Concept Diagnostics
As a rule, the strength of a restaurant concept rests on the sum of its parts—if all concept attributes aren't in strong alignment and meeting consumers' expectations, the result is slower sales growth and/or lower profit margins. We can help you identify what concept attribute changes are necessary to tune up your results—and open up opportunities to reach new markets and consumer targets.
Employing consumer inputs, benchmarking analysis, and our own expert qualitative evaluation, we help you:
- Identify and define concept strengths and weaknesses, attribute by attribute
- Build senior management consensus regarding key concept problems and viable, practical solutions
- Revitalize the concept's competitive position in the marketplace
- Evaluate your menu strategy, identifying what to change and why
- Reach new consumer groups and build frequency among existing customers
- Refocus the brand message on proven strengths
Examples of how we have helped other clients.
A regional supermarket chain was creating a new food court design for a flagship store renovation. They retained Technomic to develop a complete food court strategy (deli-bakeryfoodservice). Our work included an evaluation of customer preferences and competitive strengths, which resulted in a foodservice concept designed to provide convenient meal solutions to their customers. Initial layout sketches of key concept elements were also developed, including the customer service and production areas.
Results? Year-over-year sales increases have averaged 20–30 percent. The bottom line improved 7%.
A major petroleum retailer needed assistance in developing a hybrid foodservice and cstore concept. Technomic worked with them for two years, acting as a full participant in all cross-functional strategic planning sessions, development meetings, and outings. Other special functions handled by Technomic included calculating unit sales and expense pro forma; researching, developing, and writing the operations and training manuals for all levels of unit personnel; and designing a complete back-of-house layout.
Results? The petroleum retailer currently has four stores in test markets.
A rapidly-growing chain restaurant featuring deli-style, upscale sandwiches needed to obtain comprehensive consumer research to evaluate their concept's strengths and weaknesses, as well as to evaluate future advertising and marketing programs. Technomic devised a consumer research program covering five representative markets and providing a thorough evaluation of the concept's strengths and weaknesses from the perception of various levels of users.
Results? The research was used as a base-line study to measure the concept's viability over time. Further, a new advertising and marketing program was developed based on the research. Since then, system sales have increased over 20 percent per year.