Analysis

Lean System

         

Figure 1: Pull Method

There are a lot of factors should be considered in process category for companies operating a lean system, but for T&L catering, pull method is the most relevant approach. In order to prevent overproduction and satisfy various demands, we will provide menu for customers first to give them a basic idea about the service. Then after they have a clue, they can add more specific demands and tell us more details about decoration and arrangement which we are available to offer. Next we will prepare food and beverage in advance and finally in scheduled day we will go to the place to arrange and decorate the site. So the whole process is really similar with a make-to-order strategy.

           

Figure 2: Just-in-Time

Based on just-in-time philosophy, there are eight main wastes can be cut down in a lean system. According to the former experiences, four major costs which are overproduction, transportation, inventory, and defects are most frequently appeared in T&L Catering. To better illustrate how we can solve the problem, fish-bone chart can help us to figure out what to do next. Overall, keep improving continuously to achieve the just-in-time philosophy can make optimal usage efficiency and minimize the wastes and enhance our price competitiveness. 

 

Defining and Organizing Projects

For a catering company like T&L Catering, defining and organizing is the main aspect of the project. Since T&L Catering deals with many customers and goes through many unique processes; It is important for the company to define the objectives for each client, select the right manager and crew members. Furthermore, the company has to define an organizational structure that will determine the role of each individual at an event and define relationship between a manager and the team members.

Information received from a client is written in a document that is used as reference by the event manager. The scope contains project objectives and project requirements that have to be complete within certain time frame. An example of project objective mostly used for T&L catering is “complete an event without any complaints.” Under the Project requirements, it says, “ take 2 drivers, 3 caterer and 1 chef.” Project objectives are usually common for each event. However, project requirements usually vary depending on the event.

It is important to select the right event manager who can play the role of facilitator. Managers have the responsibility of completing the event the way it is expected by the client and also meet the guidelines of T&L Catering. Event managers are highly qualified and know how to allocate resources, communicate with clients during an event and assist the team members as they prepare for the event. The company gives the responsibility of event manager to only those who have been working there for a long time and are committed to their work.

Out of three categories, Functional, Pure Project, and Matrix structure; T&L Catering is structured like the matrix system. Besides the event manager, the store manager is responsible for communicating all the details to event manager. If the crewmembers are working at an event, they are highly guided by event manager. However, if they are working back at the restaurant; helping to prepare food, they are most likely guided by store manager.

Since the company follows Matrix system, there is high supervision over the team members. This structure also becomes complicated when event members come back from an event and continue to work in the restaurant under the supervision of store and event manager.

Thus, T&L Catering would not be able to successfully complete an event if the company decided not to define and organize for each event.

Inventory Management

      Inventory management is the planning and controlling of inventories to meet the competitive priorities of the organization, is an important concern for managers in all types of business. Effective inventory is essential for realizing the full potential of any supply chain.

    The challenge is not to pare inventories to the bone to reduce costs or to have plenty around to satisfy all demands, but to have the right amount to achieve the competitive priorities of the business more efficiently. For T&L Catering, the company did minimum inventory management due to the fact that they receive more shipment of products once they have shortage of particular equipment that may be used for an event. T&L Catering can minimize their materials to and from their restaurant by using a P (periodic review) system to organize the shipments coming in.

   This type of efficiency can only happen if the right amount of inventory is flowing through the supply chain – through suppliers, the firm, the warehouse or distribution centers, and customers. For instance, if one T&L Catering location does not seem to have the necessary items for an event, employees must drive to a different restaurant in order to get the equipment to make sure that the vent goes accordingly to plan by the customer’s preferences. For each event T&L Catering serves, the equipment can vary for employees to use and each distribution centers may not have the equipment needed in some cases. In order for them to avoid traffic when delivering equipment to events, T&L Catering can increase their inventory levels by simply changing the timing of deliveries so they can make it on time to set up.

   Inventories are important to all types of organizations, their employees and their supply chains. Inventories profoundly affect everyday operations because they must be counted, paid for, uses in operations, used to satisfy customers’ needs, and maintained. When it comes to T&L Catering, inventory is everything to them for having enough employees to operate throughout the day and make sure that their customers are pleased with their events being a success. Employees are what makes the company run and without them, T&L are not able to properly run operations and bring any revenue in.