Introduction
The following study examines the quality of a product “Thintastic Buffalo Chicken Bagel” which is produced and sold in Einstein Bros. Bagels, a bagel, and coffee restaurant chain. Einstein Bros. Bagels was founded in 1995 and currently has multiple locations across the United States (“FAQs”). The choice of the product for the analysis is based on its popularity among customers. Thus, this particular sandwich can represent the quality of the establishment and reveal some common mistakes of the assembly process.
Quality Systems
The company highlights the use of simple ingredients and places the attention on its high quality (“FAQs”). The following evaluation, however, is primarily based on customer opinions. The analysis reveals that the misrepresentation of the sandwich affects customers’ overall satisfaction with their purchase. Although the quality of the ingredients corresponds to the company’s claims, the aspect of human error during the assembly determines the final product’s quality. Out of 42 evaluated bagels, only 25 of them did not have any defects according to customer surveys. 21% of all orders did not have enough ingredients, and 30% of respondents noted that their order did not meet their expectations.
Process of Assembly
First, the cashier interacts with the consumer to take the order and inquire about any desired modifications. The worker specifies the type of bagel, accepts payment and places the order for the sandwich builder. Then, the second employee uses this information to construct the sandwich, wraps it, and delivers the product. In this case, the quality of the final product can be determined by the accurate interpretation of information by the builder and his or her compliance with the company’s standards.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
The study identifies five KPIs that can be used to measure the quality of the final product:
- The number of ingredients per sandwich – the company has a set of regulations that specify the number of items for each element of any sandwich.
- Time of assembly – the waiting period for the sandwich starts when the customer places the order and ends at the moment of delivery. The average time of the assembly for one sandwich is approximately four and a half minutes.
- Toasting – the preparedness of the bagel significantly impacts customers’ judgment of quality.
- Burnt – the bagel should not be kept in the toaster for too long as it can get burnt.
- Freshness – the quality of ingredients impacts the final taste of the sandwich.
Data Collection and Analysis
The data was gathered from the customers in one of the restaurants. Customers who ordered the “Thintastic Buffalo Chicken Bagel” were asked to answer some questions about the quality of their order. The study relied on the clients’ opinions regarding KPIs. The waiting time was also recorded. The analysis was conducted in the form of a Dashboard/Scorecard.
Dashboard/Scorecard Maintenance
Einstein Bros. Bagels stopped performing customer surveys at some point. To increase the quality of their services, they can resume weekly surveys and encourage customer participation with coupons, discounts, and candy. The data can be collected digitally. It should be gathered throughout the day to ensure that all working shifts are represented.
Recommendations
The company can improve its performance by implementing the Six Sigma approach to the process of sandwich assembly. Thus, the KPIs mentioned above can be used to pinpoint the main areas for further improvement. The quality of products can also be evaluated by repeating customer surveys.
Work Cited
“FAQs.” Einstein Bros. Bagels, 2017, Web.