TQM Analysis

Havana Central is a restaurant that is providing an authentic experience. Total Quality management is a key component to the success of the business. Customer satisfaction is the top priority but employee involvement and continuous improvement are also important when creating an authentic experience.

Customer Satisfaction

Conformance to specification is  used to determine the restaurants ability to provide continuous quality in the food and service. The make to order strategy creates the end product once the customer places the order, which creates additional wait time for the customer to receive the product, but allowing for more customization.

The moment the customer walks in, the moment they get their food and eat the food, price, and the moment they leave is what they consider when determining Value. When the dish is done it needs to be inspected to see if it holds up to the company's standards before it gets sent out to the table. Once the dish is finished the customer begins the final decision making process. 

Fitness for Use is when customers assess how well a service or product performs its intended purpose. If the food was made in a timely manner and it looked and tasted good, then the customer is satisfied with Havana Central.

The managers and employees are crucial to this business and they are the Support. All of the employees and managers need to be knowledgeable when it comes to the the restaurant and the food they make. Havana Central prides itself not just in the food but also in the staff. Every employee and manager receives extensive training. If the customer was not satisfied with their meal, the atmosphere, or the price, they must be helpful because they want create and keep loyal customers. 

Psychological Impressions are used by the customers in determining the quality of service or product based on psychological impressions: atmosphere, image, or aesthetics. That means the restaurant, the employees, and the food should have a quality appearance. Nicely dressed, courteous, friendly and sympathetic employees are the key component in making the right impression every time the customer comes to Havana Central.  

Employee Involvement

Cultural Change- Two types of customers exist, internal and external. The internal customers need to be served first. The internal customers are directly connected to the business and that includes both Front of House and Back of House employees. Management must maintain the inventory for all the ingredients, equipment, and other items so the internal customers can provide the external customers with the service and product.

Teams- Havana Central knows employees are the core of their business. So they provide an extensive training process while emphasizing "teams". Employees and management work together on a daily basis on providing the customers with an authentic experience. The more money people spend the better it is for management, as well as the employees, because they earn tips. The company cares about its staff and wants to empower them and for the restaurant to be the best place they have worked at.

Continuous Improvement

Meetings play a very important role in the improvement of the business. The Back of House managers meet with their staff (cooks, runners, bussers, pantry, etc) and the Front of House managers meet with their staff (hosts, bartenders, servers) both discuss what can be done better or what can be eliminated or a re-division of labor. Every Saturday the managers meet with each other discuss their findings and talk about what they can do to improve Havana Central.

Customer comments are welcomed and on the weekends the general manger asks people table to table about their experience or they have a questionnaire station set up when you enter the restaurant. 

The owner of Havana Central visits each location and will ask the guests how their experience is, and sits down at the table with them if they do not mind.