Sample report
What an assessment looks like.
An illustrative report for a fictional restaurant. The business, names and figures are invented to show the format; a real report links every finding to its evidence record.
The brief
| Business | Saffron Room (fictional), a North Indian restaurant |
| Intended class | Premium regional dining, about AED 180–250 per head |
| Current perception | Reviews describe it as “good food, ordinary place” |
| Visits | Two, unannounced: Thursday evening and Saturday lunch |
| Critical findings | None |
Summary
A premium kitchen in a Generic room.
The food supports the intended class. Almost everything around it does not: the arrival, the table, the sound and the bill each read one level below the price. None of the fixes needs capital. Together they would move the experience from Generic to Considered within a month, and the menu work would give it something Distinct.
| Reading | Finding |
|---|---|
| Positioning | Below the promise at four of six touchpoints |
| Execution | Food strong; service steps unmanaged |
| Consistency | Similar on both visits: the gaps are systemic, not bad luck |
| Difference | Present in the kitchen, absent everywhere else |
| Perceived value | Prices feel high for the room |
Findings
| Touchpoint | Observation | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival | Guests waited 2 min 40 s at the host stand on Saturday; the host was on a personal call. On Thursday, 1 min 50 s. Evidence: Timestamped notes, both visits. Confidence: Repeated. | Generic Target Considered |
| The table | Tissue from a box on each table, at an average spend of about AED 200 per head. Evidence: Photograph of an empty table. Confidence: Verified. | Generic Target Considered |
| Menu and knowledge | Dishes listed by name only. Asked about the house biryani, two servers could not say what made it the house's. Evidence: Field notes, both visits. Confidence: Repeated. | Considered Target Distinct |
| Sound | A commercial radio station, with advertisements, at a volume that made conversation effortful. Evidence: Field note with time. Confidence: Verified. | Generic Target Considered |
| The bill | Thermal slip handed across the table, face up, after being asked for twice. Evidence: Field notes, both visits. Confidence: Repeated. | Generic Target Considered |
| Washrooms | Clean, stocked, hand towels, same scent as the dining room. Evidence: Field notes, both visits. Confidence: Repeated. | Considered Target Considered |
What to change first
Arrival: The host stand is never left during service
Why it matters. The first minute sets what a guest expects to pay.
Likely consequence. Guests arrive already doubting the menu prices. (Hypothesis, not measured.)
Smallest change. The host stand is never left during service; every guest acknowledged within 30 seconds, even when seating is delayed.
Priority. High. No cost.
The table: One specified folded napkin of good paper, or linen
Why it matters. Guests read paper against price before they read the menu.
Likely consequence. The room reads one class below its prices. (Hypothesis, not measured.)
Smallest change. One specified folded napkin of good paper, or linen; the box removed.
Priority. High. Low cost.
Menu and knowledge: Three signature dishes given a name and one sentence each
Why it matters. The kitchen's best work is invisible if nobody can describe it.
Likely consequence. Signature dishes sell as ordinary ones. (Hypothesis, not measured.)
Smallest change. Three signature dishes given a name and one sentence each; a one-page knowledge sheet for every server.
Priority. Medium. No cost.
Sound: A set playlist without advertisements
Why it matters. Advertisements in the dining room tell the guest nobody chose the music.
Likely consequence. Shorter stays, fewer second drinks. (Hypothesis, not measured.)
Smallest change. A set playlist without advertisements; volume set for conversation at fixed times of the evening.
Priority. High. Low cost.
The bill: Bill brought within two minutes of request, in a folder, placed closed.
Why it matters. The last moment is the one remembered longest.
Likely consequence. A good meal remembered as an ordinary evening. (Hypothesis, not measured.)
Smallest change. Bill brought within two minutes of request, in a folder, placed closed.
Priority. Medium. Low cost.
Next, if the client continues: the five changes become a written standard with an owner for each, and a return visit in 30 to 45 days checks whether the gaps have closed. If not, the report is theirs to use.
Make an enquiry