Introduction
This is an interesting article to analyze. We have the case of a company that wants to make a great change which will be accompanied by a considerable cost.
Dunkin’ Donuts is managing to change its menu and as a result, the way to prepare the food. The company is experimenting with new products on its menu. It is concentrating its attention on serving flatbread sandwiches and personal pizzas. To do that is necessary to begin using convection ovens and stop using microwaves. This attempt seems easy but in reality, is the company’s biggest change since 2003. The purpose of this change is to improve the quality and to become more successful by expanding the activity beyond the traditional base. This makes the activity more profitable. The purpose is really interesting but it is important to take present the costs of this experiment.
A dilemma
Many times the companies are attracted by the expansion of their activities and their profits. This makes them forget the challenges ahead of them. Moving from microwaves to convection ovens is a dilemma.
Dunkin’ Donuts wants to attract all-day customers with this new menu but it is forgetting that maybe the customers don’t like to go to the same place two or more times a day. This means that the company may lose morning customers to gain afternoon and evening customers. Probably it would have to choose between these two options. Does this lead to another decision: microwaves or convection ovens? In other words, they have to decide between the traditional menu or the new one with pizza and sandwiches heated in the ovens.
Considering that it is an investment which may bring really good results to the company is very important trying to find out if it is going to give the expected results. In my opinion, the company should be very careful before begging to serve this new type of food. It has to find out if it will manage to get over the initial costs. Also, it has to find out if the staff will complete on time the training to use the new ovens, and if the new ovens will increase the time needed to heat the food.
Calculations
These possible occurrences may be forecasted by making a test during a proper time and gathering correct and worthy information about the cost of the activity. It is important to be careful with the calculations. The main point in this commitment is the customer. His preference comes before everything else. It does not make sense to start a new style of activity if it is not going to be attractive for the customers.
After the calculations are important to experiment in the ground. Despite starting the activity only in a certain and limited area the company may consider also the possibility to make a simple survey. Maybe it is going to cost a little bit if we think about the perspectives I think is worth spending some money on that. Dunkin’ Donuts may apply an experimental menu in some areas and conduct simple and low-cost surveys in other areas. This is a possible way to gather the required information for “the change”. Another source for this kind of information is the web. There are many sites where we can find a lot of information about people’s preferences for the food.
Conclusion
After all that process, the company has to compare its goals with the ability to achieve them. On one side we have the information about the customers and on the other side, we have the company resource. Balancing both sides is the ideal solution.
References
Dunkin’ Donuts is ditching the microwave. Web.