Introduction
In the Lens Crafter’s Case Study, different concepts of operations management can be applied or interpreted. The study revolves around the design process of products for customers along with different insights. Operational strategies, value creation, customer experiences, technology integrations, and performance measures are protuberant parts of the study.
1-Evaluate LensCrafters’ operations strategy and explain how the organization seeks to gain a competitive advantage in terms of sustainability.
LensCrafters has an effective operational strategy to provide immense benefits to the customers. The operational strategy is to comprise the rapid process, which can enable the customers to gain expected benefits. For Instance, within an hour, the customer in the shop, can have a frame and lenses according to his/her requirements, and assist the product finishing process. The firm is looking forward to gaining the competitive advantage through having the best people at the workplace, which can permit the quality and provide legendary customer services. Legendary customer service seems rare in the market, and therefore, it is a top competitive priority for the company (Wu, Melnyk, & Swink, 2012).
People work according to the expectations of the management and customers, and it differentiates the whole procedure. Perfect quality eyewear in an hour is in the limelight, which justifies intended accelerations in the operations. Also, through operations, the company creates the values for the customers, and it leads towards the business sustainability. Obviously, high-quality process and outputs for the customer reasons and sustain them in the competitive market, and it is a depiction of business sustainability. Main factors of operational strategy are quality, rapidness, delivery and legendary service, which not only engages the customers, but also help them to customize the development according to their needs. Organizational structure Servicescape, technology service processes, and job designs have been gathered to establish the integrated delivery system for the customers in the services delivery system design (Kaviani & Abbasi, 2014). Concerning the operations of the company, the most important thing is to shape the whole process, which can satisfy the customers (Luxottica.com, 2017).
The operations of the company are integrated with design and delivery, and in the competitive market, it means for the management. It is a unique strategy, and finally, the organization seeks to gain value for long-term sustainability. The big difference between supply chain and value chain is the value, as in supply chain, the company navigates the quality flow of products. On the other hand, value chain depicts to maintain the quality products in the whole process. These two concepts can be obtained from the operational strategy (Arora, Arora, & Sivakumar, 2016).
2-Analyze how operations management activities affect the customer experience. Select two (2) operation management challenges and provide the solutions for confronting them.
As mentioned, main operational activity is enabling the rapid response for customers, which enhance the viability of customer experience. It seems rare for the customer to come and have the customized process, facilitated by the operational management. Another prominent activity in the operational process is the integrations with the technology in the lab, as all equipment is modern or technologically advanced. Every procedure is fully equipped, and at the end, the customers experience the best outputs. However, LensCrafters is facing different challenges, which can create barriers in the whole operational process. For Instance, the big challenge is to identify the process of ordering frames and eyeglass lenses. There is a choice for the company regarding the Brick & Mortar business model and online order. Sometimes, required or demanded material is not available in stores, which may delay the process (Wu, Melnyk, & Swink, 2012). Also, if the purchasing and inventory control system is outdated, the company cannot implement the operational strategies successfully, despite having better operational strategy, an inefficient production procedure is a big problem, and due to this, operational impairment is quite visible. Referring the operational management concept, managing innovations can be seen. The management manages the innovation through the change to evolve the services for customers, and it has a direct effect on the customer experience. Moreover, in process modeling, the management of LensCrafters intends to analyze the process and make the relevant to boost the customer experience (Wu, Melnyk, & Swink, 2012).
The layout consists of entrants, waiting for areas, doctors, greeters, fitting station, sales associate area, and cashier computer, lab area, display area convenient locations, eyewear accessories, exam and services, eyewear, integration with employees, showroom and one-hour services. The second solution for an inefficient procedure is the integrations of activities. After integrations, the management can engage the customers in the pertinent execution of both time and operations. The customer must have to know his time to visit the lab, fitting area and many other illustrated in the layout. Through these solutions, the confrontation becomes easy for LensCrafters management (Luxottica.com, 2017).
3-Examine the LensCrafters’ value chain and evaluate its effectiveness in operations in terms of quality, value creation, and customer satisfaction.
The value chain process of the company is triggered by the intense research and development process by the management along with the exceptional delivery of high-quality products and services. Evaluating the effectiveness of the value chain, the research and development process forces the company to adopt new technology. Due to the inclusion of new technological, operational process, the legendary services can be provided to create the value. Another value chain aspect the planning and recruitment, as, through best people and appropriate leadership, the company can have best opticians, physicians, and specialists (Kaviani & Abbasi, 2014).
Now, concerning the quality of the services, different phases of operations enable the quality. For instance, a customer has an appointment with a specialist, opticians, and physicians, and due to the right time for each activity, the quality can be ensured. These people work according to the goals and strategies of the organizations, and obviously, it links with the quality of services. Interestingly, the term legendary services refer the exceptional and differentiated quality, which is due to the unique design of operations (Arora, Arora, & Sivakumar, 2016).
Relative to the customer satisfaction, the satisfaction comes due to the justifications of needs, and it is the biggest factor. For Instance, in the service encounter design, the main intention of the company is to handle different service upsets and service recovery. With the passage of the time, some uncertainties can occur. It is not a big issue for the management and the customers, as it is a part of the business or operational process. However, the satisfaction can be derived from better customer interactions and behavioral standards. Especially in the lab and fitting area, the management can provide the training and evaluate the performance in these specific cases to drive the customer satisfaction. It is essential to make one hour wait positive, which is also a prominent value creations activity (Luxottica.com, 2017).
The consideration of competing priorities contains the importance. Quality, value chain, and customer satisfaction are key success factors, and to justify them, some competing priorities such as time, cost, flexibility, technology and customer engagement are worthy. Stimulatingly, these competitive priories are sources to gain and sustain the competitive advantage in the competitive optical market. In the operational design, gathering all these aspects essential to form the integrated system for LensCrafters.
4-Determine the different types of performance measurements that can be used to measure LensCrafters’ service-delivery system design. Select at least two (2) types that can be applied and provide justifications for the selection.
LensCrafters’ service-delivery system design is integrated with locations. Layout, services, technology and job design. In the competitive market, the company has to measure the performance of this design system to make decisions. Interestingly the technology and information are best sources to measure the performances of the design system. From the entry to the lab and fitting area to cash payments, all activities have been directed in different phases. Thus, the first measure that the management can use is the response of the customers. The company can use technology to derive data from the customers. The customers can use the technological devices to rank the performances of each phase, and the management can interpret this importation to share and make decisions (Arora, Arora, & Sivakumar, 2016).
It is an appropriate measure, which enables the participative decisions making in the operational management process. To make the customer response and satisfactions arguable factor, the company has to estimate its standing in term of performance. Different options are available to measure the performance, such as estimating the number of customers, which are satisfied or contained reservations or complaints. If the customer visits LensCrafters, he has an option of exchanging or returning eyewear for a full refund at LensCrafters. It provides a chance to measure the performance because some questions may be asked by the customers. This process is a kind of data source, which can lead towards further improvements in service and operational design (Luxottica.com, 2017).
Another effective measure is the considerations of prescriptions, bills, and receipts to estimate sales. It is a fact that the customer contains the attractiveness due to an attractive depiction of the service design in the marketing process. The number of prescriptions, bills, and receipts can be considered quarterly or monthly to find the accurate sales numbers. Accordingly, for future decision making, the management can shape the appropriate action plans. There are also other measures, but these are prominent to collect data. Especially, in operations, the company can sustain the activities or make some changes, which can improve the design and system. Of course, it is pertinent, as far as the legendary services for the customers are concerned (Kaviani & Abbasi, 2014).
5-Examine the different types of technologies applied to LensCrafters’ service operations and evaluate how the technologies strengthen the value chain.
The successful business needs new and modern technology to come up with services, which can enhance the customer experience. Technology integrations are visible in operations, which can make things quite different for customers. In service operations, it has been observed that the company has used advanced technology to enable the rapid time of service delivery. From supply chain to delivery, the technology has been triggered. Within one hour, the company seems promising to provide the exceptional services, and it is possible due to the timely inclusion or a change of the technology. Concerning the concept of operational management, the technology in the lab and fitting area has helped to apply lean theory partially. Right activity at the right time through the use of technology is making the difference (Wu, Melnyk, & Swink, 2012).
Particularly, the lab section has been facilitated with modern equipment, which ultimately improves the quality and creates the value for customers. Technology has helped to make and use different eyewear making equipment. Furthermore, to strengthen the value chain, the company has positioned in the minds of customers in an effective and lucrative manner. In the waiting area, there I a display screen for the customers, which depicts the actual simulations of the manufactured products. The simulation demonstrates how the quality is defined and executed. In LensCrafters, this technology features look attractive, as it can be used for marketing purpose. Evidently, it is a great chance to use technology in waiting area to express the changes in all existing locations to maintain operational consistency. Technology, being a prominent part of operations, can be of different types, depending on the demands, trends, and requirements, to create the value of a long run. However, it depends on the LensCrafters to evolve with technology, both in internal and external process (Arora, Arora, & Sivakumar, 2016).
Conclusion
In the end, it is to conclude that the service delivery design of LensCrafters is exceptional. The company has evolved due to several operational and design considerations. All insights have been derived from the LensCrafters Case Study to evaluate different operational factors.
References
Arora, A., Arora, A. S., & Sivakumar, K. (2016). Relationships among supply chain strategies, organizational performance, and technological and market turbulence. International Journal of Logistics Management; Ponte Vedra Beach, 27(1), 206-232.
Kaviani, M. A., & Abbasi, M. (2014). Analyzing the operations strategies of manufacturing firms using a hybrid Grey DEA approach – A case of Fars Cement Companies in Iran. International Journal of Supply and Operations Management; Tehran, 1(3), 371-391.
Luxottica.com. (2017, October 3). Lenscrafters. Retrieved from http://www.luxottica.com/en/retail-brands/lenscrafters
Wu, S. J., Melnyk, S. A., & Swink, M. (2012). An empirical investigation of the combinatorial nature of operational practices and operational capabilities. International Journal of Operations & Production Management; Bradford, 32(2), 121-155.
+447462439809