BruinUp! initiative drives community feedback to improve ASUCLA’s customer experience
Spanned over the course of three weeks, ASUCLA’s BruinUp! team gathered feedback from the UCLA community to improve ASUCLA customer service at UCLA Store, ASUCLA Restaurants.
Los Angeles, Calif., May 21, 2025 – Throughout April, Associated Students UCLA (ASUCLA) activated its BruinUp! team to engage with its UCLA community and gather valuable feedback, aimed at enhancing customer service across operations.
Polling nearly 500 Bruins over the course of three weeks, the BruinUp! team is now using the information to understand ASUCLA constituents’ sentiment about existing products and services and learn more about current needs and the level of customer service received from the Association’s Student-Run Enterprises, including the UCLA Store and ASUCLA Restaurants.
“BruinUp! is about cross-divisional collaboration that builds relationships and results,” said Sandi Gillespie, director of board and external affairs. “By engaging directly with students, faculty and staff, we can gather meaningful feedback that helps us make informed improvements to the levels of service we provide to our valued guests.”
BruinUp!, an internal team composed of full-time staff at ASUCLA, is focused on engaging the UCLA community to understand the consensus and sentiment associated with ASUCLA. By bringing together staff from different areas of the organization, the team benefits from a variety of perspectives and experiences. This initiative models ASUCLA’s responsive, student-centered commitment and seek out areas for enhancement.
Impressively, over half of the respondents polled for the UCLA Store reported being very satisfied with their shopping experience at both the Ackerman Union and the Health Sciences Store locations, with more than 80% rating the customer service as excellent or good.
Many respondents also highlighted the convenience of the Stores and offered suggestions for improving the shopping experience, such as expanding product variety, increasing floor staff presence and providing more sale and promotional opportunities.
Focusing on the ASUCLA Restaurants location at LuValle Commons, over 70% of respondents rated their overall dining and ordering experience as excellent or good, with many who highlighted their enjoyment of the meals available.
The majority of respondents indicated that they felt LuValle Commons staff were friendly and attentive, noting wants of a greater selection of health-conscious meals, deals under $9 and expanded space to help alleviate long lines.
The evolution of BruinUp! has grown from ASUCLA Marketing-centric initiatives in 2020 to incorporating customer service-oriented engagement with the UCLA community. For more information about ASUCLA and the next BruinUp! initiative, follow @asucla on Instagram.
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About ASUCLA:
Founded in 1919, Associated Students UCLA (ASUCLA) is a nonprofit association that drives vitally essential student services and activities throughout the UCLA campus. ASUCLA boasts the largest college store in the U.S., an extensive food program, UCLA® brand licensing programming through UCLA Trademarks & Licensing, and other services and programs that include student government and student media, which significantly enhances the quality of UCLA’s campus life. For more information and to stay connected, follow @asucla on Instagram or visit asucla.ucla.edu.