Marketing Research Proposal PDF

Preview

Summary

Final Research Proposal ...

Description

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO DINING SERVICES

MARKETING RESEARCH PROPOSAL Prepared for MR. JON SPELLMAN DIRECTOR OF DINING SERVICES THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO

Prepared by COLTON BARTON MARISSA CERRILLO JACKIE GONZALEZ

Current Situation Analysis The University of Texas at San Antonio Campus Dining Services is looking for ways to improve it's offerings and boost sales. Although many changes have been made in the past five years, including renovated facilities, expanded menu offerings, and partnerships with additional vendors, Campus Dining services has not received the expected financial returns or customer satisfaction levels. Because of this situation, the Department has expressed a need to determine how it can most effectively utilize its offerings to maximize profits and consumer satisfaction. Identifying consumer satisfaction with the various dimensions comprising the ‘campus dining experience’ and correspondingly determining the importance of these dimensions, is the first step in providing the Department with a foundation to determine the most effective use of it's resources to improve satisfaction rates, increase usage, and capture more of the target market (students and faculty).

Consumer Satisfaction Beliefs Satisfaction is the point at which a company meets the expectations of the customer. Performance is determined solely by the consumer and regardless of what the company standards are, if they don’t meet the expectations of the consumer, satisfaction cannot be achieved. Satisfaction levels also vary from consumer to consumer. What satisfies one consumer may not satisfy another. The difficulty, then, in researching consumer satisfaction is to measure performance based on the proper dimensions and elements as defined by the consumer. Dimensions are broad topics or issues that affect satisfaction. For the Department, these might include hours of operation, offerings, wait times, etc. Elements are the individual components that comprise each dimension. For example, within the dimension of offerings, elements might include price, nutrition, and menu variety. Therefore, the first step in consumer satisfaction is determining the proper dimensions and elements which affect the satisfaction of the consumer. Once these dimensions and elements are determined, satisfaction can be measured, and results can be used to most efficiently target improvement. The only way to ensure long-term improvement is through ongoing tracking and continuous feedback. Consumer satisfaction research findings provide an understanding of consumers’ perceptions and expectations that forms an important baseline for the company to use in developing strategies to increase consumer satisfaction and loyalty.

Research Objective The objective of the proposed research is to gather information from UTSA students and faculty to determine consumer satisfaction and corresponding importance with those dimensions considered to comprise the ‘campus dining experience’ so that the department may make better informed decisions and increase revenues, satisfaction, and engagement.

Specific Objectives Include: Investigate and identify the broad dimensions and their corresponding specific elements which contribute to and/or affect consumer satisfaction. Determine current consumer satisfaction with each dimension and its corresponding elements. Derive the importance levels for these dimensions to overall satisfaction. Derive the importance levels for each element within a dimension to overall satisfaction with that dimension.

Research Recommendation The recommended research for Campus Dining Services is an ongoing, quantitative, consumer satisfaction research study. Action steps to attain this goal include: Identification of appropriate population and sample(s) Secondary research review Questionnaire design Pretest of questionnaire Questionnaire revisions Data collection Data entry and tabulation Reporting of research findings

To maintain accurate satisfaction knowledge, it is recommended Campus Dining Services consider this an ongoing study, repeating this survey each semester. Using this method, Campus Dining Services can stay abreast of current consumer satisfaction (and dissatisfaction) levels as well as track improvement progress over time.

Research Methodology T he fo ll ow in g me t ho do lo gy e le me nt s wi ll b e ap pl ie d in o bt ai ni ng t he re co mm en de d re se ar ch a bo ve :

Population: The population of the research consists of 28,959 students enrolled in the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). This figure is represented by three different groups: Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students, and Doctoral Students. The Following figures were drawn from The University of Texas At San Antonio Fall Semester 2016 Student Profile Census DayPreliminary Paid Report (http://www.utsa.edu/registrar/stats/page05.pdf). � Undergraduate students are students who are working towards their Bachelor’s Degree but have not yet earned the sufficient credits to graduate with it. These students have anywhere between 0-120+ Credit hours. Undergraduate students make up for 85.4% of the population. This means there are 24,729 Undergraduate students enrolled in UTSA. � The second group is made up of Graduate students. These are students who have completed 120-180+ Credit hours. These are the students who have not yet earned their Master’s Degree but are working towards it. Graduate students represent 12% of the population and is made up of 3,489 students. �The last group is the Doctoral Students. These students have earned 180+ Credit hours and are working towards obtaining their Doctorate’s Degree. This group is made up of 741 students and represents 2.6% of the Population.

Sampling Frame: The questionnaire is expected to be distributed to all the members of the previously mentioned population. For this reason, the sampling frame is expected to be identical to the population mentioned above.

Sample: An overall sample of 755 students will be the sample size in order to achieve a 95% confidence interval with a 5% maximum sampling error. 410 of these students will be undergraduate, 225 Master students, and 120 Doctoral Students.

Questionnaire: The questionnaire will be made of several surveying techniques: Likert Scale: Several of the questions will be created based on the Likert Scale technique where respondents will be able to identify exactly how satisfied/ unsatisfied they are. Dichotomous: Some of the questions will have a ‘yes or no’ response where the respondents will be able to identify demographic questions such as “Are you currently employed?” Sometimes: A few of the questions are ____ style where the respondents will be able to identify how frequently they carry out actions such as eating on-campus.

Data Collection: Data will be obtained through an electronic e-mail survey. The students’ school emails will be obtained from the registrar’s office. There will be a link included in the e-mail where students will be able to get re-directed to the survey. This is going to ensure that the respondents’ anonymity is honored. The electronic e-mail survey method was chosen because its low cost allows for it to be distributed to the entire population. It will also allow for a high-speed response rate and allow the data to be analyzed quicker and start problem solving as soon as possible, if needed. This method also allows for there to be no interviewer bias and thus better have more accurate results. If our response rate doesn’t meet the sample size of each group, then we will turn to the mail survey method. This method also holds a low cost and doesn’t allow for interviewer bias. The students address will also be obtained from the registrar’s office.

Data Entry, Tabulation, and Analysis: Data will be entered and tabulated every day at 5PM. The mail surveys will be sent out a week after the initial electronic survey is sent, if needed. The data will be presented in a variety of charts and tables so that it can be viewed in many different ways and an accurate response to the data is given. The charts and tables will be updated on a daily basis after the 5PM daily tabulation is completed. These charts will be formulated in terms of frequencies and percentages. There will also be additional charts based on the demographics of the participant so that, If the overall response is a negative one, these charts can be used as reference to guide the researcher towards more suitable alternatives.

Research Reporting:

The research report will consist of a Title page, a Table of Contents, an Abstract, an Introduction, the Methodology, the Results, a Discussion detailing the results, a Conclusion, Recommendations, an appendix, and References. The result of the research will be posted in El Paisano, the university’s newspaper. Along with it, new dining alternatives will be revealed, if necessary. This will get the students excited for upcoming dining options and will also allow them to see that it is important to fill out these surveys in the future so that if there are issues, they can be solved. The article will also include UTSA’s dining website where students can go and leave feedback on the new dining options. The research should be repeated on a semester basis to ensure satisfaction.

Research Assumptions The the following cost estimate is based on the following assumptions, along with the previously mentioned research recommendations and methodology. The research Team is responsible for: Designing the questionnaire to help measure Undergraduate, Graduate, and Doctoral students satisfaction with the UTSA dining services. Developing the survey and sending out the initial electronic email surveys to the entire population in hopes of receiving a response from the ideal sample size of 755 students. Analyzing and updating the data daily for a week. Sending out the follow up mail survey if the goal of 755 responses is not met. Create charts and graphs out of data. Analyze the Results of the data. Create a summary report. Provide recommendations for future surveys

The University of Texas at San Antonio is responsible for: Approving the questionnaire and making suggestions for adjustments. Gathering email and mailing addresses for the population and providing mailing labels, should they be needed. Implementing changes, if applicable. Publishing research findings as well as announcing changes, if applicable.

Research Cost Estimate The following are anticipated for the research proposed herein. Cost estimates are binding to the Research Team, plus or minus 6%, upon project approval via a signed agreement (see following page) by Campus Dining Services:

Research design and proposal Questionnaire design Questionnaire production and distribution Data entry, tabulation, and analysis Report writing and production Personal presentation of results 6-months of post-survey support Total Research Investment Research Proposal Identifier: DINING2017-01

Included $1,500 $ 750 $4,000 $1,750 Included Included $ 8000

Research Agreement Signature below by both the Research Team members and the appropriate Campus Dining Services officials signifies agreement to proceed with the campus dining satisfaction study as outlined in the preceding proposal (identifier: DINING2017-01). Research Team Member

Date

Colton Barton Research Team Member

Date

Marissa Cerrillo Research Team Member

Date

Jackie Gonzalez Campus Dining Services Official

Date

Client: Campus Dining Services Official Client:

Date

Research Instrument Flow Chart Questionnaire Content: Instructions

Introduction Question: Overall Experience with UTSA Dining Services

Satisfaction with individual elements of the Dining Services

Identify how frequently Dining Services are used

Demographics

Research Instrument Flow Chart Development and Distribution: Collect surveys previously held about oncampus dining satisfaction and analyze their results

Design and develop the survey

Make necessary changes to survey, if needed

Collect Data: Gather phone numbers and mailing addresses from the registrars office Send initial electronic email survey to participants Analyze results Send follow up mail survey, if necessary Run a pretest of the questionnaire

Student Survey Overall Campus Dining Services Satisfaction Please rate your agreement with the following statements about Campus Dining. Select only one option for each statement on a scale from 1 -5, 1 means "Extremely Disagree" and 5 means "Extremely Agree". If you feel that the statement does not apply to you, please select N/A meaning "not applicable". Extremely Disagree Overall, I am satisfied with the Campus Dining Services Overall, how satisfied are you with the service you receive at the different dining options?

Extremely Agree

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

Please rate your level of agreement with the following statements

It is easy and quick to get my order

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

Provides good value for the price

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

Provides healthy options

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

Provides good quality food

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

Extremely Disagree

Extremely Agree

The staff is friendly

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

Quick speed of service

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

Labeling of the food is easy to understand

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

The food is fresh

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

The food tastes consistent each time I order it

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

The portion sizes of the food are fair for the price I pay

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

Demographics Which degree are you currently working towards?

Undergrad

Graduate

What is your academic rank? ______________________ What is your major? ______________________ Are you a full time or part time student? Approximately how many hours are you on campus per week?

Full-time 0-10

11-20

Part-time 21-30

31-40

How often do you eat on campus? How often do you bring your lunch? Which best describes your housing arrangement? Are you currently employed?

On-campus Full-time

off-campus Part-time

Age: _______ Male or Female?

Male

Female

Thank you so much for participating in this survey. We greatly appreciate your feedback.

No...