As Friendly’s Ice Cream takes advantage of opportunities to leverage innovative mobile technologies, the company has engaged On The Spot Systems to help drive its internal menu testing and R&D initiatives.

 

As a leader in location specific, real-time worldwide mobile surveys, On The Spot Systems tailored its SaaS tool to Friendly’s needs for more efficient and accurate menu testing. Friendly’s began using the mobile survey solution in January to conduct internal and consumer taste panels at its test kitchen in Wilbraham, Massachusetts.

 

The use of On The Spot Systems’ tool allows Friendly’s to ensure that menu development efforts are à la mode—attuned to market demands. By reinvigorating its menu, Friendly’s ensures that its products remain relevant to consumers’ preferences and constantly evolving tastes, leading to a more competitive edge.

 

During these panels, respondents are asked to assess new menu items and variations on Friendly’s popular classics. These tests allow Friendly’s R&D team to assess the potential success of new menu items and variations on its classic products in real-time.

 

“On The Spot System’s mobile menu testing survey and analytics platform is integral to our menu research and development; This technology allows us to realize our culinary efforts faster and more efficiently than ever before,” says Brad Schiff, Friendly’s EVP and chief marketing officer. “We can focus on the culinary creativity and innovation that’s vital to our menu creation process and eliminate the administrative burden associated with transposing and tabulating data from paper forms. Now I know how each product performed before the first plates are cleared from the table.”

 

“We are thrilled that Friendly’s has benefited from the real-time value of our mobile survey analytics capabilities, especially in the context of introducing limited time offer menu items,” says Ken Kimmel, president of On The Spot Systems. “Our intimate knowledge of the restaurant industry combined with our data collection tool is making it possible for Friendly’s management to immediately assess and understand the potential of each new product, and quickly determine the winners.”

 

On The Spot Systems’ cost-effective, easy-to-implement solutions allow businesses across any industry to capture critical data “on the spot” using mobile technology. It is the easiest way to get the answer to the key question: “What’s going on in my business right now?”