Analysis

INFORMATION SILOS

Information silos occurs when information is not communicated within the departments of a company. Communication throughout all the departments is key within any business because it allows for a better customer service, the reduction of costs, and a more effective strategy. For Subway, communication between regional headquarters, franchise owners, managers, and employees is a key function to operate the restaurant as efficient as possible. Up to now, Subway POS solutions Subway powered by Scoredby interactive has become outdated and continues to experience major problems with information silos in the Department of Sales and Marketing in their Regional Headquarters with Franchise restaurants.

Subway is known for its fresh ingredients as well as the promotions for its products. A major problem is the outdated information between the Headquarters and Franchise Restaurants in its price changes of its product and promotions. As a result, employees have to manually change the price of its products when customers check out their orders. In peak hours, this creates a problem since the time period handling one customer goes longer their target time. Another problem is the outdated information in promotions. Customers tend to be more inform about promotions rather than the employees serving the products. As a result, employees tend to overcharge their customers leading a low customer service. 

HARDWARE

SUBWAY restaurant selected PAR`s EverServ 7000 POS hardware solution for the in-store hardware platform over several other vendors. SUBWAY restaurants utilize PAR`s global capabilities and infrastructure during their new world-wide technology implementation for deployment and life cycle support services.

The PAR’s design combines flexibility, availability, and durability in a smart compact point-of-sale terminal. Also, this hardware provides peak performance with powerful processors for improved graphics and increased speed of service. Moreover, PAR’s technology hardware contains energy-saving features and rugged architecture that highlight a low total cost of ownership and long product lifespan. PAR has been a hardware supplier for SUBWAY® POS since 2009 and has installed thousands of PAR POS terminals in the past two years. PAR’s restaurant point of sale hardware is technologically advanced, paired with powerful, durable and flexible designs. PAR offers a complete line of peripherals options to complement its POS hardware, as Cash drawer, POS Printers, and Kitchen Video System

SOFTWARE

The software that subway uses for its operations is the POS system. The Point Of Sales System that Subway uses was customized and made authentically for Subway’s needs by Scoresby Interactive. This point of sales system was implemented about one year ago is designed to make easier the day to day operations additionally to reduce the time required to train staff, increase the speed of the services, prevent employee’s theft, and increase the order accuracy. Some of the problems with the POS system is that the inventory is done manually, the software does not notify the employees when there is a product running low, therefore the placement of orders are done by employees’ intervention. Another problem with the software is that the updates are done manually and some of the franchises are not up to date with promotions and events going on, this is a time consuming task which generates problems to employees and customers.

DATA

Data are facts and figures that are stored for analysis. All of Subway data is stored through the Subway POS database system. Data inputted to system includes numerous records and fields with specific information such as customers profile, products information, and general cashier activity. Furthermore, Subway stores financial data such as daily sales records, onsite inventory ordering, labor costs and more. The POS system also includes an employee punch in/out system that tracks the hours work for the particular employee.

Metadata is data that describes data. Metadata used by Subway includes specific financial information, inventory order history, customers order history, employees timesheets and many more

PROCEDURES

Procedures are an established way of doing something, or a set of order steps that are used to accomplish a given task. The procedures that we will be focusing on, will be Subway's procedures for updating a franchisees stock for a given product. Subway uses these following steps in numerical order to accomplish this goal. 

1. Manager and employees records inventory.

2. Given product's stock begins to run low.

3. The manager will place the order manually into the POS system.

4. The order is made and the items begin to transmit through the Subways factory/warehouse for shipping.

5. Upon completion of the items creation, the packaging and finishing departments begin to place the order into the post production area for shipping.

6. The orders are loaded into the trucks and then shipped to the franchisee.

PEOPLE

People, which consist of employees and clients, are at the core of Subways success . People are an essential part of the business as well as Subways business strategy. People are what makes everything go there are the main component and the engine that gets everything going.

EMPLOYEES

Subway employees are highly trained workers. Without these skilled professionals, the company could not operate. They are directly responsible for daily operations and differentiating the business from all of there competitors.

CUSTOMERS

Subway customers or  clients are essential to the success of the business or any business for the that matter, which is why Subway stresses the highest level of customer service and satisfaction. Most of Subways clients are just regular people who stop by for a bite to eat. Subway does keen to any specific type of customers as long as your hungry or a sandwich lover subway is your place to be.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Social Media is an information system that allows, and supports the distribution of content with a host of different networks. Subway uses Facebook as a social media information system, as well as, LinkedIn and Twitter. The purpose of all their social media accounts is to promote their brand name, expand their brand presence and networking.  In this era, social media is used for both connecting directly to the customers, and advertising. Subway values social media when it comes down to all the essentials of the business. 

SECURITY

Subway Restaurant is protected by the POS system which brings its own security requirements as passwords for each employees for clock in and clock out, passwords for new orders and any changes to the system. Only the managers have access to make changes, updates or avoid any undesired order. Subway also have protections in point-of-sale POS system with the credit card payments by encrypting the credit and debit card information of the customer. According to the PCI Security Standards Council, which governs credit card and debit card payment systems security, requires two-factor authentication for remote access to POS systems.

Some of the problems that Subway is facing in their security system is that the passwords are not strong enough and any employees can have access to others passwords and make orders in the name of others employees. Also, a coworker can sign you in without you being presented just to be on time, and increase labor hours. Finally, as the manage spend less time in the store, he provides his passwords to the employees just in case there is any problem and we have to avoid any order or make changes, so the problem here is that employees can over abuse this trust and do unethical actions by using his passwords and give items for free.