COVER
Introduction
Throughout history, people looked for ways to improve their lives. The world constantly moves forward in terms of evolution (natural or not) and innovation. Today, it’s hard to imagine life without fire, wheels or even air conditioning. How about a world without Information Technology (IT)? For today’s young generations life without IT seems impossible or at least difficult. The same applies to nowadays companies, start-ups, and well-established enterprises. IT penetrated the modern business environment and the current paper will explore this topic, with a special focus on how IT can drive Business Strategy and Digital Transformation.
A New IT Infrastructure for “The Waffle Boat”
One hundred years ago, setting up a restaurant would most probably resume at finding a good place, furnishing it and start cooking good meals for a decent price. Since then, the restaurant/hospitality industry has changed a lot. At first, the restaurant industry was influenced by the mass-production model perfectioned by Ford. For example, McDonald’s was one of the first companies to innovate the fast-food segment by adding mass-production methods and elements (Stillman, 2003). Other competitors followed their approach and in time, optimizing was the only way to stay on the market. Optimization brings better margins, higher efficiency, and lower costs. Today, optimizing no longer limits itself at designing a functional kitchen and serving area and coordinating the human resources. Information Technology has put its fingerprints on the whole industry and once again, market players have to adapt and adopt technology to stay on the market.“The Waffle Boat”, a prototype company ready to hit the market soon with a new location, is currently looking for ways to use IT and Digital Transformation to innovate the industry and to create a competitive advantage. “The Waffle Boat” currently operates a single business unit, located in the old town square of Cincinnati. Except for a basic cash register XXXXXXXXX to a desktop XXXXXXXX, the company lacks any other elements and features of a modern IT infrastructure. The XXXXX XXX XXX general XXXXXXX currently use basic IT XXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXX for XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX costs XXX an online design XXXXXXXX (Canva) XXX marketing XXXXXXX. XXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXX a basic XXX XX reporting tools and XXXXXXXXX, most XX XXX financial XXXXXXXXX XXX taken XX a moderate business risk level.XXX management at “The Waffle Boat” already XXXXX about modern XXXXXXXXXX/measurement instruments like “SERVQUA L” but XXXX currently XXXX the XXXXX XX collect the XXXXXXXX data XXX the XXXXX XX XXXX the XXXX in XXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX. "XXXXXXX L" XX an XXXXXXXX-standard in XXX XXXXXXXXXXX business, XXXX XXX XXXXXXXXX consumer expectations and perceptions (Saleh, XXXX, 1991). XXXX XXXX measures XXX XXXXXXXXXXX of the XXXXXXX in XXXXXXXXXX what customers XXXXXX, XXX XXXXXXX XX XXX customer XXXXXXX, the XXXXXXXX aspects of XXX XXXXX, the empathy XX the staff and the XXXXXXXXXXXXXX. Without an efficient IT infrastructure, XXXXXXXXXXXX the XXXXXXX L tool XX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX. XXXX implemented, this XXXXXXXX tool can XXXXXXXXXX measure XXXXXXXX expectations, company XXXXXXXXXX XXXXX enhancing XXX growth potential. XXXXXXX the XXXX XX XXXX specialized tool, "XXX Waffle Boat" currently struggles with XXXXX XXXXXXXX issues. XXX example, XXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX of a simple Excel XXXXXXXXXXX, without any XXXXXXXX measuring the stock rotation XXXXX. XXXX, the supply XXXXXX still depends XX XXX visual XXXXXXXXXX of the warehouse, kitchen, XXX XXXXX of the house. Therefore, the business unit XXXXX XXXX out of XXXXX XXX some products XXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX overstocks XXX XXXXX XXXX. As a consequence, XXX company urgently needs a XXXXX XXX XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, increasing the odds for a XXXXXXX expansion and a XXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX effort. However, improving the inside mechanism may XXX be XXXXXX. “The Waffle Boat” XXXXXXXX on a very dynamic market. The XXXXXXXXXXX XXXX fast XXX the XXXXXXXXX are constantly changing XXXXX preferences and XXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXXXX XX a recent KPMG XXXXXX on the global XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX, there XXX five XXX trends. XXX XXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX more XX their health, XXXXXX XXXXX XXXX XX the XXXXXX XXXXXX of the food they order. Also, XXX employee turnover rate is constantly increasing XXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX even more reports regarding quality and XXXXXXXXXX. Meanwhile, XXXXX XXX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX sustainable XXXX sourcing XXX a new approach in XXX operational XXXXXXXXX of the restaurant units (KPMG, 2016). These XXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXX of XXXX for XXXXXXXXXXXXX innovations XX XXXX XXXX and XXXX the restaurant industry XX the next XXXXX. Big XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX are already XXXXXX XXX initiative XX implementing XXX XXXXXXXX, XXXXXXX, XXX order XXXXXXXX methods, with XXX XXXX of their XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXX, XXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXX XXXX "The XXXXXX Boat" still XXXX a competitive advantage in XXXX area. According XX the KPMG report, XXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX are XXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXX small XXXX XXXXXXX the initial XXXXXX XXX the upcoming risks XXX higher.
XXX XXXXXXXX
After analyzing the XXXXXX trends in the restaurant industry and the XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX challenges at "The Waffle XXXX", XXX IT specialists came up with a set of proposals XXXXXXXX XX help. The XXX IT infrastructure XXXX have XXX XXXX platforms, XXXXXXXXXX XXXX a single, XXXXX-XXXXX hardware XXXXXXXX. The first XXXXXXXX will XX an ERP (XXXXXXXXXX Resource Planning) solution and the XXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX be a CRM (XXXXXXXX Relationship Management) tool. XX other XXXXX, XXX first platform XXXX XXXXX XX the internal XXXXXXXXX XXX XXX XXXXXX XXX XXXX focus XX XXX connection XXXXXXX the company XXX its customers.
XXX XXX
XXX ERP XXXXXXXX solution XXXX put XXX SERVQUA-L at the XXXX XX its design. The XXX IT solution XXXX be XXXXXXXX XX help XXX XXXXX in meeting XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX in a XXXX-time XXXXXX. XXX XXXX purpose, the ERP platform will integrate XXXX modules, all XXXXXXXXX to a XXXXXXX database. The first XXXXXX will XX XXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX one. This XXXXXX will define the level XX XXXXXX for each XXXX, the XXXXXXXX XXXXXX and XXX automatic XXX XXXXXX data XXXX-up XXXXXXX. The first module XX vital XXX administrating the rest XX XXX XXXXXXX and making XXXX XXXX the XXXXX information will reach the XXXXX person. The XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXX be the XXXXXXXXX one. The financial module will help the company manage its financial resources in a better XXX, by XXXXXXXX cash-flow XXXXXXXXXXX and monitoring XXX XXXXXXX’s income and expenditures. XXX XXXXXX module will simplify the XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX by XXXXXXXX the XXXX XXX financial XXXXXX XXX bookkeeping. XXX financial XXXXXX XXXX also calculate XXX fixed, variable XXX total XXXXX XXX each product, XXXXXXX XXX XXXXXX XXXX XX XXXXXXX its XXXXXXX. XXXX XXXX feature, XXX XXXXX XXXXXXX will XXXXXXX in real-time, XXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX of each XXXXX.XXX third module XXXX focus on XXXXX. XXX XXXXX XXXXXX will XXXXXXX XXX sales XXX generate XXXXXXX reports XXXXX XXXX. XXX managers XXXX see XXXX products sell the XXXX and XXXX products XXXX the least. Even XXXX, this XXXXXX will XXXXXXXXX any seasonality XXXXXXXX of the products in the XXXX. With this module, testing the market XXXX a XXX menu XXXX will XX a XXX XXXXXX. The next module will XX the Kitchen XXX. XXX Kitchen XXXXXX XXXX determine the amount of XXXX XXXXXXXX to fulfill XXXX customer order and XXX XXXXXXXXX used in XXX XXXXXXX. The XXXXXX XXXX will XX able XX XXXXXXXX the amount and XXXXXXX XX XXX ingredients, XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX inspecting XXX kitchen and the XXXXXXXXX. XXXX, XXX XXXXXXX module will measure the XXX the cooks XXXXXX the recipes XXX XXX XXX XXXXX XXXXXX of XXXXXXXXXXX. XXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXX generate a XXXXXX XXX XXX last XXXXXX, XXX Human XXXXXXXXX one.The last module XXXX monitor the work hours XXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, XXX XXXX off, XXX average pay XXX XXXXX overall productivity. This XXXXXX will XXXX become a reward XXXX for the top-performing employees. XXXXXXX, XXX module will XXXXXXX XXX global and XXXXXXXXXX performance XX the XXXX.
The CRM XXXXXXXX
XXX CRM XXXXXXXX will operate XX a crucial component of XXX new XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX. In the restaurant XXXXXXXX, there are three XXXXX customer XXXXXXXX. The XXXXX XXXXXXX XX XXX XXXXXXX one. The classic XXXXXXXXX are the ones XXXX visit the physical location, ordering XXX enjoying the XXXX XXXXX there. The XXXXXX XXXXXXX XX XXX takeaway XXXXXXXXX. XXXX XXXX visit the XXXXXXXX XX order meals XXXX XXXX will XXXXX at home XXXXX others will order by XXXXX or by the internet, XXXXXXX for the delivery XXXXXXX (outsourced or internal) XX XXXXXXX XXXXX order. The third XXXXXXX XX made of XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX that will order meals for XXXXXXX or corporate events. For XXXX XXXXXXX, XXX CRM platform will have a separate module. XXX first XXXXXX XXXX mostly extract its data XXXX XXX XXX platform. The XXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXX a XXXXXXXX order with all XXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXX the CRM XXXXXX will try to determine a customer behavior pattern, XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXX XXXXXXXX XXXX. However, XXX first XXX module will XXXXXXXX XXX XXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX from the customers, while XXXX are still in the XXXXXXXX. XXX implementation phase will XXXXXXX explain the mechanism. XXX second module XXXX XXXXXX the takeaway customers XXX catering ones. This XXXXXX XXXX collect data XXXXX XXX customers, in order to determine a customer behavior pattern. XXXX established, XXX XXXXXXX will XXXXX the XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX to XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX offers XXX to target the right XXXXXX XXXX the right promotional XXXXXXX.
The XXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX
For “The Waffle Boat”, the XXXXXXXXXXXXXX process will XXXXXXX three steps. XXX first XXXX will XX to XXXXXXX XXX resources, the XXXXXX step will be to allocate XXX resources and XXX third step will be XX integrate and test XXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX XX the system. As it XXXXX, the new IT infrastructure will XXXXXXX a lot XX data from almost every activity of the business. XXXXXXXXX, the XXXXXXX will XXXX strong XXXXXXXXXX XXXXX XXX a huge XXXX for storing the XXXX. XXXX, XXX complexity of XXX XXXX XX XX stored and the resulting business reports XXXX XXXXXXX a strong back-XX XXXXXXXXX. XX a consequence, XXX company XXXX XX for a XXXXX-XXXXX solution XXX with XXX ability XX the XXXXXXXX to XXXXXXXX without being XXXXXXXXX to XXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXX a live connection XX the cloud server, the local machines will XXXX limited XXXXXX tools XXX they XXXX still collect data. Once reconnected, XXX XXXXXXXX XXXX synchronize XXX update the XXXXXXXX information. For XXXXXXX XXXXX XXX performance XXXXXXX, the XXXXX services XXXX be outsourced to a XXX XXXXXXXX. XXXXXXX, XXX company XXXX constantly back-XX its data XX a second and XXXXXXXX cloud solution XXX XX a XXXXX data XXXXXXX unit.XX order to XXXXXX a XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX, the IT XXXXXXXXXXXXXX will XXXX machines in XXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXX. XXXXXXX will have a tablet XXXXX they XXXX XXXXX XXXX XXX orders. The order will be sent to the ERP XXX CRM XXXX. XXX XXX unit XXXX XXXX XXX items from XXX order XXX XXXXXX XXXX XX the right XXXXXXXXXX (bar or XXXXXXX). The bar XXX XXX XXXXXXX will each have a dedicated piece XX XXXXXXXXX. XXXX the order closed, the XXX XXXXXX will deduct any XXXX XXXXXXXXX in the XXXXXXX. The supply agent XXXX also XXXX a tablet where he XXXX be able to access the XXXXXXX module and XXXXX the real-XXXX stocks for each ingredient.Meanwhile, XXX XXXXX XXXXXXX XXX the XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXX have a laptop XXXX the XXX XXX the XXX XXXXXXXXX installed. XXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XX able XX access XXX module XXXX both platforms. Meanwhile, every XXXXXXXX will have a badge XXXX they will XXXX to XXX in order XX get out or get into XXXXXXXXX parts of XXX restaurant, XXXXXX the front of the XXXXX. Once the resources allocated, XXX IT infrastructure will XX synchronized and XXXXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXX to XXX XXXXX XXXXXX XXX to a local XXX. XXX local XXX will function XX a XXXX-XX solution and it will XXXX XXXX-in XXXX the cloud solution is XXX available. Also, XXX XXXXX system will XXXX a XXXXXXXX electric circuit and an XXX (Uninterruptable XXXXX XXXXXX) XXXX an XXXXXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXX that will XXXX sure XXXX XXX system will never be down for XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX.Separate XXXX XXX internal modules XX both XXXXXXXXX, XXX XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX will XXXX include a website XXX the customers and an XXXXXX XXXXXXXX monitoring and collecting XXXX. XXX feedback collecting tool will XXX XXX customers XX XXXXXXX their feedback XXXXX almost XXXX XXXXXXXX. In XXX restaurant, a computer XXXX a fancy XXXXXX XXX a friendly UI (XXXX XXXXXXXXX) XXXX ask the XXXXXXXXX XX XXXX their order ticket XXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX in XXXXXXXX for a small XXXXXX on XXX next XXXXX. XXX takeaway customers, XXX XXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXXX e-mails asking XXX XXXXXXXX. XXXX the ERP XXX XXX mechanism once XXXXXXXXXX, the XXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XX XXXX sure XXXX it XXXX XXXXXXX properly. XXX XXXX XXXXXX, XXX IT responsible XXXX constantly XXXX for XXXX and XXXX a XXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX with the XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XX the XXXXXXX. From XXXX to time, the XX XXXXXXXXXXX will test the XXXXXXXXXXXXX and XXX features XX the database XXX XX XXX reporting tools.
Step XX Step XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX the XXXXXXXXXX XXXXX XX XXXX XXXXXX (XXXXXXX, XXXXXXXXX, guestroom, entrance, lobby, bar XXX so XX)XXXXXXXXX the number of XXXXXXXX XXXXX XXX estimate XXX XXXXXX of XXXXXXXX XXXXX of the XXXXXXXXX.Determine XXX amount and XXXXXXXXXX of XXX XXXXXXXX software resources.Determine XXX XXXXXXXXXX XXX quantity of the XXXXXXXX required.Install XXX XXXXXX XXX modules, in close XXXX XXXX XXX XXX XXX CRM suppliers.XXXXXXXXX XXX XXXXXXX XXXX external XXXXXXX (suppliers, ordering XXXXXXXXX XXX so XX)Test XXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX of the system.XXXX the back-XX mechanism.Perform XXXXXX tests XX the infrastructure.XXXXX XXX users.Develop a workflow for XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX operations.
Future XXXXXX
With XXX ERP and XXX CRM mechanism XXXXX XXXXXXXXX, “XXX Waffle XXXX", the XXXXXXXX XXXX improve XXX XXX XXXXXX rate will increase. With XXX XXXX of XXX customer XXXXXXXX mechanism, XXX guests XXXX feel that their perspective matters. With the help of XXX XXX XXXXXXX, XXX XXXXXXX will work more personally with XXX partners XXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXX its internal XXXXXXXXXX improved. For XXXXXXX, the ERP XXXXXXXX will be able to generate automatic order XXXXX XXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX. The manager XXXX XXXX XXXX XX XXXXXXX the order or modify it if required. Even more, XXXXXXX development XX the ERP XXXXXX will also include a XXXXXXXXXX analytics XXXXXX. This module XXXX XX able to decide XXXX ingredients XX order in XXXXX XX XXXXXXXX XXX XXXXXXX, without even XXXXXXX XXX order XX XXX manager. XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX be used in XXX CRM side, for XXXXXXXX XXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXX. The XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX will XXXX their XXXXXXXX XXXXXX synchronized XXXX XXX XXXXXXXX ordering XXX. Once a customer placed an order XX a third-XXXXX XXXX ordering platform, XXX order XXXX XXXXX the XXXXXXX in XXXX-XXXX, without XXXXXXXXX any XXXXX intervention. This XXXX feature will XXXXXX the XXXXXXXX XXXXX XXX XXXXXXXX XXX delivery XXXXX while employees will focus on XXXXX core activity. While XXX order XX XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX, the XXXXXXXX XXXXX XXXX know the average handling time XXX the order. XXXXXXXXX, he/XXX XXXX XXXXX XXX location just in XXXX. The XXX side XXX go XXXX further in XXXXXXXXXX the XXXXXXXX ordering process but XXXXXXX the Waffle XXXX is a small XXXXXXXX, XXX company XXXX XXX equip itself XXXX automatic ordering XXXXXXXX like in some big XXXX-XXXX XXXXXX.XXX of XXX modules XXXXXXXXX above are XXXXXXXX to improve the XXXXXXXXXX effort, with a special XXXXX on the XXXXXXXX environment XX XXX XXXXXXXXXX.
Conclusion
There XXX a lot XX XXXX in which technology XXX XXXXXXX a XXXXXXXX, regardless of its XXXX. XXXXXXX, designing XXX implementing a complex XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX will require a serious XXXXXXXXX effort. Therefore, XXXXXXXXXXXXX and XXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX should XXXXX try XX XXXXXX XXX needs XX the XXXXXXX and XXXX XXX XXXXXXXXXX that XXX XXXXX improve the business XX saving XXXXXXXXX. In XXX restaurant business, technology XXXXX its XXXX in the XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX but XXXX in front of the house. For the XXXXXX XXXX, the focus XX on XXXXXXXXXX the XXXXXXXXXX process XX XXXXXXXXXX as much data as XXXXXXXX and by XXXXXXX it into XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXX the XXXXXXXX, while creating an automatic decision-XXXXXX process, XXX the low-impact XXXXXXXXX.
References
KPMG (XXXX), XX appetite XXX XXXXXX, XXX trends driving innovation in XXX restaurant industry, XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX 15, XXX from XXXXXX.XXXX/XXXXXXX/XXX/XXXX/XXX/2016/XX/kr-gtl-an-appetite-XXX-change.pdf
XXXXX, X., & Ryan, X. (1991). Analyzing service XXXXXXX in the XXXXXXXXXXX industry using XXX XXXXXXXX XXXXX. Service Industries Journal, XX(3), XXX-XXX.
Stillman, X. (XXXX). XXXXXXXXXXXX: XXXXXXXX's in question: XXX XXXXXX of the XXXX market. American XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX, 47(2), XXX-118.
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