Online and in-store digital experiences

SITUATION

Creating a Specialized System to Manage Guest Flow

With their resounding success in other locations, the &pizza tribe (their term for crew members) expected their popularity to continue as they expanded to NYC. They sought to improve their planning and tracking within the shop, minimize the amount of time to make the pies, and be more precise with their communication to their guests.

To solve this, our development team built a custom hardware platform that pulls orders from their online ordering system. Based on a Raspberry Pi (a small single-board linux computer and microcontroller), and protected by a custom designed 3D-printed enclosure, this system includes a series of tailor-made iPad order flow apps (a custom Kitchen Display System, or KDS) that track each order throughout the process. Now, when an order comes in, the system auto-prioritizes it and flashes a light with sound to alert the tribe that there is a new pending order.

When the order is started, the guest is alerted by text message and given a specific time for pickup. The system then tracks the pie and tribe members have another iPad at the end of the production line that allows in-progress orders to be marked complete. When an order is marked as complete, a custom sticker is automatically printed with the guest’s name on it for clear recognition upon pickup.

DESIGN APPROACH

Angular Designs Tailored to Guide Efficiency

As the &pizza tribe worked with our development team, they also tapped our design team. With a strong, consistent, black and white brand aesthetic in place, &pizza looked to us to “mess things up” and create new, interesting pieces for their first New York shop. Since we had already spent time in the shop to get a feel for the space and built the new system to manage their guest flow, we were able to identify twelve different touch points that could benefit from some sleek signage.

We created new menu boards, wayfinding, and different sized graphics throughout the shop. The majority of our designs were created on an angle that directs guests from one board to the next to help push traffic in the right direction. The designs were also executed in a variety of ways, from interchangable menus with magnets to hand painted signs. With our Manhattan office nearby, our design team was able to be on site guiding the installation process.

MARKETING APPROACH

Creating Brand Recognition

Breaking into the New York City pizza market was no easy task. How could a new pizza shop stand out to New Yorkers searching for the perfect pie? That’s where our marketing team stepped in. We started with unbranded campaigns to create brand awareness, based on search criteria such as “type” (i.e. vegan, gluten free, local produce), “action” (i.e. create your own, custom, unlimited toppings), and “neighborhood” (i.e. NoMad, Chelsea, Flatiron). From there, we communicated what makes &pizza different: their commitment to quality, their personal approach, and their patented oven that cooks pies in 90 seconds or less.

Our PPC team aligned keywords and strategically created new campaigns around the opening of the new shop and a call to action to order online. This reduced costs, increased conversions, and drastically improved their return on investment (ROI). We integrated our cutting-edge proprietary technology that makes changes to campaign bids and budgets in real time, every 30 minutes. This technology automatically shifts &pizza’s budget to the campaigns that are working best for them.

With recalibration occurring every 30 minutes, this innovative approach enables &pizza to prioritize and reprioritize their campaigns more efficiently, in real time. With full-circle tracking in place, our marketing team was able to use the data we collected to advise the development team on how to create &pizza’s new landing pages. This cross-departmental approach ensures a high ROI, and has helped foster a great ongoing relationship with &pizza.

RESULT

A Beautifully Designed Shop Built on Customer Service

With the help of our design, development, and digital marketing teams, we were able to market, build and implement a new system that solves efficiency issues in a busy shop. Our designs were created to adhere to the established brand and principles while keeping guest experience in mind. With the thought and expertise put into the ordering system and design behind &pizza’s New York City shop, their guests are sure to leave with a quality product in a short amount of time.