Risk Mitigation And Management In Darden's Total Quality Management

Starting any new business or product can be risky. Given the statistics for the success rate of new restaurants, Darden’s new concept will have its challenges. Restaurants are one of the few businesses in the world where an entire sensory experience is created for the customer. Often the failure is due to circumstances outside of the restaurants control. Given the amount of startup capital required to open a new restaurant, the margin of error is slim and Darden needs to make great efforts to ensure all controllable risks are properly managed. This can be done through several risk mitigation and management strategies. There are four major risk categories a restaurant faces; sanitation/cleanliness, training/compliance, employee theft, and online …show more content…
Total Quality is a, “description of the culture, attitude and organization of a company that strives to provide customers with products and services that satisfy their needs” (Hashmi, n.d.). This requires quality in all aspects of the company’s operations, with no room for wasteful or repeated processes. The TQM method allows management and employees to, “become involved in the continuous improvement of the production of goods and services” (Hashmi, n.d.). It is a combination of quality and management tools aimed at increasing business and reducing losses due to wasteful practices. For management, this means they need to plan, participate, review, and revise (Hashmi, n.d.). Managers need to be able to see where wasteful processes are and correct them. This may mean a new POS if the current software is not properly tracking inventory or delaying orders to the kitchen. It also means they need to stay up to date on their own training of safety regulations and equipment handling in order to be able to teach their staff. TQM principles also demand a trained and motivated …show more content…
This is a constantly growing market and it comes with high expectations. The customers that chose these type of restaurants are highly knowledgeable and Darden needs to have an even greater grasp of craft beers and unique food. Customer feedback is critical in the continuing growth of the new restaurant. Servers and bartenders need to be trained to communicate with the customers in what they are looking for and report this information to management. Perhaps there is a high demand for a particular beer the restaurant is not currently carrying. Informing the management of this demand allows them the opportunity to please the customers. The head chef needs to keep trying new concepts and stay informed of new cuisine trends in order to stay competitive with other similar establishments. The team that will make this successful is one that is excited about the product. They enjoy and have great knowledge of craft beers and the food served. Customers who are unfamiliar with craft beers will have a lot of questions and the servers and bartenders will need to be able to answer them. This can be done through beer classes and pre-shift meal tastings. The front of the house staff will also need to be warm and friendly. This will not only increase their tips, but will also increase the likelihood of a return visit from the customer. Customers who are greeted quickly, made to feel welcome, and trust