Retail and Consumer Studies Group. RCSG
Projects and activities
The group has an established track record of providing expert advice and consultancy to a wide range of local and national organisations. Three recent examples of collaborative research projects include:
Retail SME Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs)
The retail team have recently completed 3 successful KTPs in the field of food retail management, linking the outputs and findings in to the taught curriculum and are now recognised as retail KTP experts within the University. The projects involved the following organisations:
The Seafood Restaurant (Padstow) Ltd. KTP Partnership no. 6354
This long-established business venture of Rick and Jill Stein is world-renowned for its combined hospitality and award-winning restaurant portfolio based in the South West of England. More recently, the business had incorporated an expanding retail and mail order offer into the business. Recognising that there were inconsistencies in their retail portfolio and its profit performance, this project aimed to conduct a strategic review of all retail marketing, merchandising and management activities to more consistently align with other areas of the food offer, hospitality and media offerings. See: http://www.rickstein.com/
Pordum Foods Ltd. KTP Partnership, no. 7428
Trading as Bon Appétit, Pordum Foods Ltd originated as a supplier of Spencers gourmet quality bulk frozen ready meals delivered in London and the South East UK through a network of field sales staff. More recently the company had developed a separate frozen food/ microwave vending offer as a catering solution for the workplace to complement existing hospitality provision. This project aimed to refine the existing offer and enhance levels of innovation to develop a more widely appealing vended food retail offer. See: http://www.hotfoodvending.com/
Spring Barn Farm, Kingston, KTP Partnership no. 7927
This visitor attraction incorporates a petting zoo, campsite and children’s play areas on the South Downs as part of a working family run farm just outside the historical town of Lewes. The destination has always offered food through its Farmhouse Kitchen and acted as a venue for a range of seasonal and social events. Recognising local consumer demand for regional produce, their home-produced beef and lamb and alternative (non-multiple) retail offer, the business aimed to build and open a complementary farm shop. This KTP project was centred on the initial start-up retail business and aligning it to the existing food offer. See: http://www.springbarnfarm.com/
Creative Retail Fashion Forum
RCSG develops marketing strategy with Brighton's fashion independent retailers and designers who face numerous challenges such as being located off main shopping street in the North or South Laines. With Brighton Council discouraging traffic, car parking is at a premium and creates a barrier to national and regional visitors.
The University has developed a network of Brighton-based small business owners to provide support and advice in developing sustainable business. The main aims of the forum are to:
- Identify key problems that each regularly faces in running their business
- Predict the key challenges that face them in the future
Rising business rates have put small businesses under pressure. Small shops are being put at risk by the influx of the supermarket giants, exorbitant rents and council parking policies. Across the country, more than 7,000 family or individually owned shops disappeared between 2001 and 2005, a 21 per cent slump (Evening Standard, March 2005).
The Retail and Consumer Studies Group have worked with the retailers to design a consumer survey to better understand the fashion consumption behaviour of people who live in and visit Brighton, regional visitors and those living nearby who shop in other areas.
The survey aims to identify the needs of key segments of the market for the independent fashion and designer products in Brighton. Knowledge of the influence of location on consumer buying decisions and a better understanding of any barriers to shopping in the North and South Laines will support decisions about future business and marketing strategies.
Service Technologies: Developing Strategies
Sponsored by
Service Technology is perceived by many industry leaders to be the panacea for all ills. The literature tells us that in many cases technology does indeed offer a way forward.
Within the discipline of customer service, technology may offer many of the solutions that both the customer and their organisations desire. Indeed, in placing technology so strongly at the interface some customers remain challenged and become disaffected by the concept.
This research project examines customer and business’s perceptions of service technologies. Organisations involved in the research include: Dixons, Easyjet, DHL, B and Q, NTL, BT, British Airways, RNIB, General Motors, Visa, Oracle plus others.
Best Practice in Business-to-Business Customer Service
Sponsored by
Much research exists in the field of B2C but little in the field of B2B. This ongoing research project examines examples of both good and bad practice in the business-to-business sector.
In this the examination of developmental relationships between organisations is key as well as key variables such as ‘trust’. The research methodology involves a series of ‘elite’ interviews with key organisations such as: McAlpine, Johnsons Controls, Bovis Lend Lease, National Grid Transco, H & H Classic Car Auctions, National Express, Angel Trains, Gallagher Group, Osborne plus others.
