Thinking Like a Seller End of Chapter Problem Edith is the owner and manager of a small coffee shop that employs three workers who use the shop's one coffee machine to make and serve coffee to paying customers. Business has begun to pick up lines are getting longer every day in her shop. On a busy morning, she sees her baristas scrambling to take orders, get cups, fill coffee from the coffee machine, add cream and sugar, and serve customers in a timely manner.

Answer 1

Edith realizes that they need to streamline their operations in order to serve customers more efficiently. She decides to observe the workflow of her baristas and identify any bottlenecks or areas for improvement.

First, she notices that the baristas are spending a significant amount of time walking back and forth between the coffee machine and the condiment station where they add cream and sugar. To address this, she decides to relocate the condiment station closer to the coffee machine, reducing the distance the baristas have to travel.

Next, Edith observes that the baristas often have to wait for the coffee machine to finish brewing a new pot of coffee before they can fill cups for customers. To alleviate this bottleneck, she purchases an additional coffee machine to increase the capacity for brewing.

She also notices that the baristas are frequently searching for clean cups and struggling to keep up with the demand. To solve this issue, Edith decides to establish a system where one barista is responsible for keeping the supply of clean cups stocked at all times.

Lastly, Edith realizes that although her baristas are working hard, they sometimes forget to ask customers if they want cream or sugar in their coffee, leading to additional steps and wasted time. To address this, she creates a checklist for her baristas to follow, ensuring that they ask the customer about their preferences before serving the coffee.

By making these improvements, Edith is able to streamline her coffee shop's operations and serve customers more efficiently. The baristas are no longer scrambling and the lines are moving faster, leading to happier customers and increased business for the coffee shop.