San Francisco area where prime office space has been vacated. Once destined to the landfill, the barely-used furniture is now finding new homes thanks to resellers capitalizing on the excesses of a certain corporate culture and oversized operations.

Video Spotlight: Is Herman Miller […]

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2023-03-18T16:54:05+00:00March 19, 2023|Tags: carbon footprint, competitivness, forecasting, job design, location, product design, strategic capacity management, sustainability, value analysis|