Operations Management Report London Zoo And New Walk Tourism Essay

This report outlines the operations management of New Walk Museum and London zoo respectively and then makes a comparison between these two leisure facilities. New walk museum is a special museum with a range of collections and focus on both the natural and cultural world.

The report is divided into three sections. The fist two parts show some details about operations management terms of the museum and London Zoo. The third part analyses the diversity of some existing problems in these two places.

The New Walk Museum

2.1 Processes type: service shops

Processes are serious of steps that turn materials and resources into products or services(Slack et al, 2007, p94). To ensure the implementation of each process may achieve the expected value is the primary purpose of process design. In other words, process should be designed to satisfy customers. Manufacturing process type and service process type are the two major types of processes and each type has its branches. According to the definition of each process, service shops is the one that fit in with the characteristic of the museum. Service shop are characterized by levels of customer contact, customization, volumes of customers and staff discretion.

2.2 layout and flow

The layout decision is a significant step since an improper layout may cause lots of questions. Such as low productive output, high cost and customer dissatisfaction. Layout relates to two core parts. One is the positioning of transforming resources and another is the allocation of tasks to transforming resources. These two core concepts indicate the flow of transformed resources through the operation(Slack et al, 2007, p188). Since the Layout is highly involved with process type generally, according to the process type of the museum, functional layout which also called process layout may be considered to choose. The unique trait of this layout type indicates that similar transforming resources are positioned in the same place and the flow pattern may be unfixed and complex. In the museum, for instance, the Ancient Egypt hall contains all symbols of Egypt like mummies and Sphinx; a majority of animal specimens from all over the world are all exhibited in the Wild Space hall. Each exhibition hall has its own topic, so visitors can choose to look around any hall according to their own interest. Different visitors may have various needs and take diverse routes.

The green lines in figure 2.2.1 show some possible routes may chosen by visitors. Cite the ground floor as an instance, a visitor could turn left to visit the exhibition hall of wild Space(4) or the Ancient Egypt(5). He can even enjoy a Special exhibition hall(8) that the farthest hall from the entrance. There are at least seven different routes to visit the ground.

Figure 2.2.1: The ground floor plan of the museum

The green lines in figure 2.2.2 shows there are no less than four kinds of routes.

Figure 2.2.2: The first floor plan of the museum

2.3 Transformation process

All operations can be regarded as the input- transform- output model. More specific, this model is used to describe operations in terms of their input resources, transforming processes and outputs of goods and services( Slack et al, 2007, p8). It is important to note that there are two types of input resources, one is transforming resources like materials, informations and customers and another is transformed resources, such as facilities and staff. As the museum, the operations process means let those input resources turn into output of services which may satisfy visitor needs. Figure 2.3 shows this process precisely.

Transformed resources:

Informations

Visitors

Transforming resources:

Exhibitions

Artworks

Equipment

staff

The

Transformation

process

visitors

services

Figure2.3 The input-transformation-output process of New Walk Museum

2.4 operations processes – 4Vs

Figure2.4: profiles of New Walk Museum

Volume: low

Because of the limited scale, different kinds of events and particular contents of each exhibition are necessary to attract visitors. Notably, the number of staff is inadequate according to the conversation with a staff which means that every staff may response to a large amount of unrepeatable and complex works. So the repeatability and systemization may also be low.

Variety: a little high

Except for the fundamental function of a museum, such as broaden one’s horizons, increased related knowledge and developed an appreciation of artworks, there are many especial events and interesting programmes. For instance, some learning projects, lunchtime Concerts and communication activities. Moreover, contents of special exhibitions are often changed according to the requirements of visitors. All of these may have a strong appeal to visitors.

Variation: a little high

According to the conversation with a staff, the amount of visitors is quite different in a year or a week. The amount of visitors will reach a peak in holidays, such as Christmas, Easter, summer and winter holidays. In addition, the amount of visitors may increase if there will held a particular event or special activity in one day.

Visibility: high

Staff sometimes service as cicerones, they need to introduce or answer questions for visitors. In other words, staff provide just-in-time service.

2.5 feedback mechanism

Feedback from visitors is an effective way for operation managers to find out the existing problems and help managers to improve their operation performance. It is a fairly vital step in a operations.

The overwhelming purpose of feedback mechanism in the museum is to find visitors’ perceptions on service quality they received. Visitors often compare these perceptions with their expectations of the service they may meet that provide by operations. The gap between expectations and perceptions is a basis to assess quality of the service and operations managers can improve those aspects which perceptions are lower than visitors’ expectations.

There are three different ways for visitors to give feedbacks – face book via the Internet, questionnaire and comments, compliments & complaints leaflet.

Questionnaire contains some details about the visitors’ views to both the whole museum and each exhibition halls, the service they received provided by staff and also some personal informations.

Visitors can pass on a comment, compliment or complaint by using the comments, compliments & complaints leaflet(Appendix 1) . All of these can also be made via the Internet, by telephone, in person, by letter or by using this form. The staff will contact and give a reply to visitors so soon as possible.

2.6 existing problems

Operations performance objectives

Quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and cost are five basic performance objectives in order to satisfy customers.

Firstly, quality is the most significant performance that may highly involved with customers satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Slack et al(2007) define quality as “Consistent conformance to customer expectations”. In some busiest times, since each staff have a great deal of tasks, it is difficult to satisfy all different needs from all visitors. Some visitors might be ignored or can not get what they need in time, all of these may lead poor quality and can not achieve the visitors’ expectation. Secondly, the speed objective is another vital factor that increases value for customers. According to the conversation with a staff, it will take at least one and a half month to prepare a exhibition relates to the customers’ needs and recommendations. So some of the exhibition halls may be decorated by turns, simultaneously, this may cause loud noise and an awful smell. In other words, it may also have adverse effect on the quality. Last but not least, cost is a main issue that needed to solve. As the museum is free to entry, the majority of finance that used to support the daily operation come from donation. The sponsor are City Council, Art Council and some other enterprises. But due to the insufficient finance support, the facilities or some non-technological equipments in some exhibitions seems useless for visitors to get familiar with the content.

Capacity

Capacity means the maximum level of value-added activity that an operation, a process or facility is capable of over a period of time(Slack et al, 2007, p322). According to the conversation with a staff, the average amount of visitors is vary between two hundreds and four hundreds per day. In peak times, like weekends and holidays, the amount may sometimes rise to thousand people per day. But due to the small scale of the museum, three existing problems that may cause dissatisfaction of visitors. The first one is jam at entrance of each exhibition hall and some corridors. Another one is the shortage of packing spaces. There are only 17 packing spaces and two of them are for disabled visitors. Finally, the maximum capacity of the Main Art Gallery hall is two hundreds visitors which may not adequate in busiest times.

feedback mechanism

The amount of questionnaire form is limited. There are only hundred of forms each month which means some of the visitors may not be able to get one at the end of each month. I did not get one when I visited there since the questionnaire have been used up. In addition, the staff said that there are still some weaknesses. The questionnaire should list some items for visitors to show what they are interested in, according to this, operations can plan a new topic for the Special Exhibition halls.

3. London Zoo

3.1 Process type: service shops

The significant characteristics of service shops are the medium level of volume and customization. As area of the Zoo has been expanded since 1830s, now London Zoo has became a leisure place which with a fair scale and quite strong. Although, the total amount of staff is 161, what more, temporary staff may be hired in peak times, it seems that the number of staff is still not adequate to have high customer contact, especially in peak times. So the volume and customization is in a middle level.

3.2 layout and flow

According to the Zoo map that download from its official website, there are some obvious rule, such as habitats and species, to allocate animals. For instance, animals live in rainforest are classified in Rainforest live, various butterflies are put in the Butterfly paradise. Animals is one of the transforming resources, so put similar transforming resources together indicates that process layout( functional layout) is the layout type of London Zoo, just the same as New Walk Museum.

There is not a fixed routes, so visitors can choose to look at any kind of animals.

Figure 3.2: Zoo Map (https://static.zsl.org/images/originals/zsl-london-zoo-map-7874.jpg)

3.3 transformation process

The concept of transformation process has be emphasised in the same part of New Walk Museum. It is a process that make the resources turn into services. The transformed resources of the Zoo is visitors, information. The transforming resources is facilities, animals, staff, amenities. Figure 3.3 shows this process precisely.

The

Transformation

process

Transformed resources:

Informations

Visitors

Transforming resources:

Animals

Amenities

Equipment

staff

visitors

services

Figure3.3 The input-transformation-output process of London Zoo

3.4 four characteristics of operations processes

Figure3.4: profiles of New Walk Museum

Volume: a little high

Although there are a great deal of visitors everyday, the number of staff is enough. Temporary staff may be employed in busiest times and largely used at some amenities which need to provide just- in- time service. So the tasks for each staff may be proper and even with high repeatability.

Variety: low

Some particular activities or events are held from time to time. Such as, Summer and Christmas Parties, Animal Encounters and so on. In addition, the zoo also provides places for people to perform private events. For instance, a really wild birthday party, a romantic but special wedding or corporate meeting. All of these events may attract visitors, it is a good way to improve the amount of visitors. But main purposes of most visitors that come to the zoo is to see and get some knowledges of animals. So the variety is low although there are an array of extra events.

Variation: high

The daily numbers of visitors fluctuate widely and the seasonal variations are apparent. Weekends and summer holidays are busiest times and the average amount of visitors is fluctuating between 4000 and 6000. On the Easter and August Bank Holiday, the amount can reach 10000 people per day. But, only 48 people visit the zoo in Christmas Eve. So, the variation is high.

Visibility: a little high

The staff in zoo are also provide just-in-time service, they may introduce animals to visitors, answer questions from visitors. But there are still some processes that can not be seen, like how staff feed animals. So, the visibility is a little high.

3.5 feedback mechanism

The questionnaire is comprehensive, it contains the visitors’ perception about the quality of service and what visitors’ expected from the zoo.

3.6 existing problems

The importance-performance matrix

The importance-performance matrix is a technique that brings together scores that indicate the relative importance and relative performance of different competitive factors in order to prioritize them as candidates for improvement. The following figure shows an importance-performance matrix divided into four zones that imply different priorities. The “appropriate” zone illustrates the competitive factors are considered satisfactory. The competitive factors in this zone must be candidates for improvements. In other words, operations should develop a plan of action to tackle these issues. The “urgent-action” zone demonstrates the competitive factors in this zone need to be immediate improvement. Last but not least, the “excess?” zone means factors that have “high performance” but not so important to visitors, so operations do not need to focus on these too much but used better elsewhere(Slack et al, 2007, p589).

Urgent action area:

1.Parking

2.Find way around zoo

3.Visibility of animals

4.Happiness of animals

5.Attentiveness&helpfulness: staff

6.Contact with staff

7.Number of events and

presentations

8.Cleanliness and tidiness

9.Comfort of animals

10.Commitment to visitors

Figure 3.6: The importance-performance matrix for London Zoo (over 6000 visitors)

The above figure 3.6 calculated from over 6000 visitors, it shows that in the case of London zoo, there are 10 issues need to be improved urgently and 18 issues should enhance properly and only 5 competitive factors may satisfied the visitors. (The detail items are showed in appendix 2.)

Operations performance objectives

According to the characteristics of operations process and the importance-performance matrix shows above, there are lots of problems that need to be coped with.

In respect of quality, firstly, Due to the large amount of visitors, especially in peak times, the number of staff is insufficient, so the contact with staff is so less that need to be improved urgently. In addition, many visitors hope the staff should be more attentiveness and helpfulness. Secondly, the map and guide posts are not clear enough, sometimes visitors can not find their way consequently. Thirdly, the tidiness and cleanliness of the zoo is another aspect that need to be improved immediately. Then, as people become concern about animal rights and welfare, the comfortable and happiness of animals in the zoo seems to make many visitors feel worried, so operations have to try to tackle it. Last but not least, number of animals in the zoo and the visibility of animals need to improved or visitors may think it is not worth to visit the zoo.

In the terms of cost, the situation that lack of investment sustained for 25 years. It may prevent operations to purchase or build infrastructure, new attractions, facilities and so on. As a consequence, the number of visitors may decrease if the zoo can not provide high quality service. In other words, the income may also decline. It seems like a vicious cycle.

Capacity

A long queue often builds up everywhere and the packing places are less than demands, these will become worse in busiest times.

Compare the New Walk Museum with London Zoo

4.1 operations processes- 4Vs

The volume of New walk Museum is low, while the volume of London Zoo is a little high. The number of staff in the museum is inadequate, so the demands of visitors may not be satisfied immediately. In the case of London Zoo, staff is sufficient in ordinary day but may need to increase in the busiest time since visitors still thought the contact with staff need to be more according to the matrix.

As the distinct seasonal change, the variation of both places are high and London zoo in particular. The following bar graph 4.1.1 shows the annual fluctuation of visitors amount perspicuously. It clearly shows that busiest times for the two places are almost similar. The fluctuation of London Zoo is more dramatic than the museum, especially in Christmas eve. The next line charts 4.1.2 demonstrates this distinguish. Only 48 people visitor the Zoo in Christmas Eve but there is a slightly decline of visitors’ amount in the museum. The two place both need to increase the number of visitors, especially the museum.

Figure 4.1.1: The variation of London Zoo and New Walk Museum

Summer

holiday

Christmas

Easter

Figure 4.1.2: Different of variation between London Zoo and New Walk Museum

4.2 operations performance

In the terms of quality, numerous of potential and existing problems need to be pay more attention. The volume of museum is low, simultaneously, the variety is high which indicates the number of staff is shortage and there may be also jams in the museum. Besides, the quality problems in London Zoo is much more than the museum that detail items is in the appendix 2. Such as, the tidiness and cleanliness, contact with staff, the capability of staff and so on.

Cost is another problem that both them may have. The lack of finance support from society and enterprise is difficult to provide a high performance to visitors.

4.3 layout and flow

Process layout is the two places’ layout type. The common problem is guide of visiting route is not so clear that visitors may get confusing. Since the process layout means put similar resources together and have lots of different route, so without some clear guide, it is difficult to find a correct way.

4.4 capacity

Both the two place are facing this serious problem. Such as the shortage of infrastructures like parking places, toilets, the congested corridors which may lead long queues and visitors may packed and hardly move.

Conclusion

This report shows some details about operations management terms of the museum and London Zoo, for instance, the transformation process, layout, 4Vs and so on. It also lists some existent problems that may influence the operations.

(2900 words)

Reference:

Slack, N., Chambers, S. and Johnston, R., 2007, Operations management, 5th Edition, FT/Prentice Hall.

Appendix 1

Comments compliments &complaints

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