Hospitality

and Tourism
Operations Research Event

Minnetonka DECA
Minnetonka High School
18301 Highway 7
Minnetonka, Minnesota 55345
Allie Dille and Jake Wright
March 3, 2013

Snuffys Malt Shop

Tables of Contents
I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................. 1
II. INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................... 2
A. Description of the business or organization..................................................................................... 2
B. Overview of the businesss current website structure, capabilities, offerings, etc.......... 4
III. RESEARCH METHODS USED IN THE SWOT ANALYSIS ........................................................ 5
A. Steps taken to design the study and the instrument .................................................................... 5
B. Steps taken to conduct the study.........................................................................................................11
IV. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS OF THE SWOT ANALYSIS .................................................14
A. Strengths of the businesss or organizations website ...............................................................14
B. Weaknesses of the businesss or organizations website..........................................................15
C. Opportunities for the businesss or organizations website ....................................................18
D. Threats to the businesss or organizations website .................................................................22
V. PROPOSED STRATEGIC PLAN AND COST ANALYSIS ............................................................22
A. Develop a strategic plan to revise and improve the businesss website ............................22
B. Create a timeline to implement the strategic plan.......................................................................27
C. Develop a cost analysis of revising the website, hosting fees, and technical support..28
D. Identify revenue streams for the website .......................................................................................29
E. Return on investment...............................................................................................................................29
VI. BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................................................30

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Description of the business and website:

Snuffys Malt Shop is a small, privately owned fifties-themed diner originally
founded in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Since its inception, it has expanded to three
additional locations in Edina, Roseville, and Highland Park. Snuffys prides itself on
its high-quality customer service, excellent food, and community involvement. In the
future, Snuffys plans to expand into the Minneapolis and St. Paul area and the
northwestern suburbs. Snuffys current website lacks the necessary functions to be
useful for its consumers. As the restaurant expands, an updated website will be
imperative for Snuffys to communicate with its growing customer base.

Research conducted:
Secondary Research
Customer Survey
Personal Interviews (7)
Focus Groups

Strengths:
1. Distinct ffties theme adds to company image
2. Consistent brand identity
3. Simple
4. Hightlights Awards
5. Includes locations, menu, and hours

Weaknesses:
1. Unattractive interface
2. Not an adaptive or ^lexible site
3. No restaurant history or explanation
4. Lacks external links to social media
5. Confusing search results

SWOT Analysis of
Current Website

Opportunities:
1. Become more aesthetically pleasing
2. Showcase community involvement
3. Offer coupons, deals, and special events
4. Create a mobile-friendly site

Threats:
1. Competitors' websites are more professional
2. Competitors frequently update their websites
3. Competitors offer coupons
4. Low search engine optimization

Strategic plan:
1. Develop wireframe
2. Choose a template
3. Pay for a hosting fee
4. Hire photographer
5. Carry out manager contributions
6. Hire website developer
7. Revise and test the website
8. Train the manager
9. Launch the website
10. Implement Google analytics
Timeline: It will begin in September
of 2013 and run until the website is
launched in late March of 2014.
1

Cost analysis:
Ini%al Cost

$3,355.65

Addi%onal
Monthly
Cost

$37.70

Revenue stream: The downloadable

coupons and online orders will
measure Snuffys websites revenue
streams.
Return on investment: Snuffys will
receive full return and gain a 29%
increase in revenue over the websites
first three months.

II. INTRODUCTION
A. Description of the business or organization
Snuffys was originally founded in the late 1950s. Its original location was on
the northwest corner of Highway 7 and Highway 101 in Minnetonka, Minnesota. The
current owner, Mike Mueller, purchased the naming rights in 1983 after growing up
in Minnetonka and enjoying Snuffys as a child. Later that year, he opened the doors
to the second Snuffys Malt Shop located in Highland Park, Minnesota. Over the past
28 years, he has expanded it into a chain of four restaurants including the
Minnetonka, Edina, Roseville and Highland Park locations. The companys ability to
grow is mainly credited to a loyal customer base and customer referrals. Snuffys
has been successful because the owner fully understands the market Snuffys is in.
As a family-owned and operated business, family values are at its core. Snuffys
values the families, stories, and traditions of its customers. Customers know they
will receive quality customer service and great food for a reasonable price. For some
customers, their visit to Snuffys may be the only time all week they eat out, and
Snuffys wants to make it special.
Snuffys has been successful for a variety of reasons. In the owners mind, the
location and placement of the restaurants is the most important aspect that has led
to the restaurant's success. All four locations are near schools, baseball facilities, and
major intersections. The locations are strategically placed in the center of
communities, making it convenient for customers to eat when they are limited on
time. This allows Snuffys to keep its advertising budget minimal.

Snuffys currently does not distribute coupons through its website, but
instead it seamlessly integrates its ads and coupons in community magazines and
newspapers. Its regular customers know where to find these coupons and have
helped build a large following through a positive word-of-mouth reputation. Each
day, only 3-5% of customers use coupons. Each Snuffys location serves
approximately 300 to 500 customers daily. Snuffys earned a revenue of 1.2 million
dollars this past fiscal year.
Another factor that contributes to Snuffys success is its strong emphasis on
customer service. The company prides itself on not only being a part of the food
industry, but, also, the customer service industry. Snuffys has a simple philosophy
for its employees to follow: the customer is always right. Its employees are carefully
trained to understand that in order to provide a quality experience, they must first
take care of the customer, and then take care of their food order.
Throughout the years, Snuffys has become an iconic eatery for local
communities. Snuffys is able to achieve this by being involved with its community
members. Snuffys also actively participates in almost all fundraising opportunities
for local schools and sports teams. Over the past fifteen years, Snuffys has
sponsored a Little League team in each of the four different communities. In
addition to being involved in the community, Snuffys has become a meeting place
for local Wednesday-night Bible groups and book clubs.
In the future, Snuffy's is planning on expanding distribution through the
addition of a food truck in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Snuffys also plans to
expand into developing markets such as the western suburbs of
3

Maple Grove, Medina, and Lakeville. As Snuffys grows, it is imperative that it

enhances its website and use of social media to communicate with its large,
expanding customer base, establish a presence in new markets, and improve omni-
channel communication.
B. Overview of the businesss current website structure, capabilities, offerings,
etc.
The current website for Snuffys Malt Shop has a fairly simple layout and
structure. With a main page and three sub-headings, the website is easy to navigate.
The website has a bright red background with white text that conveys a strong
fifties theme similar to the ambiance of the restaurant. Snuffys color scheme of the
website adds to its charm. The websites offerings are fairly simple, informing the
customer of the menu and locations.

The Home page offers customers with a link to contact Snuffys managerial

staff and Facebook fan-page. It displays images of some of Snuffys

signature items, and highlights the awards and recognition received within the last
six years, including Best Milkshakes from the Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine, Best
Restaurant for Kids and Best Burger from the Twin Cities Reader, and recognized
Among the Most Popular Neighborhood Restaurants by the New York Times.
The See the Menu! sub-heading offers customers with an overview of all the
entrees, sides, and desserts offered and their prices. The page also presents a kids
menu for children under the age of eight. The sub-heading continues the fifties-retro
theme throughout the menu, which offers authentic fifties-style food options,
including hamburgers, sandwiches, soups and salads, with classic fifties malts,
sundaes, sodas, phosphates, floats, and beverages. Similar to the home page, the See
the Menu! page includes images of some of Snuffys well-known entrees and sides.
It also offers a link to a downloadable PDF file, allowing customers to print the menu
at their convenience.
The final sub-heading titled Snuffys Locations contains information about
the four locations in Minnetonka, Edina, Roseville and Highland Park. The page is
broken up into four sections, one for each restaurant. Each section includes an
address, summer and winter hours, a store front-picture, and a small map of the
location, courtesy of Google Maps. The locations page also includes a link to Google
Maps, allowing the customer to acquire directions from an address of their choice
straight to the Snuffys location closest to them.

III. RESEARCH METHODS USED IN THE SWOT ANALYSIS

A. Steps taken to design the study and the instrument

The objective of our research was to analyze Snuffys current website and
evaluate its effectiveness. Our purpose was to create a new and more efficient
strategy for Snuffys Malt Shop to utilize the power of its website. We used both
primary and secondary research in this study to fully understand all aspects of
websites and how to improve Snuffys website to be more beneficial to its
customers.

Secondary Research
Company Information:
1. Snuffy's Website
2. Snuffy's Facebook
3. Snuffy's Twitter
4. Snuffys Foursquare
5. Snuffys Yelp
Textbooks:
1. Web Usability by Mark Pearrow
2. Web Style Guide by Patrick J. Lynch and Sarah Horton
3. Search Engine Optimization by Bruce Clay and Susan Esparza
4. Game Storming by Dave Gray, Sunni Brown and James Macanufo
Online Articles:
1. Build a Website That Drives More Business Bloomberg Businessweek
2. What Your Companys Website Really Says Bloomberg Businessweek
3. 10 Principle Of Effective Web Design Smashing UX Design
4. 10 Things Every Small-Business Website Needs Entrepreneur
5. How To Design a Good Website Berkeley
6. Minnetonka Statistics City of Minnetonka

Rationale: At the beginning of our research process, we used secondary research
sources as a way to gain factual data about Snuffys Malt Shop and the current target
market. Next, we gathered information by reviewing Snuffys current website and
social media strategies and the effect they have on its sales. Then, we gathered
information about strategies and other web design tactics used by

a variety of web designers, and how these strategies affect the usefulness of a
website. Finally, we specifically researched other competitors website designs and
strategies to help identify website trends and how they benefit the overall sales of
family-oriented restaurants.

Primary Research
Personal Interviews:
1. Bryan Bach, Snuffys Malt Shop Manager
2. Becky Petersen, Pearson VUE Web Designer and Information Architect
3. Scott Anderson, Room 34 Creative Services Founder
4. Brandon Hagerstrom, Hells Kitchen Print, Web, and Social Media Specialist
5. Lisa Wormsbecker, G&K Services Associate Marketing Manager eCommerce &
Website Marketing
6. Kathy Swanson, The Nerdery Senior Account Director
7. Mary Ann Tackett, The Nerdery Principal UX Designer
Customer Survey:
1. 400 customer responses to current website
Focus Group:
1. 10 community members from each restaurant location

Personal Interviews:
Bryan Bach, Snuffys Malt Shop Manager
Rationale: To further our knowledge about the business history, target
market, philosophy, and visions for Snuffys website, we conducted an in-
depth interview with the owners grandson and current manager of
Minnetonka Snuffys, Bryan Bach. Throughout the interview, we were able to
collect information about the daily sales, community involvement, marketing
strategy, and current website design.
Becky Petersen, Pearson VUE Web Designer and Information Architect

Rationale: We interviewed Becky Petersen, Pearson VUEs Web Designer and

Information Architect. Pearson VUE is an electronic testing company
headquartered in Bloomington, MN. Petersen has been in the industry of web
design ever since its importance became vital to a companys success. With
an extensive rsum and
years of experience, Petersen
introduced us to strategies
on how to create a successful
website and emphasized the
principles of efficiency and
simplicity. Petersen

Jake and Allie with web designer Becky

Petersen of Pearson VUE

demonstrated the importance

of a wireframe in the developing process of a website. She also helped us
discover what revenue streams are and where revenue streams come from
within a website.
Scott Anderson, Room 34 Creative Services Founder
Rationale: Room 34 is an independent web development and technology
consulting business that has designed numerous websites for local
competitors. The interview gave us insight into what works best for a
restaurant's website in terms of fonts, colors, and formatting. We also
learned how to effectively design a mobile website.
Brandon Hagerstrom, Hells Kitchen Print, Web, and Social Media Specialist

Rationale: We interviewed Brandon Hagerstrom of Hells Kitchen, a well-

known restaurant in Minneapolis, to gain insight on how restaurants can
effectively use social media and seamlessly integrate it into their websites.
We acquired information on how commercial businesses use social media to
drive consumers to their website and restaurant. We also learned how
restaurants use social media differently than an average social media user.
Lisa Wormsbecker, G&K Services Associate Marketing Manager eCommerce & Website
Marketing
Rationale: In order to learn about the time it takes to update and launch a
website, we conducted an interview with Lisa Wormsbecker of G&K Services.
Currently G&K Services is
undergoing a remodel of its
website, so Wormsbecker was
able to provide us with insight
about how long each step in
Jake and Allie with website marketing
expert Lisa Wormsbecker of G&K Services

the process takes and how

much time to allot for each

step. Wormsbecker taught us the importance of being realistic with our

budget and timeline, and how to create a reasonable budget for a small
business like Snuffys.
Kathy Swanson, The Nerdery Senior Account Director
Rationale: The Nerdery is a web development agency headquartered in
Bloomington, Minnesota. The agency specializes in user-

centered design and works with over eight hundred clients on developing
and updating their websites. We reached out to the senior account director
Kathy Swanson to help us gain a better understanding of the development of
wireframes. Swanson showed us a variety of examples of wireframes and
projects The Nerdery has completed. Through the interview, we established
a better understanding of the steps taken in the process of web design and
how to better develop wireframes.
Mary Ann Tackett, The Nerdery Principal UX Designer
Rationale: We also conducted an interview with Mary Ann Tackett while at
The Nerdery. Tackett specializes in
designing websites centered on the
users needs; she also codes websites.
She taught us key principles of user
experience design and how to format a
website that is tailored to the
consumers needs. We also learned the
basics of website coding and how it

Jake and Allie with The Nerdery's Kathy

Swanson and Mary Ann Tackett

influences the format of a website.

Customer Survey:
Rationale: To learn more about the target market and their opinions of
Snuffys website, we conducted a customer survey. This allowed us to gather
data about customers points of view on Snuffys current website and their
social media preferences. Questions related to website

10

usage were included in the survey. The survey provided us with important
insights to Snuffys customers website usage and the information the
customers look for when visiting a restaurant's website.
Focus Group:
Rationale: The focus group was intended to gather opinions and view points
of Snuffys current website and also to test the accessibility and usability.
This allowed us to gain information about the problem areas of the website
and learn of opportunities to enhance the website. We conducted one focus
group in each Snuffys location to avoid biases. The focus groups consisted of
ten diverse residents ranging from ages 10-60. The diverse groups allowed
us to gain a wide range of viewpoints and gave us the opportunity to hear
many different perspectives at once. It also allowed us to examine the
problems of the current website.
B. Steps taken to conduct the study
Personal Interviews:
In order to gain a better understanding of Snuffys as a business and its
website and social media goals, we conducted an in-depth interview with Snuffys
manager, Bryan Bach. Before conducting the interview we created goals and
prepared questions that would help us achieve these goals. Along with the
interview, we also briefed Bach on the premise of the research project and informed
him of our projects overall goals.

11

Next, we decided to reach beyond

Snuffys and interview numerous outside

sources. We contacted Becky Petersen from
Pearson VUE, Scott Anderson from Room
34 Creative Services, Brandon Hagerstrom
from Hells Kitchen, Lisa Wormsbecker
from G&K Services, and Kathy Swanson and
Mary Ann Tackett from The Nerdery.
Experts and competitors helped us grasp a
solid understanding of web design and,
more specifically, restaurant web design.
To reach these persons, we exchanged

Personal Interviews:
1. Bryan Bach, Snuffys Malt
Shop Manager
2. Becky Petersen, Pearson VUE
Web Designer and Information
Architect
3. Scott Anderson, Room 34
Creative Services Founder
4. Brandon Hagerstrom, Hells
Kitchen Print, Web, and Social
Media Specialist
5. Lisa Wormsbecker, G&K
Services Marketing Director
6. Kathy Swanson, The Nerdery
Senior Account Director
7. Mary Ann Tackett, The
Nerdery Principal UX Designer

emails to arrange interviews.

Customer Survey:
It was important for us to gain a better understanding of our target markets
opinions on Snuffys website and social media. Referring to the projects overall
goals, we developed a list of questions to ask Snuffys customers. We acquired both
qualitative and quantitative data in our customer survey. Our questions consisted of
multiple-choice and open-ended answers. Qualitative data allowed us to give
customers a chance to express their opinions and provide feedback in regards to
Snuffys current website. To ensure accurate results, we selected 100 random
Snuffys customers of a variety of ages to survey from all four Snuffys locations. By
the end of our survey, we developed a better grasp of our target

12

markets wants and needs in regards to a website and social media. The data gave us
a better understanding of how to design a customer-friendly website.

Overall Website Rating

(Based upon web design, functionality, attractiveness, creativity and innovation)

Low

High

10

Focus Group:

We gathered a group of ten residents from each Snuffys location who are

regular visitors of Snuffys. To ensure we reached all members of our target

demographic, the focus group
members ages ranged from 10-60. We
developed a set of objectives we
wanted to achieve through the focus
groups. Then, we came up with a set of

Focus Group Objectives:

1. Determine problem areas of
website
2. Test usability
3. Discover desired website
features
4. Determine necessary social
media platforms for the website

questions to ask our focus groups in

order to effectively attain the desired information. We invited the participants to
their local libraries to take part in the focus group. For the participants to
understand our overall goals and focus group objectives, we explained the outline of
our project before the focus group began. Through our questions and conversation,
we obtained the information we needed to reach our objectives.
13

During our time with our focus groups, we also conducted usability tests by
giving participants a list of tasks to complete and recorded the time it took for them
to complete these tasks on Snuffys website. By the end of the focus group, we were
able to determine the members common concerns and identify problem areas of
the current website.

IV. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS OF THE SWOT ANALYSIS

A. Strengths of the businesss or organizations website

Snuffys Malt Shops website has many characteristics that give it an

advantage over its local competitors. Snuffys website has a distinct fifties theme
that complements the restaurants image. The website is consistent with Snuffys in-
store experience and gives the viewer a clear feel for the restaurant environment.
Snuffys website consistently incorporates the brand logo and identity. This helps to
develop the restaurants image in the mind of the customer. The website covers
basic requirements such as locations, menu, and hours to allow customers to use
important functions to find out more information about Snuffys. Our customer
survey indicated the location, menu, and hours were the most sought out items on a
restaurant website. This is important to note because Snuffys currently utilizes
these functionalities. Snuffys website also highlights various awards and reviews
from respected publications to emphasize its excellent food, great service, and the
nature of its family-oriented restaurant. This creates credibility and persuades
customers to visit the restaurant. Snuffys website also includes a copyright
statement and revision date at the bottom of the page, which adds to Snuffys
credibility. The current website has information organized in an
14

F pattern. Eye-tracking studies by Jakob Nielsen, co-founder of the usability

consulting company Nielsen Norman Group, show that viewers page-scanning
patterns are dominated by top-left scanning for the most important words and links
on a page.1 Snuffys successfully taps into these patterns by placing its home link in
the upper left-hand corner and navigation links along the left side of the web page.
Snuffys website design is simple, which allows a wide range of different
demographics to use the site. The websites simplicity also makes it easy to update
and maintain.
B. Weaknesses of the businesss or organizations website

Snuffys Malt Shops website has other features that place it at a disadvantage

in comparison to its competitors. Based upon our focus groups and customer survey
findings, Snuffys interface has an unattractive and unprofessional look. In our
customer survey, we posed the question, How would you rank Snuffys website on
a scale from 1 to 10, based on overall appearance? The average response was 4.5
out of 10. Our focus groups found the white text on the red background to be
aesthetically displeasing and difficult to read. The website also contains more than
three different fonts and font sizes, creating a non-uniform look that is disruptive to
the visual flow. Snuffys home page contains too many words, making it hard to read
and confusing for visitors to navigate throughout the site. The focus groups brought
the inaccessibility of Snuffys external links to our attention. Snuffys external links
match the text of the general information, making it hard for visitors to distinguish
general text from external links. According to Becky Peterson, Web Designer and
Information Architect of Pearson VUE, a websites external links should instead be

1 Web Style Guide by Patrick J. Lynch and Sarah Horton
15

blue in order to be universally recognized as links and not to be confused with the
sites general text. The website fails to advertise all of Snuffys signature menu items.
The pictures currently displayed on the website are low quality, not visually
appealing, and fail to attract customers to Snuffys. The website also contains a mix
of different types of photos and clipart, adding to the sites non-uniform and
unprofessional look. Finally, the websites footer lacks consistency throughout the
site and fails to include contact information.

Overall, Snuffys website has poor flexibility and usability. The current

website is not responsive or liquid, meaning it is not compatible with various

computer types or screen sizes. This also includes the lack of a responsive mobile
site that would make it easier for customers to access information from their mobile
phones while on the go. One problem our focus groups identified that Mac products
were directed to snuffysroseville.com instead of snuffysmaltshop.com. At Snuffys
Roseville website, the only location advertised is the Roseville location. This is a
significant website flaw that could potentially lead to a decrease in revenue, due to
the fact that customers may be unable to locate their desired Snuffys location. It is
also a problem that Snuffys has multiple websites that are specific to the location,
when all locations should be centralized on one website.
Snuffys website does not accommodate for viewers with visual impairments.
With a large customer base from an older demographic, Snuffys should
accommodate for viewers of all ages and abilities. The site does not give viewers the
option to increase the font size or view visuals as text. This may impair viewers from
successfully using the website.

16

The menu found on Snuffys website is low quality. This affects customers
ability to successfully read the food options and prices. According to our customer
survey, the menu is the one of the most searched for features of a website. Snuffys
menu is hard for the average consumer to read. This may cause website viewers to
not dine at Snuffys. As we conducted consumer usability tests within our focus
groups, we found Snuffys maps and locations were hard to navigate because it took
the members of the focus group a great deal of time to use the Google Maps function.
Our focus groups had a hard time distinguishing which map to use for which
location. Another problem area indicated by our focus group was the hours of
operation are not easily accessible.
Another piece of information we found through our customer survey is that
92% of customers were unaware of Snuffys social media. Even after viewing the
website, customers were still unaware of Snuffys social media because Snuffys fails
to advertise them effectively. Snuffys has both a Twitter account and Facebook
page, but only advertises the Facebook page on its home page.
The Snuffys logo placed in the upper-left hand corner does not include a link
back to the websites home page. Most viewers are accustomed to homepage links
being embedded in the logo, which may lead to confusion for the websites viewers.
Another issue with Snuffys navigation is that the sub-pages do not include titles,
which creates confusion for the customer as they navigate through the site.
Search engine optimization is determined by the placement of keywords
within the coding of the title, keywords, and description. Snuffys low search engine
optimization can be accredited to the lack of keywords found in

17

the coding of these various sections. The lack of these keywords in the coding of the
website result in Snuffys having low search engine results.

Snuffys low number of page views, fewer than eight thousand per year, can

be credited to it lacking a large number of functionalities. First, due to the lack of

restaurant information on the website, viewers who are unfamiliar with Snuffys
Malt Shop have no way to gain an understanding of Snuffys history or philosophy.
Secondly, the website fails to display nutritional facts to customers, which is
important to customers when they eat out, as supported by the responses in our
customer survey. Next, Snuffys website fails to showcase its community
involvement, which is very prevalent in the in-store experience. Also, the website
does not include a coupon for customers to download and use at the restaurant.
Through our customer survey, we found customers are more likely to visit a
restaurant's website if it offers a coupon or informs viewers of special deals or
promotions. Finally, Snuffys website contains no place for customers to read or
write reviews about the restaurant. This makes it hard for new customers to gain
insight or understanding of Snuffys customer service and quality of food.
C. Opportunities for the businesss or organizations website.
Snuffys Malt Shop has many external elements it should use to its advantage.
In terms of the appearance of the website, there are many opportunities to create a
more aesthetically pleasing website. First, it is important for the website to have a
more attractive interface by changing font styles from light on a dark background to
dark on a light background. To create a fluid, cohesive appearance on all pages,
Snuffys website must focus on keeping all font styles, colors, and

18

sizes consistent throughout. External links should be made blue throughout the
website to help customers follow links with ease and little to no confusion. Along
with consistent font styles, the website should also maintain a footer that is the
same throughout all of the pages. This will include links directly to social media, the
copyright statement, date published, and contact information.2 Along with footers,
headers should be placed on each subheading to clearly display the page the user is
viewing. This will add clarity to each page and make the appearance very user-
friendly. In addition to consistency, Snuffys online menu needs to be updated to be
higher quality and easier to read. This will help customers see information about
Snuffys menu clearly. Along with a clearly displayed menu, the menu will be
supported with professional photos of the entrees and nutritional facts in order to
attract new and existing customers. Customers would benefit from higher-quality
photos of the food because they would then have a better idea of what to expect
when dining at Snuffys.
Along with improving the appearance

Designated Keywords:
Snuffys Malt Shop
Snuffys
Family-friendly restaurant
Minnetonka restaurant
Edina restaurant
Highland Park restaurant
Roseville restaurant
Diner style restaurant
Burgers
Malts
Kid friendly restaurant

of the website, it will also be necessary to

improve usability. To increase search engine
optimization, keywords should be placed in
the coding of the titles, keywords, and
description.3 Snuffys keywords were
determined by the survey results and based

2 Web Style Guide by Patrick J. Lynch and Sarah Horton
3
"Becky Peterson: Pearson Vue Web Designer and Information
Architect." Personal interview. 12 Dec. 2012.
19

on other comparison of competitors keywords. These keywords will help Snuffys

to be one of the top results on search engines based on this SEO tactic. In order to
make Snuffys website flexible, the structure of the website should utilize a
responsive design in order to fit all screen sizes. This will increase accessibility for
potential and current customers when on the go with mobile devices or at home
with a computer or a laptop. Lastly, to help customers view Snuffys locations, the
website should include an interactive, embedded Google Map with all four locations
displayed. Users will be able to link directly to directions and see which location is
most convenient for them to go to. This will increase profits by assisting customers
in finding Snuffys locations and reaching directions with ease. Lastly, the logo
located on the top of each page will link to Snuffys home page. According to our
research, users have developed clear expectations about where common content
and interface elements are likely to appear, the home page link being one of these
features.4 Since Snuffys does not currently employ this feature this causes
customers to become frustrated when using the website. By fixing this problem,
customer frustration will be reduced.
Along with improvements to existing features, there are many opportunities
for new features on Snuffys website. To increase positive word of mouth, Snuffys
will feature external links to a variety of social media on each page of the website so
customers can rate and leave feedback for potential customers and Snuffys owners
to see. This will offer potential customers an unbiased review system and also offer
Snuffys owner and managers feedback on their performance so they can make
improvements within the restaurant. Additional specials should be featured within

4 Web Style Guide by Patrick J. Lynch and Sarah Horton
20

Snuffys website, allowing customers to see its promotions when visiting Snuffys
website. Since Snuffys is a classic staple in all the areas it serves, it is important that
Snuffys website includes a brief history of its business. This historic review will
draw in customers in the older end of our market by eliciting nostalgia while also
informing younger or new customers of Snuffys rich history. Along with its
importance in history, Snuffys is actively involved in the community. Snuffys
should feature teams it sponsors and other projects in which it participates to
showcase its involvement in the community. After conducting market research,
there were a few obvious features that website viewers found nonexistent on
Snuffys website. In order to meet customers needs, Snuffys website must include
nutrition facts. This will help customers make informed decisions while dining at
Snuffys. In the health-conscious state of Minnesota, consumers benefit from the
addition of nutritional facts to the menu. Next, the online menu should offer a
printer-friendly version, a share option to share on Facebook and Twitter, and an
email option for customers to send the menu to friends. This way customers can
use and share the menu with ease. In order to entertain children who visit the
website, Snuffys should develop a page in which children can color while remaining
on Snuffys website. This interactive coloring page will be a print out that will serve
as a coupon towards a discounted kids meal when colored and brought into stores.
Another brand new feature that should be added to Snuffys website is online
ordering. The majority of customers in our survey were unaware that Snuffys does
take-out orders. In response to this, Snuffys should add an easy to use take-out page
on its new website to increase revenue. Lastly, Snuffys should

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develop a newsletter that is easy to sign up for on the website. Snuffys potential and
current customers will benefit from signing up for the newsletter by receiving
emails once or twice a month that feature specials, promotions, and community
involvement.
D. Threats to the businesss or organizations website

Snuffys Malt Shops website faces external elements that could threaten the

business. Due to Snuffys websites low quality and lack of updates, it has developed
an unprofessional look. Local competitors have avoided this by keeping their
websites up-to-date and modern. Compared to competitors websites, Snuffys is
outdated and conveys an unprofessional appearance. Larger family restaurant
chains have a larger budget to spend on their websites, which allows them to more
frequently update their website and include more advanced features. Snuffys
competitors also give their customers the incentive to visit their website by offering
coupons and deals. This encourages increased website traffic. In addition, other
local restaurants have a higher social media following. This is, in part, due to their
advertisements on their company websites and frequent updates. Social media
helps to attract more customers and results in higher revenue. Also, Snuffys ranks
low on its search engine optimization. This means that when customers search for
local restaurants in the area, other competitors rank above Snuffys. This gives other
restaurants a competitive edge in comparison to Snuffys.

V. PROPOSED STRATEGIC PLAN AND COST ANALYSIS

A. Develop a strategic plan to revise and improve the businesss website
1. Develop wireframe
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Rationale: In order to begin the process of implementing a new website, first

we will develop a wireframe. The wireframe will outline and assist in giving a
general idea of what the website will include. Since wireframes are not
finished a finished design, changes will occur throughout our strategic plan.
2. Choose a template
Rationale: Next, Snuffys will choose a template from wordpress.com that fits
the needs of the wireframe and supports the company image. This allows for
a cost effective way to choose a design for the website. WordPress offers a
wide variety of templates to choose from at a very low cost, many tailored
specifically for restaurants. Purchasing a template will save Snuffys money
when it comes to development costs. It also includes a content management
system that makes the process of updating the site easier for the manager.
Other employees may also be trained to use the management system.
WordPress also allows the option for multiple users to edit the website so
that in the future as Snuffys expands, different managers or employees could
edit the website to include location specific information. In addition,
WordPress provides users with a variety of certified web developers. This
means that in the future, if Snuffys needs to add functionalities to the
website, a WordPress developer can make updates for a low rate.
3. Pay for a hosting fee
Rationale: Snuffys Malt Shop will pay for hosting services. This fee allows for
online storage and company email addresses. A hosting service will save
Snuffys a considerable amount of money. The hosting

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service will take care of the sites entire technical infrastructure, including
web services, the WordPress platform, software updates, website security,
troubleshooting, and the domain transfers as well as storage space and email
accounts. Company email addresses will form a sense of credibility in the
mind of the consumer when contacting Snuffys. Snuffys will use
godaddy.com in order to achieve this goal. Go Daddy will host the website at
a low monthly rate of $5.
4. Hire photographer
Rationale: Snuffys will hire a photographer that specializes in capturing
photos of food, drinks, and restaurants. High quality pictures on Snuffys
website will attract more customers to the restaurant. Snuffys will hire a
photographer based upon referral from other local restaurants. All menu
items, exterior, and interior of the restaurants will be photographed to be put
on the website.
5. Carry out manager contributions
Rationale: The manager will write descriptions of community involvement,
history of the restaurant, menu items, special events, contact information,
and locations. He will also collect nutritional facts about menu items. The
manager will work to collect photographs that illustrate Snuffys community
involvement, like its sponsorship of local athletic teams. He will also create
realistic coupons that will be featured on the website. The manager will also
subscribe to Safe Subscribe in order to create a place on the website that
users may enter their email addresses to receive a monthly

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newsletter. Safe Subscribe ensures protection of the customers email

addresses, making customers more likely to subscribe knowing their email
address is protected. All this information will later be given to a website
designer to implement into a web-friendly format.
6. Hire website developer
Rationale: Snuffys will then hire a website contractor to incorporate the
wireframe into the chosen template. Snuffys will hire a web designer from
Room34 Creative Services. After
reviewing the private agencys
work, we concluded that they
would be a good fit for designing
Snuffys website for a variety of reasons. Their previous work consists of
many small local restaurant website designs, making them ideal to design
Snuffys new website. Also, the cost is reasonably priced for Snuffys budget.
The developer from Room34 will use the information provided by the
manager to assist in completion of the website. The web designer will create
a website that is responsive in order to allow access from all devices. Later,
the developer will inform Snuffys owner how to use the website and make
changes in the future. In addition, the designer will embed a feed of customer
reviews from Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, and Foursquare. The developer will
also work closely with the manager to design a printable kids coloring page
that, when completed, will be used as a coupon for a kids meal. The

25

developer will use Merosys to fulfill online take-orders on the new website.
7. Revise and test the website
Rationale: After completion of the previous steps, the website will be in a
rough, unfinished form and ready to be revised. Revisions will be done first
by the manager to insure all information is accurate. Then, focus groups will
be conducted in order to determine any problem areas and to make sure that
it is appealing to customers. Next, the developer will make necessary
revisions to the website.
8. Train the manager
Rationale: Once the website is completed, the manager will be responsible
for updating the website in the future. The web developer will train the
manager in order to make the transition seamless.
9. Launch the website
Rationale: After all necessary steps are completed and revisions are made,
the website will be launched.
10. Implement Google analytics
Rationale: Google analytics is a free service offered through Google that
provides detailed statistics about a consumers visits to a website. This will
allow Snuffys to identify pages that users utilize the most often and will
promote further revision of the website. This tool will allow Snuffys to
understand where and how viewers get to the website and what device is
being used. This will assist Snuffys promotional activities in the future.

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Google Analytics Features

Analysis Tools

Content Analytics

Social Analytics

Benefits:
Record the paths
visitors take through
site
Monitor SEO
Monitor website traffic

Benefits:
Test and improve web
pages
Discover how long
pages take to load
Gain insight to
customer activity on
website

Benefits:
Measure impact of
social media
Learn which sources
of social media engage
visitors
Track what visitors
share about Snuffys
on social media sites

Mobile Analytics

Conversion Analytics

Advertising Analytics

Benefits:
Track what mobile
devices customers
access website from
View geographic
location mobile site is
accessed from
Measure mobile app
performance

Benefits:
Benefits:
Helps track how visitor Determine
behavior leads to sales
effectiveness of
internal website
advertising

B. Create a timeline to implement the strategic plan

Rationale: Our strategic plan will take place from September of 2013 to March of
2014. The strategic plan will begin in September because the budget will have to be
approved for the new fiscal year. We will not be able to begin until

27

the new year has started and the plan is implemented into Snuffys annual budget.
We chose to develop the website in the winter because this is Snuffys least busy
time period and the manager and owner will have the most time to contribute to the
production of the website. By the end of this seven-month period Snuffys will
successfully launch its new website.
C. Develop a cost analysis of revising the website, hosting fees, and technical
support

Process

Cost

Wireframe software

$99

Template

$69

Hosting fee

$5/month

Photographer fee

$500

Web developer

$2,500

Merosys one time setup fee

$149.95

Merosys fee
Google Analytics
Safe Subscribe
Initial Cost

$19.95/month
Minimal out of pocket cost
$12.75/month
$3,355.65

Process

Cost

Hosting fee

$5/month

Merosys fee

$19.95/month

Safe Subscribe

$12.75/month

Additional Monthly Cost

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$37.70

D. Identify revenue streams for the website

Snuffys will be able to measure revenue streams through the new

downloadable coupons and online take out orders. Snuffys will use tools set up by
the website developer to assist in determining the amount of coupons downloaded.
From there, Snuffys can track the coupons used in the restaurant. This will
effectively show how the websites coupons affected revenue. Snuffys will also be
able to measure revenue streams by monitoring the amount of revenue received via
online take-out orders.
E. Return on investment
Based on our thorough research, we are confident this new website will
bring Snuffys Malt Shop full return on its investment and increase annual revenue.
With our new design, Snuffys will be able to measure revenue generated by the site
by determining how many online coupons are redeemed and the number of online
take-out orders completed. We predict the online coupons will increase the number
of in-store customers by 5% and our new online order feature will increase the
current number of customers by another 2.5% over the first three months of the
new website launch. In addition, we have factored in approximately 10% of current
customers would begin to use the online coupons. After just three months, the cost
of Snuffys investment in this website would be completely paid off. Over those three
months alone, Snuffys would receive a 29% increase in revenue, or $4,331.25 in
additional revenue. Since websites last on average three to five years, this
investment would quickly bring Snuffys full return and continue to increase the
daily revenue for the duration of the three to five years.
29

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"Snuffy's Malt Shop - Roseville, MN." Facebook. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Dec. 2012.

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"Statistics." City of Minnetonka. N.p., 2010. Web. 28 Dec. 2012.

"Welcome to the Official Site of Snuffy's Malt Shop in Roseville, MN!" Welcome to the
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