Eating out can be an experience!!!

A lesson on how consultants can make a difference in an organisation.

Last week, we took some friends to a new Indian restaurant, 'Sam Bukks's Place,' and noticed that the Indian waiter who took our order carried a spoon in his shirt pocket. It seemed a little strange. When the busboy brought our water and utensils, I observed that he also had a spoon in his shirt pocket. Then I looked around and saw that all the Indian staff had spoons in their pockets. When the waiter came back to serve our soup I inquired, 'Why the spoon?'

'Well, 'he explained, 'the restaurant's owner hired Andersen Consulting to revamp all of our processes. After several months of analysis, they concluded that the spoon was the most frequently dropped utensil. It represents a drop frequency of approximately 3 spoons per table per hour. If our personnel are better prepared, we can reduce the number of trips back to the kitchen and save 15 man-hours per shift.'

As luck would have it, I dropped my spoon and he replaced it with his spare. 'I'll get another spoon next time I go to the kitchen instead of making an extra trip to get it right now..' I was impressed.

I also noticed that there was a string hanging out of the Indian waiter's fly.

Looking around, I saw that all of the Indian waiters had the same string hanging from their flies. So, before he walked off, I asked the waiter, 'Excuse me, but can you tell me why you have that string right there?'

'Oh, certainly!' Then the Indian waiter lowered his voice. 'Not everyone is so observant. That consulting firm I mentioned also learned that we can save time in the restroom. By tying this string to the tip of our you-know-what, we can pull it out without touching it and eliminate the need to wash our hands, shortening the time spent in the restroom by 76.39%.'

I asked quietly, 'After you get it out, how do you put it back?'

'Well,' he whispered, 'I don't know about the others, but I use the spoon.'

Thanks to young Patto for raising my concern as to the possible multiple uses of cutlery!!

End of year message & site comments

The following email will be going out to all our clients of www.wherethereisawill.com.au and www.wherethereisawill.co.nz in time for Christmas. We make mention of the Australian Government site 'Donate Life' as we believe that this is a great way that we here in Australia can contribute to the lives of people that we have never met.


To all our clients we wish you the best of time as you celebrate the ending of 2010 and the welcoming in of 2011.

I am sure that I speak on behalf of my wife Vivien, as well as Michael and Julie Smits, the other Co Owners, as I say that the season is all the more important as it is the time we rejoice in remembering and celebrating the anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ, an event which is just as important today as it was some 2000 years ago.

As you enjoy the festive season, this may be just the time to start thinking of new personal goals and resolutions, and in this regard we would draw your attention to the Donate Life website that is featured at the start of out 'Useful Links' page. During the year both Vivien and I have signed up and we would encourage you to give it some serious thought as it is a great way to have an active on going part in another person's life.

You may also want to take this time to check out and amend as appropriate your personal file.

As far as the 'free membership' of the site goes, this is still on offer for new clients to enjoy and they can sign up via the 'Special Offers' page.

Again, on behalf of Vivien, Michael and Julie, I wish you well for 2011.

Regards,

Graeme Brattle
Co Owner