Best Gas
Retail Store Design/ Customer Experience Design
Overview
Best Gas, a beloved local establishment, with a loyal customer base is rapidly losing business against new stiff competition from big pocket gas corporations, dollar stores and frictioning pain points in their own store.
Problem
Customers are leaving due to complaints regarding slow service, confusing layout, high prices, wait times and parking.
Research
My research began with observing Best Gas customers and how they interacted with the store, cashiers and the environment.
For the first few days went in and out of busy times, early mornings, lunch and after work rush.
Got some feedback and notes, decided to observe longer timeframes, for more in depth data.
Joined the best gas team as a “new employee”, gave me a chance to observe customers in non bias, one on one fashion.
Introduced to daily customers, as well as their issues & complaints.
Regular customer quotes
“Parking issue, lack of parking, usually clogged, not enough gas pumps (only 4)”
“People parking their car in front, blocking the pumps and exits.”
”Not aware of where items are located in the store, trashcan, coffee, milk, ice, etc”.
“Don’t want to wait in line, need fast transactions, speedy service.”
”Small signs in small handwriting, difficult for me to read, have vision problems”
“Not knowing if store has certain items, phone chargers, ice, vegan options?”
“Just wanna get winning lottery numbers”
While I was conducting qualitative research, also visited the competition around the business location.
Mobil, Hess, big company gas providers within 1-2 mile radius.
Nearby Family Dollar and deli’s that can take away snack and convenience profits.
Family Dollar taking vaule cunsumers away, while also having cleaner, organized layout.
Other gas stations have bigger entrances and exits, gas pumps and faster service.
Research Findings and Customer Painpoints
Current customers frustrated by small gas and parking layout
Unorganized and confusing interior
Long lines mixed with slow service
4 Archtypes
Gas Customers - low gas prices bring all types working customers in need of quick fueling up.
Local Residents - neighborhood consumers, want convenient products with value in mind.
Lotto Players - instant gratification seekers, need on demand winning results and service.
Veterans - Retirees from local V.A. Hospital, desire easy to navigate interior, assisting their vision and handicap needs.
Iterations
Started off by reorganizing interior retail floor layout, complementing aisles and category separation.
Big ceiling aisle signs for clarity and organization.
Grab n go snacks and value products near the entrance.
Lotto winning results outside and near door opening.
Extra register between, lotto and main check out register, thus providing a third check out lane.
A/B testing with different interior layouts, backed by customer observation, frustrations, and feedback.
Along with one on one interviews with target power users, as well as employee pain points helped test out and gather results from iterations.
Thus starting a rapid process of thoughtful solutions, testing, data gathering and testing new ideas some more!
By Connecitcut Law, gas stations have to change gas storing tanks every 30 years. That involves digging up and completely repaving gas pumps.
So I began planning an exterior parking and gas pump fueling layout, collaborated with a contractor to create executable blueprints that would be implemented with storage tank replacement.
Old Exterior Layout
Lots of friction and time consuming complaints were focused on finding convenient parking, smooth access to gas pumps, and rude customers parked in front of store blocking off the entrance/exit.
Came up with a few sample designs, worked with business owner and contractor to develop the most realist, cost efficient and executable blueprint.
Final Improvements/Iterations
Extra lotto numbers holder by front door
2 new registers, one lotto and one general purpose
Fresh fruit options/ healthy snacks/ protein bars - for nearby college students
Moved ice cooler from outside to inside - less stress for the cashiers
2 for $1 rack near counter - for the value seekers
Rearranged lotto counter making it easier for new players
Plan to push building back building adding more room for extra tanks & extra parking
improving the flow of users, making fueling up, paying and leaving flawlessly simple.
Takeaways
I wanted to challenge myself and learn a new form of user experience design.
Was pushed to new comfort zones,
Able to handle higher stress levels,
Rapidly design and create new solutions that could be tested and gather instant feedback.
Honestly this was one of the most fulfilling, eye opening, and knowledgeable career enhancing UX projects I have worked on, so far :)
