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July 2013 ~ July 2014
MAOKONG TOUR BUS
SERVICE SYSTEM
Build up a network system with the different stakeholders
to deliver memorable travel experiences for customers.
OVERVIEW
BACKGROUND
Maokong Tour Bus,
The only internal transportation for Maokong tourism
Maokong, a place recognized as the backyard of Taipei, which not only possesses convenient travel but also has a unique culture and natural scenery. For the convenience of customers who plan in-depth tours in Maokong, the Taipei City government commissioned Shin-Shin Bus to run the operation of the Maokong Tour Bus for internal transportation in Maokong.
The low usage rate of the Maokong Tour Bus
However, it is unfortunate that the bus use rate is only 16%. Even though 5,000 customers per day arrived at the exit of Maokong Station through Maokong Gondola, the average number of customers who take the Maokong Tour Bus is only 150 people per day, which reveals that the usage rate is too low and causes losses for the service. With in-depth research, the customer experience and stakeholder collaboration need improvement urgently. Moreover, lacking the integration of different organizations has led to poor customer travel experience in Maokong. As a result, it has affected the willingness of customers to engage in in-depth trips and consumption in Maokong, and indirectly caused a low usage rate of the Tour Bus. Therefore, we conducted a service design project and attempted to improve the customer experience for the Maokong Tour Bus service.
PROJECT GOALS
Build up a network system with the stakeholders to offer an interesting, easy and ease Maokong Tour Bus Service System, delivering memorable and in-depth travel experiences by connecting with local culture for tourists.
RESEARCH PROCESS
Discover：Qualitative research methods, shadowing, observation and the interview, was applied to uncover the service gaps of the Maokong Tour Bus and to analyze the needs of the various stakeholders.
Define：Based on the findings of Deliver stage, we met various stakeholders to highlighted a new customer experience value proposition, and illustrate the needs for the co-creation of stakeholders in the future.
Design：Thirdly, we invited stakeholders to a co-creation workshop for the communication and knowledge transfer in hopes of developing collaboration opportunities among the stakeholders in the future.
Deliver： Through meetings, we continued managing the collaborations and value co-creation among the stakeholders and finally generated the Maokong tour bus service system.
TEAM
Yi-Jin Chou / Fu-Qu Cherng / Hsiung-Chieh Li / Chia-Hua Li / Ya- Tien Tsai
MY ROLE
- Tour bus design concept development
- Propaganda ( hold a press release )
A. DISCOVER
DISCONTINUOUS TRAVEL EXPERIENCE
RESULT IN CUSTOMERS FEELING FRUSTRATION
Anchor 1
1. Defined Customer Experience & Service Gaps
We identified that some of the service quality problems that caused the low usage of the Maokong Tour Bus are not mainly from the service of Maokong Tour Bus, but the whole service system in Maokong.
Method : Shadowing & Interview tourists
2. Gather Stakeholder Insight about the Cause of Service Gaps
Following, we met key stakeholders to identify the cause of service gaps and explore the relationship between stakeholders in order to clarify their expectations and propose suitable value propositions to meet their needs in the latter stage. We collected the opinions and feedbacks from 4 key stakeholders and discovered that the various conflicts and lack of communication undermined the possibility of collaboration in the past.
Method : Interview
MAOKONG GONDOLA：
“ Since the resident and the local government did not carefully manage the environment in Maokong, the customer journey in Maokong was not qualified. ”
MAOKONG TOUR BUS ( SHIN-SHIN BUS )：
“Most of the residents in Maokong only focus on their individual interests and it impedes the development of the tour bus service for the customers to enhance the travel experience. ”
LOCAL BUSINESS SECTOR：
“ The Maokong Tour Bus and Maokong Gondola service do not help promote local businesses and the customers who ride Maokong Gondola and the tour bus seldom disembark to purchase items. This further reduces the revenue of our local business. ”
LOCAL GOVERNMENT：
“When developing public facilities, it needs careful consideration; otherwise, the construction may violate the environmental regulation or harm the interests or habits of the stakeholders in Maokong area. ”
FINDING
It is lacking the collaboration among the stakeholders
in the whole Maokong tourism service system.
B. DEFINE
PROMOTE COLLABORATION
THROUGH VALUE PROPOSITION
Anchor 2
Meet up
Understand each other
To develop good relationships with stakeholders and explore their need, we invited them to join a stakeholder forum. By knowing each other and our team better, they are more likely to be contributing members of Maokong.
1. Proposed Design Concept :
Connect and Expand the Service for the stakeholders
To deliver memorable travel experiences for the tourists, we propose that the Maokong Tour Bus service should be elevated from serving a transportation function to a travel orientated service by the means of build up a network system with the other stakeholders.
2. Attract Stakeholders by Meeting Their Needs
1. Proposed Design Concept :
Connect and Expand the Service to the stakeholders
Brainstorming Card
To stimulate communication and boost innovative ideas among stakeholders, we created brainstorming card with the feature of Maokong for the workshop. It facilitates the discussion of the solution with an open mind.
Lego Serious Play
Building quick prototype of ideas with Logo bricks and characters helps everyone sharing ideas. The 3D model can be modified fast and freely to generate innovative solution during the design thinking process.
1. Build Understanding
Firstly, we pointed out the problems caused by the lack of stakeholder cooperation. Then the workshop opened up effective communication, which provides diverse sources of innovation for the next co-creation process. It allows us and stakeholders to understand each other better and build trust.
2. Reach a Consensus
Secondly, to reach a consensus of service design, the workshop illustrated that the purpose of the new service was to improve the travel experience and realize the value propositions through collaboration among the stakeholders and to create mutual business models.
3. Ideation & Prototyping
Physical tools were used to help in the visualization of innovative concepts proposed by the stakeholders, which created effective communication, enhanced the effectiveness of co-creation in the workshop.
C. DEVELOP
CO-CREATE
INNOVATIVE SERVICE
【 Co-create workshop 】
Participant
Shin-Shin Bus Company
Maokong Gondola
local government
external designers
Goal
-
improve the travel experience
-
realize the value propositions through collaboration among the stakeholders
-
create mutual business models
Anchor 3
Cooperative Contract Continuous Experience
The upper figure is the concrete collaboration opportunities that respond to the value propositions and innovative customer experience journey map, which was derived from the Co-creation process during the workshop. With the help of cooperative promotions, these activities were expected to provide novel experience for customers in Maokong and to attract customers in the future.
D. DELIVER
MAOKONG TOUR BUSSERVICE SYSTEM
-
Import local characteristic elements
-
Provide rich tourism clues
-
Offer clear visual information
-
Build up a cross-functional team
Anchor 4
VISUAL IDENTITY
MAOKONG TOUR BUS REDECORATION
BUS ROUTE ADJUSTMENT
To offer the great experience for tourists, we adjusted the bus stops based on the best route. The shuttles not only offers categories of Maokong features but also brings tourists to go into the local and meet Maokong's beauty.
PAYMENT TERMS CHANGING
To improve carrying capacity, the new service system converted the payment terms from paying for taking the tour bus each time to unlimited times in a day with the bus ticket.
TOUR GUIDANCE & INDICATORS SETTING
ORGANIZE A CONSORTIUM
WITH LOCAL SHOPS
IMPACT
Attracted Attention Facilitated Local Development
Since our team has redesign Maokong Tour Bus successfully, some stakeholders started to pay more attention to our project. The Taipei city government, Maokong Gondola, and local people are more involved in the future of local development.
- Maokong Gondola also asked us to help them to provide better tourism experience.
- The local temple, Zhinan temple, funded for 4 large Maokong fairies PVC figure to enrich Maokong tourism.
Improved the Repurchase Intention of Maokong Tour Bus
For the new tour bus service design, the tourism experience has a significant positive effect on repurchase intention. By taking the tour bus, tourists are able to see the beauty of Maokong.
Enhance Tourists’ Revisit Intention in Maokong
The development of Maokong tour bus has a major impact on the growth of tourism. The design factors that give character to Maokong can attract tourist and form part of Maokong culture identity. Also, with well organize and management, tourists feel connected from Maokong culture result in tourists’ revisit intention increased.
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