Service Processes – OM in the News

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|

Mass Customization of Condiments: Will Customers Relish Choice?

Kraft Heinz plans to increase the number of condiments available at Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) with its Kraft Heinz Remix machine.

The Remix machine was introduced at the May 2023 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago.

Using a touch screen, a customer selects a base of either ketchup, ranch, 57 Sauce or BBQ sauce. The next step is to add “enhancer(s)” to the sauce, which include jalapeno, smoky chipotle, buffalo, and mango. Finally, a customer selects one of three intensity levels.

The combination […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2023-06-25T19:03:36+00:00June 25, 2023|Tags: automation, mass customization, product design, quick serve restaurants, service processes|

The USPS Wants to Deliver its Operations Strategy

The USPS continues its ambitious transformation.

Although the first two years of the ten-year transformation plan have produced mixed results, the Postmaster General wants to forge ahead with the pursuit of excellence in quality, cost, delivery, and flexibility. Because revenues from mail delivery continue to decline, the USPS is targeting shippers, a bold move for a late entrant in the package delivery business. This strategy requires a complete overhaul of the organization. Modernization and streamlining of services and […]

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2023-06-19T21:16:03+00:00June 21, 2023|Tags: automation, bottleneck, carbon footprint, competitivness, delivery, JIT, logistics, process management, productivity, service quality, strategy, supply chain management, sustainability|

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|