Our client - MLIMF Toronto food bank's parent foundation, The María Luisa de Moreno International Foundation, organizes humanitarian aid in some Hispanoamérica countries as well as Canada and England.
The food bank collects and distributes food to individuals or families in need within and outside their community. They operate within the church premises and are mainly staffed by volunteers from a primarily Spanish-speaking Church. Since the parent foundation of the food bank is Colombian, the default language for most of their publications and communications is Spanish.
SERVICES WE PROVIDED
Service Design, Research, Mobile Development
TEAM
Beatrice Asamany (UX Design, Research)
Abhiuday Pundir (UX Design, Research)
Andres Navas (UX Design, Research)
Identifying the Problem
MLIMF Foodbank was working on designing an efficient service and they enlisted our services to discover which process in their service model was the most time-consuming. After a week of desk research learning about how most foodbanks in Toronto operate, we set out to pay MLIMF Foodbank a site visit. We shadowed staff and volunteers, observed clients' reactions and interviewed the workers as well as the foodbank's coordinator.
What we discovered:
The current registration process is time-consuming and cumbersome for both new and existing customers, creating frustration and inefficiencies. A significant barrier is the requirement to fill out registration forms in Spanish, a language unfamiliar to many clients. Additionally, the absence of separate queues for new and existing clients exacerbates wait times, causing delays for those who already have their details in the system.
The lack of an online registration system or pre-registration option further adds to the inconvenience, forcing all clients to go through the same lengthy process in person. Moreover, the volunteer staff, primarily from a Spanish-speaking church, may not adequately support the linguistic diversity of the client base, potentially leading to communication challenges. These issues collectively hinder a smooth and efficient registration experience, impacting overall customer satisfaction.
MORE TO COME.....