Using Automated Reporting
Tracking Restaurant Performance Across the U.S.
Category: Restaurant Industry
Methods: Automated Reporting, Tracking Research
Summary
A regional restaurant chain with locations in 8 markets across the Southwest asked Decision Analyst to conduct quarterly tracking studies for each of its 50 eateries. Automated reporting technology was used to efficiently and accurately create the reports for the multiple markets, taking into consideration the local competitors for each unit.
Strategic Issues
The tracking study was designed to monitor the performance of the client’s restaurants in eight specific markets, each market with its own competitive landscape. Since the tracking study was conducted quarterly, and because of the number of markets included in the study, an automated system was used to streamline the process, deliver the results to the client more quickly, and maintain Decision Analyst’s high standard of accuracy.
Research Objectives
The research objectives included:
- Assessing overall brand health of the restaurant chain as a whole.
- Determining the restaurants’ most formidable competitors in each of the eight markets.
- Comparing each quarter’s results to the previous quarter’s results (as well as year-over-year results).
Research Design and Methods
The study utilized a sample of 200 respondents per market, per quarter, from American Consumer Opinion®. Men and women aged 18+ who had visited one of the chain’s 50 locations in the last 30 days were surveyed. Questions explored respondents’ unaided and aided awareness, as well as their perceptions of the restaurants and food selection. The automated reporting software allowed Decision Analyst to rank the results for each market based on the local competitors and to pull the data identically every quarter for each of the eight market-specific reports important to the tracking study.
Results
The results of the ongoing study are consistently used in the marketing and promotional efforts of the restaurant chain. The chain has steadily increased its brand health year over year since the tracking study’s inception.
Marketing Research Services
If you would like more information on our services or would like to discuss a possible project, please contact Jerry W. Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, (jthomas@decisionanalyst.com), or Felicia Rogers, Executive Vice President, (frogers@decisionanalyst.com), or call 1-800-ANALYSIS (262-5974) or 1-817-640-6166.