HRM

Goals of Assignment:

· To give you insight into how companies attract and retain customers.

· To provide you with an overview of the factors business professionals use to evaluate the competitive landscape.

· To get you thinking about the factors that figure into consumer decisions.

· This assignment is worth 100 points.

To complete the assignment:

1. Select a category you want to study and then select two retail establishments from the following list.

Category:

Department Stores: Boscov’s, Macy’s, Sears, Bloomingdales, JC Penney

Discount Retailer: Target, Wal-Mart, TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, K-Mart

Convenience Stores: Wawa, 7-11, A-Plus

Home Stores: Home Depot, Lowe’s, True Value Hardware

Office Supply Stores: Staples, Office Depot, Office Max

Pharmacies: CVS, Walgreen’s, Rite Aid, etc.

Supermarkets: Wegman’s, Acme, Whole Foods, Giant, Shop Rite, etc.

Sandwich Stores: Subway, Quiznos, Wawa, Jimmy John’s

Restaurant Chains: Chili’s, Qdoba, Applebee’s, Bennigan’s, Carrabba’s, Bertucci’s

Electronics Stores: Best Buy, Radio Shack, Apple Store

Specialty Apparel: Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Dress Barn, H&M

2. Visit EACH business establishment you are studying. Looking at a website will NOT give you the information you need to complete this assignment. You have to actually visit a location for each company you are studying. So, if you’re comparing Apple to Best Buy, you have to visit an Apple store and a Best Buy store. Be observant. Look around. Plan on spending at least 15 – 30 minutes in each store.

3. Observe how each establishment does business, take notes, and finally evaluate each business using the template on next page. You do not have to “interview” anyone or purchase anything.

Your Name: Category Studied:

Topic	Business #1	Business #2
Businesses studied
Location
How much total time did you spend in each place?
Have you been to this establishment before this assignment? (Yes or No) If yes, please indicate if you are a regular customer.
Would you go back to this establishment as a customer? Why?
Please Rate	Establishment layout	A	B	C	D	F	A	B	C	D	F
	Lighting	A	B	C	D	F	A	B	C	D	F
	Cleanliness	A	B	C	D	F	A	B	C	D	F
	Customer attentiveness/service	A	B	C	D	F	A	B	C	D	F
	Quality of product or service	A	B	C	D	F	A	B	C	D	F
	Quality of product/service vs. value	A	B	C	D	F	A	B	C	D	F
	Overall attractiveness of location	A	B	C	D	F	A	B	C	D	F
	Overall convenience	A	B	C	D	F	A	B	C	D	F
What message do you think each business is trying to communicate to you, as a consumer?
What is the target market for this store? Are they trying to attract a particular demographic group? Young men? Retire people? Young mothers?
Is there something about this place that could be considered a positive? If yes, please describe.
Is there something about this place that could be considered a negative? If yes, please describe.
Is the layout of the place attractive? Does it make you want to be there?
Based on your experience in this place, what might customers think about this company’s cost vs. value proposition? Is the product or “experience” worth the price you pay?
What advice would you give the manager of this place?
How would you describe the employees of this business? Can you tell if they are treated well? How do they interact with you? Are there enough employees?
What can you determine about the financial health of each store based on what you have read on their website or in the press?
What appears to be this company’s competitive strategy?
Have you seen advertising for this company? Is it effective?
What have you learned by completing this assignment?