How Net Solutions helped a Hyperlocal Delivery Startup build

An On-demand, Hyperlocal Delivery App

Client

Delivery Startup Company

Industry

Logistics

Deliverables

Developing an Interactive Prototype

Design & Build a Mobile App for Both Individuals & Businesses

The client was a startup and wished to launch an app that would incentivize users who could leverage their spare time by delivering parcels and get paid for it. The client also wanted the app to be seamless and cost-effective, so as to make it easy for users to participate.

The Problem

When the client approached us with their initial requirements, we gathered the following insights:

  • Understanding the user personas would be the key challenge, despite being an “On-Demand” business model.
  • The app must be designed in a way that would seamlessly connect a requester and service provider to request or deliver parcels in their neighborhood.
  • The app must build an anytime, anywhere delivery system, with the recipient receiving the delivery within a 24-hour span.
  • As the underlying objective was to make the app cost-effective and community-driven, gathering data or conducting research on the following would assist us in providing a viable solution to the client:
  • The audience/user segment for this app
  • What would motivate users to perform the task?
  • How would users feel when they perform the task?
  • What would make the entire experience rewarding?

The Solution

Creating Persona Empathy Maps

To effectively gauge the target audience for the app, we created Persona Empathy Maps. This also helped us understand some of the most possible use cases since here, the app would be designed for users who can leverage the platform either as a recipient or as a delivery person.

These maps provide an insight into what is comfortable for the users, what type of feedback they will be accepting in this process, and how they would want the change to be communicated across platforms, as shown below:

As users were not only driven by monetary rewards, therefore, by creating Persona Empathy Maps, we were able to gauge their expectations.

Developing an Interactive Prototype

We built an Interactive Prototype of the parcel delivery app for our client in order to explore various design solutions. Here, we used Product Prototype as a service and methodology to design the app.

We did multiple iterations in design while prototyping the app, tested our early prototypes with focused groups, and recruited personas as potential users of the app. Rapid prototyping helped us identify those friction points, which were stopping users from using the app more regularly.

Simplifying the Pricing Engine

This was another feedback given by the users who found the “Pricing Engine” of the app to be complicated, with varied delivery options and pricing.

The users preferred using the default delivery option to simply cut down the hassle of choosing from multiple plans. Given that, our designers formed a final design framework for the entire app by rigorously scanning for any possible frictions and blockers in the app experience. They ensured that requesting for parcel delivery and delivering parcels through the delivery-based mobile app is straightforward and reassuring for their users.

The Result

Owning a Revenue Stream

This convenient app incentivizes the persons delivering the parcels (drivers) by according them 80% of the delivery cost. Also, for this segment of users, if they have more signups via their personal referral code, they will receive a passive income ($0.25) each time the user pays for a delivery.

 

Ease-of-Use

With this hassle-free app, all that a user needs to do is key in their pickup and delivery address and select the parcel type to be delivered. They will be offered a delivery quote, which, if agreed upon, will then have a delivery person collect their parcel.

Saving on Time


This easy-to-use app can be leveraged by all user segments – be it the student community or stay-at-home moms, professionals, or businesses – both enterprise or consumer-oriented. In short, any individual or business who want their item to be delivered locally and within a short time-span of 24 hours can use this app.

Got a Project in Mind?