Process models and technology solution
Diagram 1 depicts the current process model at Haircuts. As shown in the diagram, the business is losing many customers when they arrive at the premises and find that there is no employee available. Customers leave the premises without being offered shaving or manicure services. However, a better process model would be implemented to solve the problem and would involve the steps highlighted in diagram 2. The to-be process would be used in scheduling and streamlining workflows in the customer/employee business area (Barney, 2012).
Technology solution proposal
Business process
If Haircuts needs to reduce the number of customers lost due to the unavailability of employees or because they do not have appointments, then it has to adopt a process scheduling approach. The model will significantly improve workflow within the organization and improve financial performance. For example, the business process will cater to customers who would arrive at the Haircuts premises without an appointment. The customers would be informed that stand-by employees would be called to offer requested services immediately. They would wait for a short period of time before employees on-call would arrive and provide them with excellent shaving and/or manicure services.
The firm will have significant savings on labor costs because it would hire or engage employees based on the number of customer appointments per time. Days that would be characterized by a high level of business activities would involve many workers, while the days with a low level of business activities would have a few employees working. In addition, the owner of the business would schedule customers on specific times of the day when workers would be available. The business process would benefit from a technology application because it would be automated and would schedule workers and customers effectively (Barney, 2012; Ghanbari & Othman, 2012; Hoskisson, Hitt, Ireland & Harrison, 2012).
Proposed information technology (IT) solution
Prestige scheduler IT solutions would be used to improve communication within the organization. It would involve the sharing of information among the business owner, employees, and customers. This application would allow customers to book appointments with specific workers based on their availability, as displayed by the technology. If a customer would require urgent services, then he or she would alert the system so that a stand-by employee would be contacted.
Components of the IT infrastructure
- Services – the business owner will manage the technology. Both permanent and part-time workers will access the technology and post their comments and/or responses to the proprietor and customers.
- Software – the technology will involve software to be bought from an established software vendor.
- Hardware – a server will be used to control communication supported by the technology. However, users would use computers or mobile devices with internet connections to access technology.
- Telecommunications – the technology will involve both local area networks and wide area networks.
- Facilities – the server and other hardware components supporting the technology will be housed at Haircuts.
How technology will improve the process
Customer and/or employee scheduling would be automated and would ensure proper utilization of human resources. The technology will improve the scheduling of customers by ensuring that they will book appointments with their preferred workers (Ghanbari & Othman, 2012).
How the technology will support the generic strategy and strategic business area
The technology will promote differentiation and/or low cost within the firm because it will facilitate the process of specialization of the firm and workers. If services are specialized, then they will be offered at low costs. The customer/employee strategic business area will be improved through enhanced employee efficiencies and improved customer scheduling that will result in greater levels of customer satisfaction.
References
Barney, J. B. (2012). Purchasing, Supply Chain Management and Sustained Competitive Advantage: The Relevance of Resource‐based Theory. Journal of Supply Chain Management, 48(2), 3-6. Web.
Ghanbari, S., & Othman, M. (2012). A priority based job scheduling algorithm in cloud computing. Procedia Engineering, 50(1), 778-785. Web.
Hoskisson, R., Hitt, M., Ireland, R. D., & Harrison, J. (2012). Competing for advantage. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning. Web.