Businesses need to manage several types of resources to operate successfully and meet their strategic objectives. These resources fall under four primary categories:

Physical Resources: These are tangible assets that include land, buildings, machinery, equipment, vehicles, and inventories (stock).

Human Resources: People who work for the company, including customer service staff, admin staff, manufacturing workers and managers.

Intellectual Resources: These are nonphysical and intangible assets such as patents, trademarks, brand names, copyrights, and customer relationships.

Financial Resources: The money that the company has to spend. This may come from sales revenue, owners/shareholders investments or borrowing.

Promoting Efficiency

Efficiency in business refers to how effective they are at using their resources to produce goods and services by reducing the time, waste and cost associated with the production processes. Effective resource management can improve efficiency through the effective planning of staff, spaces, staffing and budgets to ensure that all efforts contribute to the productive outcomes.

An example of how an organisation may improve efficiency is through regular maintenance of physical resources. A coffee shop will rely on their coffee machine to provide customers with their main product, coffees. A well maintained machine will reduce the likelihood of delays and wastage caused by breakdowns and reduce the build up of coffee residue which can inhibit performance.

Controlling Costs

Effective resource management helps a business control costs by ensuring that resources are used efficiently and effectively. This can lead to reduced waste, duplication, and unnecessary costs, as well as improved project profitability and customer satisfaction. By smartly allocating resources, businesses can make the most out of what they have and reduce the chances of mistakes, leading to substantial cost savings

An example of how a coffee can manage its physical resources to control costs is by having a good stock control system. Coffee shops have lots of perishable items such as beans, milk and pastries. These must be used before their sell by dates or they must be disposed of and replaced creating extra costs. Stock control systems can notify managers of approaching use-by dates, enabling them to prioritise the sale of goods based on their expiration dates.

Increasing Productivity

Productivity refers to the rate at which goods and services are produced in relation to the resources used. A more productive organisation generates more output (goods and services) compared to its inputs (physical, human, intellectual, financial etc) than less productive organisations. The benefits of being more productive include profitability due to lower costs and increased output and customer satisfaction by being able to meet demand.

An example of how a coffee shop may manage their human resources to be more productive is through training. Sending employees on a barista training course can improve their coffee-making skills, boost confidence, and increase efficiency in serving customers. This, in turn, can lead to higher productivity as employees are better equipped to handle their tasks effectively and serve more customers in less time.

Maximising profits

Profits are the financial gains achieved by a business when the revenue received from the sale of their goods and services exceed the costs to make them. High profits are beneficial to a business as they can be reinvested into growth strategies or distributed to owners and shareholders as a reward for their investment. Profits are a key indicator of the financial health of a business.

An example of how a coffee shop can maximise profits through effective resource management is by reducing waste through an effective inventory management system. Good inventory management means that less stock gets wasted which reduces costs.

Retaining Talent

Talent refers to the skills, abilities and knowledge held by individuals in an organisation. Retaining talent reduces training and recruitment costs and often leads to better customer service, higher productivity and a more positive workplace culture. Good management of human resources may include providing training and development, clear promotion pathways, good pay packages, good recognition and reward systems, establishing good relationships between managers and employees and a positive corporate culture.

An example of how a coffee shop may benefit from retaining talented employees is the relationships and familiarity they build with regular customers. They learn customer preferences, names, and even their usual orders. This familiarity enables them to provide personalised service, anticipate customer needs, and create a more welcoming and personalised experience, which can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Maximising customer satisfaction and retention

Customer satisfaction is a metric that measures how well a customer's needs have been met or exceeded by the goods and services of an organisation. Satisfied customers are more likely to return and develop brand loyalty, potentially becoming brand advocates. Customers may be dissatisfied if products are faulty or do not work as expected, if processes are complicated, if it is difficult to have problems resolved or if staff are unprofessional.

An example of how a coffee shop can improve customer satisfaction and retention is by creating ambiance by managing their physical resources. By investing in attractive decor, comfortable seating, appropriate lighting and workspaces may enhance customer experiences and satisfaction.

Maintaining a competitive edge

A competitive edge refers to the attributes of products or brands that make it stand out favourably against competitors in the opinion of consumers. This could be achieved through product differentiation, lower prices, a good reputation, technological innovation and good customer service.

An example of how a coffee shop could manage their resources to maintain a competitive edge could be by using their staff to create unique recipes by instilling an innovative culture. By encouraging experimentation and creativity among baristas, they could more regularly launch new signature flavours to outperform their rivals

Back to Unit 5 Homepage