TQM Analysis

Piero’s Italian Restaurant utilizes total quality management (TQM) philosophy because the entire business is focused on customer satisfaction. Quality is a critical parameter which distinguishes a company from its competition. By focusing on integrating quality into a company's business model allows for the firm to not only meet consumer's standards but exceed them as well. 

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

• Conformance to specification is used to determine the restaurant’s ability to present consistent quality items and on-time delivery of orders. Due to the restaurant’s made to order principle, food items do take a tad more time to prepare so the server must be prompt and be capable of executing the orders to the kitchen in a timely fashion. On the other hand, the chefs must have items prepped and ready to be cooked in a hurry. It is mandatory that the chefs prep the entrees while the guests are consuming their appetizers in order for the customers to consume their meals in a timely fashion. 

• Value is used throughout the entire meal process. Guests often correlate the quality of the establishment from the very moment they set foot in Piero’s. From the greeting and atmosphere all the way through the actual consumption of the menu items. Customers also relate the prices to the overall taste, presentation, and enjoyment of their meals. It is necessary that each plate is presented adequately before exiting the kitchen which is completed by ensuring the ingredients are paced correctly on the plate, wiped of excess spillage, and garnished sufficiently. Customers determine the value from their overall experience.

• Consumers consistently use fitness for use as a measurement of quality at all restaurants, including Piero’s. The restaurant is measured by the overall convenience that was presented by the employees. For example, the time it took for a group to be greeted and seated is vital. Also, the amount of time the server acknowledged their guests is imperative. To ensure that each guest receives attention, Piero’s implemented a policy that every table has to be greeted in under one minute and a half. Additionally, Piero’s offers a wide range of payment methods including cash, all major credit cards, and gift cards. Lastly, the ambiance and comfort is a large aspect that is often scrutinized. Therefore, it is imperative that the restaurant is not only sanitary but is also a comfortable temperature, has appropriate lighting and relaxing music.

• Support is another crucial factor of quality. At Piero’s servers and management must be knowledgeable and familiar with the dishes especially the ingredients. If a server is not entirely sure about a question, they must be able to find the answer and deliver it to the guest. They must be helpful when guests are unsatisfied with any part of the experience including the food, atmosphere, price, or payment structure. Furthermore, the website must be up to date at all times. Customers often look at the menu prior to attending and if something is not updated, they may expect an item that is unavailable.

• Psychological impressions are consistently used by customers in regards to employee’s appearance, restaurant cleanliness, ambiance, and friendly staff. Staff members that are nicely dressed, offer courteous service, and also friendly can alter a customer’s perception very easily. At Piero’s, employees must have their hair pulled back, wear clean pressed black clothing and always be welcoming to customers. Restaurant cleanliness is imperative because it can severely alter somebody’s perception. Before service, every glass and cutlery on the tables must be steamed in order to avoid any issues. Also, bathrooms must be cleaned and maintained throughout each day and night.

EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT 

• Cultural Change: Each establishment has two types of customers, internal and external. In order for a business to function effectively, it is necessary to serve the internal customers first. Internal customers are directly connected to an organization. Both FOH and BOH employees serve as internal customers at Piero’s. Cacciuttolo must maintain the correct amount of inventory within the restaurant at all types. If there are missing items such as ingredients, liquor, etc., the staff (internal customers) cannot provide that service for the guests (external customers) and in turn, the internal customers are not being served.

• Teams:  Utilizing teams is also a fundamental approach Piero's uses to maintain successful. The approach used is most closely related to self-managed teams because the employees work in small teams and assist one another in completing tasks and serving customers. Because the servers use a tip pool tactic, everybody must work together in order to get the most out of the shift. By implementing the tip pool payment method, each server is not only worried about their personal guests but also their co-worker’s tables. Tip pools encourage a team atmosphere and ensure that each guest receives the upmost attention and as a whole, everybody thrives. 

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Continuous improvement signifies the constant effort of consistently seek new ways of improving processes. Piero's implements the continuous improvement strategy in two ways.

• The primary technique consists of the utilization of comment cards placed in every checkbook. The comment card allows for contact information and space for any comments or concerns. The cards are look over after each dinner shift and every Monday, Cacciuttolo takes note of any issues or unsatisfied customers and takes action.

• FOH staff members must attend the monthly meeting which discuss any strengths, weaknesses, or alterations occurring in the restaurant. The monthly meeting also allows employees to speak freely about any of their personal issues they experience in the restaurant.