Paper Example on LensCrafters' Operations Strategy

Introduction

According to Brown & Bessant (2013), operations strategies are the methods that a company uses to attain its objectives. Most of the time, a company develops its operation strategies by analyzing its competitors and identifying their weaknesses. The weaknesses form a foundation upon which a company differentiates itself by creating an alternative way of carrying out its operations. In the case study concerning the LensCrafters; the management's strategy is to reduce time involved in getting eyeglasses. In most companies that deal with the manufacture of eyeglasses, there are usually separate days when the measurements of customers' details are taken and when the customers receive the glasses. Perhaps LensCrafters recognize that some cases may be urgent because the delay may affect the customers.

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Most importantly, LensCrafters' Operations strategy reveals that it is not necessary to create delays in the manufacture of eyeglasses. Instead of just taking customers' details then consulting the services of eyeglass manufacturers, all the relevant individuals can operate under the same roof. In doing so, customers get the advantage of choosing the color of their frames and other specifications. Seemingly, LensCrafters operate using the policy of letting the customers' preferences inform their work. The customer is treated like the boss while the employees act like their servants.

LensCrafters' operations strategy sets the company ahead of its competitors for obvious reasons. First, the efficiency with which they carry out their operations makes them a favorite for many customers, particularly those with emergencies. It is likely that customers who experience the services of LensCrafters will refer their friends readily. When customers are allowed to choose their preferences, they feel that the management values them. Lastly, LensCrafters' competitors who only take customers' specifications and then take those to different companies for the manufacturing of glasses, incur additional expenses emanating from logistical factors. The revenue generated from such competitors cannot match that of LensCrafters because it has another department for creating the glasses.

Operation Management Activities and Customer Experience

Perhaps, the essential element of the operation management is saving time. As the case study states, it takes only approximately one hour for the creation of the glasses. That is a definite element of LensCrafters as opposed to most of its competitors who take even days to provide their customers with eyeglasses after taking their specifications. Overly, people would want to make the least time possible to get such services because of other responsibilities they may have. Another important thing is the way the employees treat customers. According to the case study, there is an individual who is assigned the role of greeting customers and directing them to the necessary departments. That in itself is a positive measure to ensure that customers do not waste time trying to find their way around particular departments.

However, the organization has several challenges. One of them is that it deals with many employees. As a result, it may cause a strain on the resources of the organization. Some of the positions may not be necessary. An example, are the individuals assigned the role of greeting the customers and directing them to the different departments. A better approach would be to use symbols around the organization. As such, only receptionists are left to coordinate the customers with the relevant professionals. The second challenge concerns the influx of customers, realized as a result of the public image of the organization. The case study states that customers spend the one hour of manufacturing their eyeglasses with the opticians. During times when customers are many, it may not be possible for opticians to spend about one hour with the customers. That will mean that the number of customers they will attend to will be limited. As a result, the company's operation strategy causes a compromise. It is necessary that the company creates a different place where customers can wait while their eyeglasses are min the process of creation.

LensCrafters' Value Chain

The most prominent value offered by LensCrafters is that the customers have the advantage of observing their eyeglasses being made. This value portrays the company as being confident in whatever it does. Their confidence makes the customers develop trust in the management team as well as the other staff members. Secondly, the company values the time of customers. It makes the effort of directing them to the various departments. As a result, it portrays itself as an efficient company. Thirdly, the company has a provision of 30 days in which customers who are not satisfied with their eyeglasses can take them back to the company for a refund or exchange. If a customer is receives new glasses that are more expensive or cheaper, he or she only pays the difference or gets a refund of the difference respectively. Such measures portray the company as being honest and trustworthy. Most companies that provide eyeglasses do not have such policies for fear of incurring losses. The objective of such companies is to generate as much revenue as possible as opposed to observing the concerns of customers. LensCrafters presents an image of a social enterprise that is not only interested in making a profit but also concerned about the needs of people that have visual problems. To describe it aptly, it operates as a hybrid organization that is in place for a standard course as well as to generate revenue.

Performance Measurements

One of the most effective methods of measuring the performance of the service delivery design of LensCrafters is by analyzing the feedback given by the customers. In most companies, 'suggestion boxes' are provided whereby customers can write and drop their comments concerning the operations of the organization. Feedback from customers in the form of complaints or compliments; this also can set the company in the right direction. Positive comments will mean that the customers are satisfied with the service delivery of the organization while negative comments will make it necessary for the organization to re-evaluate its design. Still, on the customer strategy, a high number of customer indicates that the service delivery design is favorable to them while a low turnout would probably mean that it has a problem. The rationale behind this strategy is that customers are the most crucial factor in any organization (Slack, 2015). Since the services, designed for the customers, their perceptions are the most important. LensCrafters also attach a lot of importance on the way customers receive their services. Hence, it is essential to know what customers think about their services.

A second method that LensCrafters can use to gauge the performance of their service delivery design is by requesting the customers to rate them. In the first strategy, the customers' responses may only be qualitative. On the contrary, this approach requires the management to come up with a quantitative system such as developing percentages or a scale on which the customers rank the performance of the organization. The rationale behind this strategy is that customers may have used the services of other organizations (Slack, 2015). It is therefore vital for the organization to find out how it compares to other organizations offering similar services. The management will then take the necessary steps in response to the outcomes of the ranking.

Technologies Used

First, the labs in which the eyewear is manufactured uses modern equipment to make the eyeglasses. The eye checkup and measurement of various details uses advance equipment to enhance accuracy. The best indicators of superb technology used by the company are the quality of the goods (eyewear) and the time spent in producing them. Only superior equipment can measure details to precision. The difference between the time spent in manufacturing eyeglasses in LensCrafters and that contributed to its competitors is its superior technology. In the contemporary world, it is only great equipment that can produce quality eyewear and at fast speeds. Secondly, the excellent machine allows customers to specify minor details such as the color of the frames of their glasses. It is because modern technology has incorporated with commands that consider the design concerns of customers. Companies that do not have superior technology do not give customers the freedom of choosing specific specifications.

LensCrafters give their customers a rare opportunity of returning their glasses if they are not satisfied with them. Thirty days is a significant period, and most companies cannot risk providing such an extension. In fact, most companies try to minimize the duration to the least number of days as possible such as ten days. The objective usually is to make it impossible for customers to return the eyewear if they realize any defect after the expiry of the duration. However, Lenscrafters can provide reasonable amount of extension to their customers and even fair terms. It is an indicator that the technology used makes it easy to create the eyewear. The low cost of producing the eyeglasses trickles down to the customers. In fact, the organization operates as a social enterprise organization as opposed to its competitors who grapple to generate as much revenue as possible.

Discussion

LensCrafters is one of the organizations that is bent on building a reputation that is long-lasting. Perhaps the management realizes that successful organizations are those that have a positive public image. It seems that one of the goals of LensCrafters is to be in operation for an extended period. One of the significant implications of taking a strategy such as that employed by LensCrafters is that people develop confidence and trust in the organization. As a result, customers who would have experienced the services of the organization do not hesitate to refer their friends or relatives to the organization. The time factor is one of the prominent factors that affect the way people respond to the services of an organization (Horvathova & Davidova, 2011). People dislike organizations where they take a lot of time on queues or are told to check the outcomes after a specified period. LensCrafters have capitalized on the time factor to improve the experience of their customers. Just to speculate, the organization will most probably experience an influx of customers with time.

Conclusion

LensCrafters need to implement some changes in their operation management to deal with any situation that may arise. For instance, with the development of their brand, the organization may witness an increase in the number of customers. It may not be necessary for each customer to spend close to an hour with one optician. The optician may be over-stretched, and it may also limit the number of customers that are being attended to by the optician. The organization may also need to employ more opticians to deal with the increasing number of customers. The best solution would be to create a place where the customers wait, in a waiting room, for their eyeglasses, instead of spending an hour optometrist.

References

Brown, S., & Bessant, J. (2013). Strategic operations management. Routledge.

Collier, D.A. & Evans, J.R. (2013). OM: (2013) custom edition (4th Ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Centavo Learning.

Horvathova, P., & Davidova, M. (2011). Operations Management as Practice of Organizations' Strategic Management in Relation to the Environment. In 2011 International Conference on Financial Management and Economics, IPEDR (Vol. 11).

Slack, N. (2015). Operations strategy: will it ever realize its poten...