8 Mile Pizza
January 17 — April 19, 2024
Camille Lauren Gordon
Jack Irwin
Mona Zonoozi
Shun Mei Chan
Wendy Lee
UX Researcher: Desk Research · Site Audit · Persona · Journey Map · Service Blueprint · Service Prototyping
8 Mile Pizza
Improving the in-store pickup experience
8-Mile is an artisan Detroit style pizza restaurant located in the Yorkville area. They cater to a diverse demographic of pizza enthusiasts who value quality, customization and convenience.
The objective of this school project was to understand the current service delivery model and find opportunities for improvement.
Challenge
Customers experiencing longer than expected wait time upon arrival at the restaurant.
Outcome
Prototype service solutions which improve staff awareness of customers entering the store.
During the discovery stage of the design process, our team conducted extensive research. We began with a high-level competitor analysis, followed by an audit of social media and online customer reviews. We also performed a mystery shopper experience to gather addition information prior to the site visit to reveal any potential concern which may not have been revealed in the initial desk research.
Our Site audit consisted primarily of observing front and back of house operations through notes and images. We also spoke with the GM of the restaurant to gather deeper understanding of the processes and potential pain points that customer could be facing with the current service delivery model. Following the audit we began drafting the service blueprint and coupling the touchpoint inventory.
The proto persona and journey map highlights a potential customer and their order pickup experience from initial awareness to pizza consumption. Informed by our desk research and site audit, the journey map highlights the highs and lows of the experience with supporting images of customer touch points taken during one of our mystery shopper visits.
The main issues present in 8Mile current service model of instore pick up orders arise during the arrival phase of the journey. Trouble finding parking, lack of wheel chair accessibility and missing attention from staff upon entering the store, were all potential points of contention for customers.
We also observed that cooking staff had many responsibilities, including ones which required them to move into a front of house position. This included active exposer, like taking customer orders when cashiers weren’t present, or indirect exposure, like bring ingredients from the basement to replenish them throughout service.
A major problem that was found with the business was the store’s lack of attention to customers arriving at the restaurant. Even though most walk-ins are UberEats drivers, there are still customers who order for pickup online, and walk in to get their orders. The delay in service is most noticeable when the store is being run without the help of a dedicated cashier.
The solution was chosen based on the results of a decision matrix which was conducted following the development of multiple potential solutions. The matrix compared cost, time and impact on employees and customers. Installation of door sensors and chimes would be relatively quick and low cost. Increased awareness of people entering the store would allow staff to make more informed decisions and remove uncertainty about customers’ presence in the store. This is especially important for cooks responsible for fulfilling front and back of house positions. Customers would benefit from improved response times from staff and a reduction in wait time for receiving orders.
Individually, we were tasked with developing an alternative solution to the one developed as a group. Using the same problem tree I explored the branch involving the obstructed line of sight as the reason for longer than expected wait times upon arrival.
Proposed solution: Remove wall separating kitchen and front counter area
Benefits:
Primary
- Cooks have clear line of sight to the front counter and dining area allowing them to see customers entering the store.
Secondary
- Completed pizza orders can be places on table without the need to walk through and around the doorway.
- Easier communication between kitchen and counter area
- Removing wall would allow for front counter to be moved back. This would result in more space at the front of the store which could be used for additional seating (A common customer complaint) or more standing space around the entrance.
After: Improved line of sight from kitchen to front counter by removing a section of the wall
Only had the opportunity to speak to the GM during the site visit. Speaking with staff may have added an important perspective on their working experience. Limited access to client following the completion of the site audit meant that we didn’t have the opportunity to facilitate a co-creative environment for solution exploration.
Learnings
Solutions to service design problems need to consider the impact on the employee experience. Expectation management is vital to successful service design
Next Steps
Discuss solutions proposed with client and iterate based on feedback