Building on Tradition, Defining the Future
Torchlight | Summer 2009
NACS Foundation embarks upon most significant research project in its history
In April 2008, the Foundation Board met with a diverse group of industry leaders and young professionals to strategically look at the future of the Foundation and to help determine what would have the greatest impact on the industry. Armed with information from this group, the Foundation Board created the Big Idea Task Force to determine the Foundation's next strategic priority to "Research, define and promulgate the college store of 2015."
This falls in alignment with NACS Strategic Priority II of providing products and services that enable college stores to pursue best practices in retailing. With approval from the Foundation Board and support from the NACS Board of Trustees, we moved forward with a research RFP to help us find the best provider. After a thorough RFP process, the Foundation selected TNS Retail Forward to work with us on this project.
The ultimate goal is to develop tools and resources to help college stores transition from today to tomorrow-enabling college stores to become dynamic collegiate retailers serving their campus communities in new and innovative ways, as well as enable them to pursue best practices in retailing.
"This study is one of the most significant projects undertaken within our industry," said Debbie Harvie, NACS Foundtion president and co-chair of the Big Idea Task Force. "The results will provide stores - of all sizes - with a roadmap to make the adjustments necessary to remain relevent on campus and succeed in the future."
The NACS Foundation expects that the results of this project will provide validated information, tools, and resources that will help educate college bookstore staff to transition into the model of a collegiate retailer in the following ways:
- Store layout and design
- Product categories and services
- Merchandising and visual presentation
- Services
- New skills and human resource practices
- Customer service standards
- Retail Technology
- Digital delivery
This effort will include a thorough review of existing industry information, original research and a series of store audits and discussions/focus groups of industry stakeholders, consumers, and retail experts. Articulating where the industry is today and defining opportunities for the future, along with a roadmap to help college stores move to that optimum future, will be an important and valuable aspect of this project.
-DeAnn Hazey