Svc Systems with Impatient Customers

A Pioneer of Online Journalism Falls off the Digital Platform

Another news organization is succumbing to the brutal demands of digital publishing.

BuzzFeed quickly went from an original and somewhat eccentric media outlet to a well-known publication with a respected news division. It pioneered ways of engaging younger readers, included serious articles as well as celebrity news, and exploited the potential for stories to go viral on social media with click-driven headlines.

As it expanded its news division, BuzzFeed failed to generate the revenues necessary to sustain a world class news operation. […]

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2023-05-05T00:46:08+00:00May 5, 2023|Tags: competitivness, House of Quality, job design, lead time, service quality, strategy, virtual service|

Efficiency or Identity? A Dilemma for Fast Food Restaurants

Minimalism is in; Googie architecture is out.

Red roofs, neon golden arches, and other bright-colored structures have practically disappeared from the fast food landscape. They have been replaced by boxy, sleek designs that reflect both cultural and economic trends. Whether or not these new designs are less aesthetically pleasing than their older counterparts is a matter of personal taste. Fast food chains’ primary goal remains to give customers what they want.

Video Spotlight: The Decline of Pizza Hut…What […]

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2023-03-14T23:06:07+00:00March 15, 2023|Tags: automation, competitivness, delivery, lead time, location, productivity, service design, service quality, strategy, value, waiting lines|

High-End Vets for the One Percent Pets

Some pets receive the royal treatment.

They are family, and therefore we treat them like family…or better! Responding to this sentiment, veterinary clinics have realized that the business prospects of offering the type of care humans wish for themselves are very good. Accordingly, vets have invested in large facility expansions and a diverse portfolio of services including exercise rooms, heated pools, and acupuncture. What does it take to get there and is this model here to stay?

Video Spotlight:

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2023-01-30T20:53:05+00:00February 8, 2023|Tags: competitivness, facility design, facility layout, order winners, service design, service quality, strategic capacity management, strategy|

Restaurant Pricing Tactics

Inflation is hitting restaurants especially hard on the supply side, as they are paying more for ingredients and increased labor costs. From the revenue side, customers impacted by inflationary pressures on food and gasoline are reducing their spending for eating-out.

The combination of increased costs and reduced revenues serves to reduce restaurants’ profit margins.

Restaurants have to seek ways to maintain customer traffic, while still maintaining profit margins. Two techniques gaining popularity are dynamic pricing and barbell pricing.

Dynamic pricing, also referred to as […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2023-01-02T06:03:36+00:00January 1, 2023|Tags: aggregate planning, artificial intelligence, dynamic pricing, forecasting, inflation, inventory, pricing, restaurant, yield management|