The Hometown Deli was established by your grandfather in 1952 in your hometown. It offers many different kinds of specialized coffees, teas, a full service bakery, homemade soups, sandwiches, and salads. The Deli has been a local hotspot for many years and has served as a community gathering place. Your grandfather recently retired from the business and has asked you to take it over. You are very excited about this opportunity!
Unfortunately, business has been steadily declining over the last five years. Although your grandfather was an expert at running the deli, it is outdated. There are no computers in the store and all ordering takes place manually. Your grandfather had a terrific memory and knew all of his customers by name, but unfortunately, none of this information is located anywhere in the store. The family recipes for the baked goods and soups are also stored in your grandfather’s memory. Inventory is tracked in a note pad, along with employee payroll, and marketing coupons. The Deli does not have a Web site, uses very little marketing except word-of-mouth, and essentially still operates the same as it did in 1952.
Throughout this course you will own and operate Hometown Deli, taking advantage of business practices discussed in the class, the Course Modules and the textbook to increase profits, keep the business running, and bring the Deli into the 21st century.
Note: As you approach these assignments, you will find it helpful to think about your own experiences with a local deli or sandwich shop. Making a trip to a local deli may help you think about the processes, challenges, and opportunities.
Upon completion of these assignments you will have performed an array of activities to demonstrate your ability to apply the course content to a “real world situation” to:
• Analyze the business environment and identify strategic areas for improvement (Stage 1)
• Propose an appropriate technology solution to improve a