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I am working on a small case study of the restaurant who is suffering a loss in business of nearly about 70-80% due to COVID-19 situation so the business owner would like to revamp his whole business model to increase his sales and revenues.

Currently, the problems he is having right now are the complicated 3rd party app for online food delivery, delivery app services for taking out are taking a lot of commission. Right now the restaurant is allowing people to eat outside with only a certain number of peoples. So all these factors are contributing to the loss in business. These are the factors I have discovered while reading the case study.

As a business analyst, I have been told to revamp the current business model and come up with something that would increase his profit and sales of the business. But I have not worked as an actual business analyst so I don't have any idea from where to start and how do I analyze the problem and come up with a solution.

I would love to hear from wonderful peoples from here.

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3 Answers 3

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Ignoring the substantive issue you're facing and focusing on the process of problem resolution, the general flow looks something like this:

  1. Clearly articulated problem statement: seems like you have that;
  2. Identification and analysis of potential root cause(s): seems like you have this, too;
  3. Analysis of Alternatives (various business model possibilities): this requires market research, industry trends, brainstorming with subject matter experts, etc.;
  4. Establish decision criteria: includes costs, viability, and risks;
  5. Alternative scoring against criteria; and
  6. Determining best choice.

Once you have the best choice and have decision maker consensus, then you build your project to begin developing the new model and transitioning from the old to the new. Part of this process is establishing the metrics, both baseline with the old model and targets with the new, so that after go-live you can monitor your progress against it. If the numbers are not materializing, you take your off-ramp which you established as part of your project.

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  • Upvoted for your kind efforts towards helping me and for the brilliant answer. So as a part of this solution, we cannot come up with the solution from our own? I have done some research with how business is considering to cope up with the covid 19 situations but couldn't found anything. Can you provide any insights so as to how do i do market research please?
    – I Love Stackoverflow
    Jun 28, 2020 at 12:27
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    You can come up with a solution on your own, if you want. Just more brains the better in many cases. I wouldn't research COVID19 situations but rather more general industry disruptions. You'll likely find some answers with other industries that suffered some type of crippling event. Their solutions might trigger an idea in the restaurant industry. Obviously not the same but "transferable."
    – David Espina
    Jun 28, 2020 at 12:33
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    For example, look at natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina. Many business just shut down but some survived because they reacted quickly and met a new demand in the market place. Cross walk from there.
    – David Espina
    Jun 28, 2020 at 12:35
  • Ok that’s a wonderful idea. Actually I have to create documentation describing the overview of Functional requirements of this case study but based on my understanding functional requirements are described based on user interfaces and not for the whole case study. Am I right?
    – I Love Stackoverflow
    Jun 28, 2020 at 12:38
  • I don't think you can arrive at functional requirements until you have established a good business case for the new model. I.E., the model will inform the functional requirements of the solution that supports the model. Make sense?
    – David Espina
    Jun 28, 2020 at 12:56
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I would start with getting a clear overview of the constraints on the possible solutions. And with constraints I mean the limitations that are not within your (or the business owner's) power to change.

For example, if the authorities put a limit on the number of people a restaurant is allowed to serve (e.g. no one inside, max 30 people outside), then whatever plan you come up with to increase the capacity above that number is a non-starter.

As a note of caution, with the COVID-19 situation, the economy is not functioning in its normal way and the legislature is changing at a fast pace. It is entirely possible that today running a restaurant is just not going to make a profit regardless of the measures you take and tomorrow the situation can be completely different.

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  • Considering this business case in my mind, If I have to write an overview of Functional requirements then what it should be? Actually I have never created any document so don't have much idea regarding the Functional requirement.
    – I Love Stackoverflow
    Jun 28, 2020 at 11:57
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One restaurant I know came up with a daily changing menu for a minimum price that they could deliver to the elderly within their area. Became very popular, and of course, they did not just focus on the elderly as a change from home cooking can be welcome to all.

Not sure if they continue it as conditions due to cv19 have changed. But you have to look at alternative revenue streams.

You also need to factor in costs - packaging, delivery etc

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  • So is this the only solution like changing the menu for a minimum price?
    – I Love Stackoverflow
    Jun 28, 2020 at 11:58
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    “Alternative revenue streams” I gave one example, up to you to figure out others based on what may work there.
    – Solar Mike
    Jun 28, 2020 at 12:03
  • Upvoted for your kind efforts towards helping me and giving the idea as well. Actually I want to write overview of functional requirements. Do you have any idea regarding the functional requirement?
    – I Love Stackoverflow
    Jun 28, 2020 at 12:05
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    Why start with requirements? Look at the area? Seafood? Local produce & do they deliver? Specialities? What is the population? What about access? Can people pick up takeaway for example? What would make a takeaway interesting or special in that area? Is there a working population that would pay for lunch? Evaluate what is there and see how that can be used to breakeven or perhaps turn a profit.
    – Solar Mike
    Jun 28, 2020 at 12:12

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