• printer friendly
• mail this article
• iPod format
• digg

Photo

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.