mktg 496

PART 4

Marketing Objectives and Goals

Expected results

To become one among the best restaurants in the food and hospitality industry in all of Yucca Valley as well as venture into the outside world. Marketing expected results can be divided into expected results within the course of time and the future expected results

Within the course of time

1. Gaining more customers to be able to compete with our immediate competitors in the market.

2. Gain the trust of our esteemed customers within a limited amount of time from our start and prove to them that it is worth it being with us.

3. Gain the trust of all the workers and hence make them motivated for the work they do and this will definitely reflect positively in terms of company sales.

4. Acquire more finances to help us be ready for the expected growth in the industry especially in the local market.

Future

1. Increase the size of the business and consequently the number of employees that we have currently from 20 to 100. Through this, we will serve our growing customers well to their full satisfaction.

2. Compete with the world’s best companies in the food and hospitality industry such as Starbucks and McDonald's fast foods in terms of quality and customer satisfaction.

3. To hold corporate events that is aimed at motivating our employees as well as the customers to make them give their best to the company.

4. Expanding overseas and make our presence felt global.

II. Strategic and Tactical Recommendations

Strategy to accomplish goals

To achieve our goals, we have to develop a strategy that will work out perfectly. The strategy must be elaborate so that all the technical team members, as well as the employees both senior and junior, can get along with them leading to the company’s overall success

Tactics to meet the strategic goals

1. Involve all the stakeholders in the setting of the goals so that they know what the company wants to achieve.

2. Delegate duties to each individual based on their area of specialization to help bring the best out of them.

3. Ensure that we have enough finances that will be used to carry out the normal activities of the company.

4. Come up with efficient ways to manage finances so that all the finances are channeled in the right direction to perform the required tasks.

Secondary Research

· Consumers are preferring independently owned restaurants over that of chained restaurants because they find them to be more personalized and very community oriented. According to Jennings, “from 2017 through 2020, independent restaurants are expected to see annual revenue growth of 4 percent to 5 percent.” (Jennings 2017).

· Although value-for-money of food and services is important to consumers, it seems that there are other factors as well that contribute to the success of the overall dining experiences. A restaurant’s overall physical appearance can either be perceived very positively or very negatively. (Alonso & O’Neill, 2010)

· Reviews from food review sites such as Yelp have been compiled to get an extensive research of concerns and comments made by La Casita consumers

· Browsing through the reviews from Yelp, there were plenty mixes of positive and negative reviews. Positive reviews made by consumers would usually speak about the quality and their satisfaction with food. On the other hand, many negative reviews were made regarding customer service. By taking a look of the reviews, we are able to decipher what is it the consumers are in need of and what needs to be changed.

· We at La Casita are trying to create a more lively environment to bring many customers together that will enjoy the food as well as the added-value of service.

· By looking at the journals and articles from above, independent restaurants are able to thrive in the upcoming years but it takes more than just high quality goods that will contribute to the success of independent restaurants such as La Casita.

Primary Research Results

· Personal interviews

· Consumers were contacted to ask if we could have a moment of their time to interview about their time at La Casita in Yucca Valley. Two consumers responded in which one was a positive and one a slightly more negative review.

· Consumer 1 was very candid and did not hold anything back regarding their distaste for the restaurant. Their expectation of an authentic, great service Mexican restaurant was shattered by the poorly managed services. Consumer 1 claimed that the food arrived cold and lacked the vibrant colors of what could be high quality served food. Not only was food served cold but the service was appalling as they were left waiting for minutes at a time. The outdoor and indoor decor is what got them in the door but the lack of quality food and good service is what had them never coming back.

· Consumer 2 on the other hand was quite satisfied with La Casita. They found the ambiance and decoration of the entire restaurant to be charming and fitting for a Mexican restaurant. They had excellent service and found that food prices were in the reasonable range for quality. Although they enjoyed their time, it did not leave much of a lasting memory on them. It was of quality and service but for the restaurant to connect with them was lacking, but overall enjoyment and satisfaction was felt.

· Focus Group

· Focus group that consisted of 5 consumers were asked three questions:

· “What do you like about La Casita?”

· “What are our competitors falling short on compared to La Casita?”

· “If we could improve on some areas, where would it be and why?”

· With the questions asked, answers flowed between the consumers. Consumers discussed that food quality plays a significant role in deciding where one should dine as well as if the ambiance is a good match. Consumers really enjoy that La Casita brings with them a feel as if they are not in the desert but rather in a foreign area. To first witness with your eyes the surrounding around you will activate your senses. La Casita is also liked because of it's authentic Mexican dishes that people can enjoy. Competitors such as the likes of the fast food industry of Mexican cuisines lack the authenticity and quality as well as value-added service. Things that consumers thought need improvement was a unanimous opinion of customer service. Service lacked that connection and excitement that the restaurant exudes just by its outer appearance. People do not want to consume their meals around workers who seem to be unhappy or take little to no interest in their workplace. Especially at an establishment that provides live entertainment and promise for food and fun, employees should have the similar attitude. The focus group was really helpful in distinguishing what was working for La Casita and what needed more improvement.

· Survey and Analysis

· A survey was conducted with 18 questions surveying the needs and wants of consumers. The survey was released to 60 potential consumers who have and have not dined at restaurants gaging to see their preferences and frequencies of dining out. 60 surveys have been completed and results were analyzed.

· Consumers were very inclined to dine at Mexican restaurants. 32 said they enjoy visiting Mexican restaurants whereas 17 said sometimes and the remaining 11 claimed they do not enjoy Mexican restaurants.

· Consumers were also surveyed their agreement and disagreement on which they enjoy at the restaurants from food, beverage, music, ambiance, and cost. The results found that consumers really enjoy the food especially at Mexican restaurants with a mixture of everything else in between.

· Consumers have also been surveyed on their agreeability of visiting restaurants due to the following characteristics: quality of food, food option availability, price, excellent customer service, cleanliness, and location.

· One other important survey question discussed was the consumer’s likeliness to visit a restaurant through extensive research, word or mouth, the restaurant’s website, passing by the restaurant, and browsing through the restaurant’s social media.

· From the survey, consumers were very susceptible to dining at restaurants because of the food quality and price ranges. Consumers liked having excellent customer service. They are also more likely to visit a restaurant through the use of online food reviews and the recommendation of acquaintances.

References

Group Members Contribution:

· Miao Zhang 33%

· Lean Galang 34%

· Zhipeng Jiang 33%

100%

Part 3

Customer Analysis

· approximately over 300 000 people residing in the area

· building a new public library, renovation of a new court house, low-income housing covering five square blocks in the downtown, and building an additional football stadium. The market requires no high quality, quick food Mexican restaurant since most of the Mexican restaurants are use canned food

· will allow customers to customize their food to specific taste. The restaurant forecast since the demographic is expected to grow as new developments are made in the city. With an expected growth of 20000 university students the number of potential market will constantly increase.

· has a low barrier to entry which makes it an attractive option. The use of technology has been difficult especially when ordering food through their website. Due to the demographic which also consist of the old people technology has proven to be difficult for them when ordering. The younger demographic have adopted to the technology and prefer the delivery of the service while the old prefer going to the restaurant to eat

Demographic Market Segments:

· Age - History

The restaurant has been in business for more than 33 years, operating in the same line.

· Gender

Can not be defined.

· Marital Status – Family Life Cycle

Can not be defined

· Income – Social Status

This is the established business, with the annual net income about $500,000

· Education – Social Status

Can not be defined

· Purchase behavior

The business is having a purchase behavior from buying from local stores and providers, and is having a defined purchasing strategy.

· Communication Style

Formal.

· Geographic

American.

· Other

Business in in food industry and is planning to define a chain of resturants.

Psychographic Consumer Behavior:

· Personal activities

· Lower to middle class working adults.

· Various jobs from markets to corporations.

· Family man or women as well as single personas.

· Weekend activities

· Intramural sports

· Weekend getaways within city and state

· Reading

· Lounging

· Relaxing

· Watching television

· Group activities

· Goes to meet friends for brunch or drinks.

· Joins a fitness class with friends.

· Work activities with co-workers, team-building.

· Volunteer work.

· Spending time with family.

· How time is spent

· Invested in work throughout the week.

· Weekends are spent alone, with family, and catching up with friends.

· Alone time (Reading, gardening, lounging, personal projects)

· Shopping

· Checking emails

· Listening to the radio

· Surfing the internet

· How they think (decision process)

· Assess the situation, make a plan, implement said plan, monitor outcomes and evaluate.

· Decisions are spontaneous or thought through carefully depending on the situation.

· Family trips are thoroughly planned out to be reasonable with budgeting and time.

· A random night out is spontaneous and thought of on the spot in the time period they are free from any required obligations.

· When it comes to work, focus is important and motivation.

· Become aware of needs, research different options, decide on availability and want as well as necessity, decide on purchase, use of needs, evaluate satisfaction.

· For example, the family wants to eat out, they would ask themselves what do they need and want to eat and then have different options to choose from. Once an option is decided, it is implemented and they make the purchase, after the meal, they are either satisfied and would come back or dissatisfied that they may decide to never return.

· Other

· Wants to enjoy life as much as possible.

· With the mix of work, family, and time to self, balance plays an important role in getting things done. Some people are capable of going through a thought process all the time but some just make decisions out of habit or spontaneity.

Media and Communications used

Traditional

Television

Billboard ads

Phone ads

Door-to-door sales

Newspaper

Nontraditional

Figurines as advertisement

Restaurant information on products sold

Ads on car or chairs

Use of space in any form other than television or radio.

Social

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Pinterest

Reddit

Emails

Word of mouth

Search engines

Google

Yahoo

Siri

Alexa

Group Members Contribution:

· Miao Zhang 33%

· Lean Galang 33%

· Zhipeng Jiang 34%

100%

PART 2

Current Product/Service problem to solve

1. Mitigating the current supply-demand gap.

2. Combating the current stagnated growth through plans on business expansion.

3. Diversify the range of meals served in order to accommodate different cultures and preferences.

4. Creating a more hospitable environment for customers by allocating an outdoor seating area that facilitates for picnics and offer catering services such as barbecues.

5. Include a kids’ menu as well as hosting of kid events.

Problem Characteristics

1. Low supply-demand chain.

2. More in tune with adults and kids are left out.

3. Meal specialization(Mexican delicacies).

4. Stagnated business growth.

5. Moderate to stiff price competition among contenders.

Problem Effects on Stakeholders

1. Coping with cultural diversity.

2. Compelled to simulated measures of growing the business.

3. Need to close the gap between supply-demand chain through advertising the business as to create awareness.

4. Warranted to place measures to incorporate kids to the business setting.

Importance

1. Business will be able to accommodate the community as a whole that consists of both kids and adults.

2. A clear perspective on the current trend in the supply-demand chain will be brought into focus enabling for measures to take advantage of the opportunities that it might present.

3. The realization of the growth level of the business will be brought into perspective.

4. Cultural diversity will provide a sense of direction of what should be served to customers.

Mission and Vision

Our mission is to offer standardized products and services to our esteemed customers as well as to expand our industry through partnering with related industries such as transit and online reservation sites such as OpenTable.com

Product Characteristics

La Casita offers an experience with food with it's unique presence and representation of Hispanic culture. People from all walks of life are able to come in and enjoy a taste of the culture deciding on a quick stop to the restaurant going to and from visiting the popular Joshua Tree National Park. At La Casita customers range from the older spectrum to students taking a day trip out to the park. Customers are easily accessible as they are located in an area of good traffic. With the many available stores surrounding the areas such as banks, grocery stores, and even competing markets, La Casita is in the midst of consumer consumption. It is one of few local businesses that serves the community devoid of authentic Mexican cuisine giving it a chance to grow its potential and business. As the area is still developing, La Casita is able to grow and develop along with its surrounding area to increase customer awareness, business and share it's authenticity.

Although La Casita prices it's menu items at a higher price than the average Mexican fast food establishments, customers are paying for premium ingredients. La Casita only offers the freshest of the ingredients available to them through their distribution channels. The partnership of a good distributor will always be a value supported by La Casita as a way to provide the best quality served dishes that customers will not be able to get from the other fast food places. Not only does La Casita work with the best produce and ingredients distribution but the channel to advertise the restaurant for our consumers to find out about is important. We are available through social media networks such as Facebook and plan to expand our social media and online presences.

La Casita may be lodged in a small town area but with all the traffic going to and from the National State Park of Joshua Tree, many visitors and travelers come through throughout the year. With such a diverse group of people to stumble upon La Casita, we would want to offer them a way as a remembrance of the place, whether it be through pens, mugs, or T-shirts. The small souvenirs that we are able to produce will give us a channel to market the restaurant through word-of-mouth. La Casita is not only selling it's food but rather an experience and memory that will follow customers into the future.

The La Casita Restaurant located in Yucca Valley, is among the many branches of the La Casita restaurants. This essay will involve the SWOT Analysis of the La Casita restaurant. Some of the aspects of the La Casita will include the identification of the strengths of the restaurant, the weaknesses, threats as well as opportunities. La Casita restaurant is unique due to the characteristics of their products, such as uniqueness in their products and services, cost of food and services as well and the distribution channel for their various products as well as services. Some of the strengths of the La Casita restaurant are: convenient location for travelers, clean and tidy, it is an already existing brand, formed customer base, established distribution as well as the small business size.

La Casita restaurant has been presented as one of the tidiest and cleanest, which makes it attract people and thus acting as a core strength for the business. Additionally, it has an established customer base, which means that it is widely known via various platforms of the social media. Existing brand means that the firm has been in existence, thus it is familiar with and most people. Some weaknesses of the La Casita restaurant include the high prices of their products, limited diversification, perception of the brand and located in place with limited population. Menu of the La Casita basically is the Mexican dishes, thus limited variety for the consumer selection. The business is located in a place with small population, thus grows at a very slow rate. Perception of the brand is a major weakness it is only and basically associated with Mexican dishes (Lunden, 2016). As a result, it has a limited range of consumers and buyers, only the individuals who prefer these dishes.

Threats of the business include the choice and preferences of the consumers, new entrants and the introduction of competing products. Due to the fact that not everyone likes the Mexican dishes is a great threat to the La Casita, in that some of their consumers may change their taste and preference thus opting to buy from competing firms. New entrants in to the firm, offering the same products or even substitutes poses a great threat to the La Casita restaurant, which calls in for the exploration of strategies for retaining their existing buyers and consumers (Short, 2016). Introduction of new competitive products may result in to the La Casita losing consumers, who may prefer the new products introduced in the market.

Opportunities for the La Casita include the following: new markets, cross-selling, new services as well as co-branding inclusive of diversification. It is a great opportunity and privilege for the La Casita to diversify in their products, especially their foods, to not only sell Mexican dishes but also the dishes that are preferred by most people. Through this diversification, the business will be able to boost its sales, retain consumers as well as attracting new consumers. New markets will involve the La Casita opening up new businesses in places where there are people, which basically means the penetration in to the consumer market (Simon, 2017). Co-branding on the other hand will include working with related firms for the identification of their deficiencies and the comparison of their normal logistics with related or even the competing firms.

Competitive Analysis Worksheet

For each factor listed in the first column, assess whether you think it’s a strength or a weakness (S or W) for the business and for the top 3 competitors.

Then rank how important each factor is to your target customer on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 = very important; 5 = not very important). Use this information to explain your competitive advantages and disadvantages.

Competitive Advantage and Disadvantages

From the information gathered, it seems to be that La Casita has a fair advantage amongst its competitors. When it comes to the fast food competition side, La Casita is fairly at an advantage as it provides high quality products available for purchase and has established a brand name for themselves despite competing amongst fast food establishments such as Taco Bell. On the other hand, La Casita is at a disadvantage when it comes to similar small local business restaurants in its neighboring area. It's competitors have also already established a name for themselves and is able to provide the same type menu items but at a slightly lower price. This can be due to differences in distributors and the quality of the food. There is the option that the competitors have better reputation and is able to price their items at a lower price. La Casita is very comparable to its competitors as it provides the same if not better products and services to its consumers.

Group Members Contribution:

· Lean Galang 33%

· Miao Zhang 33%

· Zhipeng Jiang 34%

100%