CASE STUDY DOCUMENT
Table of Contents-
About The Project..........................................1
Evaluation.......................................................15
Observations....................................................3
Implementation............................................17
Analysis...............................................................7
Final Conclusions.........................................21
Synthesis..........................................................13
Created by Davisasm aka Ashley Davis
About The Project--
OBJECTIVE I chose to research Sincere Auto Care to find challenges and implement solutions based on the data I collected. Using design research methods, I made many discoveries about the business and its challenges and success areas.
Page 1
PROJECT DETAILS
How might we improve Sincere Auto Care’s digital/web presence to more frequently update their customers on their vehicle repairs?
PROBLEM AREA
SOLUTION
My major success discoveries were that Sincere Auto
Having a more interactive web presence should
Care is known for its trustworthiness, fair prices,
help ease Ron Jr.’s burden and free up some of
and friendly employees. The customers actually
his time to update customers more often. My
love talking to the owner (Ron Jr). as if they’ve
solution is to create a web resource for customers
been long-time friends. Interviewing them led me
to receive updates on the progress of their vehicle.
to find the major challenge in the business, Ron Jr.
If customers can check on their vehicle’s progress
is not able to adequately update the customers in
online, it would reduce the number of customers
a timely fashion. He has so many responsibilities
calling the shop to check on their cars as well as
on his shoulders that he is physically incapable of
free some of Ron Jr.’s time to be able to update the
making phone calls to the customers regarding the
customers that do still call.
status of their vehicles. This leads to frustration on the customer’s behalf because it’s difficult to be patient for your vehicle when you need it. Sincere Auto Care is run completely via their landline phone.
Page 2
Observations--
How might we understand more about the successes and challenges of Sincere Auto Care? I observed Sincere Auto Care using the Fly on The Wall
method. This involved
making observations using the AEIOU system, which guided me to noticing things about the Activities, Environment, Interactions, Objects, and Users of Sincere Auto Care. After reviewing my findings, it is now noticeable how often the phone rings and how in-demand/divided Ron Jr.’s attention is. It is a noticeably friendly/light-hearted atmosphere with plenty of daily chit-chat and jokes.
Page 3
AEIOU OBSERVATIONS ACTIVITIES
OBJECTS
Talking Explaining car performance and problems TV playing Customers walking in and out Mechanics walk in-between lobby and shop
Plants Television Vending machines Quarter Candy machines Toys Children’s books Old record player Scattered auto parts T-shirts (for sale?) Coffee machine Water cooler Windshield wipers Books Bar stools at register Trash can Signs and posters Front desk Computer
ENVIRONMENT Drop off box outside Open sign Customer door Employee only door Large windows Open space Seating area Phone rings a lot Plaques Certificates Nomination for Indy A list Advertising for auto parts Customer warnings No smoking sign Office in back with door propped open Blocked off side doors Carpet “shelving” bordering the windows Concrete wall in parking lot Chain fence bordering gold’s gym off Old mall now dull government building
Catalogs for auto parts
Pretzels Calculator Note pad + pen Desk with papers Key ring holder Clipboards Office chair Oils and auto liquids Office with door propped open with: Visible binders, filing cabinet, and desk
INTERACTIONS
USERS
Walking in door “ding” Talk to Ron Jr. Ron Sr. if Ron Jr. Is unavailable Walking in you are greeted Chit-chatting Among the front desk Phone calls Using computer Friendly environment Chatty environment? Lots of calls with no one on the other end
Customers Parts delivery Mechanics Managers/owners Mostly male
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Observations-How might we understand the interactions, actions, and behaviors at Sincere Auto Care? I made observations at Sincere Auto Care by using a
shop. This research confirmed the large amount of chit-
combination of cognitive and behavioral mapping.
chatting between the customers and employees. There
Cognitive mapping involves recording the actions and
has yet to be a single customer who only talks about
interactions of users, where behavioral mapping involves
their car and skips small talk. Ron Jr. and Ron Sr. seem
how the users feel about their actions and interactions.
to need to do a fair amount of counseling for their
I recorded the traffic of the customers, but found that it
customers.
became relatively useless to track anymore. The heavy traffic area is highly used as customers seem to want to go straight to the counter to take care of their business, then leave until their car is ready for pick-up. The seating area has yet to be used while I’ve been observing the
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Pick up vehicle.
33%
Front Door
Office
33%
Pick up vehicle.
33%
Pick up vehicle.
33%
Make payment.
22%
Vending Machines
Office
Seating
vending machin
People who walk inside:
BEHAVIORAL MAPPING OBSERVATIONS Front Desk
9% Customers use
2
Front Door
People who walk inside:
Front Desk
fice
Shop
Dropped off vehicle
Seating
9%
Seating
Shop
Front Desk
Vending Machines
Vending Machines
22%
12%
Delivery Customers use person. the vending machines.
Dropped off vehicle.
9% Customers use the vending machines.
16%
Customers use the restroom.
Front Door
Cognitive/Behavioral
Cognitive/Behavioral Mapping--
gnitive/Behavioral Mapping-Shop
People who walk inside:
Office
33%
Front Desk
Make payment.
33%
Pick up vehicle.
12%
Delivery person.
Seating Vending Machines
22%
Dropped off vehicle. Page 6
16%
Analysis--
How might we understand what the problem areas of Sincere Auto Care might be? While interviewing a few of Sincere Auto Care’s customers. I asked: What do you think of the atmosphere here in the lobby? How would you describe your experience(s) here? What would you like to see changed/what improvements could be made here?
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INTERVIEW RESULTS + CONNECTIONS
When asked about the atmosphere and experiences, the answers included: The customers described the atmosphere as busy, friendly, and informative. The words used to describe their experiences were good, fine, and excellent.
When asked what could be improved, the answers included: The customer restroom needs improvement. Appointments can be difficult to make. Auto repairs in general are too expensive. The process can sometimes take too long.
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Analysis-How might we better organize information to find problem areas? I presented my findings so far to the class. I received a
In addition to the presentation feedback confirming my
lot of feedback revolving around the current customer
thoughts to further interact with the customers, I also
and their needs. This confirmed my beliefs that I
re-organized my information and data collected so far.
should go ahead with my plan to interview and present
This is my attempt to define general problem areas. So
questions to the customers to discover their thoughts
far I have the categories of online presence, physical
and views about Sincere Auto Care. I plan to use surveys,
location, business practices, and atmosphere. I am not
questionnaires, and interviews to discover the wants
convinced that these categories will be effective, but
and needs of the current customers. The Presentation
they at least have me heading the proper direction. The
displays my collective data from the first 3 weeks.
new arrangement is of more extensive organization. This also helped me to discover my major areas of possible problems which are:
• Long Wait Time • No Appointments • Not Enough Communication • Outdated Website Page 9
NEW DATA + CONNECTIONS
POSSIBLE PROBLEM AREAS
Long Wait Time
No Appointments
Not Enough Communication
Outdated Website Page 10
Analysis-How might we understand if Sincere Auto Care’s customers would like to see improvements with appointments, online presence, and information shared? I handed out Questionnaires to Sincere Auto Care’s current customers.
My main discovery so far is that Ron Jr.
The questions were based off of previously collected data about the
has quite a bit of responsibility on his
problem areas of Sincere Auto Care. The questions were intended
shoulders and is too busy to update and
to determine how many customers know about the website and
inform the customers as often as they
want improvements, if the customers receive as much information
would like. If I were to ease Ron Jr.’s work
about their vehicles as they want, if they are satisfied with the way
load, maybe he would have more time to
that they make appointments, and if they have any general areas of
spend on customer relations?
improvement that I have yet to see/hear about. I collected the most interesting/used answers and put them up on my research wall:
THE ANSWERS HELPED ME DISCOVER •
5/6 customers do not know that there even is a website.
•
Customers would like to be able to make appointments online.
•
They wish the shop was less busy so that they could receive more updates on their vehicles.
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QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS
•
Most customers get all of the information that they want, just not necessarily as quickly and often as they want it.
•
Walk-ins are easy for a lot of current customers.
•
Customers who have seen the website desire improved graphics.
•
Customers would like to know any additional problems with their car .
These answers point towards communication being the major problem area within the Sincere Auto Care customer experience.
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Synthesis-How might we understand Ron Jr.’s responsibilities and ease his burden so that he may speak with and update his customers more effectively? I interviewed Ron Jr. to ask him some questions that I believed
display information that the customer could look up on the
would help me understand his responsibilities and burdens.
website as apposed to calling the shop to speak with Ron
Through my questionnaire and interviews, I discovered that
Jr. Another area to look into is social media/messaging apps
the majority of his current customers want him to be able
that will allow him to speak with his customers from his smart
to update them on their vehicles more often. Most of his
phone while they use either their own computers or smart
customers realize how busy he is, but still wish that he had to
phones. This would possibly free up some of Ron Jr.’s time
ability to speak with them more often about the progress of
to be able to more effectively update his customers both
their vehicles. Based on this information and the comments
digitally and over the phone.
on the out-dated website, I believe that a possible solution area to focus on would be updating the website to share and
Page 13
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS + ANSWERS
Q: What are your responsibilities at Sincere Auto Care? A: Quality control, relationship builder, consular, create and manage priorities, access to supplies and elements. Q: What do you prioritize?
Q:Do you think it’s possible to change who we pay to host the website? A: Yes as long as it can support our needs and budget. Q: Do you think that updating customers on their vehicle
A: Resolve most previlent issue with car, customer
would be possible for oniline? (Would an employee
needs, supply all necissary information.
have time to do it?)
Q: What do you think would help you ease up yor load
A: No, unfortunately I can’t say that I know anyone has
the most?
the time to do it and I am at capacity for new employees.
A: Technical help (Phone, Computer, Web)
(Ronnie can possibly do this).
Q: Would you like to see appointments being possible? and online? A: Yes, as well as more information and more updates.
Page 14
Evaluation--
How might we know exactly how much information needs to be created to effectively allow customers to get more answers online? Here I have began to prototype my solutions, which are based on the needs of the customers. Ron Jr. is in high demand and I am looking to use the digital world to ease his burden and allow him to interact with and update his customers more frequently. This week, I learned that adding appointments is a little out of my reach for this project. It is a tricky topic for the managers and they seem very uncomfortable when asked about how we could potentially have appointments for the customers. I know that their website being updated to modern standards would help answer certain questions for the customers on it’s own.
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OLD WEBSITE
HOME
ABOUT
SERVICES
LOCATION
Page 16
Implementation--
How might we know exactly how much information needs to be created to effectively allow customers to get more answers online and free up some of Ron Jr.’s time? I began designing the website this week and showed that to the class. I received helpful feedback regarding accounts linked to the website so that customers can communicate with Ron Jr. and he can have instant access to their info. I’m trying to remember that the main goal is that we need to figure out how to communicate with the customers more often.
Page 17
NEW WEBSITE
HOME
ABOUT
SERVICES
LOCATION
Page 18
Implementation-How might we connect the shop’s database with the website to update the customers on their vehicles? I made a major break through with a solution to Sincere
be in the shop’s best interest to keep all the updating
Auto Care’s challenge of updating the customers more
on the website so that it can be customized to each
often! After struggling to figure out a way to link the
customer as needed and that we can use everyone’s
database that the mechanics use to the website to keep
Repair Order # to update them using solely the website.
updates moving, we encountered too many problems.
We will create invisible pages titled after the customer’s
The database does not have the ability to perform all
repair order, so that the link will be http://www.
the tasks I’d like it to do as far as allowing the mechanics
SincereAutoCare.com/####. Where the numbers are
to add categories to show the progress of the vehicles.
is where the customer’s unique Order Repair # will be.
Ronnie pointed out to me that each customer has
Upon opening the page, the customer will be presented
a unique Repair Order # in the database. After hours
with a progress bar that shows the progress of their
of talking and sharing ideas, we realized that it would
vehicle and any additional comments. The customer can check the site as often as they want and can easily navigate the the ‘contact us’ tab to ask any questions.
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AUTOMOBILE UPDATER
Enter Repair Order #:
With
Sincere
Auto
Care’s
Automobile
Updater,
current status and repairs of their vehicle in another
customers can go online and check their vehicle’s
window. This service will be available on Sincere Auto
repair status in real time! Each customer is assigned a
Care’s website, using either the desktop or mobile
unique repair order number, which is what they’ll use
version. With the Automobile Updater, customers will
to check the progress of their vehicle. When promted,
always have the ability to check the status of their
the cutomer will enter the reapair order number and
vehicle at any time while it’s in the shop.t
their own personal automobile updater will display the
Page 20
Final Conclusions-How might we improve Sincere Auto Care’s digital/web presence to more frequently update their customers on their vehicle repairs? The above ‘How Might We’ statement is my final
this project. There were many times that I needed to
overarching question. The website needed updating
remind myself to remember the goal: What will benefit
long ago, but after my research I am happy to have the
the customers? Overall I am very pleased with the
data to back up the decision. The data is what I used to
results and I believe that it was a successful project of
guide myself through the wants/needs of the customer
researching data, discovering the problem areas, and
and to then project that onto the website. The progress
applying a solution.
bar is still in the works as to how to program and code it, but it is a real probability that Sincere Auto Care will apply this update to their website! My re-design for them is already live at SincereAutoCare.com, so it felt rewarding to see my hard work actually get applied to the real world as a part of the solution. I learned a lot about applying myself and keeping on task during
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Solution
FINAL RESULTS
Original Website
Having a more interactive web presence should help ease Ron Jr.’s burden and free up some of his time to update customers more often. My solution is to create a web resource for customers to receive updates on the progress of their vehicle. If customers can check on their vehicle’s progress online, it would reduce the number of customers calling the shop to check on their cars as well as free some of Ron Jr.’s time to be able to update the customers that do still call.
Re-Designed Website