96 CHAPTER 3 PRODUCT DESIGN AND PROCESS SELECTION CASE: Creature Care Animal Clinic (B) Company Background on the work. The receptionist was also distracted, as were the animals. Creature Care Animal Clinic is a suburban veterinary clinic spe- The number of customers requesting grooming services was cializing in the medical care of dogs and cats. Dr. Julia Barr opened the clinic three years ago, hiring another full-time vet growing rapidly. Customers wanted to drop off their pets for a erinarian, a staff of three nurses, an office manager, and an office "package" of examining, grooming, and even minor surgical assistant. The clinic operates Monday through Friday during procedures requiring overnight stays. The space for grooming regular business hours, with half days on Saturdays and ex and overnight services was rapidly taking over room for other tended hours on Wednesday evenings. Both doctors work dur- tasks. Also, most of the staff was not trained in providing the ing the week and take turns covering Wednesday evenings and type of service customers were now requiring. Saturdays. Dr. Barr opened the clinic with the intent of providing The Dilemma outpatient animal care. Overnight services are provided for sur Dr. Barr sat at her desk wondering how to handle the operations gical patients only. No other specialized services are offered. The dilemma she was faced with. She started her business as a medical facility for the clinic was designed for this type of service, with a clinic but found that she was no longer sure what business she was spacious waiting and reception area. The examining and surgical in. She didn't understand why it was so complicated given that she rooms are in the rear, just large enough to accommodate their was only providing a service. She was not sure what to do. initial purpose. As time has passed, however, the number of patients re Case Questions questing specialized services has increased. Initially the re 1. Identify the operations management problems that Dr. quests were few, so Dr. Barr tried to accommodate them. As Barr is having at the clinic. one of the nurses was also trained in grooming services, she 2. How would you define the "service bundle" currently began to alternate between her regular duties and pet groom being offered? How is this different from the initial ing. Pet grooming was performed in the rear of the reception purpose the clinic? area, as it was spacious and there was no other room for this 3. Identify the high-contact and low-contact segments of the job. At first this was not a problem. However, as the number of operation. How should cach be managed? pets being groomed increased, the flow of work began to be interrupted. Customers waiting with their pets would com 4. What should Dr. Barr have done differently to avoid the ment to the groomer in the rear, who had difficulty focusing problems she is currently experiencing? What should Dr. Bart do now? of