Tapio | Oct 2024
Product Design
Product Design
Timeline
10 weeks
Type
SaaS Platform
Web app
My Role - Solo Product Designer
Defining Problem
User Research
Feature scoping
User Flow
Wireframing
Design System
Prototyping
Tool
Figma
Industry
Hospitality
Problem
In today’s bubble tea industry, managers are still overwhelmed by manual and time-consuming tasks, leaving them bogged down and inefficient, or even left behind their competitors but don’t know why. Many lack the appropriate tools to streamline their workflow and manage operations effectively.
Outcome
Tapio is a management tool designed for the management of the bubble tea store. It streamlines the workflow, reduces manual tasks, integrates data from different platforms to make the bubble tea store managers’ work easier and save potential costs.
Key Features
#1 A POS system for customised ordering
- Classified customizable categories
- Easy to modify
#2 Real-time inventory tracking with expiration indicator and waste evaluation
- Provide a summary of inventory level
- Real-time usage level tracking & Wasted stock evaluation
#3 Expenses reporting
- Provide summary of expenses
- Every transaction can be tracked
Context
While the competition is increasingly fierce, many bubble tea store managers are still overwhelmed by manual and time-consuming tasks and confused about how to improve customer satisfaction.
Goals
1. Reduce the manual work for bubble tea shop managers
2. Centralise the workflow
3. Improve accuracy in finance and inventory
2. Centralise the workflow
3. Improve accuracy in finance and inventory
Research
I conducted user interviews and learned that what a typical day of a bubble tea shop manager looks like. I found that the workflow is consisted of many trivial tasks which required a lot of manual effort, also are prone to errors.
While most of managers using POS system which only has the cashier function, they still habitually using multiple tools like Microsoft Excel, notebooks and pen, stickers, calculator to manage the entire operation.
While most of managers using POS system which only has the cashier function, they still habitually using multiple tools like Microsoft Excel, notebooks and pen, stickers, calculator to manage the entire operation.
Main Insights
1. Cash flow and sales reporting.
Key information is scattered in different places. Manually pulling data from multiple tools to understand trends or track promotions is a repetitive task.
Key information is scattered in different places. Manually pulling data from multiple tools to understand trends or track promotions is a repetitive task.
2. Inventory management
Tracking ingredient levels (e.g., tapioca pearls, tea, milk) is critical since shortages can disrupt service, but overstocking can result in wastage. Manual tracking is prone to errors and inefficiency.
Tracking ingredient levels (e.g., tapioca pearls, tea, milk) is critical since shortages can disrupt service, but overstocking can result in wastage. Manual tracking is prone to errors and inefficiency.
3. Staff management
Arranging staff shift weekly could be back-and-forth and calculating salary for each staff monthly, including work over time, leaves, holidays, adsence, etc, is really time-consuming.
Arranging staff shift weekly could be back-and-forth and calculating salary for each staff monthly, including work over time, leaves, holidays, adsence, etc, is really time-consuming.
4. Customer feedback & loyalty programs
Gathering customer feedback and managing loyalty programs can be difficult without a structured system in place, yet they are crucial for customer retention.
Gathering customer feedback and managing loyalty programs can be difficult without a structured system in place, yet they are crucial for customer retention.
The Role of Bubble Tea Store Manager
The bubble tea stor manager has the responsibility of both managing and serving.
I listed the general responsibilities of a bubble tea store manager.
I listed the general responsibilities of a bubble tea store manager.
Current User Journey
To better understand the user, I mapped out the typical day of a bubble tea store manager and the key user journeys to see how the workflow could be optimised. I mark the processes can be improved with red frame, and current management of customer satisfaction and loyalty program is inefficient.
Competitive Audits
To understand the existing solutions and identify the gaps and opportunities in the market, I analysed 5 competitors. While the solution for scheduling and CRM from Square, Lightspeed and Toast are good, I found that:
1. POS Ordering System Incompatibility: Highly customized orders are indeed a challenge for many generic POS systems, considering bubble tea stores require options for multiple topping combinations, sugar levels, ice levels, etc.
2. Sales Reporting Without Expense Tracking: Most competitors provide sales metrics but not comprehensive profit-loss or expense tracking.
3. Lack of Food Expiration and Waste Management: Most POS systems focus on sales and do not provide robust features for inventory management, particularly in bubble tea store, many processed ingredients have shorter shelf life. Waste management can help control the costs.
1. POS Ordering System Incompatibility: Highly customized orders are indeed a challenge for many generic POS systems, considering bubble tea stores require options for multiple topping combinations, sugar levels, ice levels, etc.
2. Sales Reporting Without Expense Tracking: Most competitors provide sales metrics but not comprehensive profit-loss or expense tracking.
3. Lack of Food Expiration and Waste Management: Most POS systems focus on sales and do not provide robust features for inventory management, particularly in bubble tea store, many processed ingredients have shorter shelf life. Waste management can help control the costs.
How might we help bubble tea store managers place customised orders, manage financial performance, inventory and serve customers easier, more efficient and accurate?
Ideation
Problem Breakdown
User Flow
How can the work process be efficient and accurate?
Based on the problems, I developed the user flows of how the workflow can be optimised.
Based on the problems, I developed the user flows of how the workflow can be optimised.
With classified categories, it's efficient to place a customised order for a customer and to avoid errors. Even if the customer changed her mind in a sudden , it's easy to go back and change the options for her.
The stock level, expiration date and waste level can be tracked once they are set.
Every trasanction can be managed in one place.
Design Iterations
1. I removed the “Payment method”, so it suits better the ordering process.
Many bubble tea stores opt to accept only card payments to reduce operational complexity, lower security risks and hygiene concerns.
Many bubble tea stores opt to accept only card payments to reduce operational complexity, lower security risks and hygiene concerns.
2. I changed the single blank of stock level to a more functional table.
3. Differentiate the design in current market
Solution
Placing customised orders efficiently and accuratly.
Real-time stock level tracking with expiration date and waste evaluation.
Manage every transaction of expenses.
Visual Style Guide
Reflection & Next Steps
Value vs Effort.At the beginning, it seems there are a lot of trivial problems can be solved in the workflow of a bubble tea shop manager. I prioritised key problems by considering value vs effort matrix.
Ask Feedback ProactivelyEven though it's a self-initiated project, after I finished this project, I showed it to other designers and received constructive feedback that I didn't thought of.
Implement further functions for bubble tea shop employees and customers.
If I have more time, I will design the experience of how would staffs and customers use this product.
Ask Feedback ProactivelyEven though it's a self-initiated project, after I finished this project, I showed it to other designers and received constructive feedback that I didn't thought of.
Implement further functions for bubble tea shop employees and customers.
If I have more time, I will design the experience of how would staffs and customers use this product.