Exercise – Ask the students to read the example ‘Tea and Sympathy’ on page 392 of the text. In their groups, ask them:

(a) Why do you think Nicky’s rules help to make the Tea and Sympathy operation more efficient?

(b) The restaurant’s approach to quality of service seems very different from most restaurants.

Why do you think it seems to work here?

Encourage the students to debate these issues. Some points you might like to cover are shown below.

Question – Why do you think Nicky’s Rules help to make the Tea and Sympathy operation more efficient?

In effect, Nicky’s Rules are a way of managing customers and their expectations exclusively for the benefit of operational efficiency. Customers are warned that the waitresses are always right – in other words, waitresses do not have to negotiate in order to get customers to do things, saving time and effort. Also, customers have to wait outside the restaurant until the entire party is present – customer groups must assemble themselves before entering the restaurant so the restaurant itself does not have to organize this. Customers are asked to change tables if necessary

– this allows a closer match between demand and capacity. Customers are told to ‘naff off’

after they have finished the meal if the restaurant is busy – this helps to achieve higher utilization in times of heavy demand. The rules are strictly enforced – very heavy management of customer expectations here! Question – The restaurant’s approach to quality of service seems very different from most restaurants.

Why do you think it seems to work here?