University Center Cafeteria

New Product Concept

Qualitative Research Proposal

March 27, 2014Shanna Isaacs

background• The University Center (UC) is conveniently located in the South Loop on the second

floor of the UC, offering an assortment of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, as well as snacks, frozen meals, sweet treats and refreshments throughout the day. They are trying to build a better brand image and make themselves the number one food choice for students.

• UC residents and students living in affiliated buildings (dorms) can use their ID card or meal plan ID to swipe and pay. Residents who live in the suite-style units are required to have a meal plan. Residents in the apartment side have the option of signing up for a meal plan or using flex dollars. Guests and residents have an a la carte option as well. Residents can add money to the UC dining accounts online. No options for students living off campus, unless they’re signed in as a guest with a UC resident.

• Shanna’ Research Associates (SRA) believe it is important to market to students and residents of the UC because:• Spending power: students and UC residents have a lot of spending power. Important to

connect and build a loyal brand following from the start. We want people to come back more often.

• Promotional opportunity: When school cafeteria experiences are good, students will boast and spread good word of mouth, creating opportunities for the future

research objectives

• To better understand what key strengths the University Center Cafeteria has that are important to students who consume goods there often

• Identify what ways the shopper experience could be improved through new product introductions

• Exploring the role that price and food options play in encouraging or inhibiting a positive shopping experience

method

• I recommend conducting 2-6 focus groups (5-6 people each) held in the classroom and another location. One segment will be current students who used to have a meal plan but don’t anymore, and the other segment is residents who currently have a meal plan.

• SRA will be using the classroom and the UC to conduct the focus groups. SRA will attempt to conduct at least one focus group in the UC Café during their meal if students pass screeners and are willing to participate.

• Furthermore, insights from 2-4 in-depth interviews will be used.

selecting the best method

Focus Group In-Depth Interview

Advantages • Allows for synergistic discussion and access to many people and opinions at once

• Great for projective exercises/taste tests/hands on experience

• Easy observation of verbal and non-verbal responses

• In-depth understanding of the current satisfaction level and use of a product/service

• Unbiased by others’ opinions

Disadvantages • Group think, based on recall, limited location

• Scheduling a meeting with students who have end-of-the-semester responsibilities

• Time consuming• Based on recall• Lacks incubation

time• Limited locations

recruiting specifications45 minute groups (4-6 people per group). Respondents recruited based on the following criteria:

• Has purchased more than $10 of food from the University Center (UC) cafeteria or a South Loop restaurant within the past month

• Are not a “price only” shopper – They don’t typically buy only the lowest price item. Price can be important, but they also take into account convenience and features.

• Recruit practical style seekers. These are basically people who like and appreciate good design that brings a specific look and feel to a restaurant but they don’t want to pay a lot for it.

• Mix of males and females per session• Mix of ethnicity• Mix on household income• Mix of ages per group• Mix of residents in the UC and/or students going to Columbia College Chicago,

Roosevelt, DePaul, or Robert Morris• Security: No one in food service at the UC café, or working for the UC in any way• Past participation: Not past six months, never on UC cafeteria or South Loop food

options• Articulation: please no heavy accents, looking for participants who can clearly

articulate their opinions.

recruiting specifications (cont.)• In preparing the estimate, we have proposed three

different methods of recruiting:Recruiting of students in the classroom if they meet

the screening criteriaRecruiting students I know who meet the criteria to

participate, and get them to recruit friends as wellAsking people purchasing from the UC café to

participate in the study

areas of investigation• A detailed Discussion Guide will be submitted upon approval, but at this time

SRA envisions discussing the following topics:

What the UC Café Stands For

• How familiar are you with the UC café?

• Do you currently have a meal plan?

• Describe the UC café experience.

• Unique attributes?• Projective exercises: - Personification – if the UC café were a celebrity who would it be? - The UC café is on the psychiatrist couch. Why?• What you would tell

incoming freshmen asking if they should get a meal plan

Ways the Experience could be Improved

• How could the UC diner experience be improved?

• What do you think of the brands that are there? Any missing?

• What other types of food would you like them to offer?

• What features do other South Loop food options offer that you would like at the UC

• Could the layout of the UC be improved? How?

• What can make the café space ideal? Describe a previous café experience that was better.

Role of Price and Food Options

• With food, how do you know you’re getting a good value?

• How do prices at the UC diner compare to other food options?

• What price range would you desire?

• Payment preference?• Projective exercise: - Sentence completion- “If I could change one

thing about the UC diner it would be ___.”

- If the UC prices were kept the same, but they added the option of ___, then I would go there more often.

reporting

Analysis of findings

• Comprehensive summary of findings from all segments of research• What was learned what it means

• How to act on the learning

• Incorporate audio clips if desired

• Implications and recommendations for next steps

Included in presenting the findings:• Highlights along the way• Comprehensive summary and analysis of findings from the focus groups• In-person report to talkthrough the learning, and answerquestions