Chili, Spaghetti, and Cheese: It’s the Process That Counts
You probably would not expect that a regional chain of small chili restaurants takes a formal view of process management, but Gold Star Chili, Inc., based in Cincinnati, Ohio, does just that. Figure 5.3 shows a process-based organization of the company. Three major core processes link the operation of the company to its customers and other stakeholders:
1.franchising,
2.restaurant, and
3.manufacturing/distribution.
Sustaining these core processes are various support processes, such asresearch and development, human resources, accounting, purchasing, oper-ations, training, marketing, and customer satisfaction. Even restaurant oper-ations are viewed from a process focus. Key processes such as Cash Regis-ter, Steam Table, Drive-Thru, Tables, Bussers, and Management are designedto ensure that customer needs are served in a timely manner. Prior to open-ing each restaurant, training sessions ensure that these processes are per-formed correctly and according to company standards
Franchisees are attracted by the relatively low investment required to join the Gold Star family of restaurants, the opportunity to operate a profitable business, and to benefit from the strong brand equity built into the Gold
Star name. All department heads treat franchisees as internal customers, and have signed a pledge guaranteeing to return calls within 24 hours. If a franchisee reports a problem with product quality, Gold Star often handdelivers replacement product the same day.
The franchising process is designed to ensure a smooth and successful start-up that meets company objectives. Because franchise process delays are costly, the process helps to eliminate variability, reduce cycle
time,