Integrated Social Research

Case Study:

For a full dataset relating to this case study please email: hello@conversition.com

What can social media data do for us?

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• The social media universe (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Wordpress, Blogspot, etc.) can be thought of as an enormous, but unstructured, consumer focus group.

• Conversition’s “EvoListen” platform structures and codifies that data allowing consumer-noteworthy themes to emerge and drive powerful insight hypotheses.

• Complementary survey platforms – Crowdvi.be and SurveyTool – can then exploit the ubiquity and volume of social media-based respondents allowing direct measurement of these hypotheses with full behavioural and demographic targeting / segmentation.

The combination of social media-based listening and surveying allows you to conduct research and draw insights faster, and more cost-effectively, than any other modality

Social media listening, combined with social media-driven surveys, allows the rapid aggregation and quantification of consumer insights

Social Media

Derived

Insights

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The Integrated Social Research concept Social media listening, combined with social media-driven surveys, allows the rapid aggregation and quantification of consumer insights

Collects, cleans, structures, and

codifies social media content

allowing identification of themes

Instant confirmation of

major themes amongst

social media users

Same-day quantitative

measurement amongst

millions of social media

users

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Just what is Chick-fil-A doing so very right

and is there room for improvement?

One day of social media research...

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Mission: To “Be America’s Best Quick-Serve Restaurant”

2.00

3.22 3.58

4.05

Annual Sales ($Billions)

• 102% sales growth since 2006

• 7.0% like-for-like growth 2010 > 2011

• 1,600+ outlets (as of Feb 2012)

• Franchise business based on multiple outlet concepts including: Mall / In-line, stand alone, licensed, lunch counter, and drive thru only. Also manages the Dwarf House and Truett’s Grill brands.

• Highly profitable franchise concept with 15% of gross sales and 50% of net profits accruing to the brand and no equity transfer.

2006

Source: Chick-fil-A website and filings

Integrated Social Research Case Study: Chick-fil-A

2009 2010 2011

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Merry Christmas to me.

Went to chick-fil-a today

drive thru, cashier said I

had waited to long. Gave

me my order for free

@TimTebow should be the

spokesperson for Chik-fil-A. LOVE

that they offer church services for

employees. #JesusSaves

The customer service at Chick-fil-A in

Joplin is AWESOME!! They have an

employee standing outside the drive thru

window to hand your food to you do you

don't have to lean out. My Pleasure!! I

love it!

Pull up to the window at

Chick fil A , cashier said

car in front paid for your

order.

Chick-fil-A has the best

employees. It's so nice to

hear "my pleasure!" they

should make 10 an hour.

09:00

Listen to unsolicited customer comments, codify findings

10:30 11:15 13:30 16:00 18:30

Source: Conversition “EvoListen” social media consumer verbatims from period 1 Jan – 31 Dec 2011.

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Five strong themes emerge… 1. Waiving food payment: Notable instances of staff waiving the payment for food where

they consider a customer has been waiting too long.

2. Positive associations with Christianity: Chick-fil-A is an overtly Christian

organization (for example, it doesn’t open on a Sunday which is considered a day of rest) and this is noteworthy for a number of customers.

3. Service footprint extends beyond the 4 walls of the store: Noted examples

include employees taking orders outside the store, handing orders from the service window to the car window, and marshalling cars in busy car parks.

4. Exceptional politeness of the staff: Large number of mentions relating to the

politeness, cheerfulness and overall positive attitudes of the employees.

5. Paying it forward: Some mentions of a phenomenon of “paying it forward”; potentially

a social meme that is playing out in the Quick Serve Restaurant category.

Source: Conversition “EvoListen” social media consumer verbatims from period 1 Jan – 31 Dec 2011.

09:00

Listen to unsolicited customer comments, codify findings

10:30 11:15 13:30 16:00 18:30

8

31

21

14

13

10

6

5

Friendliness of the staff

I don't know or have no opinion on Chick-fil-A restaurants

New menu options (for example, Banana Pudding Milkshake)

Promotions like free breakfast Thursday

The brand's strong association with Christianity

Service that extends beyond the restaurant (for example, car park attendants)

Other

Staff friendliness is the

most valued component of

the Chick-fil-A experience

Positive association with

Christianity may be a

sustainable source of

competitive advantage

09:00

Confirm and quantify themes with fast survey to inform subsequent study design

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Thinking about the Chick-fil-A chain of restaurants, what aspect of the customer

experience do you most value?

Source: Conversition survey using Crowdvi.be fielded March 3, 2012 (n=100). Response time = 7 mins.

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09:00

Write and script deeper dive survey with full targeting capability

10:30 11:15 13:30 16:00 18:30

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09:00

Field survey targeting n=1,000 past 3 month Chick-fil-A customers, prepare analytical

framework

10:30 11:15 13:30 16:00 18:30

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Source: Conversition survey using SurveyTool fielded March 3, 2012 amongst respondents who had visited Chick-fil-A within the previous 3 months (n=1,032).

35.2%

23.7%

13.0%

9.2%

6.7%

4.5%

Friendliness of the staff

Range of menu options

Associations with Christianity

Sales promotions (e.g. Free breakfast Thursday)

I don't know or have no opinion

Service that extends beyond the restaurant (for example, car park attendants)

Reconfirm the most valued attributes: Thinking about all of your experiences with

Chick-fil-A, what is it that you MOST VALUE about their restaurants?

Staff friendliness remains the

most valued component of the

Chick-fil-A experience

Both the range of menu

options and associations with

Christianity become more

significant

09:00

Drop data into analytical framework, analyze results

10:30 11:15 13:30 16:00 18:30

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Greet customers: “They greet customers, they remember me from visit to visit, they bring

refills to the table, they bring the food to the table if I have both kids with me and can't carry it myself, they are POLITE and genuinely seem to appreciate customers.”

Smile at them: “I appreciate the genuine smiles.”

Talk to them: “they are very talkative and sweet..” “it's much more enjoyable to order a meal

from someone who seems happy and I enjoy a bit of conversation and getting to know a bit about anyone even while ordering lunch”

Know the regulars: “They is one lady that works at our location and always remembers my

children, and their sports.” “They great me call me by my name.” “how they say identify you by name”

Get a catchphrase: “They say things like, "It was my pleasure." Not something you hear very

often at a fast food chain.”

Get out from behind the counter: “The location I go to has the best staff. The people who

take orders will offer to help bring my tray to my table when they see I have my hands full with my children.”

Give the occasional surprise: “they gave me free food once”

Source: Conversition survey using SurveyTool fielded March 3, 2012 amongst respondents most valued “Friendliness of the staff” (n=363).

09:00

Drop data into analytical framework, analyze results

10:30 11:15 13:30 16:00 18:30

So what is the anatomy of “friendliness”?

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Source: Conversition survey using SurveyTool fielded March 3, 2012 amongst respondents who had visited Chick-fil-A within the previous 3 months (n=1,031). Net Promoter Score is calculated as % of promoters (scoring 9 or 10) minus % of detractors (scoring 0 to 6).

60%

52%

9%

-17%

-30%

-35%

Chick-fil-A (Christian Respondents)

Chick-fil-A (All Respondents)

Subway

Wendy’s

McDonalds

Burger King

Chick-fil-A has category-

leading NPS scores with a

significant uplift amongst

Christian respondents.

Chick-fil-A leads the pack in Net Promoter: How likely is it that you would

recommend [Brand] to a friend or colleague?

09:00

Drop data into analytical framework, analyze results

10:30 11:15 13:30 16:00 18:30

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1.3%

2.4%

6.9%

-1.4%

-5.3%

-4.0%

More than once a week

Once a week

A few times a month

Once a month

Once every three months

Less often

Source: Conversition survey using SurveyTool fielded March 3, 2012 amongst respondents who had visited Chick-fil-A within the previous 3 months (n=1,020).

Amongst Christians (the largest

faith group in the USA), Chick-

fil-A’s faith association confers it

a significant strategic advantage

for visitation frequency amongst

that group.

Is the overt Christian nature of Chick-fil-A a source of strategic advantage?:

Effect of visitation frequency for Christians over non-Christians

09:00

Drop data into analytical framework, analyze results

10:30 11:15 13:30 16:00 18:30

“Paying it forward” is a meaningful phenomenon and worthy of further investigation...

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14% had experienced someone else “paying it forward” to them

22% had “paid it forward” to someone else

...are Chick-fil-A customers more charitable than other category users?

09:00

Drop data into analytical framework, analyze results

10:30 11:15 13:30 16:00 18:30

Source: Conversition survey using SurveyTool fielded March 3, 2012 amongst respondents who had visited Chick-fil-A within the previous 3 months (n=1,020).

Wait times, location, and

price perceptions are areas

of concern for the brand:

Satisfaction is relatively low

for these important category

attributes

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Hi

Lo Hi

Source: Conversition survey using SurveyTool fielded March 3, 2012 amongst respondents who had visited Chick-fil-A within the previous 3 months (n=1,020).

Range of menu items

Cleanliness of restaurant

Friendliness of employees

Availability of parking

Location

Opening hours

Time spent in line

Price

Table service Imp

ort

ance

(Q

SR c

ateg

ory

)

Satisfaction (Chick-fil-A)

So is Chick-fil-A doing EVERYTHING right?:

Category attribute stated importance versus Chick-fil-A satisfaction

09:00

Drop data into analytical framework, analyze results

10:30 11:15 13:30 16:00 18:30

DANG IT!!!!!! Chick-fil-a prices went up!!!!! The world is ending.

Chick fil A has went up on there prices!!! Smh!!!! Just tries this whole Chick-

fil-a "thing." While good, the hype left it Very

underwhelming. And exuberantly overpriced..

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09:00

Drop data into analytical framework, analyze results

10:30 11:15 13:30 16:00 18:30

Chick-Fil-A is overpriced garbage.

super slow, super expensive.. But there's

nothing like chick fil a in the morning

I dont like Chick-Fil-A cause their small ass portions of food dont feel you up and the

PRICES TOO DAMN HIGH

When did Chick-Fil-A get so expensive? A 12 piece

chicken nugget meal was almost $8!

Source: Conversition “EvoListen” social media consumer verbatims from period 1 Jan – 31 Jan 2012.

Recent 2012 price increase has not been well received...

...is pricing out of kilter with both their category and the economic reality faced by customers?

Long wait . Worst I have ever seen it.

I stood inline for 30 minutes before

ordering, then had to wait another 15 to get

food.

the one morning I get up early enough to get

chickfila they are busy af and I don't have time to

wait for the food #ofcourse

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09:00

Drop data into analytical framework, analyze results

10:30 11:15 13:30 16:00 18:30

i had to wait exactly 27 mins for a 12 pc at

chickfila. i was soooooo mad

Chick-fil-A hates me!!! I wait in line for 10

minutes and finally get to the front!!

There needs to be a #ChikFilA at every corner

of every street cuz me waiting in a line for

20min at every Chik Fil A

Chick fil a is so fucking crowded been waiting 5 mins to get outta the parking lot!!!

Source: Conversition “EvoListen” social media consumer verbatims from period 1 Jan – 31 Jan 2012.

And while busy restaurants are the lifeblood of the industry...

...excess demand is taking its toll on brand perceptions.

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Chick-fil-A enjoys market-beating goodwill with a loyal customer base, but wait times are

becoming noteworthy…

React to demand on a case-by-case basis and gain local depth / category share with new

restaurant openings

…and the prices are beginning to bite… Trial menu items that address customers who

want lower priced options

…though “bonus” events such as free meals create goodwill and fit into an emerging trend

of “paying it forward”…

(If not done so already) issue guidance to restaurants on trigger occasions for free food

orders

…and the range of menu items, friendliness of staff, and cleanliness of restaurants continue to

be major satisfaction drivers…

Continue with menu development program, reward service scores, and ensure restaurant

upgrades remain a priority

09:00

Summarize and make recommendations

10:30 11:15 13:30 16:00 18:30

Integrated Social Research

If you would like access to the full dataset for this case study or to learn more about Integrated Social Research please email us at:

hello@conversition.com