CASE STUDY: Yard & Coop

In the ever-evolving world of hospitality, businesses face an ongoing challenge: how to keep their offerings fresh, relevant, and aligned with customer expectations. Yard & Coop, a Manchester-based restaurant specializing in buttermilk fried chicken, understands this challenge all too well. Founded by Carl Morris and Laura Morris, Yard & Coop embarked on a journey to create something unique and memorable in the bustling restaurant scene.

Yard & Coop successfully leveraged their customer feedback, with the help of Black Box Intelligence, to make informed decisions that continue to drive their business forward.

Navigating economic challenges

Yard & Coop have faced numerous challenges, including rising energy costs, increased staff expenses, and disruptions in the supply chain. These could have severely impacted their profitability if not managed carefully. BBI Survey Studio played a crucial role in helping them navigate those challenges by providing insights into pricing and portion size adjustments without compromising quality.

“The real benefit is that we’re making the right decisions.” said Carl Morris.

Turning customer feedback into insight

Yumpingo became Yard & Coop’s trusted service for capturing and analyzing customer feedback. They used BBI Survey Studio to gather opinions on their dishes every day, helping them understand how each item performed in real time.

The service enabled them to evaluate various aspects of the dining experience, such as taste, quality, pricing, and more, to deliver unprecedented levels of data. What sets BBI apart is its ability to bring all those data points into one central dashboard, providing a comprehensive view of customer sentiment.

The challenge of staying relevant

Carl acknowledged the constant challenge of adapting to meet customer expectations in the hospitality industry. “The challenge was not just about keeping up with trends but also staying ahead in an increasingly competitive market. The key is keeping the customer at the centre of every decision.”

Bringing the customer into the boardroom

In an era where customer opinions are scattered across various platforms, it’s crucial to have a single source of feedback. Yard & Coop turned to BBI to streamline this process, allowing them to make informed, rapid decisions.

Carl’s philosophy is simple but effective: “It’s a bit cheesy, but I’ve used it for decades – bring the customer into the room where the big decisions are made.”

The power of transparency

One of the notable advantages of BBI Survey Studio is its ability to ask about each individual guests’ unique experience. Every customer has the opportunity to provide feedback by rating each dish on their order. This extends beyond the individual diner’s feedback; it offered a collective voice that influenced Yard and Coop’s decision-making processes.

Empowering the team

BBI Survey Studio not only facilitates decision-making at the management level but also empowers the entire team. Carl explained that Yard & Coop made the guest feedback results visible to the kitchen staff in real time. This created an opportunity for dialogue between the front-of-house and kitchen teams, promoting collaboration and continuous improvement.

Conclusion

In the competitive world of hospitality, staying relevant and meeting customer expectations are ongoing challenges. Yard & Coop’s journey serves as an example of how a restaurant can thrive by putting the customer at the heart of every decision. With Black Box Intelligence as their trusted partner, Yard & Coop successfully turned customer feedback into actionable insights, ensuring their offerings continue to delight diners and make their business stand out in a crowded market.

Carl Morris summed it up perfectly: “The aim here is not financial. The aim here is to give the customer the best experience possible.”