PepsiCo Foodservice will offer On The Spot mobile survey tools

By Chris Reidy, Globe Staff

On The Spot Systems Inc., a Newton firm specializing in mobile customer surveys, said that PepsiCo’s food service division will make available its “Survey On The Spot” feedback tools to restaurants that carry Pepsi beverages.

An existing customer of the “Survey On The Spot” feedback tools is Not Your Average Joe’s, a Middleborough-based casual restaurant chain with about 15 locations.

When Not Your Average Joe’s customers are given a check, they can also be given an iPod Touch that’s programmed with a survey that asks such questions as, “How was the food?” and “How was the service?” Many customers seem willing to fill out a survey that can generally be completed in the amount of time it takes a waiter to process a credit-card transaction, according to On The Spot Systems president Ken Kimmel.

This type of survey offers several advantages over conventional methods, Kimmel claims. Many conventional surveys have to offer something such as a discount coupon to provide an incentive for the consumer to complete the survey. That’s not the case with On The Spot surveys, said Kimmel, who spent more than a decade with Dunkin’ Donuts before helping to launch On The Spot about three years ago.

Another advantage for On The Spot: Its survey data is real-time. The restaurant manager can check out results almost immediately and then discuss them with a chef or waiter.

So why would PepsiCo want to team up with On The Spot?

According to Kimmel, Pepsi is always looking for a way to differentiate itself from beverage rivals. One reason why a restaurant chain might sign up with Pepsi or a renew an existing agreement is because On The Spot’s real-time survey tool will offer the chain a real-time way to obtain useful information about their customers, Kimmel said.