Introduction
Team 6 has been observing the business environment of Philly Pretzel Factory in Somers Point, New Jersey over the past couple of weeks. Our teammate, Alyannah Stover, is an employee at this location, and was able to provide us with the necessary information in order for us to conduct our analysis.
Philly Pretzel Factory is a franchise created by college friends Dan DiZio and Len Lehman in 1998. DiZio and Lehman were inspired by Philly-based pretzel bakeries, who were more wholesale based and worked in warehouses. Their pretzels are a German Bavarian-style pretzel which is very popular in Philadelphia.
Mission Statement
"At Philly Pretzel Factory our entire family of franchisees, founders and employees are committed to providing world-class customer service in a clean, friendly and inviting atmosphere. We pledge to only serve fresh pretzels that meet - or exceed- our Philly Pretzel Factory standards."
There are about 180 franchises across the US, with approximately 600-700 employees in total. At the Somers Point location specifically, there are five employees. Philly Pretzel Factory not only soft pretzels, but also pretzel dogs, cheesesteak-stuffed pretzels, dipping sauces, and frozen lemonade. The number of customers in the store is based on the total number of transactions for that day, which before Covid was over 43,000 (in the year 2019). The Somers Point store is in a prime location because it is surrounded by schools such as Mainland Regional High School, St. Joe’s Regional School, and Ocean City High School. Philly Pretzel Factory uses nut and egg free ingredients so it is safe for almost everyone to eat. Some critical processes include everyday cleaning, stocking, and customer service. Since we are living in unprecedented times due to the pandemic, Alyannah and her coworkers have to make sure they are following CDC guidelines and making sure they are keeping themselves and their customers safe. This means a stricter cleaning routine, and only serving customers who wear a mask while in the store. To learn more about the history of Philly Pretzel Factory, where to find a store, and even order online visit https://phillypretzelfactory.com/ .
Team 6's Purpose
Our purpose for this analysis is to research the processes and information systems of Philly Pretzel Factory, and determine if they support the business strategy. By doing this, we are helping maintain this company's success, while also obtaining a better understanding of how IS's and business strategies effect each other.
Featured in this blog are the business strategies that impact the company, the corresponding information systems that they use, and recommendations our team has created. We will also be explaining the various processes Philly Pretzel Factory go through on a daily basis.