The Domino Effect
Domino is a small rectangular block used as a gaming object, often used in combination with other objects such as dice or cards to create a wide variety of games. It can be stacked on its end in long lines to form very elaborate patterns. When the first domino in a line is tipped, it causes the next domino to tip and so on until all the pieces are in motion. It is an impressive sight to watch a master builder set up hundreds or thousands of dominoes in careful sequence, each toppling with the slightest nudge from one of its neighbors.
The term domino is also used to describe a series of events that lead to greater consequences, as in the phrase “the domino effect.” This principle applies to business and politics, as well as to personal lives. For example, a person’s poor job performance can affect the performance of other people in his or her company, which can then trickle down to other areas of the organization, and so on.
Hevesh carefully tests every piece in a Domino’s installation before putting it all together. Taking her time, she builds the bigger 3-D sections first, then flat arrangements and finally lines that connect them all together. Then she watches them in slow motion on video to see if they work as intended. The test process allows her to make precise corrections before it’s too late.
She focuses on using the Domino’s name in her installations because it represents a place where community and shared experience converge, as well as a brand that is rooted in customer satisfaction. This is especially important because the company had been plagued with complaints and low satisfaction ratings before Doyle became CEO.
A Domino’s spokesperson said that the company was committed to improving its customer service by implementing changes in processes, systems, and training. It’s a process that has taken some time and will likely continue to be difficult, but it’s an effort that is important to Hevesh and Domino’s as they look for ways to increase customer satisfaction.
In the game of domino, players score points by laying tiles that have numbers on them so that each adjacent tile has a number showing at one end or the other. If the exposed ends of the matched tiles total any multiple of five, the player scores that number. The number may be increased by successive plays until all sides of a single domino have the same number.
The domino game is a popular activity for children and adults. The game is also a useful teaching tool, as it helps students understand the commutative property of addition and how to read number sequences. Students can use the tiles to practice adding numbers together, using their finger to trace the dot pattern from one domino to another and then writing the total of all the dots. Domino sets are available in a range of sizes, from double-nine to double-18, with larger sets increasing the maximum number of dots on each end.