Case study - Potential loss of business opportunities through poor organisational image

This activity is designed to explore your understanding of what can happen if organisational standards and values are not used when conducting business. To do this, you should read the case study.

Exploring your knowledge

To gain an understanding of organisational standards and values, refer to the tutorial activity, 'Enhancing organisational image'.

Case study

Bob is the Frontline Manager for the packing and distributing division of a Melbourne based brewery. His team consists of personnel responsible for packaging, delivery and distribution of beer bottles and cans. He also hires sub-contractors from TCC, a local freight company, to deliver the products to the brewery's clients throughout Australia.

Over the last 3 months, Bob has received several reports from clients that goods have been damaged on arrival. The number of breakages have increased, and clients have reported poor customer service from delivery drivers. Clients however, remained happy with delivery speed of goods.

Although delivery speed is good, the cost of re-sending stock is rising, making products non-competitive in the industry. The image of the organisation is also at stake. The problem must be resolved urgently. How should Bob resolve this situation?

1. What activities have led to the brewery's clients making complaints? Do you think these complaints were justified?

2. What do you think could be the likely cause of the breakages? Who should be held accountable?

3. What approach could Bob the Frontline Manager use to obtain information about why the problem is occurring?

4. How could Bob have prevented this from happening?

5. What should be done to salvage the relationship with clients?

Constructing your understanding

To examine your understanding of the importance of using organisational standards and values when conducting business, complete the following questions:

6. What steps or action would you take if a similar problem occurred in your organisation?

7. What information and support would you require from team members, management customers and suppliers to find out the facts of what happened?

8. What communication methods/techniques would you use to address the problem?

9. What would be the consequences if this happened in your organisation?

10. How could you ensure that your organisation's standards and values were being used when conducting business?

Discuss your answers with your coach and other learners.

You can discuss your answers using live chat or the bulletin board.

Click on live chat or bulletin board to give your comments.

Transferring your knowledge to the workplace

11. Evaluate how effectively your organisation's standards and values are used when conducting business. What areas could be improved? How can this be monitored?

12. Evaluate alternative strategies where standards and values considered to be damaging to the organisation can be questioned. Who should be involved?

13. Discuss ways in which your communication methods/techniques could be improved with your team, customers and suppliers to achieve positive and timely outcomes.

14. Investigate opportunities to improve the organisation's image.

Discuss your answers with your coach and other learners.

You can discuss your answers using live chat or the bulletin board.

Click on live chat or bulletin board to give your comments.

Reflecting on your learning

15. Record your experiences and what you have learnt as a result of this activity in your journal.

Click here to be linked to your journal.