Café Aroma: "We've received feedback from some customers. The cookies are great, but we need more variety. We were hoping to see if you can create a unique chocolate chip option. We're thinking of a dark chocolate with sea salt twist."
Bani paused, looking at the message. More variety? That was an opportunity—but it also meant more experimentation. The bakery was already juggling a lot of orders. Adding new varieties could stretch their resources.
Her first challenge: Managing time and resources without compromising quality.
The Dilemma at the Hotel
Meanwhile, Aman was dealing with a different issue back at the hotel. A few customers had started to complain about the inconsistent portion sizes. Some were satisfied with the servings of rice and curry, but others felt that the portions were a bit too small, especially for the price they were paying.
Aman tried to smooth things over, but the problem was becoming noticeable. The last thing they needed was bad word-of-mouth, especially with the increasing competition in the area.
Aman texted Bani:
Aman: "Customers are complaining about the portion sizes at the hotel. They want more rice and curry. Can you talk to Dad about adjusting the servings tomorrow?"
Bani read the message and quickly replied.
Bani: "Got it. Let me finish packing these orders, and I'll come by in a bit to discuss it with Dad."
Solving the Bakery Problem: The Chocolate Chip Twist
As Bani thought about the chocolate chip cookie request, she quickly realized she could handle it. The key would be adjusting the baking schedule and using the ingredients they already had on hand.
First, she decided to create a batch of dark chocolate cookies with a sea salt twist. Since they were a popular café item, it would be worth the extra effort. No need for a whole new batch of ingredients—just extra chocolate and a pinch of sea salt.
Bani set the baking time for the cookies and ensured she could bake them alongside the other orders.
By 7:30 PM, the first batch of the chocolate sea salt cookies was cooling on the counter, and they smelled amazing. They would be ready for the café's trial order tomorrow.
Solving the Hotel Portion Size Issue
Once she finished with the bakery, Bani went to the hotel to meet Aman and their father.
"Dad, I've been thinking about the portion sizes," Bani began. "We need to increase the rice and curry portions for the customers who feel it's too little. We can adjust the servings slightly and maybe even add an extra side—like a small salad or a dessert on the house for regular customers."
Her father thought it over and nodded. "We could add more rice, but we don't want to make it look like we're over-portioning. Maybe a small portion of curd or pickle on the side?"
Bani smiled. "Exactly. We'll do a small trial run tomorrow with the new servings and see if it makes a difference."
Aman added, "We'll need to train the kitchen staff to adjust the servings without making it look like we're cutting corners."
By 8:30 PM, everything was set. They had solutions for both issues—new cookies for the café, and adjusted portion sizes for the hotel.
As Bani headed back to the bakery, she thought about the growing demand. How could she expand without burning out? She needed to manage both the hotel and the bakery more efficiently.
She decided to hire a part-time helper to pack—someone reliable who could handle the regular orders while Bani experimented with new recipes. She also started drafting a plan to hire extra staff at the hotel for customer service.