A Feature No One Asked For — The Makeover Zomato & Swiggy Desperately Need!

A couple of friends are at my place, and it’s time to order in. No big deal, right? Except…we’re a picky bunch. Some want chicken, others are die-hard salad fans — one person even made a special request for no onions. So, I’m juggling everyone’s orders when suddenly, someone snaps, “Enough! I’ll just order my food.”

Cue the scramble! Everyone whips out their phones and then—like a synchronized choir — they ask, “Maunica, what’s your address?”

Now, my first instinct? Grab their phones and type it in myself — ugh, hassle! But then a lightbulb went off. I’d just shared my Wi-Fi password with everyone, seamlessly, without ever touching their devices (Thank you Apple for this GENIUS feature). Why can’t I do the same with my address on Swiggy or Zomato?

And so, here we are. An idea popped into my head — a genius one, if I do say so myself. But ideas are one thing; bringing them to life is another. So, like a good product manager, I took a step back. Let’s break it down and see if this idea holds water. Let’s start from scratch, with the first principles.

When it comes to building anything, there are three essential questions to ask:

1. What’s the real need here?
2. How are we going to solve it?
3. How do we know it’s working?

If I can tackle these three questions, I’ll have a solid framework to propose and develop a solution. But first, it’s crucial to frame a clear problem statement to understand what I’m working with — after all, articulating the problem is the first step toward success.

Here’s what I came up with:

“Users on Swiggy and Zomato often find themselves ordering from locations that aren’t their primary saved addresses. This happens when they’re visiting friends, staying at rental places, or even working from co-working spaces. While Google Maps gives them a precise location pin, they still miss out on specific details like apartment numbers, entry codes, or those little nuances like ‘second building on the right’ or ‘entrance next to the bakery.’ This gap forces them to rely on friends or locals for help, creating dependencies and a frustrating back-and-forth. As a result, the ordering process slows down, and there’s a greater chance of delivery errors or delays, all of which dampen the user experience.”

So, what am I trying to tackle here?

1. Time taken to place an order: Less friction means happier users.
2. Errors or delays in delivery: Poor-quality address information leads to complications.

At first glance, my solution seemed straightforward. However, it turns out that I’m addressing multiple issues here, each of which could stand alone as a problem statement. I have the option to focus on either the time aspect or the accuracy of addresses — or even both since they’re closely intertwined. These issues can arise frequently on the app, regardless of whether someone is ordering from a friend’s place or not.

Before diving in, I need to evaluate two critical things:

• How often do people place orders from locations that aren’t already saved?
• What trends can I identify in ordering behaviour during specific times (like weekends or holidays) when people are more likely to be away from home?

This exercise aims to gain a deeper understanding of the user segments or cohorts I’m working with. By defining these details, I can ensure that I’m addressing a genuine need that will improve the user experience.

Once I can quantify this cohort and analyze their behaviours, we can move on to the next crucial step: developing user personas. This will further refine our approach and enable us to tailor solutions to meet their specific needs.

Some user personas that I came up with are…

Some Potential Solutions

With our user personas defined, it’s time to brainstorm solutions that cater specifically to their needs. Here are a few ideas that could enhance the ordering experience on Swiggy and Zomato:

So, what’s on the horizon? We should dive into designing a user journey that feels effortless and enjoyable while keeping those potential hiccups in mind. The goal is to create a system that not only improves the experience but also helps us dodge any pitfalls that might come with each solution. I’ll leave that in the capable hands of the talented PMs, designers, and developers at Zomato and Swiggy.

So it is the end..

At the end of the day, turning small ideas into big wins is all about enjoying the ride! That chaotic food order with friends? It’s a perfect reminder that inspiration can come from the most unexpected places. By using data and a sprinkle of design thinking, we can dive into user pain points and whip up some fantastic improvements.

Fun Points to Remember:

• Everyday moments can spark brilliant ideas!
• Data and design thinking go hand in hand for better solutions!
• Don’t forget to have fun nurturing those little sparks; the journey matters just as much as the end result!