TMA 1 Question 1
I’ve chosen to use the SWOT concept in my answers,

The problems Ive found at the Bistro are

Part a

Part B
These problems are all weakness and threat, take for example the managers, they have no direction no set rules and some have taken to doing their own thing. Taking away from the line of Bistros the thing that the company are recognized and known for, the familiarity of going from town to town and knowing what type of food and drinks that company serve. But some managers have decided to introduce some of their own lines trying to get back some of the customers they have lost. By offering cheaper alternatives which the case study does not say if the concept has worked or not but going by their “mystery shopper” report it hasn’t as a whole and the Bistro is now an overpriced coffee shop not living up to the standards it’s trying to sell. With a high turnover of staff only staying till they are trained up and then sadly leaving. This to me says the environment and the managers are not being competent in their job, but with no direction from Patricia the owner they have no set rules on how the company should be run and this is how standards have slipped. Focusing on the performance quality and not formal structures, rules and regulations. The company has seen a giant decline in there turn over. Also the Bistro has seen other Bistro type shops open up around them serving the same things and probably cheaper prices set inside a modern up to date shop. That looks like it belongs in 2000 and not the 80s. They are still attracting the same customers as in the 80s which are older and low spending. Also the customer service by their “mystery shopper” report is unsatisfactory and the staff aren’t being trained properly to give the best performance they can e.g. Mr Smith whom comes in every morning at 7am wants to order the same thing every day but finding he has a different member of staff serving him every few weeks. This can feel impersonal and unfriendly, also if the staff aren’t trained properly they make silly mistakes, and now Mr smith doesn’t go there anymore because he has found the shop round the corner is cheaper friendly and the staff have learnt what he likes to drink so have built up a friendship with the staff so feels welcomed every morning, Also the satisfaction of the food is below standards that the company are trying to sell and people know that they won’t pay for over