This week, we began to implement some of our questions into some of our first focus groups. Even though these were essentially tests, they gave us great practice and procured some interesting answers.
Tyler:
One of the biggest things that I took away from our practice focus group was the seemingly negative relationship between sit-down restaurants and people with shorter attention spans. Interestingly enough, though, the participant in question made an exception for sports bars like BW3s, citing the televised sports, noise, and energetic atmosphere as great forms of stimulation. With that being said, it’s starting to sound like sports bars can bridge the gap between sit-down restaurants and high-energy patrons.
Caitlin:
Being one of the ones to speak with the participants was a bit easier than I thought it would be. I was concerned about the level of casual conversation I’d be able to provide, and it happened very naturally. I was really intrigued when the participant brought up BW3s on his own accord, without any prompting (ie: specifically mentioning wings, asking them to talk about specific sport bars, etc.).
Emily C:
The biggest takeaway I had from the practice focus group was that in a setting such as a college campus, convenience is the number one factor in where groups of friends go. If it’s close in range and fairly cheap, it’s hard to take their patronage away. However, it was interesting that the one exception to this was loud, engaged environments like sports bars because that’s where they can be loud without feeling obnoxious. I was worried about having two people conduct the interview, but they interacted with both of us comfortably.
Emi-G:
My interviews were slightly different from my partners in crime, because I was back home in Mason, Ohio. I interviewed Ethan, age 19 (Sophomore), and Youssef, age 20 (Junior). They had just got done playing a soccer game and were about to go back to the University of Cincinnati campus, so they gave off a partly impatient impression (probably wanting a shower and some wings). That made me soar through my questions a little faster than I wanted, but it’s good to know to schedule meetings with plenty of time and at a place where they felt comfortable. The Buffalo Wild Wings down the street from where they play tends to be a go-to destination after games, and was recently remodeled.
Washington Grant + Oak 