MOE analysts

OBSERVATION DATA COLLECTION

 

Our team conducted a covert observation on site at Panera Bread Co. in Harrisonburg, Va. While there, we made the following observations:

• Easy ordering experience

• Lack of eye contact between employees and customers

• Many employees standing around doing nothing during non- rush hours

• Employees eating and talking behind registers

• Smiling/talking line workers who made the orders

• No male cashiers

• Managers standing over employees

• Communication disconnect between employees taking orders and employees making orders

• Issues:

  • line workers made a mistake in preparing an order, didn’t understand the comments/notes written by the employees who took the order

  • poor customer service when addressed with customer

• Wrong utensils provided for food

 

 

 

 

Discussion:

Based on the data collected in our surveys and observations, we can conclude that there is a significant lack of communication between employees who take orders from customers and employees who make orders. Our performance proposal will address how to more efficiently take an order at Panera, and put steps into action on how to improve this disconnect among employees to hopefully

This performance proposal is significant because based on our data, approximately a third of customers were not given the perception that Panera employees work well together. Lacking this cohesive front in an organization could also affect customers overall experience at Panera, overall satisfaction with food, customer service experience, and impression of employees as welcoming or friendly.

Additionally, about half of customers reported that they are unable to order in a reasonable amount of time upon entering Panera (figure 2). This could be a direct effect of a lack of efficiency and clarity in taking orders.