A business process is a combination of business activities performed by a system of a business through a clear structure to make the business goals become a reality. These activities are done repeatedly to promote stability and growth in a business. This is why continuous improvement of business processes is crucial to a business.
Pizza is one of the most commonly consumed food products globally. Most pizza shops I have visited operate in two concurrent processes, each with a structure of activities. Traditionally, customers walk in and pick up their orders. Thanks to the evolution in technology and data, business can now be operated electronically. So, a digital desk is now also involved in the pizza business. Here, a customer clicks on an electronic screen and places an order, which gets processed as they wait.
First, in a traditional system, a customer walks into a pizza shop and gets in line or walks directly to the counter. They select the pizza of choice from the menu. Involving a digital desk, on the other hand, the customer identifies a website to place an order and sets their choice of pizza from the menu.
Second, traditionally, the cashier takes the order while recording it and receives payment after charging the customer. The cashier also orders the receipt. While involving a digital desk, the application or website processes the charges that appear on an electronic screen. The customer then pays through mobile money. Payment is received and recorded, and receipt is processed electronically.
Third, traditionally, the cashier forwards the order details to the chef, who reviews the order and immediately starts preparing the pizza/pizzas. At the same time, the customer is directed to wait. Likewise, when involving a digital desk, the restaurant receives the order and directs orders to the chef who prepares the pizza/ pizzas. However, in certain situations, multiple customers order at the same time. This means that meal preparation would take a longer time.
This takes us to the fourth stage. That is when the pizza/pizzas are ready. Here, the chef packages it and announces it to a server or assistant who alerts the customer that the pizza is prepared. Pizza is packaged where a digital desk is involved, and then the digital system automatically identifies a driver in a nearby location. The driver confirms the order and receives the customer’s details in the application, including location. They then pick up the well-packaged order and verify if the pizza is according to the customer’s choice. With the help of a GPS-enabled tracker, the driver transports the pizza/pizzas. Upon arrival at the specified location, the driver updates the customer through the mobile application.
Finally, traditionally, the customer receives the pizza/pizzas and eats inside the restaurant. In the digital system, the customer picks pizza from the driver and eats it at home. Mainly, mobile applications have an option for customer feedback. Here, the customer expresses satisfaction with the process.
It is now dependent upon the customer to choose the process that they find most suitable. A customer walking along the streets may feel hungry and decide to walk to the nearest pizza restaurant and eat. On the other hand, a customer working at home may prefer to order pizza online to save time. Either way, both processes are designed in a pizza business to ensure that customer satisfaction is fully met.
Both processes have advantages and disadvantages for the business. A traditional approach is costlier because most processes require more personnel to ensure the business runs smoothly. Human labor requires wages in the form of salary. Space is also an issue when there are many customers. In a digital process, most processes are electronically conducted. This makes the process less costly. Therefore, less personnel are required. The extra amount could be used to improve the business process in other ways. A digitally run process also saves space while serving a wide range of customers, even when operating in a relatively small space. Without forgetting, the traditional system may run short in terms of keeping financial records in comparison to digital records that are accurate and timely.
References.
Laguna, M., & Marklund, J. (2018). Business process modeling, simulation, and design. Chapman and Hall/CRC.
Gunasekaran, A., & Kobu, B. (2002). Modelling and analysis of business process reengineering. International journal of production research, 40(11), 2521-2546.
Dumas, M., La Rosa, M., Mendling, J., & Reijers, H. A. (2018). Fundamentals of business process management (Vol. 2). Heidelberg: Springer.
Andal-Ancion, A., Cartwright, P. A., & Yip, G. S. (2003). The digital transformation of traditional business. MIT Sloan Management Review, 44(4), 34.
write