Please read the case carefully: Alice Summers’s Dilemma (BELOW)
State the Key Facts, assumptions and summarize the case in your own words.
Frame the Problem Statement. Use any one technique discussed in the images above
the best problem Statement
Provide the goal Statement in the end of the paper
CASE ,I
Background Information
Berkley Financial Services was the third largest banking institution in the State. It maintained
an extensive branch and an ATM network to service its diverse retail customer base. Even
with Berkley’s size, though, the business success of the Bank was extremely dependent upon
the trends in the local economy. Two years of recession meant two years of poor loans, and
Berkley fell into deep trouble. To limit and reduce overhead expenses, there were some
extensive layoffs. A new executive management expected rapid, better results with fewer
resources. Everyone at Berkley feared being fired even though the Bank was inching back to
improved profitability. There was still the pressure to “perform or else”.
Alice Summers managed the six person Town End branch for Berkley. Town End, fully
equipped with an ATM and a freshly designed lobby, stood in the parking lot of a new sub-
urban maII. The mall, anchored by a store from the largest grocery chain in the area, included
about twenty different small retail stores. In addition, a major hospital was located just down
the street, and a large manufacturing plant with about 3500 emptoyees was situated in a
convenient nearby industrial park. Many of the branch’s customers worked at those locations.
Alice was promoted to her current job about twenty months ago. She had been serving as an
Assistant Manager at another branch in the region until that time. During the past year and
half, Alice had learnt her job as a manager well. She enjoyed her work and was good at her
job
“I used to enjoy it” she thought to herself. She was sitting at her desk 7.00 PM, looking at the
night closing in. “I just wish I could leave here once before 5.30 PM. These layoffs really hurt,
the pressure is too great and no one really cares whether I am here or not.” Alice knew she
was in a depressed mood.
The layoffs she was thinking about had taken place six months ago, but their full impact was
now being felt. Alice’s branch was a busy one: previously, there were nine positions
authorised for it. Now there were only six: two new accounts positions (including Alice’s) and
four tae
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and back-office duties.
The problem was that there were too many customers. Alice smiled at the contradiction.
“Here the Bank wants more customers, annTTaNtsewtt€1he
ones we already have.” On
almost any day, at almost any time, there were three or four customers in line. It did not seem
to matter that most of them simply wanted to cash a cheque or make a deposit. By the time
they got to the teller they were curt or rude, demanding, and sometimes hostile and
aggressIve.
1
CASE L
Alice clearly remembered an incident that had occurred just two days ago. A customer had
been waiting for about 20 minutes to pay a utility bill. When he finally reached the window,
he started berating the teller for being so slow, and condemning the Bank for being so inept.
By the time he finished, the teller was in tears. Alice remembered talking to her after he left.
The teller said, “We work so hard and no one seems to appreciate what we do. I just can’t
work like this.”
Alice started to hear a lot more complaints –from everybody. Customers complained about
poor service, the tellers were complaining about the pressure and the head office was starting
to complain about the large number of mistakes, errors and shortages being made at the
Branch
Tomorrow, Alice had to hold one of her monthly sales meetings with the staff. These meetings
were required by the head office. Alice dreaded them because they always seem to drag on
and on and nothing ever got accomplished. Alice was supposed to talk about a product for 15
minutes and she could envision everyone else sitting there, fidgeting in their seats or looking
at the floor. There would be no questions but there would be occasional complaints about
how “we need more help” or “the customers yelling at us.”
Alice was not looking forward to tomorrow’s meeting and wondered if there were ways she
could work on the real problems of the Branch and produce real results from her meeting.
