Over the years I’ve found that a great way to avoid the onset of that particular UK, post Christmas Day disease, prompted by excessive hype and build up, known as the ‘was that it?’ syndrome, is to schedule a day in London, ideally taking in a West End theatre show.

Over the years I’ve found that a great way to avoid the onset of that particular UK, post Christmas Day disease, prompted by excessive hype and build up, known as the ‘was that it?’ syndrome, is to schedule a day in London, ideally taking in a West End theatre show. This year, to ease the disappointment felt by the kids when they were unsuccessful in an audition for a local youth production version, I procured tickets for Les Miserables (or Les Miz to use the common term). Superb as the show was - genuinely enjoyed by my young teenagers (actually one of them is only 12, but I’m psyching myself up to the idea already) – it was the way that we started and ended the day, in terms of our nutritional choices, that made the day a particularly successful one. A spot of astute stakeholder management was key!

Understanding the Decision Making Unit
As consumers we make choices all the time. These choices are influenced by a whole area of marketing communications, that position the product or service in our minds and contribute to the decision making process we go through which ultimately answers this question: to buy or not to buy. When making a group buying decision, the information processing process that each member of the DMU goes through, combined with their ability to convey thoughts powerfully, which itself is related to relative position of strength in the unit, will all influence the final outcome. Where the Wake family is concerned, that means we generally eat where my daughter wants to…….

In keeping with the culinary theme, our day started with a successful and timely arrival just before 9am , aided by the sat nav (what a great piece of product development), on Brick Lane. Why Brick Lane? Simple, I had never been there and had always been intrigued. I also thought it would be a great place to get breakfast.

So, while finding a car park for £8 for the day was a complete fluke, I can take full credit for walking us straight across the road to an authentic, eclectic looking café, which did indeed deliver our perfect start to the day: a fresh pain au chocolat for she who must be obeyed, two egg and bacon rolls and a sausage sandwich, the virtues of which my son was happy to extol about for the rest of the morning. Coffee, tea, fresh organge juice. All was well with the world.

Brand plus referral wins out
The truth is, we took a bit of chance, albeit a calculated one. Calculated because the street is known as a destination for good food – especially bagels and curries. But we did not know this café and indeed I can’t even remember its name. Part of my pre-event thinking, was that we would round off our day, back on Brick Lane, taking another punt. Madam had other ideas…To be fair, she got it spot on.

A short walk from Brick Lane is Spitalfields market, a fusion of Victorian splendour and contemporary architecture, with a variety of market stalls and a sprinkling of some of the more modern and well reviewed restaurant chains. My daughter spotted Wagamama and, based importantly on her personal prior experience, her mind was made up.

My own personal thought process went something like this:

-    I have never eaten at Wagamama myself, but I have only heard good things about the brand
-    It’s in a lovely and convenient location
-    It’s affordable
-    If I stick to my original plan, force us back to Brick Lane and get it wrong….the car journey home will be awful, life will be unbearable for several days, there’s no chance of me getting the Wispa bar from the selection box and I still won’t be acknowledged as a father on Facebook.

It was a no brainer. Fast forward to the end of the day when, in the face of a compelling referral, we foresook the mysterious and unchartered charms of Brick Lane, for the reassurance of a known quantity.

It didn’t disappoint: A very different style of experience from the start of the day, but one that was nevertheless equally gratifying.

Looking back, it is easy to see the satisfaction drivers shared by both establishments:

-    food was fresh, cooked to order and delicious
-    service came with a smile of sincerity
-    a bill that felt more than comfortable for the experience provided.

Had the DMU consisted only of my wife and I, we would probably have dined in Brick Lane that night. But it wasn’t and we didn’t and we weren’t disappointed.

Know your stakeholders. Teenagers rule.