THE COMPANY WANTED TO....
Increase their selling during pandemic
THE CHALLENGE....
Develop a solution enabling convenience store owners to continue selling their products during the pandemic.
SCOPE
AND
OUTCOMES
This project encompassed a research phase (qualitative and quantitative) to identify the frustrations and motivations of potential users for a new product. It also involved the creation of a new business model to benefit both the users and Backus.
As a result, we developed a new app and defined a business model and service that would help Backus increase its sales. For users, this provided an opportunity to generate income for their families. The outcome was an increase in sales through this channel (catalogue sales), representing 1.5% of total sales after the release of the MVP and 2% after the implementation of the app. However, for the company to find it profitable, it needed to account for at least 5% of total sales, which is why it did not scale as expected
THE PROCESS
Research and Analysis
To collect information, we conducted interviews with convenience store owners and other professionals affected by the pandemic, including baristas and waiters. All these individuals were strategic allies of Backus before the pandemic for the distribution and sale of its products. After gathering the information, we created user personas and identified the challenges they were facing
Definition and ideation
The problem we identified aided us in framing the challenge (mentioned at the beginning of this page). Subsequently, we devised a solution in the form of a service designed to operate as a catalog sale.
Initially, this service was crafted to support Backus' strategic allies who were adversely affected by the pandemic. It provided them with an opportunity to sell Backus products and earn a commission, thereby assisting them during this challenging period.
Prototype and iteration
The MVP took the form of a PDF catalog and a service designed to operate independently of any platform. We managed sales using an Excel sheet, and the results exceeded our expectations, not only in terms of the quantity of sales but also due to the significant interest from individuals wanting to be part of this new initiative.
Building on the success of this initial prototype, we developed an app to connect catalog sales representatives with Backus. This eliminated the need for them to send emails or make calls to inform Backus about their orders. With the second prototype, they used an app to register their orders, and with the third iteration, they could even complete payments for their orders through the app.
What I learned in this project
I gained valuable insights into establishing a startup as a new service for a company and understanding how changes in the context can influence the decisions of business owners. In this case, the venture was abandoned once the business owners began to feel the diminishing impact of the pandemic.
