• Harnish Harish Thacker
• Harish Dattatray Kusekar

This study addresses operational efficiency challenges at Wine Thief, a wine retail store in downtown New Haven, focusing on three critical issues: product unavailability, extended checkout times, and limited operating hours. Through systematic application of Six Sigma methodology, the research identified key bottlenecks in customer service delivery and implemented targeted solutions to enhance operational performance. Initial analysis utilizing process mapping, SIPOC, and FMEA revealed that payment processing and queue management were primary contributors to service delays, with process capability indices falling below the standard threshold of 1.33. The study employed statistical analysis to measure and validate checkout duration variations between cash and card transactions. Implementation of strategic improvements included dual register operations with dedicated payment streams and restructured staff responsibilities. These modifications resulted in significantly improved process capability metrics (all indices >1.00), demonstrating enhanced ability to meet customer requirements. Additional operational enhancements included the introduction of wine tasting during peak hours and optimized store layout for improved customer flow. The research results provide valuable insights for retail establishments seeking to improve operational efficiency through data-driven quality improvement methodologies. The successful implementation of these changes demonstrates the effectiveness of systematic quality improvement approaches in retail service operations.

Quality Improvement, Six Sigma, Retail Operations, Process Capability Analysis, FMEA, SIPOC, Lean Methodology, Statistical Process Control (SPC)

"OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN RETAIL STORE: A SIX SIGMA APPROACH TO ENHANCE EFFICIENCY", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 7, page no.f73-f80, July-2025, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2507509.pdf

"OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN RETAIL STORE: A SIX SIGMA APPROACH TO ENHANCE EFFICIENCY", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 7, page no. ppf73-f80, July-2025, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2507509.pdf