Scenario

Mark Penfold has contacted you, disturbed by the recent mixed and negative reviews about The Righteous Bean's performance with their latest food truck initiative. As the new National Quality Manager, he has tasked you with developing a plan to improve the customer service delivery standards of The Righteous bean so that it meets the needs of its customers (including corporate customers such as the Sydney Super Stadium). He also stresses that for this plan to work, it needs to address the concerns that staff have about their roles in the food trucks.

Step 1:Review the Customer Service Charter

Step 2:Review The Food Truck Critic Review

Step 3:Review the Market Research Report

Step 4:Download the Customer Service Plan Template

Customer Service Plan Vision Statement that summarises the organisation's approach to quality customer service. Overview Reasons behind the plan, including reference to recent research data or factors that have recently affected the business. Objectives List your SMART objectives/goals for the plan Customer Definitions A breakdown of the categories of the different types of customers that the business caters to. Information should include percentages to identify key target customer groups. Customer Feedback Summarise the customer feedback data that has been collected. Identify the most important issues, trends or specific needs that need to be met. Include feedback from internal and external customers were relevant. Gap Analysis Identify gaps that have been identified between current service delivery and the customer needs data Strategies for improvement Detail your recommendations to improve customer service delivery Resource Requirements Summarise the resources required to implement the plan. Include human resource requirements. Communication Processes Summarise how the strategies, such as timelines and scheduled training, will be communicated throughout the organisation Summary Summarize the key recommendations, schedules, resource requirements and the rationale for the entire plan. The Righteous Bean Customer Service Charter Our Mission To live up to our name by providing ethical, sustainable and excellent products, making ethical business decisions and being authentic in everything we do. Our Values Integrity - Demonstrating integrity through ethical behaviour, ethical produce and treating our customers, suppliers and staff in an ethical manner. Ethical decision making - Ensuring that all of our business decisions are ethically and morally justifiable. Ensuring that we consider how the decisions we make impact on the environment, and how those decisions impact the lives of the people who touch our business. The plantation workers, our suppliers, customers and our own people. Authenticity - Being genuine. Doing what we say we will do. Being transparent, honest and real. Excellence - Delivering an excellent product, providing excellent service and being an excellent employer. Continually improving - Being committed to improving our business, developing our people and being open to new ways to ensure we live up to our name. Our Customer Service Commitment The Righteous Bean is committed to providing our customers with high quality, ethical and authentic customer service. All of our customers, whether business or individual customers, are the central focus of our company values. We are committed to providing excellent customer services, and commit to the following Service Standards in every interaction we have with our customers. Our Service Standards To only sell organic and sustainable products that are sourced from producers who use sustainable agriculture methods, and who work toward conserving natural resources and the health of their workers. All of our food products will be certified organic and fairly traded. To act with integrity at all times, and be ethical in all of our dealings with customers To ensure that our customers' needs are central to any decisions we make when providing customer service, including in the way that we deal with customer complaints To be experts in the products and services we offer, and to provide our customers with accurate information and advice We will do what we say we will do. We will respond to our customers promptly by: o Answering telephone calls within three rings o Responding to email, social media, or webpage contacts within one business day o Acknowledging customers who enter our premises immediately o Delivering orders within 2 business days Value customer feedback and complaints, and use this feedback to improve our service, products and processes Strive for excellence in our customer service by working to continually improve our processes, product range and develop the customer service skills of our employees What to do if we don't meet our Service Standards The Righteous Bean is committed to continually improving our service to customers. If we do not meet our Service Standards, we want to do something about it. We commit to valuing your feedback, and will take prompt action to rectify any concerns. If you have a complaint, please contact our Head Office on 02 9988 5688 Market Research Report - The Righteous Bean Executive summary Research into customer expectations and experiences were collected through two sources: 1. Survey of customers who had ordered from a The Righteous Bean truck. A total of 100 customers were surveyed, at various locations and events throughout Sydney, after purchasing a The Righteous Bean product. 2. Focus group of consumers were interviewed to determine expectations of quality from a gourmet food truck The following report outlines the results of both data collection methods, and provides an analysis of customer service expectations. Customer Experience summary The survey indicated high levels of satisfaction in both the friendliness of staff, and the quality of the food. There was overwhelmingly positive feedback regarding the friendliness of staff, however there were a handful of negative comments regarding food which identified some issues with some of the desserts, and the presentation of food. The largest area of concern for customers was related to the time taken to place their order. Many customers underestimated how long the order process and preparation of food would take, and found this part of their service experience the most unpalatable. In contrast, many other customers were accepting of the waiting times and felt that the wait was directly linked to the quality of the food, beverage and service provided by The Righteous Bean. There was a range of varying opinions regarding the value proposition and affordability of The Righteous Bean's product. Many customers were satisfied that the product was value for money based on the quality of the product, whilst other customers felt that the product was expensive, particularly in relation to serving sizes. Focus Group The focus group consisted of 15 independent individuals, some of whom had experiences eating with gourmet food trucks, and others who had limited or no experience dealing with food trucks. The focus group attempted to gather information on the expectations and perceptions of individuals on what they would consider a quality food truck service experience. The group were given the task of developing an ideal service standard for a food truck business that would attract and maintain loyal customers to their business. Key areas of discussion included the following topics: What kind of customers would likely use a food truck? What are your perceptions of menu quality from a gourmet food truck? What does quality food truck service look like? How does this differ from other fast food or hospitality operations? How long should the process of ordering and receiving food take? What are reasonable wait times in busy periods? Pricing structures - what constitutes value for money? Packaging and presentation - is it important for a gourmet food truck? What point of differences would make one food truck business stand out from their competition? Participants sometimes had varying opinions, however a consensus was found within the group on most of the discussion topics. Key points and agreement on expectations are identified below: What kind of customers would likely use a food truck? It was agreed by all participants that food trucks would likely attract a younger audience, particularly given the trading hours and locations of the trucks operations. It was also agreed that food trucks had a reputation of having modern twists on traditional take away food (i.e. burgers, pizza, Mexican food etc), and that this type of menu would be appreciated by people who considered themselves 'foodies', and appreciated quality or unique food options rather than standard take-away or fast food options. The group also considered that food trucks that are located at sporting or other events are likely to attract a more diverse crowd that is reflective of the event type. What are your perceptions of menu quality from a gourmet food truck? Some participants were well acquainted with the food truck sector, whilst others had read about, or seen food trucks operating, but had not visited a truck themselves. All participants had a general perception that the quality of food was higher than fast food chains or traditional fast food operations. Most of the participants who had experienced gourmet food trucks had very high expectations on food quality offered by food trucks. These people expected that each truck would have its own unique offering and specialties, and that the food on offer would be of a very high standard. All participants expected that portion sizes would be generous. The expectation on the variety of menu offerings was diverse within the group. It was generally noted that experienced customers had lower expectations of the number of menu choices that would be offered by a food truck, which was likely based on their experiences. Those participants thought that 3-8 menu options was appropriate. Those who were inexperienced with food trucks had an expectation of at least 6-15 menu options, and that menu options would be closer aligned to a small caf or take away food operation. What does quality food truck service look like? How does this differ from other fast food or hospitality operations? Participants agreed that they would not expect the same formalities of service from a food truck that they would from a restaurant or upscale caf. There was a consensus that service should be casual and friendly, but not as scripted as many fast food chains. Participants believed that customers would appreciate communicating with the cook and seeing the food being prepared. Quality service for a food truck was defined as being friendly and fun. Participants felt that a food truck should provide an atmosphere that encouraged conversation and interaction both with staff and between customers. How long should the process of ordering and receiving food take? What are reasonable wait times in busy periods? Participants had varying levels of expectations relating to how long the ordering process should take. It was accepted that there would be busy periods, and queues and waiting times would be inevitable during these periods. It was agreed that people would likely be more willing to wait on weekends or when they were out socialising, and accepted that as long as the environment was agreeable (i.e. not being exposed to bad weather, places for people to congregate or sit, music and lighting) then waiting for up to 10-12 minutes was acceptable when there were crowds. It was agreed that the atmosphere provided by the food truck was important in encouraging people to wait happily for their meal, particularly during peak periods when there are wait times. This expectation changed when considering lunch time service, particularly for workers with limited lunch breaks, or in periods of bad weather. Participants felt that in these circumstances, the process needed to be closer to 5 minutes from the time of arriving at the food truck to receiving their meal. The topic of an online ordering option through an app was discussed, and it was agreed that this type of process would make waiting less cumbersome for customers as they would not need to stand in a line to order and pay for their meal. Pricing structures - what constitutes value for money? There was a clear consensus that value for money directly correlated with the quality of the food offered by a food truck. Additionally, serving sizes were considered an important aspect of a value proposition. Participants believed that overly small servings of a high-quality meal were not appropriate for a food truck. It was agreed that people will pay a premium price for a meal if they receive a meal that is both filling and exceptionally tasty. An even higher premium would be paid if the meal was unique and could not be purchased (at the same quality level) from other vendors. There was an overall expectation that where a food truck is offering menu items of the same quality as full-service venues, that they should be less expensive. It was expected that food trucks would, based on equivalent quality, be cheaper than in a restaurant of caf. An example of a $13 coffee and dessert was discussed within the group. Participants believed this would represent high value for a quality coffee in a restaurant of caf with full service, but noted that most full-service options would charge more than this amount. It was agreed, that as long as the quality of the product was high, that his price would be a reasonable amount to pay from a food truck. It was noted that prices higher than this would become an issue of value for customers, and where an equivalent product could be found in a full-service venue, most participants would opt for that alternative. The overall expectation was that there should be a price differential between full service venues and food trucks. All participants agreed that they would pay more for a quality coffee from a food truck than they would from a fast food chain. This was based on the perception that items from fast food chains would be of lower quality than food truck offerings. Packaging and presentation - is it important for a gourmet food truck? Participants unanimously agreed that meals should be provided in disposable recyclable containers or plates. A discussion around the strength of packaging materials identified a consensus that materials needed to be strong so that they did not fall apart, and could be transported by customers if need be. Most participants said that the use of sustainable materials was important statement on the ethics of the food truck business. The group agreed that packaging should not be generic, and should include logos or other identifying detail. It was suggested that due to the 'novel and creative' culture of the food truck industry, there would be an expectation that packaging would be interesting and attractive. Standards of presentation of food and beverage were expected to be higher than a fast food chain or traditional coffee shop. It was expected that a gourmet offering would be presented in an appealing manner. Participants agreed that if they paid for a premium coffee or dessert, they would expect it to be presented with care. What point of differences would make one food truck business stand out from their competition? No one point was agreed upon by all participants, however a number of ideas were generated that the participants believed could make a food truck business stand out from its competition. Ideas included: Offering creative, novel and tasty food offerings that were different to what competitors offered Novel truck designs that were interesting or humorous Offering healthy food options Creating an atmosphere around the truck that encouraged community or was entertaining for customers waiting for, or eating their meal. Ideas including using upbeat music, having good lighting, providing some kind of entertainment to people around the truck. Participants discussed introducing some kind of game or interactive display on the truck. Providing free Wi-Fi for waiting customers Participants felt that an app that allowed customers to order without queuing would be useful, with the app providing an alert when the meal was ready. Establishing a specific personality for the business and particular staff that customers identified with. This would be reflected in how the staff communicated with customers, not only face-to-face, but through social media Having a mascot that people identified with the business Guaranteeing the product. Offering a money back guarantee on quality. A service guarantee of a maximum 10-minute wait could be established. The guarantee should provide people with a discount or voucher where wait time is exceeded. Focus Group Summary Food truck customers are likely to be younger, and have high expectations of food quality Food offerings are expected to be of higher quality than fast food chains Food offerings are expected to be creative and novel Food portion sizes are expected to be generous People who have purchased from food trucks are satisfied with small menu options/offerings Service should be casual, friendly and encourage conversation between customers and staff Waiting times during peak periods should not exceed 12 minutes. Food truck should provide a vibrant atmosphere within its surroundings that included music, good lighting and potentially other forms of entertainment, particularly during peak periods when customers are required to wait for more than 5 minutes. Pricing could be higher than fast food chains, but must be lower than full service restaurants (based on equivalent offering) Serving sizes should be generous Packaging should be strong, and made from sustainable materials Packaging should be creative Presentation of food and beverage should reflect quality of product. A coffee and dessert advertised as gourmet, should be presented in a gourmet fashion Additional suggestions to ensure a 'point of difference' from competitors Novel truck design Healthy food options Creating a unique atmosphere around the truck that encourages community and vibrancy Provision of free WiFi Provision of an online app for ordering and alerting customers when order is ready Establishing a personality for business that is reflected in all customer communication Having a business mascot Having a guarantee on food quality and maximum wait times The Food Truck Critic \"Okay, so there's no official tablets handed down from Mount Sinai but based on my experiences, here's my first unofficial food truck commandment - Thou Shalt Honour Thy Customer. What do I mean? Well, let me give you an example of what happened last month at the Sydney Gourmet Food Festival. The festival showcased a number of different trucks including The Righteous Bean , Bite Size Delights, Tsuru, and Urban Pasta. I was third in line to purchase the \"Exotic Senses\" coffee and dessert from the Righteous Bean food truck; it took 20 minutes to get my order. The 2nd person in line got half their order & then another 7 minutes later, they got the other half. Meanwhile, there were now about 25 people in line waiting to order from this truck. I'm guessing they had a very long wait. Now, contrast that experience with what was going on with Tsuru. They were having some challenges that was delaying their food a little longer than usual. Instead of making people stand there and wait, they offered to text them when their food was ready. This way the customer could go order from another truck, run over to the Coffee Hut - you get the idea. So, what's up with the Righteous Beantruck? I'm not really sure. The fact that their \"Exotic Senses\" is to die for doesn't excuse the inordinately long lag time at the start of the shift. There's a saying - First impressions make a lasting impression. It was my first time eating at Bite Size Delights; the food was served fast, fresh and delicious. So, I'll be back as a repeat customer. There's another saying - Take care of your customers and they will take care of you. If you don't, someone else will take care of your customers.\