From operations to impressions : proposed strategies for Gallery 2.0
Creators: name: Ho, Andrea
name: Evin, Ryan
name: Sihota, Russnoor
name: Li, Sherry
name: Ching, Francis
Publisher: name: The University of British Columbia
Year: 2017

description: GALLERY 2.0 AT A GLANCE The AMS at UBC operates in a unique position, providing services and value to students in ways that are meant to connect the greater community together. The opening of The Nest has fueled this greater mission by providing a wide range of restaurants and services to students, including Gallery 2.0. Our strategy is to capitalize on this opportunity that Gallery 2.0 offers students in such a way as to provide increased value through a number of initiatives that can work to optimize the restaurant. Essentially, we want to take Gallery 2.0 to a place where it’s potential can fully be realized, and the greater UBC community can continue to enjoy its one-of-a-kind atmosphere. BARRIERS TO GROWTH In order to understand Gallery 2.0’s positioning, we employed a SWOT analysis to gain insight into the opportunities that are available. We also drafted a business model canvas to fully understand the operations of Gallery 2.0 and the main value proposition. Through our situational analysis we identified three core issues that our strategy will address in order to maximize the benefit of Gallery 2.0 for the entire community. These issues include operational issues surrounding bottlenecks in the kitchen and wait-times, under-utilized space with a large balcony that is empty for much of the year, and lack of effective brand communication. Our proposed strategy will seek to address these barriers and amend them in such a way as to position Gallery 2.0 as the top restaurant on the top of the Nest. INITIATE: Operations and Leadership Our group recommended changes starting from the restaurant style, switching from a fast food serving model to a traditional setting will extend the average sitting time of each customer, and increase their average dollar spent through upselling. In terms of the fryer bottleneck, we tackle the problem through menu alterations. By offering food alternatives, we aim to mitigate the burden of the frying equipment. Finally, adding leadership element through a sous chef will deliver clear steering direction of Gallery 2.0. IMPROVE: Optimize Balcony Space To fully utilized the outdoor area, we need to first improve the infrastructure of the balcony to make the space usable. We recommend adding electric heaters and rain covers to make the balcony area available in any weather. Customers will then have the option to enjoy their meals both indoor and outdoor. This measure aims to maximize any uncaptured revenue through expanding the business area to hold more capacity. IMPRESS: Effective and Clear Brand Communication According to observation, many students were unaware of the location or products provided by the Gallery. We propose improving the existing banners and transform them into visually attractive posters and obvious signage within the nest, establishing a stronger presence within the student community. These marketing materials will focus on showing the newest items or discounts to communicate the value to consumers. Complimenting our marketing strategy, we will also push forward a new loyalty program to retain customers through long term discounts. POTENTIAL RISKS We understand the potential risks that may arise through our strategy. Increased reliability on employees and a lack of receptiveness from customers are the main concerns that may emerge. However, we believe we can mitigate these risks through innovative strategies that will enable us to address these risks and capture the full benefit of the proposed changes. Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.”