Students who look forward to having their say on products they
purchase on campus will soon have a chance to sit down to discuss
their ideas directly with restaurant and store managers.
The Associated Students of UCLA recently launched a program that
aims to get more feedback from customers on the quality, style and
pricing of food items, apparel and accessory products at the UCLA
Store.
Bob Williams, interim executive director of the association,
said the program is part of “a larger process to get more
connected to the campus ““ the students, the administration
and the faculty.”
As a start, both the food services and store divisions have
formed groups of ASUCLA student employees, nominated by their unit
managers from facilities run by the association, to review
individual products.
The association sees the current program as a stepping stone
toward getting more input from other customers, including the
general student population, faculty and alumni. The process will
become part of ASUCLA’s operating strategy and will occur on
a regular basis.
The food services student group is meeting on a weekly basis to
sample different food products suggested for trial by the managers
at respective food locations. The group met on Feb. 10 to evaluate
the quality, presentation, flavor and price of five new types of
deep-dish, thick-crust pizzas.
Based on students’ comments, the food services division
will make decisions regarding the placement and pricing of items at
restaurants and coffeehouses on campus.
The number of students in a group is usually kept between six
and 10 to allow for effective discussions, said Roy Champawat,
associate director of operations and business development at UCLA
restaurants.
“We don’t want them to be intimidated in a big group
setting. … We want the unvarnished truth about our food
products,” Champawat said.
Students are also given free food coupons which they can use at
any restaurant on campus so they can give evaluations based on
their personal experience in a regular setting without the presence
of managers, Champawat said.
Students who form the food review group said the process is
valuable in allowing the restaurants to obtain products they
want.
“It’s a good idea for (food services) to get student
input because we’re the people who eat here the majority of
the time,” said Natalie Marin-Sharp, a fifth-year
anthropology student who works at the UCLA Store.
Fifth-year economics student Scott Alexander said he sees the
restaurants beginning to respond to student needs by going with the
new trend of health and diet food. Alexander said he used to have
trouble finding such food items on campus.
Other students who are employed at ASUCLA food facilities say
they believe they are able to offer a unique perspective on the new
dishes.
Mike Ru, a third-year economics and English student who works at
Kerckhoff Coffeehouse, said he evaluates new food items based on
his experience “from both ends … as someone who sells and
eats the food products.”
The UCLA Store also obtained feedback from students on apparel
and accessories items during its first program last week. Students
were asked to comment on the design, artwork, model and price of
the products, said Patrick Healey, general merchandise manager for
apparel and accessories at the UCLA Store.
Managers selected students who wanted to express their opinions
to be a part of the group, he said.
Healey added that the store needs to get a better feel from the
first few sessions for how much it can accomplish before it makes
any decisions to expand the program.
ASUCLA believes the process of getting input on products at its
restaurants and stores will help the association better meet the
demands of its customers.
“I’ve always placed importance in getting more
connected to the customers because it is vital to being successful
in business,” Williams said.
“Students have told me throughout the years that they have
some great ideas but nobody seems to listen to them. … This will
be a chance for them to have their voices heard,” he
added.