Case study BARGAIN CITY

Your career is moving along faster than you expected. You thought that your expertise in Information systems would result in an initial break-in period as a programmer for Bargain City, a retail chain modeled along the lines of Wal-Mart. But the resignation of three systems analysts changed all that. The analysts left to form their own consulting firm. Knowing that you had a strong dose of systems analysis in college, your boss, Alisa Ernst, decided to let you begin as a systems analyst. It didn't take her long to give you your first assignment. Alisa made arrangements for you to visit an area store for the purpose of becoming familiar with activity at the store level. She expects you to prepare a written report that might serve as the basis for future systems projects.

You arrive at the West Alameda store at 9 A.M., and you are amazed at how many people are already shopping. The lot is full, and you have to wait ten minutes-it seems like thirty--to get a parking place. Inside, the conditions are no better. The store is huge, with fifteen checkout counters, but only four are open. Each of the four, one of which is the express lane, has a long line of shoppers waiting to check out. It's a good thing that you are not buying anything. Since you are only conducting a systems study, you will be able to get out sooner. You watch the action--or inaction--for a while and then wander back to the storeroom where three stock clerks are opening boxes. You hear one of them say, "Have you found it yet?" Curious, you introduce yourself and ask what they are looking for.

One of the clerks tells you that the store has a special on cookout items but ran out of charcoal starter fluid. The truck that was supposed to bring additional stock broke down in Tuba City. The lack of starter fluid is one reason the lines up front are so long; the checkout clerks are having to give out rain checks. You can understand why the stock clerks are having such difficulty; the storeroom is a real mess. Boxes are stacked everywhere. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to anything. You ask where the store computer is, and you are directed to a small room in the corner. There it is, humming away. Automation in action. With a good grasp of the backroom operation, you return to the front for the purpose of checking out the office. There's a big line there as well--people waiting to cash checks and return purchases.

Most of the returns seem to be glassware items that the customers found to be broken when they opened their shopping bags at home. The sackers had not packed the items properly. When you finally reach the head of the line, you are surprised to learn that the cashier is really the store manager. He asks you to come back when he has more time. He explains that he had to "let a lot of people go" in order to stay within the budget that headquarters imposed. You can tell by the way he snarls his explanation that he is not very happy about the whole situation. You decide not to stick around, or you might find yourself looking for starter fluid. You say goodbye and head for your office to write your report while everything is fresh in your mind.

Assignment:

Prepare a memo to Alisa. First, list problems with the West Alameda store. For each problem, identify a possible corrective action.