To: Dr. Erika Paterson
From: Anna Karolina Atehortua
Date: February 24, 2023
Subject: Proposal for the Development of a Navigation App for Metrotown Mall to Improve Customer Experience.
Introduction
Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby, B.C. is one of Vancouver’s largest malls, providing a wide range of services to its customers, including shopping, dining and entertainment. With approximately 330 stores and services, the mall allows individuals to find what they are looking for. Given that it is a big space, customers must navigate it with comfort. To provide customer satisfaction, information desks were installed throughout the mall, which customers can use to identify their location and where they are attempting to go. Nonetheless, these information desks are sparse and occasionally out of service, making it harder for customers to navigate the mall without appropriate guidance. Accordingly, it is harder for a customer to navigate the mall without appropriate guidance. As a result, some customers get lost and lose time while trying to get from one location to another. It would be far more convenient if customers could have access to a Metrotown navigation app that they could always use to assist them with their shopping experience.
Intended Audience
Metrotown Administration Office (Ivanhoé Cambridge)
Statement of Problem
Despite Metrotown’s efforts to enhance the customer experience by offering information desks/stands and a website with a map, some customers still find it challenging to navigate the mall due to its size. Without a user-friendly mobile app with a map, customers often waste time looking for information desks or navigating the website on their phone, which is not always convenient. Moreover, on busy days, even the information desks can be difficult to access due to the constant flow of people seeking assistance.
Proposed Solution
One possible solution to improve the shopping experience at Metrotown is by creating a mobile app with a map that can help customers navigate the mall. By using this app, customers can save time and easily find their way around without having to ask for directions. Additionally, the mall management can promote the app by placing signs to increase awareness and encourage people to download it. This solution is especially helpful for newcomers and tourists who may not be familiar with the mall layout. Overall, this solution would enhance the shopping experience at Metrotown and be particularly useful for those who are new to the area.
Scope
To assess the feasibility of developing an online app for Metrotown Mall, I plan to pursue these six areas of inquiry:
- How large is the demand for an online app of Metrotown mall?
- Are many people familiar with the locations of places at the Metrotown Mall?
- Would having an app ease the shopping experience of the customers?
- Would people spend less time at the mall if they know how to get from point A to point B?
- How likely are individuals to refer to the app for navigation, rather than information desk/stand?
- How feasible is installing signage to promote the app?
Methods
The primary method will be to create and distribute a survey to examine and evaluate people’s experiences navigating the Metrotown Mall. The survey will be distributed on reddit, as well as local groups on Facebook to get people’s responses. In addition, I will ask my friends to distribute the survey among their friends, who are located in Vancouver.
Second method, includes my own research. I will go to Metrotown and count the number of information stands on each floor. In addition, I will calculate how far/close they are to each other. To predict how convenient it is for people to navigate across them.
Qualifications
Despite living in Vancouver for six years and visiting Metrotown over 15 times, I still have difficulty navigating the mall and other malls in the city. Even when I search for information stands, it takes me a while to find them and reach my intended destination. From my experience visiting malls around the world, I’ve found that the easiest and most convenient way to navigate these spaces is through an app with a detailed map that’s readily accessible to customers.
Conclusion
As Vancouver has a steady influx of newcomers and locals frequently visiting and leaving the city, there is a growing demand for easier navigation of places like Metrotown Mall. Having a mobile app that can help customers easily navigate from one point to another is far more convenient than relying on a web browser or information stands. This app can save customers time and increase their satisfaction with the shopping experience at the mall.
Hello Karolina,
Thank you for posting this proposal for a formal report. This looks like a good idea, you are approved to proceed, and I look forward to reading your progress report. Please see my note below.
Audience: Your reader(s) need to be a specific person or department and must have the authority to act on the final recommendations. So, customers are not the audience for the Formal Report.