PC Express
Service Redesign: Reducing Order Delays & Communication Gaps
Type: Academic Course Project
Duration
3 months
Team
5 people
Tools
Figma, Figjam
Context
PC Express is Loblaws’ online grocery pickup and delivery service.
This project focuses on redesigning the PC Express service experience by addressing breakdowns across the entire service ecosystem (customers, colleagues, systems, and internal teams).
📌 Service Blueprinting
Discovery
Dissecting the current service
To pinpoint areas for improvements, we broke down the PC Express journey into five stages: Browse, Select (Add to Cart), Review & Confirm, Fulfill and Pickup/Delivery.
Most frictions were found to be in the Fulfill stage (where colleagues pick, stage, and package items).
The Problem
Two core systemic problems
Problem 1. Delays in Fulfilling Orders
Inventory counts are often outdated
Customers order items that appear available but are actually out of stock
Colleagues must manually resolve discrepancies under time pressure
Impact
Lower satisfaction scores
Missed “Perfect Order” metrics
Increased colleague workload and stress
“The order was never completed and I was left in the store parking lot for two hours.” - Customer
“It says we have 10 boxes of that cereal in stock, but I’ve checked every aisle twice and it’s nowhere to be found.” - Colleague
Problem 2. Communication Gaps
Customers receive delayed or inaccurate updates
Internal teams lack visibility into what has already been picked
Duplicate work and confusion across shifts
Impact
Inability to achieve “Perfect Order”
Lower Unit Per Hour (UPH) scores
Increased colleague workload and stress
“Let me know if my order is delayed and for how long. Both times I called in I was given inaccurate information.” - Customer
“The morning team never communicates what they’ve already picked.” - Colleague
Key Insight
Most PC Express failures are not caused by people, they’re caused by invisible system gaps between people.
Solving delays require:
Real-time system feedback
Shared visibility
Clear communication protocols
💡 Solution Phase
Solution 1
Live Inventory Updates
What
A real-time inventory system that updates as colleagues scan items, visible across:
Colleague devices
PC Express customer interface
Colleague device: A colleague views their assigned orders for the day on a dashboard. Each order shows the item list and provides a quick way to contact the customer if needed. As they scan each item while picking, inventory updates instantly in the system and reflects in the customer’s app in real time.
Customer interface: Real-time stock indicators help customers understand item availability and anticipate potential out-of-stock changes.
Why
Align customer expectations with operational reality, driving higher customer satisfaction
Reduce manual exception handling, improving Perfect Order performance
Improve order accuracy, reducing operational strain and colleague frustration
Solution 2A
Express Connect
What
A real-time communication layer that:
Alerts customers to delays at least 1 hour in advance
Allows customers to:
Reschedule pickup
Switch to delivery
Cancel orders if needed
Why
Transparency reduces perceived wait times and empowers customers with control, increasing customer satisfaction
Solution 2B
Internal Team Alignment Touchpoints
What
Structured team alignment sessions to:
Share picking progress across shifts
Surface recurring pain points
Prevent duplicate work
Why
Reduces operational inertia
Improves cross-functional collaboration
Supports all metrics: customer satisfaction, Perfect Order, UPH
Other Ideas
What We Explored (and Discarded)
We also explored:
UPH-based colleague assignment systems
Pre-packaged grocery kits
Sensors and tagging for order tracking
These were deprioritized due to:
Risk of bias
Operational complexity
Risks to colleague trust, autonomy, and adoption
This helped us focus on high-impact, low-risk interventions
Take a look at our video prototype :)
Outcomes & Learnings
Fix the root cause, not just the symptom.
Redesign Outcomes
These solutions didn’t just patch symptoms (e.g., frustrated customers or late orders); they fixed the underlying causes that made those symptoms happen, which in turn improved both the customer experience and colleague experience, and enhanced operational efficiency.
Learnings
Service failures are often communication failures
Visibility is as important as speed
Designing for colleagues = designing for customers!