Operational Transparency

Figure 10. Operational Transparency. From Operational Transparency. By Stephen Lewis (2019) Retrieved from (https://hbr.org/2019/03/operational-transparency)

A method researched by Ryan W. Buell and used by designers to improve the waiting experience is operational transparency. Operational transparency is a simple theory that a user can value what they can see and what they are aware of, or from another perspective, they cannot value what they cannot see. It draws on the ideas around the psychology of waiting to manage frustration of the user and when successful can even make the service more valued and appreciated (Buell, 2019). As services in this modern world become increasingly automated, human contact between companies and their customers decreases to improve efficiency. Therefore, increasingly

the challenge for companies and all services is to find the balance between delivering an efficient service with less customer facing contact, often resulting in lower customer satisfaction, and increased customer contact, which is often more expensive and less efficient (Buell, 2019). One example of how increased automation can result in lower customer satisfaction is the bank ATM. While they are more convenient for customers in almost every way, customer satisfaction with their bank decreased with the implementation of ATM’s (Buell, 2019). Buell suggests that “when consumers can’t see the work that’s being done to serve them, their perception is that less effort went into delivering the service, so they don’t appreciate or value it as much”. In one study Buell along with London Business School’s Kamalini Ramdas and Nazli Sonmez worked with doctors at Aravind Eye Hospital, in Pondicherry, India to study the effects of transparency at a glaucoma clinic by having some shared appointments with three or four other patients. At this new style of appointments patients could see what the doctor saw when examining others and hear other patients’ questions. This had the great result; patients were more likely to follow through with advice and prescriptions and come back for follow up appointments than those who had the normal one on one appointments. In another test Buell set up cameras in a Harvard dining hall so students could see the cooks while they waited, and cooks could see the people they were making the food for. They found that satisfaction with the food went up 22% and chefs also felt better about the expertise with one stating “When [the customers] can see us [make their food], they appreciate it, and I appreciate that. It makes me want to improve.” Buell (2019) also explores several risks associated with operational transparency and how some companies can get it wrong. Too much transparency, that is not sensitive to the context, can expose an ineffective process, powerless employee, lack of progress or an inferior product/service. At worst this “can repel customers and undermine employees” (Buell, 2019). As a result, it is extremely important to be careful with what information is made transparent and why.

Food Delivery Progress Trackers

Food delivery progress trackers like Uber Eats and Deliveroo use the theories of operational transparency by giving the customer as much insight into the progress of their order as possible. The user is notified when the restaurant accepts the order, cooks ‘making’ the order, and even tracks the driver as they travel (Fast Company, 2019). Various apps and services do this slightly differently, Dominos with its pizza tracker, Uber eats where you can track the delivery driver, and Deliveroo’s progress bar to name a few. Not only are these companies giving you updates on where your food is at, but they are subtly reminding you of all the people that are involved in preparing the order, from the cooks in the restaurant to the delivery driver. As a result, the customer can see and appreciate all the hands that went into getting the food to them. What each version has in common is clean, clear, colourful and simple graphic representations of what is going on.

Figure 11. Domino’s Tracker. From Pizza party! Domino’s is on IFTTT. by IFTTT. (2017) https://ifttt.com/discover/pizza-party-dominos-is-on-ifttt

Figure 12. Uber Eats Progress Tracker. From “Uber Eats is going to stop gaslighting you with confusing design”, by Fast Company, 2019, (https://www.fastcompany.com/90331468/uber-eatsis-going-to-stop-gaslighting-you-with-confusing-design)

Yes, they are choosing to be more transparent about the process, but they are also making very active decisions about what not to show. And there are definite lessons to be learned from that. They are not showing the actual kitchen or your actual dish being cooked, just graphic representations. Even though users are only seeing graphic representations of the process, which for all they know could have no correlation to what is actually going on, seeing this process allows the person ordering see each step that is involved in getting their food to them, which manages expectations, and when deliver on time (or earlier), builds confidence and trust in the service.

The TESSEI cleaners of the Shinkansen

Figure 13. TESSEI workers. From Japan Today. (2014). Retrieved from (https://japantoday.com/ category/features/lifestyle/shinkansen-cleaning-crew-have-just-7-minutes-to-get-train-ready)

One great example of the power of transparency to the waiting experience is the TESSEI cleaning team of the Shinkansen, the Japanese bullet train system. In between the trains many trips a day it waits at the station for just 12 mins, and once previous passengers departs, that leaves just 7 mins for the TESSEI team to clean and prep an incredible 1000 seats for the next trip. For the next passengers waiting on the platform 7 mins can seem like a long time, especially if you don’t know why you’re waiting there. Initially the workers felt pressured and the passengers waiting on the platform felt impatient and frustrated that they couldn’t get on the train that was waiting right in

front of them. They didn’t know why they were waiting. In 2005 a new leader of TESSEI Teruo Yabe introduced a policy of transparency between the passengers and the cleaning staff, and one part this new policy was to change the colour of the cleaners clothing from a pale blue that blended into the train, essentially making them invisible, to a vibrant red. The waiting passengers could now clearly see why they were waiting and began to appreciate the service so much more. He also let the cleaners speak with the passengers that wasn’t allowed before. The trains started to get cleaned on time, passengers started cleaning up after themselves a lot more, and people even started catching the Shinkansen so they could watch the cleaners do this amazing amount of work in only 7 mins. This ‘show’ has even been given a name, the 7min miracle or Shinkansen Theatre that finished with a bow from the TESSEI staff. This is a great example of what can change when the people waiting can see why they are waiting. They begin to value the work going on behind the screens, and value the service even more.

Left Figure 14. TESSEI Summer uniforms. From Asia News Network. (2018) Retreived from http:// www.asianews.eu/content/admired-shinkansen-cleaning-crews-add-touch-summer-76869