Business Optimization

Staffing Optimization: Re-Evaluating Labor Needs in a Post-COVID World

by Susan Dekker, VP, Integrated Insight

COVID-19 has impacted workforce economics drastically, particularly for service-based businesses. Reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics are showing that the real hourly wage rate for leisure and hospitality was up 9% in December compared to the pre-pandemic level. This drastic increase in wage pressure puts emphasis on the importance of operational efficiency and staffing optimization measures in the industry.

Hourly Wage Change by Industry
wage rates by industry 4pm

Analytically assessing staffing levels is crucial to achieving a good customer experience while minimizing labor costs, particularly amidst heightened customer demand for post-COVID activities.

Developing workload models based on customer demand profiles allow businesses to staff and schedule locations efficiently.
These models will be most effective in operational, transaction-based roles, and include the following steps:

Let's take a look.

1. Identify customer demand.

How many customers do you expect? How does this vary by time of day, day of week, or time of year?

As with any operational business problem, always start with the customer and their needs.

Understand the volume of customers demanding the product or service at any particular time of day. For example, a restaurant may see sixty groups dining per hour during the busy lunch period, with less than ten groups mid-afternoon between meal periods.

There’s likely historical data that’s already available which can indicate demand such as historic point of sale transactions, wait times, customer entries into a venue, etc. Analyze how this demand changes based on different seasonal offerings or customer demographics.

While COVID has affected customer demand, comparing data from the past couple months with historical data from 2019 and earlier can provide useful context for the transition back to “normal.”

hospitality staff chef and server
2. Measure capacity required.

How long does it take to process each customer?

Next, calculate how many resources are needed to meet customer demand. This is accomplished by understanding the amount of time it takes to process each customer or party, known as the transaction time. Be sure to analyze both the distribution of transaction times as well as the average. Understanding what creates a long transaction could be an opportunity for process refinement.

Ideally, transaction time would be tracked systematically – for example, recording the time the first item was scanned at a POS and the time payment was completely finished to represent the start and finish of the transaction time. However, in-person observations can be used if this information is not available, and also used to validate the system-based transaction times (e.g., bagging items may not be captured in the system transaction time but does require the employee’s time).

Apply these expected transaction times to the respective customer volumes to translate this to workload. Also be sure to capture any additional non-transaction-based workload, such as restocking or time pre-opening/post-closing.

labor optimization
3. Understand business nuances.

What business rules must be met? What service levels are desired?

There are typically external or business constraints that may affect staffing levels. This may include the minimum or maximum number of hours an employee can work, requirements on certain certifications, or minimum staffing levels. These nuances will vary by line of business, so ensure you seek counsel from operational leaders.

Service levels will also inform how much capacity is needed. What is an acceptable wait time for your customers? What is the maximum wait time customers will accept? Be sure the capacity noted can accommodate natural fluctuations in demand to avoid excessive wait times.

4. Staff and schedule appropriately.

Do the scheduled labor resources match the workload need?

After understanding the customer demand, required capacity, and business nuances, create a staffing plan and schedule.

Ideally, the staffing levels throughout the day should match the forecasted calculated workload. This may require a mix of part-time and full-time shifts to meet the peaks and valleys of the customer demand.

5. Maximize operational efficiency.

What pain points in the process can you reduce or eliminate?

Take the staffing model to the next level by optimizing the process. This could include opportunities like:

- Adjusting/shifting demand: Influencing customer demand can spread customers more evenly across resources or throughout the day.
- Reducing transaction time: Increase the number of customers that can be processed by a single employee by reducing the time it takes.
- Eliminate delays: Identify times where customers or employees are waiting for a process, and brainstorm ways to reduce or eliminate these delays.
- Modify facility layouts: Often, slight changes to a facility layout can make a process more intuitive for a customer, and then can result in a lower transaction time.
- Optimize communication: Add signage or increase communication to reduce frustration and ease decision making, creating a better experience for customers.

construction planner

Ultimately, customer demand, expectations, and behavior will continue to evolve over the next year or so. As additional data becomes available and as customer volumes begin to stabilize to previous numbers, continually revisit staffing models so they reflect the most recent operation.

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Restaurant Happy Hour Pricing: How to Improve Profit Margins

by Ryan Biesecker, Senior Consultant

Restaurants and bars already operate on razor-thin margins in a highly competitive industry. In order to survive, operators need to execute discounting tactics such as a happy hour thoughtfully.

Restaurants all over the world have offered discounted pricing on alcoholic beverages, and sometimes food, before dinner since at least the 1920’s. Today, a good happy hour pricing strategy will drive customers to bars and restaurants. The premise is simple: offer discounted prices at a quiet hour to attract customers. Just because the practice is common and straightforward, however, doesn’t make it universally profitable.

Here's How Restaurants and Bars Can Execute Profitable Happy Hours:

1. Identify Low Volume Days and Hours That Need Additional Demand

In order to set a happy hour, restaurant operators need to first identify when it should be offered. A common period is between 5 – 6 p.m., but that doesn’t make it right for every bar and restaurant. A good happy hour pricing strategy is timed right for the location it’s offered in. Use the following tips to determine the “right” time is for a happy hour.

How to Measure Demand

Operators should gather date, time, and revenue of transactions from their POS system. Then, organize these transactions by the day of week and time of day. Some period of time should stand out as lower demand than others: these will be the best times for the operator to discount prices. Don’t forget to measure the average checks during these periods before choosing a time to discount. If many customers are already paying full price, discounts may hurt more than help.

If a happy hour is offered during busy hours, the restaurant may overflow with demand that operations can’t handle. Additionally, a happy hour during already busy times will likely dilute the profitability of those who would have come anyways.

Determine Length of the Happy Hour

With knowledge of the restaurant’s low-volume periods, operators should decide how long to run the offer. Contrary to its namesake, a happy hour should be exactly as long as it needs to be. If the location needs volume boosted for three hours leading up to dinner, so be it. Be careful not to offer for too long, however, as extended discounts can reset price expectations.

Considerations Vary by Location

Operators should also consider competition and environment when determining happy hour timing, and whether the restaurant needs one at all.

Competition can be healthy or harmful in this instance. A taco shop and a neighboring bar can partner up to offer a happy hour at the same time: one offers discounted food and the other offers discounted drinks, attracting customers to both businesses simultaneously. On the other hand, if multiple restaurants offer a similar happy hour within a few blocks of each other, their offers will directly compete, forcing customers to choose.

Consider the location’s surrounding environment as well. Is the restaurant in a banking district where employees get off work at 5p.m. sharp? Or is it in a neighborhood where families can walk to get a bite in the afternoon? For instance, take a restaurant located near a factory where workers are covering three shifts. That unusual labor market might create demand from 11PM-Midnight when the second shift is getting off work. Restaurant owners should rely on data and local knowledge to identify these areas by location.

Finally, operators should weigh the impact of not offering a happy hour at all. If a restaurant has lines out the door at all operating hours, discounting food and drinks is more likely to harm margins than help.

2. Assess Which Food and Drink Offerings to Discount and by How Much

Menu engineering is the best method to identify happy hour menu pricing decisions. See the article by Stephen Davis, Integrated Insight’s VP of Pricing and Revenue Services, for detailed menu engineering instructions.

Menu Engineering Matrix

Once the menu items are categorized as Stars, Work Horses, Puzzles, or Dogs, choose a diverse set of beverages that are mostly Puzzles. As a reminder, Puzzles are highly profitable but with low volume. The high profitability leaves room for these alcoholic beverages to be discounted and remain profitable for the restaurant. However, the offer might not be enticing to a large enough crowd if only disparate drinks are thrown on a happy hour menu. Don’t be afraid to bolster the menu with one or two Stars (popular items with high profitability) at less of a discount.

Not all locations need to offer discounted food during a happy hour. Cheap drinks may be enough to get customers in the door. Start by only offering discounted drinks, then add appetizers and other sharables if more volume is needed or checks are too small. Be sure to assess the food items’ menu engineering category as well and follow the same practice as with beverages for a strong happy hour pricing strategy.

3. Communicate the Offer to Customers to Bring Them In

A happy hour special will dilute profit margins if a restaurant offers discounted prices without messaging. Communicate the new happy hour outside the restaurant to pull in the volume needed. This response to discounted prices will need to come from existing customers visiting frequently and at quieter hours and from attracting new customers.

There are opportunities to market the happy hour offer to in-house customers without disparaging the value of full price menu items.  Servers can message the offer when delivering the signed receipt with a warming, “come back next week for happy hour!” Additional opportunities include leveraging CRM to send follow-up texts or emails to restaurant guests with the happy hour promotion.

Outside of the restaurant, use organic online channels and word-of-mouth to attract new customers. Have employees encourage customers to bring their friends to generate word-of-mouth demand. Once launched, ask the occasional customer how they heard about the happy hour menu to better understand what works.

Wherever the communication is distributed, ensure the message is clear by sharing a takeaway detail beyond the name “happy hour.” For example, “$5 Draft Beers Every Tuesday!” states the price, product, frequency, and day of week in a memorable message that’s easy to memorize and fits on a receipt.

4. Evaluate the Happy Hour Regularly and Adjust As Needed

At the end of the day, the key to continued profitability is to ensure the happy hour pricing strategy performs as intended. Operators should set goals with several Key Performance Metrics (KPIs) and return to them on at least a monthly basis. While gross margin should be an ultimate metric for profitability, transactions/hour, revenue per hour, table turn time, total food cost, and operating expenses also play a key role.

Customers are often willing to share feedback as well, which can inform discounting decisions. Listen to their thoughts but be sure to take them with a grain of salt. For example, a regular might say there aren’t enough discounts, but return to purchase discounted items week after week. On the other hand, if customers complain their favorite item isn’t discounted for happy hour and food sales are low during that time, consider meeting them halfway.

Be prepared to pivot tactics as needed but be careful not to change too drastically or too often. Maintaining a strong value message with customers is key, and customers will be unwilling to keep up if the days, hours, and offers all change frequently.

Supporting Your New Happy Hour Strategy

Consider other operational support needed to support the new happy hour. Maintain staffing and inventory to handle higher volumes. The last thing a restaurant needs is to sell out of resources at a low price, leaving the full-paying customers with less options.

Identify the best happy hour times, choose profitable food and drinks to discount, message the offer, and measure performance. Restauranteurs can use these tools to confidently execute a happy hour strategy that works well for both them and their customers.

For more information on pricing strategy and how we partner with brands across the globe, please contact us at info@integratedinsight.com.

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How the Burden of Choice Impacts Your Customers

Your customers can feel immobilized by the number of choices presented to them. The ultimate balance any company should aim to strike is the one between consumer appeal and higher sales and revenues.

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How Hoteliers Can Optimize Revenue with Post-COVID Demand

As hoteliers look to capture limited demand and maintain yields during lingering COVID-19 impacts, optimizing yield on each guest is critical.

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Customer Loyalty Programs: The Ultimate Guide

Loyalty programs have become commonplace for retailers in today’s market. Determining the correct program to implement can make a difference in the value of the loyalty program for consumers and your business.

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How the Burden of Choice Impacts Your Customers

jessica headshot portrait circle

by Jessica Dreiling, Sr. Consultant, Integrated Insight

Choice is simultaneously a blessing and a curse. We all want options, but often become paralyzed by the number of variables present. In a similar fashion, your customers can feel immobilized by the number of choices presented to them. This concept of “choice overload” has been understood as a cognitive impairment in which people have a difficult time making a decision when faced with many options.

During a recent shopping trip to furnish a house, my husband became paralyzed by the endless choices needed to purchase a sectional: style, shape, design, upholstery, structure, and stiffness. He spent an entire weekend researching options. Several weeks later, he still hasn’t picked one.

I am certain that if I had presented him with two couch options and said, “Pick one; which do you like better?” He would have easily chosen one and felt happy about it.

While large purchases have significant trade-offs when making choices, choice overload impacts small purchasing decisions as well.

A recent consumer report discovered that 54% of consumers experience so much frustration that they abandon e-commerce sites if they can’t choose. 42% admitted to abandoning a planned purchase altogether because there was too much choice.

If consumers cannot make a decision, it is extremely unlikely that they will make a purchase.

Simplifying Products in Travel and Tourism

It is very easy for consumers to experience choice overload when planning vacations. Whether a customer is in market filling spare time or still planning a vacation, make it easy for them to choose your experience by simplifying the presentation of your products.

In most cases, we have found it beneficial for our clients to streamline products down to a few core options.  We recommend presenting options in simple, predefined packages or bundles, in a progression of features and price. Simplifying the number of options will help to reduce the burden on the consumer and clarify the value proposition. A menu of three options is easy for customers to evaluate.

product stratification

A regional tourist destination with multiple attractions illustrates this point. This destination offers a variety of attractions, themed experiences, retail, and food and beverage. The options to purchase an experience online were overwhelming, with dozens of varieties of attraction combos and upgrades being presented together. This contributed to a perilous cart abandonment rate.

By reducing the number of products presented in the e-commerce funnel to three of the most demanded product combinations, the customer was presented with a clear “good, better, best” value proposition that facilitated decision making and improved online conversion by double digits.

Simplification Can Improve the Bottom Line for Restaurants

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants were forced to simplify in order to reduce costs. Simplification involved fewer moving parts and the ability to be significantly more productive. This required less labor, fewer deliveries, lower waste, and improved execution. It also eliminated broad and complex menus that were difficult for restaurants to execute profitability and consistently.

Restaurants realized that a menu does not need to be complex to be compelling. By reducing menus down to the most demanded items, patrons spent less time deciphering options, which ultimately increased table turn time, throughput, and profitability.

Fast-food chain In-N-Out Burger has been deemed the master of simplicity with a menu offering comprised of four product categories: burgers, fries, shakes and drinks. Out of the four categories, only two (burgers and fries) require any real processing at the point of purchase.

 

11.20_InNOut_menu

Without a complex menu, the average order time per customer is reduced to around 60 seconds. Additionally, the burger chain does not have the typical variability in purchases, standardizing process flows and minimizing bottlenecks. Keeping the menu simple and streamlined has additional operational impacts, such as improved customer service, maximizing labor and machine utilization, and reduced waste.

Ultimately, trying to be all things to all people does not mean you will be more profitable.

Understanding Your Customer

So, how much choice should you provide customers? The ultimate balance any company should aim to strike is the one between consumer appeal and higher sales and revenues. Reaching that goal requires measuring what matters and taking action to improve those metrics.

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How Hoteliers Can Optimize Revenue with Post-COVID Demand

by Stephen Davis, VP of Pricing and Revenue Services

As hoteliers look to capture limited demand and maintain yields during lingering COVID-19 impacts, optimizing yield on each guest is critical. Too often hoteliers act as facilitators, ensuring a great experience but not treating amenities as potential to capture additional revenue. From bundling vacation packages during the booking process, to making it easy for guests to purchase commodities while visiting, revenue optimization strategies that stretch beyond room revenue may make the difference between profit and loss during a potentially tumultuous year. Let's look at how hoteliers can optimize revenue with post-COVID demand.

Table of Contents

1. State of the Hotel Industry

Though the recovery from COVID-19 is still ongoing, the U.S. recorded its highest monthly performance levels in May 2021 since the beginning of the pandemic, according to data from STR.

Gross operating profit for U.S. hotels reached 70% of the comparable 2019 level, according to STR‘s May 2021 monthly P&L data release. While demand, revenues and GOP continue to uptick, labor spending remained flat from the previous month at 64%.

 

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Travel volumes are expected to be nearly fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels this Independence Day (July 1–5) as more than 47.7 million Americans plan to travel.

While the improvement is encouraging, many hotels are still experiencing financial difficulty, and even more are seeing staffing issues as evidenced by the stagnant rate of labor costs.

Hoteliers are seeing an increase in demand but need to optimize RevPAR potential by utilizing revenue generation strategies to make the most of every guest, particularly as there is an opportunity to capitalize on the pent up demand expected in the summer months.

2. Revenue Generating Strategies to Make the Most of Every Guest

The potential to drive revenue does not end once a room is booked. On-property revenue opportunities should be a focus for every hotel and resort. Not only does it improve the bottom line, it also enhances the guest experience. Opportunities include bundling, upgradable amenities, and food and beverage optimization.

capture additional spend

Bundling

Packaging and bundling provide an excellent opportunity to create a holistic experience with added value. The package can be promoted with a savings message to the guest. Packaged vacations relieve travelers of decision making once their vacation starts, which can provide a more enjoyable experience as well as capture higher revenue per room night.

An example of a bundled package message may be, “book three nights and receive complimentary transportation from the airport to the hotel for just your immediate party.”  The inherent savings of not having to pay for a taxi or shared ride service is clear to the guest.

Another example may be, “book three nights and receive 25% off one dinner meal at our restaurant.” This is also a clear savings message that may result in incremental meals served in the restaurant. Tickets to local activities (for which you receive a commission) are a great addition to vacation bundles and can be customized based on consumer segment. For example, a local food and wine tour could be appealing to a couple traveling alone. A family of four with young children may spark to the local theme park or children’s museum.

Upgradable Amenities

Once traveling, guests are often willing to pay a little more for added perks such as late check out, a premium view, or higher-speed internet access. Review your own amenity offerings which could be considered beyond the standard expectation to identify potential candidates. Where possible, bundle upgradable amenities to avoid the perception of “nickel and diming,” and keep the number of upgrades reasonable. If half the rooms in a hotel are a premium view, and you’ve categorized them into several buckets, it quickly becomes overwhelming to guests.

When adding upgrade opportunities, be sure to assess the cost and profit potential for every sale. Offering guided running tours may sound like a great idea, but if it costs more to operate than the revenue it generates, it won’t do much good for the bottom line. Most amenity upgrades are reasonably priced, but even a $10 upsell purchased by 5% to 10% of booked rooms can have a significant impact on revenue and profitability, given that most upgradable amenities typically come at no cost to the hotelier.

hotel luggage concierge

For example, offer guests an “Upgrade Your Stay” package when they check in that includes higher-speed internet access, late check out, and a free non-alcoholic drink with the purchase of any snack item from the pantry, per night. The first two have little to no cost to you and the free drink could entice someone who did not have an intent to visit the pantry to actually make a purchase, or repeated purchases, resulting in some incremental revenue to offset the cost of the drink. At $10 per night, this upgrade could be an easy decision for many travelers, but make sure you can still turn the rooms with late check outs.

Food and Beverage Optimization

Almost all hotels have some form of food and beverage sales, whether a restaurant, bar, or sundries shops in lobbies. Opportunities to optimize revenue from these outlets often fall to the wayside.

To start, you can implement menu engineering principles to feature the most profitable and popular items more prominently on the menu to sell more plates that earn high contribution margins. To learn how to implement menu engineering, read our article, Menu Engineering Strategies for Restaurants to Optimize Revenue.

 

hotel server
3. Efficient Marketing Strategies to Drive Demand

With revenue down, marketing dollars need to be hyper-efficient. These strategies have proven to drive demand efficiently, increasing profit earned per guest.

Leverage Digital Channels

Digital platforms allow the flexibility for hoteliers to adapt marketing messages as consumer sentiment fluctuates in response to COVID-19. With revenue down, marketing dollars need to be hyper efficient. Targeted, direct communication to consumers can be a powerful asset for the hotelier looking to stretch their budget.

Target Past Visitors with a Return Offer

Past guests who had a good experience are already familiar with your product and more likely to repeat an experience than risk the unfamiliar. Target past visitors with a return offer as a “thank you” for past business with messages that make them feel appreciated and welcome.

Communicate Safety Messages

When selecting a hotel, enhanced cleaning and hygiene practices are still a high priority according to the AHLA State of the Hotel Industry 2021 Report. Guests also feel more comfortable when properties communicate these enhanced cleaning practices. Nearly seven out of ten travelers report wanting to hear directly from hotels what measures properties are taking to ensure safety.

4. Sales Channel Strategies for Sustainable Growth

Third party sales channels can be a boon for business, but they also pose risks. With COVID-19 impacting demand, now is the time to assess your channel strategy and whether it is providing a net benefit.

Over time, third party agreements have the tendency to get unruly. Agreements are made year to year and often new partners are added, but many hoteliers do not perform the due diligence to optimize their distribution strategy. Below are some steps to take to ensure your strategy is working for you and not against you.

Channel strategies

Realign Commission Structure

Tie your commission structure to volume requirements by providing the most lucrative commissions to the channels that drive the highest volume.

Review Sales Volumes

Review volumes to ensure partners are performing according to their agreement. If you don’t already, create a report for third-party sales and the respective commissions to analyze if partners are living up to their end of the agreement. For channels with low volume and high commissions, consider ending those agreements.

Explore New Channels

New travel aggregators are being created daily and there are a multitude of companies regularly looking to provide value-added perks to employees such as standing discounts. Both of these options are worth exploring further and regularly looking for new players that could expand your reach.

Sales channels are often overlooked for optimizing revenues. Taking the time to assess your third party strategy could reveal significant opportunity to increase yields and drive incremental demand.

Get Started with Revenue Optimization

Unfortunately, the lingering impact of COVID-19 could continue to make profitability a challenge. Hoteliers will need every tool in their revenue management toolbox to be successful. While there may not be a silver bullet to demand generation, optimizing product, pricing, and marketing will drive revenue and set you up for success.

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Basic Guide to Process Improvement: A Structured Approach to Optimizing Your Operation

The most successful companies are those that can continuously adapt to meet the changing needs of the consumer and their business. Optimizing business processes can be overwhelming, and it can be difficult to know where and how to start. However, problematic and stagnant processes ultimately cost companies money.

Inefficient or ineffective processes result in many different issues: excess turnover because of employee frustration; increased production costs as a result of defects and waste; lost customers due to long waits, miscommunication, or poor quality.

Likewise, optimized processes have many benefits: higher employee engagement and productivity; a streamlined operation with lower inventory costs, fewer required resources, and minimal errors; improved customer satisfaction, transforming loyal customers into brand advocates.

We can look to lean manufacturing and Six Sigma for a wide range of tools, techniques, and methodologies to improve business processes. Two of the most well-known frameworks for process improvement projects are PDCA (plan – do – check – act) and DMAIC (define – measure – analyze – improve – control). These each take an analytical, structured approach to process improvement, with slight differences between the two methods.

Following is a guide to process improvement, leveraging the key steps within PDCA and DMAIC, as well as other methodologies. The key takeaway is that improving your business is a continuous process, and the more defined the process, the better.

 

Basic Guide to Process Improvement
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    guide to process improvement
    1. Observe

    Decide which process you want to improve. Candidates with the most opportunity will typically have long lines or waits for customers, low profit margins, or a high number of customer or employee complaints. After selecting the process, the first step is to observe the operation in person. Create a process map or value stream map to document the process, including any possible variations. This ensures you fully understand the steps of the procedure and the required resources and people, as well as provides a document to ensure all team members are on the same page for which process is under review.

    2. Aim and Define

    Next, develop a SMART aim statement to define the scope of the project and articulate the mission. SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based. An example of a SMART aim statement could be “Reduce processing time for XYZ by 25 seconds by the end of Q3” or “Increase hourly throughput during peak hours by 10% at Restaurant ABC by May 31st .”

    3. Plan and Analyze

    After clearly defining the business goal of the project, develop a list of possible causes for issues and challenges. This list should be formed through a combination of direct observation of the process, interviews with multiple front-line operators and available data to determine the relative impact of each. Host a brainstorming session with key stakeholders and select front-line workers to create a plan of modifications and solutions, focusing on changes that are the most feasible with the highest impact. Including front-line employees in the planning process will help with change management upon implementation.

    4. Test and Check

    Pilot the selected changes in controlled, small-scale scenarios to identify problems and work out the details. Simulation can also be used to test changes in a virtual environment, particularly if pilots are infeasible or cost prohibitive. Gather results from the piloted change to analyze the effectiveness of the tested solution(s). Make any tweaks based on feedback from front-line operators. If needed, re-test the solution. Compare the expected gains to the aim statement to ensure solutions are on track.

    5. Improve

    Roll out widespread implementation of the optimized solutions. Depending on the scope of the project, a phased roll out may be the least disruptive and allow targeted focus during each phase of the implementation.

    6. Control

    Process modifications are only useful if they are maintained. Develop controls to ensure any changes stick. This includes documenting the new procedures, updating training materials and standard operating procedures, and providing refresher training as needed. Continue measuring and reporting on the impact of the modification to keep it top-of-mind.

    In Conclusion

    Processes can become out-of-date quickly, so it is prudent to regularly revisit, reanalyze, and improve procedures. This allows for continuous improvement of the operation, enabling an efficient operation for the long term.

    Improving business processes can be a formidable challenge. Using a structured and analytical framework can provide a repeatable and scalable approach to solving these issues.

    How Can We Help?

    Schedule a free consultation to discuss your business needs.

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    Restaurant Happy Hour Pricing: How to Improve Profit Margins

    Is your happy hour pricing strategy helping or hurting your profit margins? Here are important factors to consider when evaluating the profitability of discounting your food and beverage offerings.

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    Foundational Approaches to Achieve Operational Efficiency

    by Susan Dekker, Director, Integrated Insight

    Operational processes can become out-of-date as customer expectations and technology continue to evolve. This inefficiency results in excess costs, unnecessary frustration for both customers and employees, and lower quality products or services. While operating efficiently is an obvious goal, front-line employees are often too busy fighting fires to dedicate time and resources to improving or are caught in a “this is how we’ve always done it” mentality.

    The risks of operating inefficiently are too great to ignore:

    • Increased transaction times, longer waits for service: The longer it takes to process a customer, the longer all customers must wait.
    • Diminished quality: Processes prone to errors or rework ultimately result in an erosion of product quality.
    • Poor customer experience: Waiting longer for an inferior product usually results in lower customer satisfaction.
    • Poor employee experience: Inefficient processes are frustrating to all involved, employees included, as they strive to do their best.
    • Increased costs: Errors and delays cost real money, both in terms of wasted product and additional holding costs.
    • Decreased sales: The universality of online product reviews and social media means one poor customer experience can deter multiple future customers.

    Identifying potential improvements can be done through structured observations and data analysis. Observe the process in person with key stakeholders to be sure they can visualize opportunities. Analyze historical system data to understand the impact of the issue. See “How to Conduct an Efficiency Summit” for more details.

    Often companies focus on “big picture” initiatives, resulting in company-wide standardization or major organizational changes. But there is always opportunity to make incremental progress by optimizing lower-level processes as well. Types of changes, both big and small, could include:

    1. Organizational: Align roles in the organization that can result in a streamlined process. For example, a centralized scheduling group may be more efficient than a dedicated scheduler within each business unit.

    2. Transfer of responsibility/information: Often times the ball can get dropped as product fulfillment or customer service is handed off from one department to another. Clarify responsibilities and standardize communication to prevent issues.

    3. Technology: Ever-changing technology may mean some processes are now obsolete and can be eliminated. Or, there may be newly-available software that can automate processes currently done manually.

    4. Resources: Quantify the amount of both labor and physical resources needed to ensure there is sufficient capacity available to meet customer demand, at your targeted service level.

    5. Facility: Optimizing customer or product flow may require adjustment to facilities. Quantify the cost/benefit of such changes to see if warranted.

    6. Layout: Even minor layout changes can make big differences. Do employees have to walk 3 steps to pick up materials to finish a transaction? Is there an opportunity to move those supplies to within reach of the register?

    7. Communication: Identify what aspects are currently confusing to customers, and improve communication through signage, mobile alerts, and how employees are trained to explain products and services.

    8. Production/Inventory: Evaluate production levels to make sure the right amount of inventory is available at the right time.

    Creating lasting change takes work, so be sure to set your company up for success from the start. Ensure front-line operators have buy-in from the beginning by including a representative on the project team. Pilot and test any changes before widespread implementation to work out all the kinks and avoid negative perceptions from the consumer or employee. Retrain all employees on the new process – and make sure they know WHY the change was made, not just WHAT the change is. Update any training documents or SOPs to reflect the new method so employees have the right information. And give them permission to STOP doing what is no longer necessary.

    Achieving operational excellence doesn’t just happen from a one-time analysis. Regular maintenance is needed to avoid stagnation. Regularly revisit and observe processes and create forums where front-line employees can share their improvement ideas. Recognize and reward innovative ideas, as well as the employees who are advocates of changes. Measure and report out on progress, both so employees can see the impact of the change and also hold the right personnel accountable to the new standards.

    proven approaches to achieve operational efficiency

    Operating efficiently is not easy – it requires active work and input from all organizational levels. But the results are worth it: improved customer experience, minimized costs, and increased employee morale.

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    How To Conduct An Efficiency Summit

    by Susan Dekker, Director, Integrated Insight

    Improving operational efficiency is a team effort. One way to identify these potential improvements is through an “efficiency summit.”

    What is an efficiency summit?

    An efficiency summit is a gathering of key stakeholders with the specific goal to identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency. This is accomplished through structured observations and data analysis.

    This is a concept found in “Lean” manufacturing under a slightly different name – a “waste walk.” The goal for a waste walk is to identify and eliminate any of the eight wastes: defects, overproduction, waiting, unused talent, transportation, inventory, motion, extra processing. But both “lean” and “waste” can have negative connotations among some, and this verbiage may act as a turn-off to front-line operators. While this concept comes from manufacturing, it can be applied to any system that services customers.

    Who should be there?

    Front-line operators are the most important representatives. Not only do they know the process better than anyone by living it day-in and day-out, but it will be crucial to eventual buy-in to have this point of view. Choose employees who are known for doing their jobs exceptionally well and open to change. Also include someone who knows the data systems well, as they can identify which aspects can be easily quantified with existing data.

    Management presence emphasizes the importance of the initiative to the company, but make sure any leader joining has an open mind and is visibly engaged (put the phone away!). Including a different operator who is unfamiliar with this particular process can also provide a “fresh eyes” perspective.

    What should you do?

    The first step is to observe the operation in person. Walk through each step of the process as if you were the product or the customer and discuss as a group what you see. Draw out a process map so everyone is on the same page in regards to operational flow.

    The next step is to collect data. Ensure everyone understands what the data means and how it will be used to identify issues. Example data could be transaction times, including noting if a delay occurred.

    Throughout the observation, write down any observed inefficiencies, pain points, or delays.

    What types of topics should be discussed?

    1. What is most confusing to the customer?

    Here at Integrated Insight, we always start with the customer perspective and understand the product through their eyes. Eliminating frustrations by changing the process or improving communication results in an improved customer experience.

    2. What are the most common errors or delays?

    This list can be used in a brainstorm session to ideate solutions both big and small.

    3. What is most frustrating about the process?

    Employees also get annoyed with an inefficient process. Identifying and reducing these frustrations can increase morale.

    4. If you had $1M to make any changes, what would you do?

    Too often we feel crunched by budgetary constraints, so we don’t even consider the major modifications that can truly transform a process. While the proposed change may appear to be financially unfeasible, the return on investment may determine it’s a viable option. Use the data collected previously to help analyze return.

    5. What operational changes have happened across the past several years?

    The operation has probably altered due to changes in technology, leadership, regulations, etc. Discuss how these adjustments have impacted operational efficiency and be sure to record the dates the changes occurred.

    What happens after?

    Use historical data to measure change, understand trends and see how productivity has improved over time. Compare this with the list of operational changes and dates.

    Take the list of common errors and delays, and brainstorm different solutions. Analyze the transaction time data recorded during the efficiency summit to determine the impact of each solution and quantify the potential value if this issue was reduced or eliminated.

    Create an action plan and report out on progress. Include multiple organizational levels on the communication to maintain visibility, emphasize importance, and ensure accountability.

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    Customer Loyalty Programs: The Ultimate Guide

    by Stephen Davis, VP of Pricing and Revenue Services, Integrated Insight

    Loyalty programs have become pretty commonplace for retailers in today’s market. It’s estimated roughly 7-in-10 adults are a member of at least one loyalty program.1 From simple punch cards to elaborate point structures, you can find them in just about every industry.

    Loyalty reward programs are powerful tools for businesses. Offering perks for loyal customers improves retention and encourages new customers to engage.

    Let’s first answer some common questions about loyalty reward programs. Then we’ll jump into tactical components and strategies to help make sure you’re getting the most out of it, regardless of the type of program.

    What Is the Goal of a Customer Loyalty Program?

    Determining the correct program to implement can make a difference in the value of the loyalty program for consumers and your business. There are three key goals loyalty programs aim to meet:

    One of the key targets of a successful program is the ability to retain customers. According to a study by Marketing Metrics, the probability of selling to an existing customer is at least three times higher than selling to a prospective customer.So maximizing retention means an easier sell.

    A successful program should be structured to incent more purchases among loyalty members in a way that doesn’t “give away the farm.” More than 60% of loyalty program members report modifying their spending to maximize loyalty benefits.3  Achieving this goal is attainable with the right structure in place.

    Loyalty programs provide more than one “win-win” for businesses and consumers. In addition to providing more value for customers and more revenue for businesses, loyalty programs also provide critical insights on customer behavior.  Convincing customers to participate in a program provides a way to learn more about them, including what they like and how they shop. Gaining clear insight on loyal consumers provides opportunity for meaningful engagement, which results in a better customer service experience.

    It has become an expectation, not a differentiator, that companies put the wealth of data consumers share with them to work on their behalf.  In a business environment that has become less personalized towards the consumer due to technology, tracking consumer habits presents an opportunity to engage customers on a personal level once again.

    In recent years, companies have taken this a step further by tracking purchases of customers and creating customized offers for those who use services. For instance, the CVS ExtraCare rewards program tracks purchases and prints coupons on receipts based on transaction history. Data from Bond Brand Loyalty shows that 87% of participants in loyalty programs are interested in having purchasing behavior and activity monitored in order to receive personalized rewards.

    What Type of Loyalty Program Should I Use?

    Let’s break down a few of the most popular loyalty programs that businesses use to increase customer base and encourage incremental purchases. There are benefits and limitations to each, so certain types of programs may work better for your business depending on products sold and available technology.

    Punch cards are a tried and true loyalty program tactic. But the days of carrying around scraps of paper with unique punch holes are behind us. Today, nearly all consumers would much rather interact through modern technology.In recent years, punch cards have gone digital as businesses have published apps. Even those companies that have not published their own apps have been able to use third-party apps for their rewards programs.

    Going digital with punch cards offers a few advantages. In addition to eliminating the need for keeping track of paper punch cards, a digital approach can reduce fraud by eliminating the ability for a customer to punch their own card and take advantage of the business. Additionally, it can lower cost to businesses in the long run and allows business to collect data to profile customers – one of the key goals of a loyalty program. Digital programs provide real-time data with each use, whereas punch cards only provide insights once customers complete earn all punches and have earned a reward.

    The goal of the punch card style program is to incent incremental purchases with the offer of a free or greatly reduced purchase in the future. However, setting a fence around those reward items can help make a punch card even more efficient. For example, rather than allowing a customer to get a broad discount on their 11th purchase – create a structure so that the award after 10 purchases is an array of potential items, or discounts, fenced to specific products. A loyal customer is likely to use an indiscriminate discount on a product they’d already purchase. However, offering products that need a boost or are not frequently bought by customers can help incentivize trial purchases of other products you sell and avoid dilution.

    Points systems are one of the simplest loyalty reward structures. Customers spend X number of dollars to receive Y number of points, which can then be used as a currency at your business. The points system is great for capturing many types of customers because it is based on the dollar amount that is spent. This means that all customers receive the same incentive relative to the dollar amount spent. 

    The key to a successful points program is setting a structure that transparently communicates how customers earn points, what their value is, and what they can redeem. Being transparent about the entire structure upfront builds trust and helps customers see why the program is a benefit for them.

    Paid subscriptions and memberships create a system in which only people who participate (pay money) for a service or privilege can access products or deals offered by a company. Companies like Sam’s and Costco use these memberships and offer huge discounts for products by selling in bulk. Online retailers, such as Amazon, also use this system in which members have access to special benefits and services, such as free shipping. These memberships are often profitable because they have low cost for customer acquisition while giving substantial benefits to customers. This allows these companies to attract consumers to buy subscriptions or memberships at a high volume.

    It’s easy to see how a paid membership could pay off for a retailer. Receiving money up front regardless of usage is attractive, but that’s not the end goal. Retailers with paid loyalty program memberships have to leverage the relationship to pull members into higher levels of spending, but when faced with strong savings, there is little benefit for customers to shop elsewhere.

    Many larger businesses pair with credit card companies to create cards which have added incentives for spending at a brand’s location. While a typical credit card may offer 1-3% cashback at retailers and restaurants, these cards often offer upwards of 5% cashback. This brings in customers as they are fundamentally receiving a discount from purchases at the brand, though they can spend the money received through cashback perks anywhere.

    The real value of brand credit cards for a business though are the referral payments for getting a customer to sign up for the card. Though this can be very attractive, it typically only pencils out for major retailers with a national brand.

    Conclusion

    Picking a loyalty program method will depend on the nature of a business and technology capabilities. But in nearly all instances, a loyalty program can be designed with the right value proposition to drive desirable behaviors.

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    Identifying Safe Reopening Strategies for Ski Resorts Using Agent-Based Simulation

    We are liv­ing in unprece­dent­ed times. More like­ly than not, your busi­ness has been impact­ed by the unique events of the world­wide COVID-19 pan­dem­ic. How­ev­er, even in the most challenging of times, con­tin­u­ing edu­ca­tion remains crit­i­cal­ly impor­tant. In an effort to con­tin­ue sup­port­ing our client part­ners dur­ing this dif­fi­cult time, we will con­tin­ue shar­ing insights and guid­ance to help you strength­en your busi­ness and serve your val­ued cus­tomers when the time comes to wel­come them back to your venue. Learn more about our COVID solu­tions here.

    As ski season quickly approaches, figuring out how to safely welcome your skiers back in the COVID era can be a daunting task. At acces­so, we’ve been work­ing tirelessly to help our ski clients plan for a safe and successful reopening. We recently partnered with Integrated Insight, an analytics consulting firm, to analyze how virtual queues, timed ticketing and social distancing will affect your guests and ski area. Watch as acces­so Solutions Architect Kevin Brice and Integrated Insight VP of Industrial Engineering Ben Dubiel take us through their 3 simulations for COVID crowd management for your ski resort and read on for your guide to avoiding an unexpected avalanche of traffic on open­ing day!

    Tools for Reopening Safely

    -Timed Ticketing & Reservations: As COVID-19 con­tin­ues, many ski area oper­a­tors are focus­ing on a reopen­ing plan that limits the num­ber of guests vis­it­ing each day. Your tick­et­ing sys­tem can help you achieve this in sev­er­al ways. Offer­ing guests timed tickets on your eCom­merce tick­et­ing site is essen­tial. Timed ticketing can great­ly help your oper­a­tions team pre­pare for and safe­ly accom­mo­date guests. This allows your resort to safely spread out skiers throughout the day on the mountain. Guests can make their reser­va­tion to ski any­where, on any device—even when they are on the gondola! Oper­a­tors can eas­i­ly enforce capac­i­ty based on local restric­tions or oper­a­tional needs.

    - Virtual Queuing: Vir­tu­al queu­ing is a great way to keep skiers safe while allow­ing them to ful­ly enjoy your resort. Long lines are almost as much of a staple for ski areas as fresh powder. During COVID-19, enforcing social distancing with long lines would mean your resort would need miles of line area. Empowering your guests to join virtual queues can eliminate these lengthy physical lines in a way that promotes social distancing. Plus, when guests no longer have to spend a significant amount of their day standing in a line, they can have more time to enjoy your ski resort, making long-lasting memories that help boost guest loyalty. Not only can virtual queues be helpful for your lifts or gondolas, but also, they can be a big help for rental shops and other high traffic areas around your resort.

     

    Agent-Based Simulation Scenarios for Ski Operations

    In order to show how operations perform under different scenarios, the Integrated Insight team built a sample ski resort. Using agent-based simulation, they modeled the effect of different operational scenarios on guest traffic flow to identify potential friction points, crowding and/or excess queue times. Agent-based simulation uses Artificially Intelligent agents to create models of guest behaviors and navigational flows. The team created three scenarios to understand the impact that different operational methods have on system performance.

     

    Free-For-All (Baseline)

    This is the baseline model to show how guests would have arrived prior to COVID-19. It is important to see what would happen if no adjustments to the arrival experience are made. Data shows that the majority of guests show up between 8:15-9:15 am, but afterwards, the number of skiers arriving drops significantly. The Free-For-All scenario fills the gondola queue fastest, creating a longer wait quickly. At peak operation in this scenario, the posted wait time for guests is 140 minutes, and your resort would need over a half-mile of line space just for the gondola queue. As we can see here, a scenario that involves your ski area following through with “business as usual,” for the most part, is not conducive to a safe or efficient reopening for your resort.

     

    Timed Ticketing Only

    The next scenario is Timed Ticketing. This shows the result if guests are assigned an arrival time and cannot access the gondola until their assigned time. The arrivals prior to and during opening are significantly lower, but pick up once Timed Ticket and Reservation slots are active. In the simulation, we’ve also included guests arriving before and after their times to model guests needing to wait to access the gondola. The Timed Ticketing scenario only delays the concerns from the Free-For-All. Guests experience the queue filling and congestion at 11:15 am instead of first thing in the morning. Posted wait times are still at 125+ minutes and the resort still need half a mile of socially distanced queue to accommodate the guests waiting for their turn on the mountain.

     

    Virtual Queue & Timed Ticketing

    The final scenario shows Timed Ticketing with a virtual queue that only allows guests to enter a physical buffer queue once their assigned time is reached. In this case, the guests show up later as there is no incentive to access the queue early. This gives them time to spend at your F&B locations, rental shops or other places at the resort where they can practice safe social distancing while still enjoying their experience. At peak operations, the posted wait time is 136 minutes, but in this simulation, your guests only wait an average of 13 minutes in a physical line once their wait is over in the virtual queue. The socially distanced buffer queue or physical line only needs to be about 370 feet (.07 miles), and guests are spread out across your resort instead of crowding at the gondola line. This option not only is the safest for your guests and staff, but it also allows your resort to limit guest capacity while still driving revenue through F&B and other shops.

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    Finding Operational Efficiency in a COVID-19 World and Beyond

    Many businesses planning reopening strategies have approached our team at Integrated Insight for help understanding how they can reopen safely while remaining profitable. In most cases, we find operational and design efficiencies that allow our partners to increase their capacity over their original plan.

    This is usually followed by the question, “Why weren’t we always running this way?” Major business disruptions like the current pandemic usually result in businesses taking a good look at their operation to try and find ways to do more with less. This has never been truer than now, when space is at a premium, and governments are placing arbitrary limits on the capacity of attractions.

    This article follows one of our recent projects where we used agent-based simulation to find a 14% increase in capacity for our client while still maintaining social distancing simply by redesigning the event.

    A client came to us seeking operational advice on how to re-open a long running walk-through attraction in a COVID-19 world. The initial scope of the project was to model the attraction as previously designed and then simulate the impact of changes to determine a layout that followed social distancing guidelines, while also optimizing attendance and revenue.

    Data is not always available due to closures or inaccurate representations of capacity. Because of this, we use a combination of operational subject-matter experts, available data, and our industry experience to develop detailed assumptions for group demographics, arrival rates, overall length of stay, operational flow, way-finding decisions, and dwell times throughout the attraction. All of these inputs, and making solid assumptions, are critical to building a robust model.

    Throughout the development of the model we received great input from the client operations team to ensure that the model accurately depicts the attraction experience. Once a valid model was created, we used our main evaluation metrics – instantaneous guest counts and time in queue – to determine that the points of interest (POI) in the attraction were front loaded. In previous years, up to 50% of the show content was placed in the first 30% of the experience. This created several problems:

    1. Overcrowding at the beginning of the show became a bottleneck.

    2. This bottleneck caused the queue to back up quickly.

    3. The unbalanced experience caused reduced capacity in the overall venue.

    Working closely with the operations team, our goal was to determine a few POI from the front of the experience that could be moved to a less crowded location without creating other unintended bottlenecks.

    To decide which POIs to move, and their new locations, we analyzed guest density heat maps from the simulation model. The images below show heat maps of original layout and the new layout of both the first and final segments in the attraction. The areas circled in red highlight the change in guest density with our recommended operational improvements.

    Sanitized-Heat-Map-for-Blog

    These changes substantially improved operational efficiency and we were able to run higher demand scenarios with the new layout. In addition, guests were able to spend a balanced amount of time throughout each house in the event. Based upon our estimated time in queue, we determined that additional queuing was not required as the current queue layout held up to 30 minutes of demand.  With timed-ticketing, the client would be able to ensure the queue never exceeded the available space.

    Making sure to maintain guest experience with the new layout of the event, the recommended daily capacity is ~40% of their pre-COVID peak day due to social distancing. This finding is notably lower than the typical government regulations mandating 50% capacity for an attractions operation. Opening at 50% of their peak capacity with no operational changes would likely have caused a public health hazard that could have produced negative press. Making these small operational improvements allowed the client to safely maximize their profits without impacting guest experience. Below is a clip of the simulation showing the attraction with the changes that improved operational efficiency.

    NYBG-Short

    Even with these operational improvements, we identified some areas of high guest density in the event where additional measures may be needed to mitigate congestion. By identifying these ahead of time, inexpensive strategies can be implemented to address these problem areas. This includes use of signage or ground markings guiding people where to view or wait for a popular attraction, designating a pathway through the experience where guests may pass other groups, or an employee monitoring the flow of guests through a high congestion area.

    Simulation modeling helped this client in a set of complementary ways to maximize event experiences for their guests. The advanced analytic techniques helped them better understand the capacity at which they can safely open their experience. The analysis also allowed them to increase their total revenue, via increased throughput, relative to their plan by making minor layout changes. While this work was needed because of COVID-19, the operational improvements have been available for years; we just needed the right tools to find them.

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