Case Study Conducted For:

Pensacola Handyman Services

Executive Summary

Performance issues can hinder the efficacy of how an organization functions. These

issues can lead to a decrease in productivity, revenue, staff/client satisfaction, and an increase

in expenses over time. The purpose of this report is to demonstrate how performance issues

can be resolved through the use of performance management. Performance management

analyzes performance issues by determining what environment variables may be contributing

to the issues and altering those variables to resolve the issues. Essentially, we can adjust the

environment to bring out the best performance in staff and therefore produce more long-term

success for business results.

The performance issue was identified as delayed work completion and the behavior

associated with the issue was identified as staff arriving to work late. We discovered

environmental variables that were contributing to this behavior both prior to the behavior and

after the behavior occurred by conducting assessments. We also conducted an assessment for

the staff to find out what is motivating for them and incorporated those motivators into our

solutions. We developed a few solutions to alter the identified environmental variables and

narrowed the solutions down to one intervention to implement prior to the behavior and one

intervention to implement after the behavior. The results of these interventions demonstrated

a significant increase in the amount of on-time arrivals and an increase in the amount of work

completed. This ultimately led to an increase in the company’s productivity and revenue.

Moving forward, I would recommend continuing the two interventions that have been

implemented. To ensure that staff remain motivated throughout these interventions, I would

advise that staff preferences be assessed every few weeks or sooner because staff preferences

tend to change over time. In addition, I recommend keeping the intervention we used to alter

the environmental variables that occur prior to the behavior attention-grabbing and

entertaining. To make sure that the interventions are still working effectively, I recommend

regularly collecting information on the behavior associated with the performance issue. Also,

analyzing productivity and revenue is critical to determine if the desired performance continues

to contribute to success in both of those areas.

Performance Issue

The company’s name is Pensacola Handyman Services, and it is located in Pensacola,

Florida. Pensacola Handyman Services provides general handyman services such as home

repair, maintenance, renovation, installation, and debris removal. This organization has been in

business for five years and has a total of ten handymen. The organization is performing well,

but not as well as it could be performing. While the company has grown and the yearly revenue

has increased slightly every year from the previous year, the business productivity and revenue

is not what the owner expected it to be at this point. The company does not have set “9-5” days

and the scheduled start times and end times vary by day for each employee, which adds a

uniqueness to how the company functions.

The performance issue to assess is delayed work completion. The behavior associated

with this issue is arriving to work (job sites) late (after the scheduled start time), and the result

of this behavior is having to stay at job sites longer to complete jobs/delay following jobs to

finish work that would have been finished if staff arrived to work on time. This ultimately

decreases the amount of work completed, decreases the number of clients served, and

decreases earning potential. When speaking with the owner of this organization, he described

this issue as the result of staff being unreliable and unprofessional. Once the owner was

finished explaining the issue at hand, I asked some follow-up questions to try and dissect those

generalities described by the owner. First, I asked what exactly the employees were doing that

made him feel as though they were unreliable and unprofessional. The owner stated that most

of his employees show up to work significantly later than the time they are scheduled to be at

the job sites. This frustrates the owner because he feels as though it reflects poorly on his

company and delays work completion. The owner discovered this issue after receiving feedback

from his clients and by observing the late arrivals himself sometimes.

Staff arriving to job sites habitually late is a major disruption to the efficacy of the

company’s work. The impacts of this effect the business, the staff themselves, the clients, and

society. The business is impacted by this performance issue because work completion is

delayed and beginning new assigned jobs are delayed as well, which decreases the amount of

work completed, decreases the number of clients served, and decreases earning potential. Staff

are impacted by arriving to job sites late because sometimes they try to rush finishing the job,

which can cause the work to be done incorrectly and can delay work completion even further

by having to fix their mistakes. In addition, clients are sometimes rude to staff when they arrive

late, which can affect the quality of their work. The clients are impacted by this performance

issue because they can become unhappy when staff arrive late and can become unhappy if the

work is completed poorly due to the handymen rushing to finish it. Society is impacted by

handymen arriving late to job sites because it can create stereotypes about the handyman

profession and other similar trades.

Performance management is a solution to the performance issue addressed.

Performance management is derived from the science of human behavior and focuses on

individual performer behavior. According to Daniels and Bailey (2014), the goal of performance

management is “To create a workplace that brings out the best in people while generating the

highest value for the organization”. Essentially, performance management is mutually

beneficial to the staff and the company. Behavior science is the best choice for helping resolve

the performance issue because by using it we can alter the environment to increase the

likelihood of desired behaviors occurring more often in the future by rewarding the behaviors

we want to see. This, in turn, will decrease the likelihood of undesired behaviors occurring that

are causing the performance issue and will lead to an increase in the amount of work

completed.

Assessments Conducted

Historical Assessment

A historical assessment was conducted with the purpose of reviewing information on

past productivity, revenue, employee performance, and client feedback. Analyzing all the

relevant data such as planning documents, organizational charts, service standards, workplace

conditions, client lists, handbooks, and job descriptions are critical in this type of assessment

(Rodriguez et al., 2017). We obtained productivity charts, revenue charts, strategic plans, client

feedback documentation, the employee handbook, job descriptions, and documentation of late

arrival occurrences for each handyman. There was data available for past performance in the

productivity charts, revenue charts, strategic plans, client feedback documentation, job

descriptions, and documentation of late arrival occurrences for each handyman. We compared

the productivity charts to the revenue charts to see any trends and correlations between work

completed and money earned. We then compared the productivity charts with the strategic

plans to see the company’s productivity compared to the projected productivity. We also

compared the revenue charts with the strategic plans to see the company’s revenue compared

to the projected revenue. The client feedback documentation included the type of work

completed, the duration of the work including start and end times, and the satisfaction rating of

the completed work. The job descriptions we reviewed included the estimated duration of work

projects from start time to end time, all necessary steps to complete the project, all materials

needed, and the location of the job. The documentation of employee late arrivals was gathered

by both the client feedback and the owner’s documentation which included the frequency of

late arrivals and on time arrivals per employee along with the dates.

Indirect Assessment 1 (Performance Diagnostic Checklist)

The Performance Diagnostic Checklist is an assessment used to identify potential

performance barriers and to provide effective solutions for organizational performance issues

(Gravina et al., 2021). The process of conducting this assessment involves interviewing

performers individually by asking pre-determined questions derived from the Performance

Diagnostic Checklist and sometimes asking follow-up questions. Research by Pampino et al.

(2003) supports that information gathered by using the Performance Diagnostic Checklist can

be valuable when attempting to design an intervention and can provide the consultant with a

specific direction for intervention. Therefore, after conducting the interviews, the results were

analyzed, and effective interventions were determined based on the results. Since the

organization consists of only ten handymen, I conducted an interview with each of them. Below

is a completed assessment that displays information consistent with other interviews.

Indirect Assessment 2 (PIC/NIC™ Analysis)

The PIC/NIC™ Analysis is a formal way of using the performer’s perspective to analyze

behavior and examine the antecedents and consequences associated with the behavior

(Daniels & Bailey, 2014). To conduct this analysis, we started by pinpointing the problem

behavior, then interviewing staff to identify the antecedents occurring prior to the behavior

and to identify the consequences following the behavior. Once the consequences were

identified, we categorized them in terms of whether they were Positive/Negative,

Immediate/Future, and Certain/Uncertain. A critical piece of information related to the

PIC/NIC™ Analysis is that Positive Immediate Certain consequences are the most powerful for

increasing behavior and Negative Immediate Certain are the most powerful for decreasing

behavior. These factors are what make up the PIC/NIC™ acronym. Since the organization

consists of only ten handymen, I conducted an interview with each of them. Below is a

completed PIC/NIC™ Analysis that displays information consistent with other interviews.

Antecedent Desired behavior Consequence P/N I/F C/U

1. Wanted to sleep in longer due to late evening at work 2. Unsure of start time, the schedule is in their email somewhere 3. Needs to eat breakfast before going to work

Arriving to work on time

1. Not able to sleep in longer 2. Might have to skip breakfast 3. Satisfied client 4. The boss probably won’t be there to notice 5. Work completion

N I C N I U P I U N I U P F C

Direct Assessment

Direct observation of the performance was conducted to obtain reliable information

related to performance barriers and to confirm information gathered during the indirect

assessments. Data collection was taken during direct observation of behavior to correlate

environmental variables and to help gather information that could lead to effective solutions

(Gravina et al., 2021). I conducted direct observation by arriving to each job site prior to the

start time and took data using a fundamental measure in the form of frequency to record the

number of late arrivals per handyman. Reid et al. (2012) suggests using an unpredictable

schedule for formal observation to control for reactivity. Hence, we controlled for reactivity of

staff by not making it known when exactly my presence would be at the job sites. Some

motivating factors for employee late arrivals could include hunger and sleep deprivation.

Deprivation in behavior science is an establishing operation. An establishing operation, as

defined by Agnew (1998), is a motivating variable that alters the reinforcing effectiveness of

certain stimuli and increases the likelihood of engaging in behavior that has a history of being

reinforced by those stimuli.

Preference Assessment

A reinforcer survey was given to each handyman to determine what kind of reinforcers

could be used for intervention and to create a reinforcer array for them to choose from.

According to Catania (2013), a reinforcer is a consequence that will make responding more

likely to occur in the future when immediately delivered following a desired behavior. This

preference assessment was conducted by giving each handyman a Likert-based reinforcer

survey to fill out to identify reinforcer preferences. Once these preferences were identified, we

created a reinforcer array that could offer the handymen multiple options to choose from so

that motivating variables and flexibility could be accounted for. There were 10 reinforcers

chosen for the array and each of them had a value of $10 dollars or less.

Antecedent Undesired behavior Consequence P/N I/F C/U

1. Wanted to sleep in longer due to late evening at work 2. Unsure of start time, the schedule is in their email 3. Needs to eat breakfast before going to work

Arriving to work (job sites) late

1. Slept for longer 2. Ate breakfast 3. The boss probably won’t be there to notice 4. Might have to rush to try and complete work on time 5. Work is delayed

P I C P I C P I U N I U N F C

The reinforcer array included:

1. Gift card to favorite fast food restaurant

2. A new tool for their personal handyman tool collection

3. A ticket to a local sports game

4. Photo feature on the company social media page or calendar

5. Lunch with the boss (paid for by the boss)

6. Personalized employee business cards

7. Opportunity to represent the company at a local event

8. Fishing day with the team (almost every handyman highly rated fishing as a preferred hobby)

9. A unique professional title according to the employee’s skillset

10. Wash/detail their assigned work vehicle

The reinforcer survey and reinforcer array were created to be a simple and quick way of finding

out what the handymen prefer and providing options according to those preferences. Simonian

et al. (2020) suggests that creating preference assessment methods that can be easily and

repeatedly administered by supervisors is important because employee preferences do not

tend to remain stable over time. Therefore, assessment of staff preference should occur within

weeks or shorter from prior assessment (Wine et al., 2012).

Proposed Solutions

Antecedents

The information gathered from the assessments allowed me to identify antecedent

factors that could potentially be contributing to the performance issue. After conducting the

assessments, the results showed that there were no job or task aids in the employees’

immediate environments, the boss is rarely present during task completion, and the handymen

are often deprived of sleep due to prior late work evenings. Therefore, the existing antecedents

are non-effective in encouraging the desired behavior. For this intervention, recommended

changes to these antecedents included adding job aids to the handymen’s immediate

environments, changing the environment to include having the boss present during the

beginning of each job, and changing job end times to promote adequate sleep. To add the job

aids, we would print out each handyman’s weekly schedule and place it in a visible area in their

home and in a visible area in their work vehicle. To change the environment to include having

the boss present during the beginning of each job, we would create a schedule for the boss to

be at each job site at the beginning of each job to observe when the handymen arrive to work.

To alter sleep deprivation of employees, we could create a pre-determined end-time for the

daily jobs so that the handymen could get off work at a decent hour and get enough rest for the

following day. Antecedent interventions implemented in performance management are

described by Daniels and Bailey (2014) as “…any deliberate attempt to change or maintain

behavior by presenting some sort of stimulus before the behavior occurs”. In this case study,

the deliberate implementations would be the inclusion of job aids, inclusion of the boss’s

presence at the beginning of the jobs, and inclusion of adequate sleep prior to arriving to work.

Consequences

The information gathered from the assessments allowed me to identify consequences

that could potentially be contributing to the performance issue. After conducting the

assessments, the results showed that there are no Premack reinforcers, there is no feedback

given by the boss, and there are other behaviors competing with the desired performance.

Therefore, the existing consequences are non-effective in encouraging the desired behavior.

For this intervention, recommended changes to these consequences included adding Premack

reinforcers to be given contingent on the desired behavior, adding feedback given by the boss

about the behavior, and by making the desired behavior more reinforcing than competing

behaviors. A reinforcer strengthens the behavior that precedes it, so if work-related behavior is

reinforced, that behavior will be strengthened (Hantula, 2015). To add Premack reinforcers, we

would utilize our reinforcer array and inform the handymen that if they arrived to work on time

each day for a week, they would have access to one reinforcer of their choice from the

reinforcer array. To add feedback given by the boss, the boss would provide feedback daily on

the job sites and weekly based on the permanent products of the work completed. To make the

desired behavior more reinforcing than competing behaviors, we would use positive

reinforcement to be given immediately following the desired behavior. Positive reinforcement

is defined by Daniels and Bailey (2014) as strengthening a behavior by providing a positive

reinforcer following that behavior. In this intervention, the positive reinforcer would be praise

from the boss upon arriving to work on time along with the boss’s help with getting the job

started.

Selected Interventions

One antecedent intervention and one consequence intervention was selected for

implementation based on the results of the assessments. The chosen antecedent intervention

was adding job aids to the handymen’s immediate environments. To add the job aids, we would

print out each handyman’s weekly schedule and place it in a visible area in their home and in a

visible area in their work vehicle. We would include a weekly “dad joke” on these job aids to

make them more entertaining and make them colorful to draw attention. The resources

required for implementation include paper, plastic paper sleeves, colored printer ink, and

Velcro mounting strips. The estimated cost of materials would be $100. The chosen

consequence intervention was adding Premack reinforcers to be given contingent on the

desired behavior. To add Premack reinforcers, we would utilize our reinforcer array and inform

the handymen that if they arrived to work on time each day for a week, they would have access

to one reinforcer of their choice from the reinforcer array. To implement this, the boss would

be at the job sites when the handymen arrived at work. If they arrived to work on time, the

boss would praise them and inform them that they would be documenting this on-time arrival

for that day. At the end of the week, any handyman who showed up to work on time would

receive a reinforcer of their choice. Emergency situations to cause late arrivals would not be

held against any handyman. The resources and cost to implement this would vary by week. The

maximum weekly cost to reinforce all 10 handymen would be $100. Although weeks where

everyone choses a $10 value reinforcer would be likely, we would keep in mind that 4/10 of the

reinforcers do not cost anything, so sometimes the weekly cost could be less than $100. The

resources associated with each reinforcer would be:

1. Gift card to favorite fast food restaurant – Internet access to purchase an e-gift card and $10

2. A new tool for their personal handyman tool collection – Internet access to order the tool

and $10

3. A ticket to a local sports game – Internet access to purchase an e-ticket and $10

4. Photo feature on the company social media page or calendar – Internet access and a photo

of the employee

5. Lunch with the boss (paid for by the boss) – A restaurant and $10

6. Personalized employee business cards – Internet access to order the business cards and $10

7. Opportunity to represent the company at a local event – A local event

8. Fishing day with the team (almost every handyman highly rated fishing as a preferred hobby)

– A body of water

9. A unique professional title according to the employee’s skillset – Employee’s past

achievements

10. Wash/detail their assigned work vehicle – A local car wash and $10

Solution Implementation Results

Performance Result

Data from one employee’s performance was selected and graphed to display a visual

analysis of the results. The behavior associated with the performance is what was analyzed and

the behavior was defined as arriving to work on time. Frequency was used to record data on

the behavior. Baseline data was taken daily for a full work week. The following week, the

antecedent intervention was implemented and data was taken on the employee’s behavior

daily. The week after that, the consequence intervention was also implemented and data was

taken on the employee’s behavior daily. Based on the results, I believe that the interventions

would work. There is a significant increase in the frequency of on-time arrivals after the

implementation of both the antecedent intervention and the consequence intervention. The

graphed data on the employee’s behavior is listed below.

Business Result

The data for work completion was obtained by reviewing the permanent products of

jobs completed and graphed to display a visual analysis of the results. The number of jobs

completed was recorded daily throughout the baseline period, the implementation of the

antecedent intervention, and the implementation of the consequence intervention. Based on

the results, we can see that there was a significant increase in the number of jobs completed

upon implementation of the antecedent intervention and the consequence intervention. The

business result changes were apparent immediately after staff performance changed. The

graphed data on the amount of work completed is listed below.

Intervention Result

The interventions resulted in an increase in the frequency of on-time arrivals and an

increase in the number of jobs completed. The antecedent intervention did help to increase the

amount of on-time arrivals and to increase the number of jobs completed, but once the

consequence intervention was implemented, there was a significant increase in the frequency

of on-time arrivals and number of jobs completed. The company has benefited from this

intervention because it resulted in an increase in productivity which also increases revevnue.

The performance issue has decreased significantly and the handymen are now arriving to work

on time and completing more jobs.

Project Summary

This project really opened my eyes to the process of utilizing performance management.

While I actually had a lot of fun doing this, I was amazed to see how tricky making decisions for

interventions can become based off of various factors such as resources, time constraints, and

other random factors. There were times where I would go down the rabbit hole from

brainstorming different ideas and solutions. Doing this project gave me a chance to do hands-

on work with pinpointing, conducting all of the assessments we learned about, and strategizing

a solution based off of what I learned in the course. I learn best through doing, so this project

was very beneficial in gaining a teeny bit of experience in the OBM world!

References

Agnew, J. L. (1998). The establishing operation in organizational behavior management. Journal

of Organizational Behavior Management, 18(1), 7-

19. https://doi.org/10.1300/J075v18n01_02

Catania, A. C. (2013). A Natural Science of Behavior. Review of General Psychology, 17(2), 133–

139. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0033026

Daniels, A. C., & Bailey, J. S. (2014). Performance management: Changing behavior that drives

organizational effectiveness (5th ed.). Performance Management Publications.

Gravina, N., Nastasi, J., & Austin, J. (2021). Assessment of employee performance. Journal of

Organizational Behavior Management, 41(2), 124–

149. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2020.1869136

Hantula, D. A. (2015). Job satisfaction: The management tool and leadership

responsibility. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 35(1-2), 81–

94. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2015.1031430

Pampino, R. N., Jr., Heering, P. W., Wilder, D. A., Barton, C. G., & Burson, L. M. (2003). The Use

of the Performance Diagnostic Checklist to Guide Intervention Selection in an

Independently Owned Coffee Shop. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management,

23(2-3), 5–19. https://doi.org/10.1300/J075v23n02_02

Reid, D. H., Parsons, M. B., & Green, C. W. (2012). The supervisor's guidebook: Evidence-based strategies for promoting work quality and enjoyment among human service staff. Habilitative Management Consultants.

Rodriquez, M., Sundberg, D., & Biagi, S. (2017). Obm applied!: A practical guide to implementing organizational behavior management. ABA Technologies, Inc.

Simonian, M.J., Brand, D., Mason, M.A., Heinicke, M.R., & Luoma, S.M. (2020). A Systematic Review of Research Evaluating the Use of Preference Assessment Methodology in the Workplace. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 40, 284 - 302.

Wine, B., Gilroy, S., & Hantula, D. A. (2012). Temporal (in)stability of employee preferences for rewards. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 32(1), 58– 64. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2012.646854

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Performance Management

Case Study Project

Created for

The Deli

By Monica Francis

2

Summary of purpose:

The purpose of this Performance Management Plan is to rejuvenate the menu at The Deli,

increase suggestive selling, provide risk free opportunities to try new items, attract new

customers, and encourage innovation from staff which will increase their buy in and ability

to sell new items. We will look at menu item cost, methods of risk-free sampling for new

items, customer service and suggestive selling, along with trends in community dining

preferences. Our end goal is to create a thriving small business that can sustain growth in a

changing environment through the use of effective customer service and quality food.

Major points:

The primary interventions chosen are:

• Training in suggestive selling practices including descriptive language, use of visuals,

and identification of the customer’s wants and needs

• Risk free appetizer samples

• Effective problem solving for customer issues to maintain customer satisfaction

• Consistent and quality food

Other areas of interest include finding where costs can be cut without compromising quality,

new ideas for menu items (from staff, customers, kids, etc.), effective training and feedback

so that staff reach levels of fluency in performance, and immediate attention to all customer

issues. Our priority is to problem solve and maintain customer satisfaction.

Results:

The results of the intervention show a positive trend in sales of new menu items while also

increasing the sale of old menu items from the original baseline numbers. The total amount

of sales show that there is an overall increase in sales. This is also reflected in the analysis of

business profits, increasing the total sales from about $250 to $500 (including profits from

both old and new menu items) which is an increase of 100%. This growth was established

through the following interventions: suggestive sales and customer service training,

antecedent job aids, and ongoing monitoring and feedback. Positive consequences were

increased and the risks of trying new items was diminished.

Recommendations:

The performance management plan will be continued, introducing new items based on the

community preferences. As continued growth is established, the appetizers may be

integrated into actual dishes with similar profiles, flavors, and/or origins. Desserts may also

be included in the plan.

Executive Summary

3

Description of the Organization:

The Deli is a small family-owned restaurant with less than 20 employees. The restaurant is

a small store front business in a busy, culturally diverse town with many other competing

eateries (fast food, pizza, bars, sit down restaurants, take out) that has been in operation for

20 years.

Pinpoint the Performance Issue:

The Deli is finding that they are not able to make the expected profit from sales made,

which may be due in part by the changes in the community and the availability of other

dining options. To increase the customer base, they are looking to diversify their menu and

establish a reputation for consistently great food at reasonable prices.

The desired output is increased total sales dollars and new customers as well as sales counts

for new menu items. Customer satisfaction will also be monitored by management staff

with customer service being a top priority.

Why is this Important?

Now that the original owners are retiring and the children are taking the helm, they would

like to have a business plan that will enable them to diversify and expand their restaurant

without alienating their original customer base. They would like to create a greater revenue

from their sales, expand their market, and attract new customers. The new owners have

observed that that certain foods are exceedingly popular (Chinese, grilled chicken/barbecue,

Caribbean, seafood, Mexican) within the larger community. Many of the eateries have

established clients based on the quality and consistency of their niche markets. While these

eateries may be popular, they do not always meet the needs of a family with varying tastes.

This is where The Deli would like to establish their place in the dining community, offering

more of a fusion type cuisine with variety while also holding on to the tried and true menu

items. Other aspects of fast dining such as a drive through, delivery, or pick up option are

also on the agenda for the future once the preliminary performance management plan has

been established, interventions are firmly in place, and upward trends are maintained.

The Problem

4

According to Daniels and Bailey (2014), “The fundamental goal of Performance

Management is to bring out the best in people while generating the highest value for the

organization” (p. 1). Performance Management can provide results using the technology of

behavior analysis that can be maintained over time. If the interventions are not effective,

data can be used to problem solve and then address the issues at hand as well as new ones

that may occur as the business grows. Daniels and Bailey (2014) With the customer wants

and needs driving the inventory or menu, a creative staff can generate new and exciting

ideas, keeping the business current while also maintaining a consistent quality product.

The predominant reason Performance Management is the appropriate solution for The Deli

is because elements such as the structure of the business, antecedents, employee behavior,

and consequences are all critical for running an efficient and profitable small business. A

profit margin at a small business must be carefully monitored because without the backing

of a large corporation, they are much more vulnerable. All areas of expenditure must be

carefully examined to maximize profit margins, including food costs, utilities, labor, and

advertising. Lambert, A. (1993) When the costs become too high, the consumer will be

expected to pay more in order to sustain a profit. This will have an impact on one or more

of the of the following: quality, sales, and/or competitive pricing.

Another benefit is that Performance Management can be utilized to increase creative and

innovative thinking from existing employees. Daniels and Bailey (2014) This will enable to

business to identify new avenues in which to make money or attract new clientele. In many

service-oriented businesses, the desire for sameness and consistency of product is vital.

Conversely, in a restaurant-based business, innovation and serving a variety of excellent

foods is essential for remaining current and preventing satiation. Prajogo, D. (2006)

Utilizing Performance Management techniques such as establishing a trusting customer

base, providing consistent food products, tracking data, identifying trends in consumer

desires, and fostering the creativity of the staff through their investment in the new menu

items should not only increase the customer base but also aid with diversifying the menu.

The final and most pivotal reason that Performance Management is the best choice for The

Deli is that, after a strong market has been established, aggressively promoting the business

will not be necessary. Once the data has established a positive trend, The Deli will be able

to continue the growth without having to put additional costly efforts into advertising,

gimmicks, etc. The restaurant will basically sell itself! These same principles may be

utilized to make changes when or if the needed as the business grows and develops.

Lambert, A. (1993)

Why is Performance Management the Appropriate Solution?

5

The purpose of the historical assessments are to identify the dining preferences of the local

community, assess profit margin (time spent preparing, cost of ingredients vs. cost of menu

item), research product vendors to ensure that all materials are being purchased at the

lowest available cost without compromising quality, find innovative ways to allow diners to

try new items without the being disappointed if they don’t enjoy the food. The historical

assessments will also identify Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) that will reveal what is

happening in the business currently, what is working, and where some interventions are

most needed. Marr (2012)

Historical Assessments:

• Dining trends in the community

• Employee Labor Hours compared to revenue generated and guests serviced

• Cost of food items

• Cost of paper products, etc.

• Profit margin for each menu item

• Sales frequency for each menu item

• Competitor information and data

• Guest counts, amount spent

The most important questions that need to be answered are in the areas of performance

relative to other restaurants in the area and how is The Deli meeting the needs of the

community? Or rather, is there a need that is not being met that The Deli could target?

Performance Assessments

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Indirect Assessment #1: Performance Diagnostic Checklist (PDC)

The purpose of this tool is to gain insight and data from performers in the following

categories: antecedents and information, equipment and processes, knowledge and skills,

and consequences. This tool will be used to collect data regarding the selling and

presentation of new menu items. Assessments such as PDC’s assist with the identification

of variables that can be manipulated to impact employee performance. Pampino et al

(2004)

Here is an example of a completed PDC for performer A:

Antecedents and Information Yes No

Is there a description of new menu items with key words readily available to

aid with sales?

x

Were you trained on verbal description of the new items? x

Were you trained on plating and presentation for the new items? x

Are there Checklists and Job Aids available with visuals for product? x

Are they visible when plating the food? x

Are all necessary tools and materials available? x

Are there tools for precise measurement of needed food items? x

Do you feel knowledgeable regarding the new products? x

Is a supervisor or other knowledgeable staff available for problem solving? x

Do you feel comfortable with the new food items and their presentation? x

Equipment and Processes Yes No

Are all necessary tools present (flatware, plates, measuring tools, etc.)? x

Are all necessary tools in working order? x

Are the tools organized in an efficient manner for task completion? x

Are all needed ingredients, garnishes, and condiments prepped and stocked? x

Is there a logical order for plating the dish? x

Is this process efficient? x

What obstacles prevent or slow down the plating of the dish?

*** When other employees use supplies and do not restock immediately

In the event the customer is not satisfied with the item, what is the process for

addressing the issue?

*** Follow the problem resolution process

Is there a job aid depicting the process? x

7

Knowledge and Skills Yes No

Do you know how to plate the dish and present to the customer? x

Have you mastered the task? x

Are you fluent? x

If not, what is preventing you from being fluent? ***Still require additional practice until process becomes natural.

Are there other obstacles outside of the environmental set up preventing

fluency?

x

Are you comfortable with addressing customer needs in the event they are not

happy with the item?

x

Are you fluent in the steps for successful customer service? x

Consequences Yes No

Are there immediate consequences delivered? x

Frequency? x

Immediacy? Yes, at the time of complaint but not the initial issue x

Reliability? x

Positive or Negative? both

Do the employees see the effects of performance? x

Is there performance monitoring? x

If so, how is this tracked? Memory, not data

Are there other behaviors competing with the desired performance? x

Additional Notes:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Findings: Overall, the most important areas that need to be addressed are the availability of

support for problem solving successfully, making sure the equipment and materials are

readily available in times of need, teaching and practicing tasks to fluency, and support with

successful problem solving in the area of customer service.

A performance monitoring system should also be implemented with data collection to track

progress, provide feedback, and assess whether the intervention is working.

An additional PDC may also be designed to assess the community’s preference for

restaurants, as noted in Liu, P., & Tse, E. C. (2018). This can be used as a secondary

indirect assessment to guide menu choices.

8

Indirect Assessment #2- PIC/NIC ™, Daniels and Bailey (2014)

Desired Behavior

Antecedent Behavior Consequences P/N I/F C/U

diner comes in hungry

Sell new, featured menu

item

tries and loves the dish P I U

presented with menu happy, tips well P I U

briefed on new menu

items with visuals

tries and is not happy N I U

Offered new items was disappointed with

presentation N I U

complains, doesn’t tip N F U

Undesired Behavior

Antecedent Behavior Consequences P/N I/F C/U

diner comes in hungry

Sell familiar menu item

‘the usual’

likes dish P I U

presented with menu happy, tips well P I U

briefed on new menu

items with visuals

becomes satiated with

menu choice N F U

Offered new items explores new restaurants

for new food choices N F U

loss of customer N F U

Evaluation of Findings:

As Daniels and Bailey (2014) state on p. 108, “…consequences do not simply influence

what someone does; they control it to a large extent. To understand why people do what

they do, we need to think about the MO’s for their behavior…” In the food service

industry, servers work for happy customers and generous tips. To change the consequences

for the desired behaviors, customer service will be a top priority to make customer

satisfaction (which correlates with larger tips) a much more certain consequence. PIC’s and

NIC’s are the most powerful consequences for changing behaviors. Luckily, in our desired

behavior table, we have a two PIU’s and two NIU’s where antecedent and consequence

interventions can be used to alter the strength of the consequences and increase the desired

behaviors. Daniels and Bailey (2014) A detailed plan to address customer satisfaction

when trying new items will be implemented. A cost effective method to promote dishes

through sampling as an appetizer without the risk of cost will also be implemented.

Consistency and presentation of dishes will be addressed through antecedent interventions

such as job aids, visuals, practicing to fluency, and feedback. Once the antecedents are in

place, knowledgeable support and monitoring will be provided to maintain the behavior

change.

9

Direct Assessment:

Performance Checklist for Introduction of New Appetizer Items

Behavior Y N

1. Greet customer within 1 minute

2. Suggest new appetizer to sample, show picture

3. Highlight new items that are popular

4. Get drink order

5. Bring drink order with sample

6. Survey for input on item

7. Get food order, offer full size version of sample

8. Problem-solve if the customer declines (offer different item,

something less spicy, etc.)

Another assessment could be a checklist for plating or menu item presentation:

Plating Checklist- Thai Seared Salmon

1. 1 cup of quinoa salad

2. 2 cups of mixed greens

3. 6 slices of seared salmon

4. 3 hot pepper rings

5. 1 tbsp cilantro

6. 4 basil leaves

7. Light sprinkle of sesame seeds

8. Fork and knife

9. Side of dressing

10

Preference Assessment:

Present the preference assessment to staff on a frequent basis (every 2 weeks or every month

depending on the data). This can be completed in a quick, electronic survey that will make

the data easily accessible and available.

The performer will rate the reinforcers from 1-15, 1 being most preferred and 15 being least

preferred.

Reinforcer

Feedback

Social Praise

Designing new menu items

Designing presentation of menu items

Competition (highest customer satisfaction)

Competition (most sold)

Choose schedule

Choose job area

Choose additional duties

Decline a closing task

Bring friends/family for a meal

Free meal

Recognition in restaurant

Thank you note

Special badge or pin

While preference assessment such as the one above is useful for management, an additional

preference assessment would also assist in finding out more about what the employees value

in terms of reinforcement from their job. Social reinforcement from customers and other

employees is very powerful as well. This combined with tangible reinforcement such as tips,

can increase overall job satisfaction. While the certainty of these reinforcers cannot be

guaranteed, they are still powerful consequences that should be utilized to increase

performance. Daniels and Bailey (2014).

Some examples may include:

1. Customer happiness

2. Compliments on a survey

3. Ratings

4. Tips

5. Social praise written on a bulletin board

11

Antecedent Interventions

The following antecedent interventions were chosen to prompt new behaviors in the areas of

customer service, suggestive selling, and dish presentation:

• Training in suggestive selling, descriptive language, customer service.

• Visuals and Job Aids for plating and presentation of new dishes.

• Checklists and flow charts for effective problem-solving regarding customer

satisfaction.

• Checklists and flow charts for selling and describing of new menu items.

• Training to fluency for all new tasks and procedures.

• Sample appetizers featuring new menu items to increase sales.

Consequence Interventions

The following consequence interventions were chosen to reinforce and maintain new

behaviors in the areas of customer service, suggestive selling, and dish presentation.

• Feedback

• Support

• Removal of risk for the customers trying new items through the use of offered

samples as appetizers to encourage sales.

• Use of preference assessment to identify individual reinforcers for performance

(selling new items, consistent presentation, and problem solving in the area of

customer service).

• Monitoring of dish presentation, selling behaviors, and customer satisfaction.

Selected Interventions:

The selected antecedent intervention included: training in suggestive selling, descriptive

language, customer service. The selected consequence intervention included: removal of

risk for the customers trying new items through the use of offered samples as appetizers to

encourage sales. Once data was collected after baseline, feedback was provided from the

data collected. The final phase of data collected included more intensive and frequent

feedback and support. This was utilized as an additional consequence to maximize the

positive effect of the intervention. Overall, the cost was relatively low for the intervention

package, utilizing the staff on hand and maximizing on their own unique skill sets through

shaping of behavior. Daniels and Bailey (2014)

The Solutions

12

Graph depicting sales by performer A:

Business Profits:

Visual analysis of the graphs show that the interventions have had a positive effect on both

sales of new items and profits for The Deli.

0

5

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N U

M B

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SO LD

DATE

SALES: NEW VERSUS OLD MENU ITEMS

New Item Old Item

Baseline Intervention

Feedback

The Results

$- $50.00

$100.00 $150.00 $200.00 $250.00 $300.00 $350.00

P ro

fi t

Date

Profit from New versus Old Menu Items

Sales Revenue New Items Sales Revenue Old Items

13

In summary, I have to say that I learned a great deal from this project. I feel that I could

have been much more precise if I had actual data, indirect, and direct assessments. While I

did create ‘hypothetical ones’, I find that it is very enlightening to actually complete the

assessments. So many details are revealed, like pieces of a puzzle. I chose the restaurant

industry because I have spent many years waiting tables. This was definitely to my

advantage, because having intimate knowledge of the industry is essential in order to create

an effective Performance Management plan or intervention. There are so many variables

and levels of understanding. This also includes cultural factors, dynamics of the company,

the consumer, etc.

Thanks for a great class!

Summary

14

Daniels, A.C., & Bailey, J.S. (2014). Performance management: Changing behavior that drives

organizational effectiveness (5th ed.). Performance Management Publications.

DiPietro, R. (2017). Restaurant and foodservice research. International Journal of

Lambert, A. (1993). Factors of success in the restaurant business: A survey

study. International Journal of Management, 10(1), 110. Retrieved from

https://login.ezproxy.lib.uwf.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-

journals/factors-success-restaurant-business-survey-study/docview/233234865/se-2

Liu, P., & Tse, E. C. (2018). Exploring factors on customers’ restaurant choice: An analysis

of restaurant attributes. British Food Journal, 120(10), 2289-2303.

doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-10-2017-0561----- Has questionnaire for customers to use

to base my questionnaire (performance diagnostic checklist PDC)

Marr B. (2012). Key performance indicators : the 75 measures every manager needs to know ([1st

ed.]). Pearson Financial Times Pub.

Pampino, R. N., Jr., Heering, P. W., Wilder, D. A., Barton, C. G., & Burson, L. M. (2003).

The Use of the Performance Diagnostic Checklist to Guide Intervention Selection in an

Independently Owned Coffee Shop. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 23(2-3),

5–19. https://doi.org/10.1300/J075v23n02_02

Prajogo, D. (2006). The implementation of operations management techniques in service

organisations: An australian perspective. International Journal of Operations & Production

Management, 26(12), 1374-1390. doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/01443570610710597

References

15

Performance Management Hypothetical Case Study Project Grading Rubric

Area 0 points 3 points 5 points

Grammar and Spelling

Project contains 10+ spelling errors

Project contains 4 to 9 grammatical or spelling errors

Project contains less than 3 grammatical or spelling errors

Citations Citations are not in APA format, fewer than 5 citations are

included.

Citations are in APA format, and are used inconsistently throughout the document and/or do not justify and support the case study. 5-9 citations

from the course are included.

Citations are in APA format, and are used throughout the document to

justify and support the case study. No fewer than 10 citations from the course

are included. Executive Summary

Meets 1 or 0 of the criteria.

Meets 2/3 of the following: Is less than 1 page, written in plain language, and contains a summary of purpose,

major points, results, and recommendations.

Meets 3/3 of the following: Is less than 1 page, written in plain language, and contains a summary of purpose, major points, results, and recommendations.

Problem Meets 0-2 of the criteria.

Meets 3/4 of the following: Includes the description of the organization, behavior and output pinpoints that

pass “the dead person’s test”, why it matters, and why PM is the

appropriate solution.

Meets 4/4 of the following: Includes the description of the organization,

behavior and output pinpoints that pass “the dead person’s test”, why it

matters, and why PM is the appropriate solution.

Performance Assessments

Both criteria are missing.

Purpose or process descriptions are incomplete, OR historical information

sources were not included.

Includes the purpose and process for all assessments. 3 sources of historical

information are included for the historical assessment.

ABC Table Document is Missing

ABC table is provided, but is incomplete.

ABC table is included and includes both desired and undesired behavior for

analysis, and 5 categorized consequences for each.

Performance Diagnostic Checklist

Document is Missing

PDC is provided, but is incomplete. Completed PDC checklist is provided.

Preference Assessment

Meets 1 or 0 of the criteria.

Meets 2/3: Preference assessment is included, 10 items/experiences are in

the array, and describes the procedure for conducting the

assessment.

Meets 3/3: Preference assessment is included, 10 items/experiences are in

the array, and describes the procedure for conducting the assessment.

Solutions Meets 1 or 0 of the criteria.

Meets 2/3: Current antecedents and consequences are described based on

the assessment. 3 interventions for each are selected. Two final

interventions are included, with the costs and resources required

described.

Meets 3/3: Current antecedents and consequences are described based on

the assessment. 3 interventions for each are selected. 2 final interventions

are included, with the costs and resources required described.

Results Meets 1 or 0 of the criteria.

Meets 2/3: Includes one behavior graph with phase change lines, one business result graph, and a brief

description of the hypothetical result.

Meets 3/3: Includes one behavior graph with phase change lines, one business result graph, and a brief description of

the hypothetical result.

Total out of 50:

+3 Bonus: Is formatted in a professional or creative manner OR

includes a performance or permanent product checklist in the direct

observation assessment section.

+5 Bonus: Is formatted in a professional or creative manner AND includes a

performance or permanent product checklist in the direct observation

assessment section.

Hypothetical PM Case Study Success Checklist:

� Project contains less than 3 grammatical or spelling errors � Citations are in APA format, and � are used throughout the document to justify and support the case study. � No fewer than 10 citations from the course are included.

Executive Summary: � Is less than 1 page, � written in plain language, and � contains a summary of purpose, major points, results, and recommendations.

Problem: � Includes the description of the organization, � behavior and output pinpoints that pass “the dead person’s test”, � why it matters, and � why PM is the appropriate solution.

Assessment: � Includes the purpose and process for all assessments. � 3 sources of historical information are included for the historical assessment.

PICNIC: � ABC table is included and � includes both desired and undesired behavior for analysis, and � 5 categorized consequences for each.

Performance Diagnostic Checklist:

� Completed PDC checklist is provided.

Preference assessment: � Preference assessment is included, � 10 items/experiences are in the array, and � describes the procedure for conducting the assessment.

Solutions:

� Current antecedents and consequences are described based on the assessment. � 3 interventions for each are selected. � 2 final interventions are included, with the costs and resources required described.

Results:

� Includes one behavior graph with phase change lines, � one business result graph, and � a brief description of the hypothetical result.