Competition is winning the business game — attaining the needed sales, leading the market, comfortable edge in the sales figure, and of course, getting to be popular in the line of business.
But winning is easier said than done. Times have changed along with technology, revealing new ideas, ways of communication, and equipment. This is especially true in the hotel, restaurant, and institutional industry, even among suppliers and players in related sectors of laundry, food safety, and sanitation. There are new tools to use to pursue objectives, new services coming up, and new approaches for these industries to win old and new customers and even to maintain them.
On this regard, are we prepared in the following considerations to fulfill our objectives?
Vision/Mission – Have you been visiting your vision and mission regularly to gauge whether they are still synced with the times and objectives? Are the customers’ wants and needs still the same? Have you realized what new segments can provide better figures?
Total quality management – Is this in practice and in conjunction with total plant management?
Marketing and sales – Are these two groups well coordinated for the common goals and sales target needed? Are the new customer types, services, and products considered very well?
Operation – Will it be able to deliver the sales and marketing group efforts? Are the commitments, terms, standards, and quality tailored fit for the customers fulfilled?
Services – After the necessary products are delivered, will the corresponding, expected after-sales service be provided on time?
Suppliers/Supplies – Have the quality standards been established to the point of reliability in all aspects?
Contracts – Different contracts are drawn with customers and suppliers, too. How about the advantages or long- and short-term contracts? Will such contracts bring down costs, increase productivity and quality?
Pricing – After all has been said and done about quality, availability, standards, operation, and terms, pricing is established. This is the final measure in the competition game — will it result to bigger sales but lower profit or lower sales yet bigger profit? Take your pick.
What do these all mean for the hotel and restaurant industry, specifically the laundry, food safety, and housekeeping sectors?
Customers are happy with clean crisp linen and being served with quality safe food in sparkling and spotless dining wares. These are easy to be promised but they also require a lot of backroom effort to produce the quality and standards needed. All the eight issues above will have to be dealt with carefully to succeed with the competition game.
Are you performing well in all these factors? Let’s talk: rhapolega@yahoo.com or send me a tweet @isitcleanph
Cleaning, Sanitation & Laundry 