1. Learning Issue

1.1        How to measure high-quality cleaning service?

High-quality cleaning service include individual examination of each garment, appropriate advanced cleaning methods, and environmentally friendly.

High-quality cleaning service provide by Commuter Cleaning is that reliable and convenient. Location site at commuter station can convenient customer who does not has time to go the traditional dry cleaners. Office worker who live in the suburbs of large metropolitan areas has greatest need for a quality dry cleaning service. Beside that, Commuter Cleaning has a trained professional staff guarantee value customer that all of the buttons will be sewn on properly, creases are to customer specification, and French cuffs are folded.

  1. Differentiate between Commuter Cleaning and traditional dry cleaners?

1.3        How to measure hub-and-spoke system?

The hub-and-spoke system is a system of connections arranged like a chariot wheel, in which all traffic moves along spokes connected to the hub at the center. The model is commonly used in industry, in particular in ,  and , as well as in  (Wikipedia, 2008).

At this case, Commuter Cleaning delivery system is hub-and-spoke system which similar to the one that FedEx uses for package handling. Customers will have the convenience of dropping off their laundry at numerous neighborhood commuter stations. All dry cleaning will be picked up and delivered to one central plant, and once the shirts are clean they will be returned to the customer’s drop-off point.

        

1.4        What is drop-off point?

Drop-off point is a place that customers dropping off and retrieve their laundry, such as at their numerous neighborhood commuter stations. The facilities for laundry pick up and drop-off need not be large. The building or room at the station need only be large to accommodate racks for hanging the finished dry cleaning.

1.5        What is Commuter Cleaning customer services representative’s responsible?

When Commuter Cleaning first introduced the services into a city, customer service representative will be at the station facilities to answer questions and perform the paperwork necessary to initiate service for interested customer. All employees will have the title “customer service representative” to stress the function of their jobs. When customer initiate service, they will collect all necessary information, including name, address, phone number, location from where they commute, and credit card number. After that, one customer service representative will be responsible for customer billing. If a customer is late in paying, a customer service representative will call and remind the customer.

1.6        What is database?

A database is a collection of data organized in a manner that allows access, retrieval, and use of the data (Shelly G. B., 2006). With database software, often called a database management system (DBMS), users create a computerized database: add, change, and delete data in the database: sort and retrieve data from the database: and create forms and reports from the data in the database (Shelly G. B., 2006). DBMS of Commuter Cleaning typically contain aggregations of data records or files especially customer profiles, such as name, address, phone number, location from where they commute, credit card number, and customer’s transaction for each month.

1.7        How Commuter Cleaning create a stable work load to control fluctuation in demand?

One method of controlling demand offer by Commuter Cleaning is through price special and promotions. Offering a discount on certain days of the week is common practice for dry cleaners, and one approach would be to offer special prices to different customer segments to entice them to bring in their laundry on a certain day. For example, Friday may be the busiest day of the week and Monday and Tuesday the slowest. The customer base could be divided and each segment offered a discount price on a particular day. Beside that, Commuter Cleaning also offer a variety of coupon that search from website (refer Appendixes I) which can print and use when bring in their laundry. Other ideas include providing a complimentary cup of coffee to anyone bringing in laundry on Monday. These promotions can be implemented once demand fluctuations are observed.

1.8        What services are provided by Commuter Cleaning?

Commuter Cleaning provide same-day or next-day service for shirt laundry and use modern Ajax Equipment to press them. Besides provide laundry service, the following table is a list of others services provide at Commuter Cleaning:

1.9        Commuter Cleaning also offer home delivery for some inconvenience customer. What is home delivery?

Besides provide Commuter Dry Cleaning (KIOSK), Commuter Cleaning also offer home delivery in all of Westchester County NY and in Fairfield County, CT.  
          The service is like going to the cleaners twice weekly, without customer
having to waste time. There is no extra charge and credit card is billed at the end of the month for the work. There have 5 step of home delivery:

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1.10        What is the meaning of the “encounter cascade”?

Service encounter defined that period of time during which a consumer interacts directly with the service organization (Shostack, 1985).

Encounter Cascade is a process of service encounter the customers had undergone. Early events in the encounter cascade are very critical. Each individual encounter is potentially critical in creating a composite image of the firms’ in the customer’s memory and total perceived quality (Lovelock, C. & Wirtz, J., 2007).

1.11        Identify customer touch points.

Customer touch point is defined as, all of the communication, human and physical interactions the customers experience ...

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