Service Marketing Audit

By:Molly Dreska

Brittany FrownfelterAlyssa Hammerly

Daniel Johnson

Brief History

• Sister company to Boardwalk Fries• Brothers David and Francis DiFerdinando opened first location in summer of 1980 in Ocean City, Maryland•First Boardwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries opened in 2007•College Park location opened on June 23, 2010 on Baltimore Ave./Route 1

Customer Gap•Boardwalk seems to understand customer expectations and meets them very well•The restaurant has greatly benefited from the longevity of the Boardwalk franchise •knowledge of the types of customers that dine at their restaurants •kinds of things that customers expect from the restaurant

•However, this particular Boardwalk does not have a system in place to effectively measure most of their customers' perceptions of their service

Evaluation of Gap 1:The Listening Gap

Upward Communication:Flow Of Communication Within

Restaurant

Corporate Managers

Store Manager: Kraig Dean

Shift Supervisor: Rachel Bitner

Lower Level Employees

Customers

Relationship Focus:College Students

•TV's for game day•Reasonable Prices•Quick Service•Good Burgers•Extensive menu (SHAKES!)

Evaluation of Gap 2:The Service Design and Standards

Gap

Servicescape

•Boardwalk has designed a very warm and fun environment for customers

•Bright and very ‘loud’ colors throughout the store

•Flat screen TV's

•Very large dining area for large number of customers

•Attempting to “One-up” its competitor, Five Guys

Visuals of Servicescape

Comparison to Five Guys

Boardwalk

Five Guys

Meeting Customer’s Standards

•Boardwalk relies heavily and on word-of-mouth and surveys for service improvement

•Not very effective way to hear from the majority of their customers

•Most customers don’t even know there are satisfaction surveys

Evaluation of Gap 3:The Service Performance Gap

Strategic Activities

•Effective Human Resource Policies•Effective Role Fulfillment by Customers•Alignment of Demand and Capacity•Research Method: Interview with College Park location Franchisee•Inhibitors closing the Gap – Our Findings

Evaluation of Gap 4:The Communication Gap

Integrated Services Marketing Communications

•Overall Message: Friendly, Fun, Casual Restaurant where each customer and meal will receive personal attention•Nostalgic approach•Public Relations reflects pleasurable experience•Company Promises fresh ingredients•Customer interactions with employees are not consistent with overall message

Integrated Services Marketing Communications Examples

“we only use fresh ground beef that has never been

frozen. Every morning, we hand make every single

burger patty…Our famous fries are hand-cut everyday

and only made to order”(Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and

Fries)

Find coupons in The Diamondback!

Pricing

•Mid-priced array of food•Able to price because better quality products, however, do not receive prestige service

•Offer convenience•Hedonistic value

Pricing: Comparison to Main Competition, Five Guys

Five Guys Burgers and Fries 

BurgersHamburger : 4.79

Cheeseburger : 5.39Bacon Burger : 5.59

Bacon Cheeseburger : 6.09Little Hamburger : 3.69

Little Cheeseburger : 4.29Little Bacon Burger : 4.39

Little Bacon Cheeseburger :4.89 

DogsKosher Style Hotdog : 3.39

Cheese Hotdog : 3.99Bacon Hotdog : 4.19

Bacon Cheese Hotdog : 4.79  

FriesFive Guys Style or Cajun Style

Regular 2.69Large 4.59

Boardwalk Burgers and Fries Menu

 Build-a-Burger

Build your burger just how you like it.Single Burger (4 oz) : 3.19Double Burger (8 oz) : 4.39

 Signature BurgersBleu Burger : 5.59

Mushroom Swiss Burger : 5.59BBQ Bacon Cheddar Burger : 5.59

 Dogs

Customize with your choice of Sandwich Add-Ons

Hot Dog : 2.99 

Boardwalk FriesRegular : 2.39Medium : 3.09Large : 4.99

Chili, Cheese, or Gravy Cup each 75 cent

Chili Cheese Fries : 3.99

Recommendations

Gap 1

•More effective communication•Employee consistency•Appeal to target segment

Gap 2

•Use other outlets to hear back from customers•Give customers incentives to talk about their experience•Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery•Take notes from the success of Five Guys

Gap 3

•Hold quarterly training sessions and customer service seminars for hourly employees, with a focus on technical, interactive, and cross-training skills. •Require employees-in-training to take a series of quizzes after each day of training in addition to taking a cumulative test at the end of the training period, before the employees begin working full or part-time.

Gap 4

•Does not need to adjust pricing•Improve recruitment and training to reduce inconsistencies in employee behavior•Reach out to students•Advertise on buses•Commuters•Partner with various clubs and committees

Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries EvaluationOverall evaluation of Boardwalk’s service on a scale of 1-10 (1 being poor and 10

being excellent)

Gap 1 8

Gap 2 9

Gap 3 5.5

Gap 4 6

Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries

Visit at:10250 Baltimore AvenueCollege Park, MD 20740Hours: 11am-9pm dailyPhone: 240-965-7708

Website: www.boardwalkfreshburgersandfries.c

om

Thank you!

Questions?

Pictures pulled from www.boardwalkfreshburgersandfries.com