UPer Crust Pies
VICTORIA MENGOH
WILMINGTON UNIVERSITY
IST 7100: IT POLICY AND STRATEGY
PROF. KEVIN BERRY
APRIL 6, 2022
About the Company
UPer Crust Pies is a Michigan based specialty meat and fruit pie café whose product mix consists of hot,
ready-to-go pies and frozen takeout options, a variety of fresh salads as well as beverages. As part of its
growth strategy, the company is committed to developing a business model that will not only facilitate
its expansion into new locations but also provide a roadmap to franchising.
The company is intending on opening its first store in downtown Yubetchatown which is likely to:
Draw a wide variety of potential
customers.
Create a ready-made consumer base from
the foot traffic.
Provide an opportunity to experiment
with different marketing techniques that
may not be as expensive or taxing.
Analysis of the Company’s Characteristics
The brand’s product mix includes high-quality food options that will not only create a competitive advantage
against its rivals but also increase the customer retention rate, attract potential consumers, and boost its revenue.
The company has already sourced a skilled workforce that is flexible enough to assume different roles within the
business.
To successfully enter the food industry, the company is planning on raising the startup funds through loans and
investors. However, it is recommended that it should conduct research on other funding options such as business
lines of credit cards, low- rate SBA Microloans, and equipment financing.
Analysis of the Company’s Characteristics

To successfully launch the business and survive in an extremely competitive industry, UPer
Crust Pies must create a scalable and flexible business plan that includes:

An analysis of the already identified target market – working families who prefer
healthy and convenient meal options.

Growth strategy.

SWOT analysis.

How the company will leverage information technology to fortify its strengths, reduce
weaknesses, take advantage of the opportunities, and mitigate threats.
SWOT Analysis
STRENGTHS

The company’s first café will be located in a prime area that is
likely to attract numerous customers.
How to Leverage IT:

UPer Crust Pies can utilize location- based services that are
provided by companies such as ESRI, to obtain real-time insights
on traffic. This way, it can plan to open the café when traffic is
heavy and the chances of a potential customer wandering in are
high.
Example of a Company That Has Done Something Similar:

One such company that has benefited from employing locationbased services is Starbucks. This renowned organization uses Esri
to analyze consumer spending in its locations with the main aim of
deciding where to install the state-of-the-art Clover Brewing
System (a machine that brews a single cup of coffee at a specific
temperature and enriched with flavor).
STRENGTHS

Secondly, the company has created a high-quality product mix that
sets it apart from its rivals, particularly fast-food restaurants.
How to Leverage IT:

Here technology can be used to design a digital menu which details
the nutrition summary , allergen information, as well as calorie
information of each food item and can be found in the company’s
website/mobile app.
Example of a Company that has done something Similar:

McDonald’s is a perfect example of a company that has successfully
used technology to include healthier food options in its menu. Its easy
to use and accessible website/mobile application contains a digital
menu that highlights the ingredients used to make each food item as
well as the nutrition summary and allergen information.
STRENGTHS

UPer Crust Pies has a reliable, versatile, and skilled workforce.
How to Leverage IT:

The company can implement a customer relationship management (CRM) software to
convert every staff member into a customer expert. Such a software allows the staff to
input and store pertinent customer data including order history. This way, the next time
the customer visits the restaurant, the employee can suggest items based on their previous
orders, thus enhancing customer intimacy and boosting customer retention rate.
Example of a Company That Has Done Something Similar:

A company that continues to leverage CRM to run a successful business is Dunkin’
Donuts. This company uses Salesforce – an established CRM software – to deliver a
seamless and personalized experience to the customers. This software enables every
employee to track customer behavior, access their history at anytime, and update orders
as needed.
WEAKNESSES

Raising funds for a startup can be both taxing and time consuming.
How to Leverage IT:

Apart from borrowing money from lenders and finding investors, the
café can identify a crowdfunding platform to kickstart its fundraising
efforts. One such platform is Kickstarter which creates a space for
communities to come together and fund a venture via its website.
Example of Companies That Have Done Something Similar:

An example of a company that has used Kickstarter to fund its ventures
is Tyson Foods, which launched a campaign to promote its new ¡Yappah!
Chicken Michelada flavor and to raise funds for a charity it supports.
Further, small businesses like Sunny’s Bar have used various
crowdfunding platforms to launch campaigns that aim to revive their
businesses after being affected by a natural disaster or pandemic.
WEAKNESSES
How to Leverage IT to Reduce Weaknesses:

To build a good reputation, the café can build a top- shelf website/mobile app that: (a)
makes it easy for consumers to view and order items, (b) promotes the right content,
and (c) leverages modern, sleek, and engaging design.

The company can include chatbots to interact with customers and answer their
frequently asked questions. This customized service makes the customers feel valued
and improves their experience.

The company can utilize CRM to boost customer intimacy, create loyalty, and ensure
customer retention.
Example of a Company That Has Done Something Similar:

In December 2015, there was a norovirus outbreak that was linked to a Boston based
Chipotle which damaged its reputation. Since then, the brand has tried to rebuild its
reputation by reformulating its food safety protocols, revamping its website/mobile
app to attract new customers, refreshing its advertising strategies, and leveraging
technology to improve customer service and boost customer intimacy.
OPPORTUNITIES

Given that the café’s first location will be in a town that is growing
by 8.5% annually and whose primary residents are working families
with children, there is a need to create a scalable marketing strategy
that ensures the right products reach the right people.
How to Leverage IT:

The company can use an artificial intelligence (AI) - driven
marketing strategy to collect real-time data that can be used to predict
customer behavior and adjust to suit. For instance, should the primary
target prefer apple pies to sweet potato pies, the café can alter its
product mix to meet those needs. It can also increase or reduce
inventory based on the predicted consumer demand and rate of
growth in the area.
Example of a Company That Has Done Something Similar:

Starbucks is a good example of a company that utilizes AI marketing
to retain, regain, and attract new customers by delivering a more personal
experience using the data collected.
THREATS

Unfortunately, the café faces competition from another establishment that sells similar pies and
has a loyal customer base as well as a good relationship with other businesses that purchase from
them.
How to Leverage IT:

Technology can be used here to provide consumers with a seamless experience whether it be in
person, via the website/mobile app, or delivery. For example, the café can include a modern pointof-sale system (POS) that: (a) allows customers to pay through credit, cash, and Apple Pay, (b) can
be used on-premises and online,(c) allows receipts to be sent via multiple channels including texts.

The company can boost customer loyalty through live chat features such as chatbots to interact
with buyers and efficiently assist them navigate the website, answer questions, or solve an issue.

Additionally, it can offer discounts and coupons to its loyal customers through the mobile apps
which encourages them to remain loyal to the brand.
Example of a Company That Has Done Something Similar:

An example of a brand that has successfully used a POS system to create competitive advantage is
Domino’s. It uses the system to collect and control all its customers’ data so as to provide them
with a seamless and customized experience. Further, it has previously used this data to curate the
Domino’s Piece of the Pie Rewards loyalty program to reward its customers for patronizing the
business.
THREATS

Lastly, the café faces the threat of providing poor service and/or product quality during its first days of
operation due to an overwhelming number of diners.
How to Leverage IT:

To prevent this, the business can employ predictive analytics to determine patterns and trends based on
historical data and use the information to meet customer demand. For example, if the data collected indicates
that in the past week, at least one hundred customers have dined at the café every day, the company can use this
information to predict how many people are likely to dine-in each day and ensure that they have enough staff
and products to meet demand.

Further, predictive analytics can be used to determine the most consumed product in a given week to ensure
that the business: (a) stocks up on inventory,(b) tailors its menu to meet the changing demands, and (c)
drastically reduces the amount of food wasted each week.
Example of a Company That Has Done Something Similar:

A good example of a company that has and continues to use predictive analytics is New York based Fig &
Olive. This restaurant tracks its customers’ ordering and dining habits as well as visit frequency using a guest
management software. It then uses this information to run automated email campaigns targeting customers who
have not visited the restaurant within the month. Such use of predictive analytics not only ensures an incredible
ROI but also boosts the company’s bottom line.
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THANK YOU