SCENARIO - RIDE SHARING SERVICES

SITUATION

Your client is the national marketing manager for Lyft, a U.S. based ride sharing service which is expanding into selected cities in Canada. The ride sharing industry is very competitive; operating costs are rising and profit margins are narrow.

Lyft is trying to build its reputation in Canada as a company that offers a more positive experience, by providing "happier" drivers and more customer-oriented service. Executives spend several hours each year talking directly to customers, e.g. working as a driver.

The Canadian Lyft marketing manager is concerned about profitability, and is looking for ways to increase revenues through fees for better service or extra features, while keeping the image of offering competitive pricing.

Before the pandemic, some ride sharing companies had received negative publicity due to issues such as delayed pick-ups; inexperienced or unsafe drivers; lack of designated ride sharing pick up "zones" at some locations (such as airports), and personal customer data being compromised.

The manager wants to know what impact these situations have had on the company's reputation and if there are other alternatives customers in Canada might prefer. Would riders be willing to pay a small "priority" fee to guarantee their pick-up will arrive within the time specified (and perhaps bump other riders) or, if late, the ride will be at a reduced rate?

Lyft is also considering a charge to allow customers to direct their ride requests to drivers who have achieved a "professional driver rating", e.g. due to completing safety training or accumulating a certain number of hours of experience. This option could be part of a Lyft app. that would offer other features such as: a "one click" distress alert sent to police or family; "rounding up" to donate to a charity of the customer's choice; traffic updates; flat rates to/from certain locations, or more. RESEARCH TASK

Company executives are meeting on Dec. 16th to make some decisions, and the manager wants to understand the situation. How do consumers in Canada feel about recent industry events? How would they feel about Lyft's reputation and how would it be impacted by the proposed fees? What features would they like in an updated Lyft mobile app? The manager also wants to obtain input on possible wording to introduce new fees or new features.

Lyft Canada will need to know if there are any differences based on location, and on travel and purchase habits. ______________________________________________________________ Your boss is the senior research manager at "The Amazing Research Company" in Ottawa. The company has been awarded a new qualitative research project. The client has specifically requested the use of online focus groups.

The manager has asked you to create a "Field Work Plan".You want to convince your boss (and the client) to follow your recommendations, so it is important that you provide reasons for your choices after each section of the plan. If reasons are not provided, that section will be awarded zero.

A situation brief is provided above.

Field Work Plan

Your field work plan will be used to brief the recruiting firm. You must provide detailed information, so they can write the recruitment screener.

1. Recruitment Specifications

Specify

• What source your participants will be recruited from
• What method you will use to recruit them
• Who will be recruited
  • Make a list with all the recruitment criteria, taking into account: professional standards, participant differentiation /grouping, and any other key factors.Ensure you screen for 4 or more relevant project-specific criteria, with at least one each in demographics, product usage, lifestyle/ attitude.
• Explain why you made these choices.