Figuring Out Buyer Behavior

Segment: UF off-campus students

Interview 1:

For my first interview, I spoke with my roommate as I have previously discussed my business idea with her and know she has this unmet need. As a college student who lives off campus, eating out is one of the most popular options for student as a meal plan isn't as useful when you no longer live in a dorm where access is much easier to on-campus dining options. She expressed that since she is a full-time student it is most convenient to go to restaurants for a significant amount of meals. When asked how she typically finds solutions to her problems she discussed how she relies heavily on feedback from her friends and family. Hearing opinions from others allows her to get a realistic view on how to approach a problem and helps her to adjust her expectations.

Interview 2:

For my second interview, I chose to interview one of my classmates who currently lives off campus but since he lives in a fraternity house, he does not have access to a full kitchen and therefore relies on eating out to supplement his meals on weekends. He also expressed that most times when he goes out to eat she is crunched on time as he is very involved on campus and usually has meetings at night or has to go to the library to do work or study. Being on a time schedule, he often cannot afford to wait at a restaurant to be seated and was interested when I proposed my business idea to him. While he does rely on his friends and family to advise him on different problems, he placed a large emphasis on research he finds on the Internet, "You can find anything on the Internet, the good, the bad, the ugly, and most importantly, the honest." He spoke about how he looks more deeply into negative reviews compared to positive ones and considers if the concerns of other consumers are concerns he also values.

Interview 3:

For my final interview, I thought it would be a unique perspective to speak to someone who was actively waiting in a restaurant to be seated. While dining out and waiting for a table, I had the chance to speak to a group of girls who were also waiting and gathered their thoughts on my business proposal. Obviously, because they were actively waiting in a restaurant (and looked pretty annoyed about it) I knew they had my unmet need. I asked them if they dined out a lot and they all agreed it was their favorite thing to do as a group as it allows them to catch up over a meal. With all differing busy schedules, they find it difficult to all find a time to meet and having to wait for a table doesn't help when planning meal times. They joked about how it often takes them an hour to decide where to eat before they even leave the house, and they are always disappointed if they have to wait a significant amount of time to be seated or have to go to another restaurant because the wait is too long. While they all had unique perspectives on how they solved problems, it became clear that their group tackles problems together. Relying on each other as sources of information allows them to gather differing opinions while they are supported by those with their best interests at hand.

Conclusion:

My segment, UF off-campus students, is one that is often faced with my unmet need because they rely on restaurants to provide meals whether it be because they don't have access to a kitchen or because they enjoy a meal out with friends. There was a recurring theme of relying on the Internet and advice of others to help find solutions to their problems, one that I believe most students at UF would agree with. As a group, they are very aware of their needs and try to find instant solutions to almost every problem they are faced with.