IMEE’S BLESSINGS: DIGITAL COPY CENTER &

BOOKBINDING SERVICES INC.

A Quality Improvement Plan Paper presented to the

Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY – MANILA

By:

Candelaria, Joresita
Francisco, Eliza May G.
Luce, Gellina G.
Sioson, Krizzia

2016
I. INTRODUCTION

As our economy expands and more educational institutions are set up, there will

always be a demand for photocopying and printing services. Indeed, photocopying and printing

business is a very lucrative business one can engage, that is why streets near campuses are

filled with many shops where people can photocopy and print their documents.

Imee’s Blessings: Digital Copy Center & Bookbinding Services Inc. started as a

single proprietorship by Imelda N. Gines, a Batch ‘91 graduate of Far Eastern University with

the degree of Bachelor of Science in Commerce, Major in Management. Initially, she was

assisted by three people, a photocopying operator, a binder, and a cashier. Students’ clamor for

quality service at reasonable prices prompted her to put up other branches within the University

Campus. Imee’s Blessings was incorporated with the Securities and Exchange Commission in

August 2004. Their motto is 'good, quick and pleasant service to its customers'. As for their

organization-wide mission, Imee’s Blessings is focused on offering photocopying,

bookbinding, lamination, computer and internet services to the public at the fastest and highest

degree but at the lowest possible prices. Currently, it is divided into two services in Far Eastern

University; first, it is the university’s central photocopy station, where they have the

responsibility to handle the allotted allowance in miscellaneous fee of the students for their

photocopy expenses, and second, it has a separate photocopy and printing station that covers

the service for students’ out-of-the-class materials.

The researchers chose Imee’s Blessings: Digital Copy Center & Bookbinding

Services Inc. because of convenience to gather information for it is inside their university. In

addition, the business structure of Imee’s Blessings is not complicated unlike the other popular

corporations that most of the students choose when they conduct a study. Moreover, the
researchers chose Imee’s Blessings because it was pioneered by an alumnus of their beloved

university.

This study is limited only to the out-of-the-class service of Imee’s Blessings.

Furthermore, this study focused only on employee-behavior of Imee’s Blessings in Far Eastern

University branch in terms of their interaction with customers. The respondents of this study

are students of Far Eastern University who are the majority customers of Imee’s Blessings.

However, this study did not cover any improvement investigation with regards to product or

outcome related. Additionally, this study did not seek any information coming to minor

customers of Imee’s Blessings, who are the professors and employees of the university.

Moreover, this study did not highlight improvement of the whole organization of Imee’s

Blessings and other specific branch.

This study was conducted to improve Imee’s Blessings services through

enhancement of employee skills and customer treatment to help them gain a positive feedbacks

and to build and maintain a strong relationships with its valued customers. The proposed

refinement in their operations will give them a positive impression to their existing and future

customers and will ease the rigor and pressure of their major customers who are students.
II. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In order to achieve an ideal grades and remarks, students must read the required

textbooks or the visual presentation of the professor in a particular course. And a students’ first

option to have a learning material in a cheapest way is to photocopy or print the learning

material. In Far Eastern University, there are many photocopying stations that every student

may select from. And Imee’s Blessings offers the cheapest price, yet in good quality, when it

comes to photocopying.

This study intended to investigate and propose an improvement plan with regards to

employee behavior of Imee’s Blessings: Digital Copy Center & Bookbinding Services Inc.

Specifically, this study sought to:

1. Describe the behavior of the employees in terms of their interaction wit h

customers.

2. Identify the challenges that Imee’s Blessings face as a result of the employee

behavior.

3. Determine the least costly way to improve the operation of Imee’s Blessings

through enhancement of employee skills and customer treatment.

In response to this, our study proposed to investigate and offer an improvement to

Blessings. We plan to resolve the issues stated above and mitigate current and future risks and

ensure that the proposed improvement plan will not only benefit Imee’s Blessings but also the

Far Eastern University Community.

 In view of the foregoing study, we conducted a survey to 30 students who are the

customers of Imee’s Blessings and came up with the following:

1. They were asked what are the negative attitudes or behavior of the Imee’s

Blessings’ employees and the result are:

Negative Attitudes of Blessings' Employees

Irresponsible
Distracted
3 Entertain gossip
16 7
Not reliable
4
1 Not friendly or approachable
6 1 9 Disrespectful
Bias
Slow

2. The respondents were asked, in their opinion, what are the challenges faced by

Imee’s Blessings as a result of the employee behavior. And in substance, this will be their

recourse or what they will do when Imee’s Blessings cannot accommodate their needs. And

result is:

Challenges faced by Blessings as a

result of Employee Behavior
Negative company-customer
relation
4
14 Disengaged customer

16
Customer attrition or loss of
customer
11
Higher cost
 Based on the result of the survey from students, we came up with the specific

problems faced by Imee’s Blessings:

1. The employees are slow in delivering their service which contradicts their

company motto: 'good, quick and pleasant service to its customers'.

2. The employees are not friendly or approachable.

3. The employees seem to be distracted during work hours.

4. The employees are bias on serving their customers.

These specific problems were addressed by the researchers and the focus of the

proposed improvement plan.

III. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study are to determine the negative behaviors/attitudes of the

employees of Imee’s Blessing towards its customers and to know how the performance and

behaviors of their employees affects the business operation and achievement of the goals or

objective of the company. This quality improvement paper will help Imee’s Blessing to identify

the performance and behavioral issues and the ways to improve job performance of the

employees to gain positive feedback and maintain good relationship with their customers.

Moreover, this improvement plan will also serve as a tool to monitor and measure the deficient

work processes or performance of a particular employee in an effort to improve performance or

modify behavior.
IV. CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM

An assessment of the researchers determined the causes of the problems, and they

came up to the following discernments:

1. Being slow of the employees was caused by insufficiency of employees to

accommodate the flood of customers, especially when it is rush hour in university,

and currently, there are only two employees who handle the customers.

2. The unfriendliness or being not approachable of employees lies with their mood or

emotions. They seem to bring their personal issues at work.

3. The problem, that employees are distracted during work hours are caused by agendas

that are not work related, like texting or playing mobile games, and the employees’

feeling of being indolent.

4. Because Imee’s Blessings is an in-house business in Far Eastern University that deals

with the same customers, employees already built friendship with some customers,

like professors and employees of the university, that relationship with other customer

is the cause of their bias treatment to customers. They prioritize those customers

instead of giving an equal treatment to all of their customers.

V. EXISTING AND PROPOSED PLAN

Below are the existing and proposed plans for Imee’s Blessings: Digital Copy Center

& Bookbinding Services Inc.:

Existing Proposed

Number of employees Two related employees Four independent employees

Behavior of employees o Slow* o Fast service

o Unapproachable* o Open/friendly

o Bias* o Equal treatment of customers

o Distracted* o Focused

*Based on conducted survey

Certainly, the researchers proposed to for Imee’s Blessings: Digital Copy Center &

Bookbinding Services Inc. to:

1. Hire additional independent employees, specifically, one employee who will handle all the

maintenance matters and another one who will accommodate the customers. By

independent, the researchers mean precisely unrelated employees. Because the existing

employees are related – mother and child – and this may result to conflict of interest.

Additional independent employees may overcome the said risk.

A. Maintenance employee

I. Job brief – to undertake the responsibility to preserve the good condition and

functionality of machines. The goal is to maintain the buildings and common areas

in the best possible condition. The ideal candidate will be able to work
 autonomously and responsibly by observing all health and safety guidelines. The

proposed job vacancy is appropriate for seven days a month.

II. Job qualification – a maintenance employee is a thorough professional with a

practical mind and attention to detail. Moreover, proven experience as maintenance

technician; basic understanding of photocopier and printing machines; knowledge

of general maintenance processes and methods; working knowledge of tools,

common appliances and devices; good physical condition and strength with a

willingness to work overtime; high school diploma or equivalent.

B. Accommodating employee

I. Job brief – to handle the responsibility to take the photocopy, printing and

bookbinding requests of customers. Maintain an approachable and friendly vibes in

the best possible situation. The goal is to deliver a quick and pleasant service.

II. Job qualifications – an accommodating employee must, at all times, have an

applicative mind, detail-oriented and have smart problem-solving skills.

Furthermore, a candidate must be a graduate of any two-year course or vocational

course at least; basic understanding of photocopier and printing machines; have

good communicating skills; dedicated individual.

2. Employ a third-party seminar or training program. Many businesses, and even the

government, are now offering seminar or training programs. The researchers came up with

this proposed plan because laying-off of employees may be hard and unethical to decide.

Trainings or seminars are the best way to enhance the skills of the existing employees for

services to customers.
A. Personality development (Business Coach Inc.)

I. Seminar overview – success in both professional and personal life is greatly

impacted by how people perceive you. Having a pleasing personality does not only

refer to physical features but more on the way you present yourself. This seminar-

workshop on personality development will go a long way to train the participant on

how to enhance one’s personality.

II. Seminar objectives – generally, this program aims to help an individual maximize

available resources to reach a person’s full potential through a well-rounded

personality. Specifically, to value the concept of self-mastery; be self-confident

about their physical appearance; package themselves through proper dressing and

grooming.

B. Work attitude and value enhancement (Philippine Trade Training Center)

I. Seminar overview – the program allows the participants to discover their personal

vision, mission and values which they had to check for alignment with the

organization. It can energize employees and see a more productive organization.

This workshop reviews the participants’ work values in the light of corporate values

and the components of ethical decision-making. Experiential learning experiences

lead the participants on a journey to discover their own work value system. The

participants are then encouraged to consider their responsibility to others in the

workplace and to the work organization and how that might play a role in work

productivity, decision making and even individual and corporate survival as work

organizations chart their course in the limitless and increasingly competitive global

marketplace.
 II. Seminar objectives - The synergy created through the session would lead the

participants to: examine their values through the valuing process; align their

personal values with their organization’s mission and vision; re-affirm individual

sense of worth and responsibility towards achieving team success; plan out ways on

how to increase their personal and professional effectiveness.

VI. IMPROVEMENT

A. Improvement tools

I. Cause-and-effect diagram

As exhibited in the diagram, negative company-customer relationship was caused by

four major reasons, as follows:

1. Customers. Certainly, having a negative company-customer relationship is a two-way

channel that customers are one of those channels.

 a. Late response – customers, sometimes give directions later than the required time.

For example, Joanne Bulacso, a fourth year student, when interviewed by the

researchers, she confessed that one time she just plugged the flash drive and didn’t

said to the employee what document to print, and so, she said that the printed

document was incorrect when the document was already printed.

b. Unclear instructions – these are the circumstances that customers give unclear or

complicated directions that results to miscommunications.

c. Negative behavior – although there is a saying that ‘customers are always right’ it is

not acceptable that sometimes they were the reasons why there was a negative

company-customer relationship. For example, being impatient and not abiding the

policy – no editing, fall in line, not surrendering their ID when borrowing flash

drives.

2. Time. Even though this was not covered in this study, the researchers found that time

are a major reason why negative company-customer relationship existed.

a. Customer-flood – since classes in Far Eastern University start and end every one

and a half hour, customers come at once exactly in that times, creating a long

queue, that later evolves in negative company-customer relationship.

b. Rush – naturally, there would be times when a batch of customers that have the

same submission of requirements, like last October 28, 2016, which was the last

day of submission of thesis of the whole batch of fourth year Internal Auditing

students. That day, printing and bookbinding service was rushed, resulted to

damaged product, furthermore, negative company-customer relationship.

3. Location. Currently, Imee’s Blessings is located at the far end of second floor library.

Notwithstanding that this was not covered in the study, this is still a fact that needs to

be consider why a negative company-customer relationship existed.

a. Small location – a less than 45sq m location is small and insufficient to handle

adequate photocopy machines, number of employees and flood of customers.

b. Inadequate location – as said above, Imee’s Blessings is currently located at the

library. It is quite inadequate since library must be a place of silence for the students

who wants to study.

c. Ambience – again, Imee’s Blessings is located at the far end of the library, the

ambience of the location is somewhat suffocating, that is why when customers

flooded, even the air conditioner of the library cannot handle the crowd.

4. Employees. Finally, the main focus of the study. This is the main reason why a negative

company-customer relationship existed, as far as the results of the survey is concern.

a. Insufficient – they only have two employees that perform all task for the whole day,

six days a week.

b. Bias – they have an unequal treatment to customers, they tend to make long

conversation to their known customers and this will cause to longer waiting time of

the next customers

c. Slow – as for the result of the survey, this is the top reason why a negative

company-customer existed, that pushes customers to settle their needs to

competitors.
 d. Distracted – employees are distracted because they try to get involved in the

conversation of the customers, they uses cell phones during working hours and they

feel indolent more often than not.

e. Unapproachable – a long working hours with a lot of task to do affects their mood

and this cause them be irritated and unapproachable.

II. Benchmarking

Imee’s Blessings Ate Agnes’ Photocopy Evora

Number of employees Insufficient Sufficient Sufficient

Customer treatment Fair Good Fair

Employee Fair Good Good

approachability
Service agility Bad Fair Good

Service accuracy Fair Good Fair

Evaluation of Imee’s Blessings came from the survey conducted, while evaluations of competitors
were judgement of the researchers.

The researchers employed a competitive benchmarking to effectively evaluate

the performance of Imee’s Blessings against its major competitors. It was determined

that major the competitors of the organization are Ate Agnes’ Photocopying service

and Evora. For overall benchmarking, Ate Agnes’ Photocopying services resulted

“very good service”, which suggested that it is a major treat to Imee’s Blessings.

Especially the gap between these organizations is not that far, loss customers will

definitely settle with Ate Agnes’ Photocopying services. For Evora, evaluation

resulted to “good service”, though its location is far from Imee’s Blessings, it’s still a

competitor of Imee’s Blessings that a recourse for customers. Finally, compared to

 the competitors, Imee’s Blessings performance landed last with a result of “fair

service”, which is a bad sign. And based on the benchmarking, improvement of

Imee’s Blessings is vital to prevent future losses.

III. Flowchart or process map

The diagram shows the proposed plan by the researcher, which to hire

employees and their further assessment in actual work. Again, Imee’s Blessings is to

hire employees based on the proposed job qualification or their own preferences.

Then observe or test the performance in terms of servicing and customer treatment, if
 the employee didn't pass the standard performance the said employee needs to

improve his service and customer treatment until he meet the standard or minimum

requirement for the job. If he meets the standard, Imee’s Blessings can proceed to the

two-week evaluation or assigning the employee to the actual job without the

employer’s interference, then conduct a survey to customers and co-employees with

regards to the employee’s behavior or attitude and performance. Evaluate the result of

the survey, if the feedback is negative, Imee’s Blessings will have to communicate

the result and the further evaluation to the employee. And if the feedback is positive,

Imee’s Blessing can then certify the employee.

IV. House of quality

 B. Implementation Plan

•Evaluate employee behavior

•Identify employee behavior that negatively affects the organization
Plan •Make improvement plan

•Schedule current employees on seminar or workshop on Sunday

•Pilot test maintenance and accomodating employees
Do •Test employees on a two week-trial basis

•Conduct survey or inquiry to customer about the changes

•Evaluate customer feedback
Study •Identify oppurtunities or challenges faced on the trial implementation plan

•Hire and certify qualified maintenance and accomodating employees

•Motivate employees by giving incentives or rewards
Act

VII. IMPROVEMENT COST

Improvement cost
Salary of maintenance employee P 42,168
P 502/day x 7 days x 12 months
Salary of accommodating employee 153,216
P 532/day x 6 days x 4 weeks x 12 months
Personal development program – Business Coach, Inc. 9,000
P 3,000/person x 3 employees
Work attitude and value enhancement program 6,000
– Philippine Trade Training Center
P 2,000/ person x 3 employees
Total (annual) P 210,384
VIII. CONCLUSION

Employees play a vital role in the achievement of the goals of a business. Their

overall performance and behaviors towards the customers have a huge effect in the operation

and brand image of the company. The data that we obtained from the customers of Imee’s

Blessings through the survey questionnaire showed that the negative behaviors or attitudes of

the employees were: slow performance of the job; unfriendliness or unapproachable of

employees; unequal or bias treatment of customers. Through this, the researchers concluded

that:

1. The insufficiency of employees left the existing employees all the tasks which lead to

their physical and mental exhaustion state, so they are irritated and seems to

unfriendly or unapproachable to customers.

2. The long queue was caused by flooded customers during rush hour in the university.

3. Employees are complacent that they will not lose the customers because they already

built relationship and served the customers for a long period of time.

4. Lack of motivation of the employees may also the reason why the employees perform

slower than what the customers needed.

5. Customer relationship that was built and personal preferences of the employees lead

to unequal or bias treatment to the other customers.

6. The bad or negative attitudes of the employees will result to a customer attrition or

loss of customers since they cannot meet the needs and expectations of their

customers.

7. Customers will tend to rely to their competitors which can provide their urgent needs

and will treat them fairly.

IX. RECOMMENDATION

Based on the foregoing findings of the study, the following are recommended for the

better improvement of the services of the employees of Imee’s Blessings: Digital Copy Center

& Bookbinding Services Inc.

1. The management should perform an observation and evaluation about the

performance of the employees and act immediately to prevent future risks or losses.

2. Communicate results of observation and evaluation to employees as soon as possible

so they can be aware of what they lack and assess it by themselves, if possible.

3. It is recommended that the two current employees should undergo a personality

improvement seminar or workshop to improve their serviceability.

4. It is also suggested to hire additional two employees with a good personality and has

a dedication for their job. One will handle the machine maintenance and the other will

have to task to accommodate customers.

5. It will be more comprehensive I the management will make standards for proper

treatment of customers. The standard will serve as a tool for basis of reward or

disciplinary action for further evaluation of employees.

X. APPENDICES

I. Survey questionnaire

Dear Ma’am/ Sir:

We, students of Far Eastern University, are currently doing our research as a partial requirement on the
course of Quality Management. Our objective is to investigate and propose an improvement plan with regards to
employee behavior of Blessings: Copy Center and Book Binding Services Inc.

There is no right or wrong answers as long as you did it honestly. Rest assured that your answers to this
survey – questionnaire will be treated with utmost confidentiality. The survey will be conducting around ten
minutes. The survey results will be analyzed for academic purposes. Thank you for your kind cooperation in the
conduct of this study.

The Researchers

Please check the item/s that corresponds you answer.

1. Are you aware of Blessings, the photocopy and printing station located at the second floor of NRH
Building?
__ YES
__ NO

2. What do you think are the negative attitudes/behavior of the employees at Blessings?
The employees:
__ are irresponsible
__ are distracted during work hours
__ entertain gossips
__ are not reliable
__ are not friendly
__ are disrespectful
__ are bias on serving customers
__ are slow-movers

3. In your opinion, what are the challenges faced by Blessings as a result of the behavior of their
employees?
__ Negative company-customer relation
__ Disengaged customers (distant or forced)
__ Customer attrition (loss of customer)
__ Higher costs (e.g. utilities, advertising, etc.)