6 Step 1 – As a group, identify a ‘high-visibility’ operation that you all are familiar with. This could be a type of quick-service restaurant, record stores, public transport systems, libraries, etc.

Step 2 – Once you have identified the broad class of operation, visit a number of them and use your experience as customers to identify:

(a) the main performance factors that are of importance to you as customers; and

(b) how each store rates against the others in terms of their performance on these same factors.

Step 3 – Draw an importance–performance matrix (see Chapter¦3) for one of the operations that indicates the priority they should be giving to improving their performance.

Step 4 – Discuss the ways in which such an operation might improve its performance and try to discuss your findings with the staff of the operation.