Kitchen Appliances

A lesson on how consultants can make a difference in>>>>> an organization.>>>>>>>>>> Last week, we took some friends to a new restaurant,>>>>>’Steve’s Place,’ and noticed that the waiter who>>>>> took our order carried a spoon in his shirt>>>>> pocket.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It seemed>>>>> a little strange. When the busboy brought our water and>>>>> utensils, I observed that>>>>> he also had a spoon in>>>>> his shirt pocket.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Then I looked around and saw that all the staff had>>>>> spoons in their pockets. When the waiter came back to serve>>>>> our soup I inquired, ‘Why the>>>>> spoon.’>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>’Well,’ he explained, ‘the>>>>> restaurant’s owner hired Andersen Consulting to revamp>>>>> all of our processes. After several months of analysis, they>>>>> concluded that the spoon was the most>>>>> frequently>>>>> dropped utensil. It represents a drop frequency of>>>>> approximately 3 spoons per table per hour. If our personnel are better >>>>> prepared, we can reduce>>>>> the number of trips back to the kitchen and save 15>>>>> man-hours per shift.’>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> As luck would have it, I dropped my spoon and he>>>>> replaced it with his spare. ‘I’ll get another spoon>>>>> next time I go to the kitchen instead of making an extra>>>>> trip to get it right now.’ I was>>>>> impressed.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I also noticed that there was a string hanging out of>>>>> the waiter’s fly.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Looking>>>>> around, I saw that all of the waiters>>>>> had the same string hanging from>>>>> their flies. So,>>>>> before he walked off, I asked the waiter, ‘Excuse me,>>>>> but can you tell me why you have that string right>>>>> there.’>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>’Oh, certainly.’ Then he lowered his voice.>>>>>’Not everyone is so observant. That consulting firm I>>>>> mentioned also learned that we can save time in the>>>>> restroom.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> By tying this string to the tip of our you-know-what,>>>>> we can pull it out without touching it and eliminate the>>>>> need to wash our hands, shortening the time spent in the>>>>> restroom by 76.39%.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I asked quietly, ‘After you get it out, how do you>>>>> put it back.’>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>’Well,’ he whispered, ‘I don’t know>>>>> about the others, but I use the spoon.’