Students found new motivation to speak up last week when Sodexo employees began surveying at the Student Union second floor entrance.
From Jan. 27 to Feb. 2, employees manned a navy-clad table set up in front of the Tuck Shop. On the table were three laptops where students could take an online survey.
Before the table, employees relied on emails to distribute online surveys among students. Sodexo marketing coordinator Abalene Stull said they decided to give the survey a physical presence, hoping to entice more students to provide students.
To further entice students, three prize packages were on the table, each valued between $150 and $170.
One package was themed around Under Armour products, including a sweatshirt, a T-shirt and a travel mug.
Another package was Pittsburgh Penguins-themed, including clothes, mugs and a desk lamp.
The third prize package consisted of gift cards from vendors, such as to Panera Bread, Seven Springs Mountain Resort and Starbucks. Chili’s and Applebee’s cards were also included.
When students completed the survey, they were entered into a raffle to win one of the prize packages. All students who participated received a voucher for a free Tuck Shop beverage.
The easy visibilty and prize packages seemed to work.
Stull said 100 people participated the first day, and a trickle for the rest the week.
Senior Amber Miller completed the survey mainly for the free drink, she said.
“I think it was a great idea for students to complete a survey and be rewarded for it,” she said.
Miller said that, on the survey, she responded that she was satisfied overall with Sodexo.
Freshman Christina Will also responded with a general satisfaction with Sodexo.
Will said she would have taken the survey over email.
Will said she wasn’t motivated by the prizes, but rather because she knew the person manning the table.
Students like Miller and Will provided a lot of good feedback, Stull said. Changes to how Sodexo runs are already being considered, according to Stull.
Two common student requests being considered are more Chinese food and longer dining hours, Stull said.
“(We will consider) anything we can change to make things better,” Stull said.
Students who missed the survey can still share their opinions through Sodexo’s comment cards and their Twitter page.
