So, I am designing a solution for the actual supermarket which can be physically visited and not an online one.

Also, by post Corona, i am assuming that Corona virus has been conquered but not completely vanished from the society.

Lets consider various aspects of a Supermarket design:

1. Customers:

First of all, any supermarket in post Corona world should not take us to pre corona world. So, there should be steps to identify COVID positive or symptomatic cases and stop their entry to the supermarket.

I will do the same as follows:

• Thermal Scanners to identify body temperature
• Explicit signge warning people. Even some regulations are coming which make spreading Corona knowingly a criminal offence. So, i will warn my potential customers against the same
• If possible and feasible, i will have all my potential customers rapid checked for COVID-19. This is a step that is probably too harsh and will encourge customers to not visit the shop. It can also be a selling point of a free corona test. So, it has to be evaluated in light of other factors.

So, after the COVID negative customers gain entry, i will move to Supermarket(SM from here on) design and layout.

2. SuperMarket Design and Layout

I will change the traditional layout a bit. People which people are more likely to buy will be placed in front and easily accessible shelves. These may include things like grocery items like rice, wheat, pulses, oil, spices, milk etc on one hand and masks, gloves, handwash, hand sanitizers, antisepctic liquids etc. on the other. I can have subsections within this segment.

I will try to ensure everything is contactless. People have to buy what they pickup and not put it back. I will ensure this with the help of marshalls.

3. Use of techniology

To help people and to make data driven decisions about their purchases, i will track the CCTV data to see their eye tracking and their body movement and optimise my assortment placing in that order.

I will also have an app so that people can know details about any product they want to buy on that app before touching it( which means they have to buy after touching).

4. Supermarket Delivery Chain:

Based upon my new demand, i will optimise my supply. I will also ask my customers what they didnt find in the SM in the same app which may help me keep that product in the future.

Also, all delivery of products should be in sealed packets to prevent and reduce chances of COVID-19

5. Home Delivery

I will offer Home Delivery above a certain amount myself as also take the advantage of companies like Zomato/Swiggy for the same

6.. Margins and Metrics

As i am offering many VAS, i will have to ensure my margins make me viable for the future. I will make a minimum order amount of lets say Rs 500 so that people buy in bulk from me and i have a greater ARPU.

Since i have the App installed i can calculate my Weekly Active Users, MAU etc. and also run referral and royalty programs.

So, i will design and function the Supermarket keeping the COVID situation in consideration and try to run the business within those considerations while still making money in the process.

Design a Post corona Supermarket-

 I’m assuming we are designing for an offline supermarket. e.g Whole Foods

 Mission: Led by Amazon, to be the most customer centric brand and one which caters to customer’s A to Z needs.

 Persona:

• Regular buyers- especially Mothers/Families with kids, trying to get their monthly shopping done in a single trip
• Couples shopping weekly for groceries
• Singles who’d be shopping for smaller things on a daily basis.
• Elderly people shopping for themselves

 A customer journey

Pre-buying stage à Shoppingà CheckoutàRefunds

 What will be some of the immediate painpoints in the post-corona world ?

Pre-buying stage:

1. People getting used to deliveries of groceries at home in a short window instead of going to grocery shopping chore, now will have to get it all done like before.
2. People trying to get a daily subscription of things they like to be delivered on a cyclical basis.

 Shopping stage:

1. They would like to know that the products are clean and hygenic and are ethical (a bit more aware of their environment and where they spend eating at)
2. Cooking experts and trying to maintain a schedule of recipes.
3. Shopping with children can be a menace again
4. Know whether an item purchased previously was returned or not

 Checkout stage:

1. Make sure that the goods are packed well
2. Contactless payments are a norm and for such users , and as such may not like any other form of payment

 Refunds:

1. Make sure refund policies on all products are known.

With this is mind, some of the solutions , I could think of ,especially for the most engaged customer base (Family/ Mothers with kids)

Creation of a supermarket app that can –

1. Grocery Buddy: Supermarket can allow shoppers to subscribe to a weekly plan/monthly plan, where they list things they need and want to cook and would deliver the products on a cyclical period at their doorsteps.
2. Data, data!: When shoppers are shopping, allow for automatic description of products- where they came from, what is their calorific value and what you can do with it (recipes), any previous returns?
3. Hoard not!: Allow for restocking and not hoarding- Based on the family size or eating/using habits, determine how much of anything will be required to prevent hoarding.

 Based on the Usability, Impact  for a shopper and Cost to build the features, I would prioritize the features as- (U, I,C)

1. Grocery Buddy (H, H, M)
2. Data, Data! (H,M,H)
3. Hoard Not (M,L,L)

Design a new marketplace for the post-Coronavirus world.

Assumptions  General supermarket – such as Safeway. Urban setting. Timeframe – immediate future, when there are still no vaccine or therapeutics available.

Overall goal – make an overall “Safe” shopping experience. Should we look into other diseases also? No, we focus on coronavirus and safety.

Customer segments and their pain points.

Age group  over 60

–  Immuno-compromised

– Slower rate of movement

– Maybe confined to wheel-chair

– Lowered sensitivity with other senses (eyes, ears)

– Need general help in navigating the store

– Potentially less tech-savvy.

– Might want to access pharmacy/person more often.

Age group  20 – 60

– Come with family and children.

– More resistant to diseases.

– Less access to pharmacy/person.

Will focus mainly on the Above 60 age group.

Potential solutions: (Complexity –  Technical, Cost, Time to implement)

General store solutions to prevent the spread of the disease (all these have low technical issue, Medium costs  – increased labor and cleaning supplies, time to implement is low)

– Setup up cleaning and supply disposable PPE (masks and gloves) at entrance.

– Clean carts and automated-carts before each use.

– Regularly wipe down surfaces in the store.

– COVID-testing offered as part of the pharmacy. Vaccinations and anti-virals when available.

Solutions specific to age group – 65+

–  Specific times dedicated to old customers – Say every day from 630am – 830am (L, M-H, L)

–  Alternatively, if there are stores proximate to old age facility then dedicate a store entirely to the 65+

– Enforce strict social distancing within the store with markings on the floor (L,L,L)

– Section of store dedicated to old people, with items arranged at a lower level (H, H, M)

–  Prioritized COVID-testing and vaccine and medication pickups

– Store with robots to help  pick up and deliver all items (H, H, H)

– Replicate Amazon Go  (H, H, H)

– Concierge service

– Curbside pickup and delivery for those able to order through application (L, M-H, L-M) – Needs establishment of location, train people etc

– Home delivery

– Application modified for old people (voice based control, larger font, simplified user journey tailored to their general purchases) (M-H, M-H, M-H)

– Application on Android (most common OS for MVP and web)

Risks once the Covid-19 pandemic subsides or a vaccine is created

I will implement all the generic store suggestions as they can be quickly implemented with high impact.

For the solutions tailored to old people, I would  start with all the solutions with Low time to implement and Medium cost,

which will be Separate time slot, enforce social distancing within the store, curbside pickup and the prioritized medication and Covid-testing. Next I would try to help them shop from home as much as possible.

As part of go-to-market strategy, I will advertise this via flyers, TV, as well as notices at old age homes etc, as well as boards within the stores at the entrance. I will also have some staff educate incoming people of the new services and help them download the app if needed.

Risk – more cost, staff may have to be trained quickly, may need to hire more people -pay overtime etc.  Once Covid-19 has subsided, old customers may still want to keep the new timings. Risk of degraded user experience in this case.

Metrics

% of new customers reached

% of new customers availing of new times.

% curbside pickup growth

% usage of new features on app.

% Increased overall usage of store due to customer confidence.

% usage of testing in pharmacy and growth of pharmacy memberships because of services.