Challenge: Plan-it has partnered with a national coffee and donut chain for years to explore and launch food and beverage products and improve the customer experience.

Objective: To evaluate viability of overall concepts in the marketplace and improve the customer experience.

Solution: Plan-it utilized Qualitative and Quantitative techniques to:
• Assess attitudes and gauge reactions to current and potential retail merchandise to explore the most effective ways to motivate new retail purchases
• Assess the brand’s coffee platform to extend the line of coffee products (including gourmet); Determine which new food and beverage products should be added to the product line
• Communicate with franchisees about the strengths and weaknesses of their stores, and how to most effectively retain customers and encourage long-term loyalty
• Re-design the stores’ menu board and re-design the coffee cups and lids

Result: Learning and insights from these projects drove strategic and tactical recommendations to optimize the overall retail merchandising strategy, guide opportunities for new product development/line extensions, and improve customer service experiences. Additionally, highlight reel videos were developed to bring the customer’s perceptions of the chain to life for use among franchisees.