Management Jargon has an eerie way of popping up at most unexpected times.
It so happened to me, that, as I was struggling through a rubbery pav at ‘Welcome – A HINDU Restaurant’ (Ahem!! Talk about secularism), I was amazed at the speed with which their operations were working. The eatery is close to Stanc, HSBC, LIC , Colaba Market etcand everyday has a steady stream of lunchers. Yet you can be in and out of that place (with the rubbery pav resting in the dark recesses of your stomach) within 15 minutes.
The system works so fast and efficiently owing to ‘assembly line’ serving, which we have all witnessed at several Shiv Sagars, Sukh Sagars and Kamaths. There are different people assigned to cleaning the table, serving water, serving food, taking the order, getting the bill. The experience reminded me of harrowing experiences at plush restaurants on Saturday nights, when service takes ages and the glass stares expectantly to be refilled.
Is that the kind of difference that ‘Job shop’ v/s ‘Assembly Line’ can make? Is the psychology of the customer such, that, exclusivity (one waiter) is worth the wait? Is the specialization making each task of the waiters faster? Is the whole greater than the sum of the parts (generalist>specialist)?
Is a ‘Mainland China’ with assembly line serving not going to work?
