Project Overview

This report details a group consulting project undertaken by Pivot Partners for the Santa Clara location of Vitality Bowls, aimed at addressing underperforming sales identified in the previous quarter. The core problems were diagnosed as twofold: suboptimal customer satisfaction and ineffective online social media engagement. The project involved collaborating directly with the store owner, Chandani Singh, to develop and implement solutions.​​

Phase 1: Problem Diagnosis & Analysis

Initial phase focused on understanding the root cause behind the identified problems.​​

Customer Satisfaction Analysis

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Pivot Partners analyzed 50 recent online customer reviews from Restaurant Guru to pinpoint recurring issues. The average rating was 3.0 out of 5. Key complaints included poor service (cited in 33% of reviews), long wait times (22%), and concerns about portion sizes (12%). This provided clear targets for improving the in-store experience.

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Social Media Analysis

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An examination of the Vitality Bowls Santa Clara Instagram account revealed significant discrepancies between the online audience and actual in-store customers. Analytics showed the Instagram audience was heavily male-dominated (76%), whereas in-store clientele leaned slightly female (60%). Geographically, a large majority (80%) of Instagram followers were international (from India, Indonesia, Philippines, Brazil, etc.), indicating the platform was failing to effectively reach potential local customers who could drive in-person sales. Analysis of the 40 most recent posts showed higher engagement for content featuring specific promotions, multiple images, and people.

Operational & Promotional Data

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While the existing Point of Sale (POS) system tracked metrics like best-selling items and peak hours, there was a lack of detailed data on customer behavior, such as distinguishing new versus returning customers or tracking promotional redemption effectively. This gap hindered the ability to measure marketing ROI and personalize customer experiences.​

Phase 2: Solution Development & Implementation

​​Based on the analysis, Pivot Partners developed and implemented several deliverables categorized into analysis findings, restaurant implementations, and promotional campaigns/testimonies.

Restaurant Implementations

Selfie Wall: A visually appealing flower wall was installed to encourage customers to take photos and share them on social media, increasing online visibility and engagement.

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Board Games: An assortment of board games was placed in the dining area to entertain customers during wait times, aiming to reduce impatience and improve the overall experience.

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POS Phone Number Collection: A system was implemented via the self-order kiosk to collect customer phone numbers. This enables text notifications about order status (addressing wait time complaints), allows tracking of new vs. repeat customers, and creates a channel for text-based promotions.

Promotional Campaigns & Testimonials

Physical Vouchers: An initial campaign distributed over 150 physical discount vouchers targeting Santa Clara University (SCU) students. This proved ineffective, revealing that the 13-minute distance and lack of student vehicle access were significant barriers.

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Social Media Campaigns: Two subsequent Instagram campaigns were launched. One offered a 15% discount over a specific weekend, and the other offered a 30% discount for following the account and reposting the promotion. These campaigns showed tangible results, contributing to a 7% increase in net sales during the period.

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Student Testimonials: Two video testimonials featuring SCU students sharing positive experiences were created to resonate with the local student demographic and improve brand perception.

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Phase 3: Forecasting, Metrics, and Recommendations

The final part of the project involved forecasting potential impact, defining success metrics, analyzing costs, and providing recommendations for sustained improvement.

Forecast & Success Metrics

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Pivot Partners forecasted a potential 15-20% growth in relevant social media followers and a

10-15% boost in sales conversion rates over six months due to enhanced customer experience. Continued promotions were expected to yield a consistent 4-7% sales uplift during campaign periods. Short-term success metrics (within 6 months) included a 4-7% profit increase during promotions, 15-20% engagement growth, and attracting 30+ new customers. Long-term metrics

(1-2 years) targeted a sustained 15% increase in relevant followers, a 10% rise in returning customers, and collecting 100+ phone numbers via the POS system.
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Cost / ROI Analysis​

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The project incurred approximately $1,171 in hard costs, primarily for the selfie wall ($900), games ($60), sales discounts ($183), and coupon printouts ($20). Soft costs involved the team's time and effort. A break-even point was calculated: assuming a conservative $5 profit per customer, Vitality Bowls would need 234 additional customers to recoup the hard costs.

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Recommendations/Next Steps

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Promotions: Continue monthly Instagram promotions (e.g., 30% off for reposts), implement a standard student discount, and host health/nutrition events possibly in partnership with SCU.
 

Customer Information: Leverage the new phone number system to analyze customer frequency, differentiate new vs. returning patrons, identify popular items among segments, and measure retention/acquisition metrics.
 

Feedback: Launch customer surveys (incentivized with discounts) to gather satisfaction data (CSAT) and calculate Net Promoter Score (NPS) for loyalty measurement.
 

Marketing Refinement: Address the demographic/geographic mismatch on Instagram through targeted content, collaborations with local female health-conscious influencers, and increased engagement with SCU (hashtags, events) and other local businesses.
 

Operational Enhancements: Explore ideas like monthly meal subscriptions, limited-time menu items, bundle deals, and 'happy hour' pricing during slow periods to optimize sales and margins. Continuously analyze promotional effectiveness.

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The project concluded with the belief that implementing these data-driven strategies would enhance Vitality Bowls Santa Clara's market position, deepen customer connections, and drive sustainable growth.