Service Design in Thailand: Parcel Sending Experience

Find out how I drove a 36% increase in partner adoption rates in Thailand.

This case study shows how small, research-driven changes significantly improved efficiency for walk-in customers, boosting adoption, partner satisfaction, and revenue.

Challenge

In Thailand, parcel sending services operate in a highly competitive landscape where customers can easily compare logistics providers. Partners faced low adoption rates due to inefficiencies in the customer experience, leading to frustration, lost revenue, and operational bottlenecks.

Research Approach

To understand the root causes of inefficiencies, I conducted a 3-day dogfooding and research trip across various pickup and drop-off locations. This included:

• Selecting the best- and worst-performing locations for comparison.

• Observing customer and staff interactions.

• Conducting on-site interviews with customers and store staff to identify pain points.

Key Findings & Pain Points

1. Location-Based Challenges

• Location 1: Store placed directly in front of a bus stop with no convenient parking, resulting in customers' cars getting towed away.

• Location 2: Pickup point inside a mall car park with insufficient space, leading to bottlenecks during peak hours.

• Location 3: Poor visibility due to an obscured and blocked storefront, making it difficult for customers to find the location.

2. Service Design Issues

• No exclusive service offering: Customers could easily compare services from multiple logistics providers within the same store, reducing partner loyalty.

• Too many QR codes: Customers had to scan different QR codes for multiple steps—one for the service, another for packaging, and another for payment—creating unnecessary friction in the process.

3. Competitive Pressure

High marketing spend from competitors meant partner stores faced difficulty in maintaining customer retention without an improved service experience.

Advertisement from key competitor

Solutions Implemented

1. Improving Location Suitability

• Partnered with local store owners to identify and relocate problematic pickup points.

• Adjusted store layouts to optimize customer flow and reduce congestion.

2. Streamlining the Service Process

• Consolidated QR codes into a single scan process to reduce friction.

• Improved signage and store placement for better visibility.

3. Differentiation from Competitors

• Introduced exclusive service incentives for high-performing stores to retain customers.

• Provided store owners with better sales training to upsell additional logistics services.

Results

• 36% increase in partner adoption rates due to improved service experience.

• Reduced customer drop-off times by optimizing store layouts and service workflows.

• Higher partner satisfaction, leading to organic word-of-mouth growth.

Key Takeaways

• Micro-level improvements can lead to macro-level impact. Small, research-driven service design tweaks significantly enhanced customer experience and operational efficiency.

• Competitive landscapes demand seamless customer journeys. Reducing friction in service steps helped retain customers despite aggressive marketing from competitors.

• Local context matters. Understanding location-specific issues was crucial in addressing inefficiencies and improving adoption rates.

• This project showcased how thoughtful service design can drive tangible business results, reinforcing the power of UX research and strategy in logistics.​

Interested in learning more or discussing how I can bring these insights to your team?

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