Case-2

Part-1

(Calculate to 4 decimal places)

Donna Shader, manager of the Winter Park Hotel, is considering how to restructure the front desk to reach an optimum level of staff efficiency and guest service. At present, the hotel has four clerks on duty, each with a separate waiting line, during the peak check-in time of 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM Observation of arrivals during this time shows that an average of 80 guests arrive each hour (although there is no upward limit on the number that could arrive at any given time). It takes an average of 2.4 minutes for the front-desk clerk to register each guest.

Ms. Shader is considering a new plan for improving guest service by reducing the time the guest spends waiting in line. The new plan is to implement a single-line system. All guests could form a single waiting line to be served by whichever four clerks became available. This option would require sufficient lobby space for a substantial queue.

Discussion Questions

Problem 1: Determine the average time (W) a guest spends checking in. How would this change under each of the state options? (Show your work)

a) Current Plan (8 points):

S= W=

b) New Plan (15 points):

S= W=

Problem 2: Which option do you recommend? Why?