Elevator pitch for homelessness

Problem of homelessness by Wallace Lee Kar Shing

Homelessness is a big concern. Many people become homeless as a result of excessive rents, job loss, or medical issues. It's not simply a lack of a place to sleep; it's also a loss of stability and safety in life. Even a single unexpected expenditure might lead to homelessness. Living on the streets or in shelters is difficult. People confront cold, hunger, and danger. Without a house, it is difficult to obtain work or stay healthy. Mental health and addiction problems might worsen. To assist, we require more affordable housing, improved healthcare, and career support programs. Communities, governments, and charity must collaborate. (Azahara, 2021)

Solution for homelessness (Wan Ping Yao)

Imagine a world where it is possible for everyone to access housing that is not only affordable but also safe. We can assist poor families to access stable housing systems through expanding affordable housing pool using public grants, and the use of ordinances that require all subdivisions and development of land to reserve a certain percentage for affordable housing. This move lessens reliance on welfare programs while constructing stronger neighborhoods that are rich with money in addition to offering immediate accommodation and forming the basis for brighter futures. Investing in affordable housing is the key to putting an end to homelessness and create a better future for everybody. (Geraghty, 2022)

https://www.malaysianow.com/opinion/2021/01/22/tackling-the-problem-of-homelessness

https://www.bigissue.com/news/housing/world-homeless-day-what-are-the-solutions-to-homelessness/

Challenges and Opportunities of Amazon

Challenges 1 (Wallace Lee Kar Shing)

High Degree of Competition

One of the key difficulties is that Amazon sellers face substantial challenges due to the platform's low entry barriers and flexibility to allow several merchants to sell the same things. They are constantly confronted with an unlimited amount of competitors unless they supply something distinctive, making it difficult for them to stand out and earn revenue. Furthermore, there is local rivalry, while a large proportion of American Amazon sellers are from China, where lower production costs give them a pricing edge. In 2020, a stunning 25% of Amazon FBA sellers expressed anxiety about decreased prices as a result of greater competition. Sellers may make a reputation for themselves, stand out from the throng, and effectively navigate Amazon's harsh competition by building their own distinctive sales channels and marketing plans. (Hopstack, 2024)

Opportunity 1 (Wan Ping Yao)

Technology and Innovation

Amazon provides many opportunities when it comes technology and innovation. Firstly, Amazon in the retail industry provides Amazon Go. Amazon Go is a digital retail store where customers enter the retail store to purchase day-to-day items and groceries by simply walking in and walking out of the store after they are done shopping. How this works is that there are surveillance cameras all across the store to scan all the items that the customers have took from the shelfs or put back. Before the customers walk out of the store, the system that runs Amazon Go will calculate the total price of the items taken by the customer and it will deduct the equal amount of balance from the customers' Amazon account. There are no physical contact with other people throughout the entire shopping process. (Amazon, 2024) Amazon Go allows its customer to shop very efficiently as customer are no longer required to queue up to pay for the items and it was very useful during the Covid-19 pandemic as no physical contact between people were allowed. Moreover, Amazon also provides online shopping options. All the user has to do is to go on the Amazon website which is amazon.com, and choose the item that they would like to buy. Within a few days after purchasing the item, the item will be at the customer's doorstep. Amazon utilizes several types of vehicles for online delivery depending on the distance such as trucks, vans, airplanes, and sometimes drones if the destination is not far from the warehouse. All in all, the services that Amazon provides focus on mainly automation and is the reason for the high efficiency of Amazon services. With these technology and innovations that Amazon has, it provides many opportunities that can lead to many technological advancements across many industries. (Amazon, 2022)

Challenges 2 (Teh Yin Xin)

Counterfeit of Product

Amazon, one of the giants of e-commerce, has revolutionized the way we shop. However, its massive online marketplace faces a growing threat, which is counterfeiting goods. These counterfeits can erode brand trust, and customer satisfaction and damage Amazon’s reputation. (Corsearch, 2018) Counterfeit goods are a double-edged sword for Amazon. On the other hand, they can attract bargain hunters seeking lower prices. However, this benefit is short-lived. Counterfeit products are often lack of quality control and can pose safety risks to customers. (ICE, 2022) Additionally, counterfeit products can hurt legitimate brand owners who rely on Amazon as a sales channel. Customers who unknowingly purchase the counterfeits will be dissatisfied and less likely to trust Amazon in the future. This erosion of trust could lead to customer churn and in the end cause a loss of revenue for Amazon. (Pymnts, 2024)

Opportunities 2

Currently, Amazon requires sellers to register and provide basic information but this can be a loophole for bad actors. Hence, Amazon should explore stricter verification processes by demanding additional documentation like business licenses, manufacturing certifications and having random product inspections before allowing the seller to sell the products. Although this might increase the complexity of the process, it can go a long way to deterring counterfeiters and boosting the customer confidence in Amazon. (Cello Square, 2022)

Challenges 3 (Tan Shu Rou)

Supply Chain Distruptions

Due to the sudden pandemic, the supply chain distruptions have been made more difficult especially for Amazon. As many as 93% of e-commerce sellers lost revenue and the majority of commerce sellers said their inventory was delayed for 2 months or more. This was mostly due to factories in China having to stop work due to the spread of Covid 19 causing manufacturing  facilities to stop productions. As a result, ordering inventory from a supplier became a very long process due to the various delays which in turn affected seller's revenue and Amazon as a whole. (Polansky, 2022)

https://www.hopstack.io/blog/challenges-faced-by-amazon-fba-sellers

https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/transportation/an-inside-look-at-the-innovations-that-power-amazons-operations-and-delivery-networks

https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=16008589011

The Design Thinking Process of GrabFood

The Design Thinking Process (GrabFood)

What is GrabFood? (Wan Ping Yao)

GrabFood is a food delivery service in South East Asia, but its biggest market demand is located in Singapore. GrabFood is just one of the many features and services provided by the company Grab. Grab was founded back in June 2012 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, founded by an entrepreneur called Anthony Tan and Tan Hooi Ling. (Buckley, 2023) Grab launched GrabFood back in May of 2018 in Malaysia and has since expanded to many countries in South East Asia such as Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar. (Grab Singapore, 2023)

Nowadays, about 34 million people in South East Asia uses GrabFood at least once a month, that is one in 20 people in South East Asia as the region has about 680 million people. (Grab Singapore, 2023) With Grabfood, the company Grab has a revenue of 2.359 billion dollars as of December 31 2023 which has included other services and features that the company Grab has provided alongside GrabFood. (MacroTrends, 2024) How GrabFood operates is essentially the user places an order on the Grab app and the kitchen of the restaurant the user chose will receive the order and once the food is ready, a Grab delivery driver which is usually on a motorcycle will pick up the food from the restaurant and deliver the food straight to the user's doorstep. This process typically takes about an hour.

What if? (Wallace Lee Kar Shing)

GrabFood can improve its service by enhancing the user experience with a streamlined interface and faster delivery times through optimized logistics and real-time order tracking. By increasing restaurant options, providing personalized recommendations, and implementing promotions and loyalty programs can attract and retain customers. (Chung & Yi, 2023) Additionally, improving customer support, ensuring food quality and safety, and promoting sustainability initiatives can enhance trust and credibility. Adapting to local preferences and cultural sensitivities can further improve relevance and acceptance in diverse markets. By focusing on these areas, GrabFood can solidify its position as a leading food delivery platform while meeting the evolving needs of its users. (Wulandari et al., 2022)

What wow (Teh Yin Xin and Tan Shu Rou)

In today’s fast-paced world, convenience plays an important role. GrabFood which leverages its strength in the ride-hailing sector to offer delightful features that attract millions of people to enjoy their food with a tap.

First and foremost, GrabFood boosts an extensive selection of restaurants. By partnering with a wide range of establishments, from local favourites to internationally recognized chains, GrabFood caters to diverse culinary preferences. Users can explore a variety of cuisines, ensuring that there is something to satisfy every taste bud. This eliminates the need to browse through countless websites or menus. (Grab Philippines, 2019)

Furthermore, GrabFood prioritizes user-friendliness. The application itself is designed with simplicity. Its clear interface allows users to easily browse the restaurant menus, place orders with a few taps and track their deliveries in real time. This empowers users to manage their orders efficiently and eliminating any uncertainty about when their food will arrive. (Felicia, 2022)

Besides, GrabFood goes beyond basic delivery. It offers a variety features that enhance the overall user experience. For example, users can utilize customization filters to narrow down their restaurant search based on factors such as price, type of cuisine or customer ratings. (Tan, 2020) This allows users to find exactly what they are looking for quickly and efficiently.

Other than that, the most notable feature of GrabFood is the ability to schedule orders up to two days in advance which is valuable for planning events or managing a hectic schedule. Additionally, the self-pick-up option caters to those who prefer to collect their meals by bypassing queues and minimizing the wait times. (Tan, 2020)

What works (Benjamin)

By connecting with the broader Grab ecosystem which includes ride-hailing an dpayment services, GrabFood enriches its value proposition. This seamless initegration allows users to access multiple services within the one app easily, promoting cross-promotion and enhancing user engagement and retention. Not to mention, by teaming up with other Grab services like ride-hailing and payments, GrabFood makes its offerings even better. Plus, by working together, Grab makes sure users get personalized recommendations and deals, making their experience even more enjoyable and hassle-free. (Rai & Kshirsagar, 2022)

References

Buckley, J. (2023, February 27). A Brief History of Grab in Southeast Asia: transnationality, dominance and resistance. Asian Labour Review. https://labourreview.org/grab-in-southeast-asia/

Chung, M. J., & Yi, N. Y. (2023). Importance-Performance analysis of delivery food service quality to improve customer satisfaction. Dong-asia Siksaenghwal Hakoeji/Dong’asia Sigsaenghwal Haghoeji, 33(1), 81–92. https://doi.org/10.17495/easdl.2023.2.33.1.81

Felicia, C. (2022, March 12). GRAB FOOD: A UX Research Case Study 2022 - Clara Felicia - Medium. Medium. https://medium.com/@clarafelicia0911/grab-food-a-ux-research-case-study-2022-7d44ac8e7ff

Grab Philippines. (2019, August 2). GrabFood boosts food delivery service with 24/7 operations in Metro Manila and Cebu | Grab PH. Grab. https://www.grab.com/ph/press/consumers-drivers/grabfood-boosts-food-delivery-service-with-24-7-operations-in-metro-manila-and-cebu/

Grab Singapore. (2023, October 27). Top GrabFood orders in Southeast Asia for 2022 | Inside Grab. Grab. https://www.grab.com/sg/inside-grab/stories/southeast-asia-grabfood-food-2022/

MacroTrends. (2024). Grab Holdings Revenue 2020-2023 | GRAB. https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/GRAB/grab-holdings/revenue

Rai, V., & Kshirsagar, A. (2022, March 11). Super-App ecosystem in Southeast Asia: Grab. Nuclei. https://gonuclei.com/resources/super-app-ecosystem-in-southeast-asia-grab

Tan, A. (2020, March 11). I was Today-Years-Old when I realised these 7 things you can do on GrabFood. Vulcan Post. https://vulcanpost.com/691293/grabfood-cool-features-singapore/

Wulandari, Y. A., Amir, F., & Fajri, M. I. (2022). The impact of Pakserv on customer satisfaction and loyalty: Study case GrabFood Indonesia. Journal of World Science, 1(8), 578–591. https://doi.org/10.36418/jws.v1i8.79

Wicked Problems in Modern Cities

Problem definition (Wallace Lee Kar Shing)

Homelessness

Lack of suitable and permanent housing for individuals and families is one of the many aspects of homelessness as a societal issue. It includes a range of situations, from individuals who are homeless or placed in emergency shelters to those who are insecurely housed in subpar or temporary housing. Economic, social, and structural reasons such as poverty, unemployment, housing affordability, mental illness, drug misuse, family breakup, and institutional injustices all play a multifaceted role in the issue of homelessness. In addition to endangering people's health, safety, and well-being, homelessness puts a pressure on social services, fuels urban degradation, and maintains cycles of poverty and marginalization. Providing immediate shelter alone is not enough to address homelessness; comprehensive strategies like affordable housing initiatives, supportive services, mental health and drug abuse treatment, education, job opportunities, and community-based approaches to prevention and intervention are also needed. (Emily Kendali, 2024)

 

User persona (Tan Shu Rou, Teh Yin Xin)

Name: Sarah

About Me

I'm Sarah, I became homeless a few years ago due to a sudden cut of employees in my company. Being jobless and paired with the lack of support from the government, I faced issues in finding an affordable place to stay due to the ever-rising house prices. Fortunately, I met very generous people who helped me through the dark times of my life. Thanks to them, although low paying, I found a job and had a roof above my head. I slowly got back to my feet and escaped the issue of being on the streets. Now, I aim to give back to the community and reach out to people in need like me of the past.

Personality

Sarah is empathetic, resourceful, and resilient. Despite facing adversity, she maintains a positive outlook and is determined to make a difference in the lives of others. She is also creative and innovative, constantly seeking new solutions to address homelessness and advocate for systemic change. 

Goals

1. Community Engagement: Sarah hopes to bring people together to foster collaboration among organizations and policymakers hoping to support homeless people by building shelters or raising donations. 

2. Housing Solutions: Sarah hopes to collaborate with local organizations and policymakers to make housing more affordable or at least provide a cheap temporary house to people in need so that they can feel safe even in bad times.

3. Advocacy: Sarah hopes to raise awareness about the realities of homelessness through education and public speeches. 

Storyboard (Benjamin Chan Xie Chung)

Panel 1:

Setting: Vibrant city street with towering buildings.

Description: Diverse crowd rushes past, some carrying bags or chatting on phones, filling the city with energy.

Panel 2:

Setting: Close-up of a chaotic traffic jam.

Description: Cars jam the road, horns blaring amidst exhaust fumes. Pedestrians walk through the congestion, visibly frustrated.

Panel 3:

Setting: Crowded subway station during rush hour.

Description: Commuters tightly packed into subway cars, struggling for space to move or breathe. Discomfort among passengers.

Panel 4:

Setting: A polluted river running through the heart of the city.

Description: Trash litters the riverbanks, murky water lets out foul odors. Wildlife struggles amidst human debris, highlighting environmental damage.

Solution (Wan Ping Yao)

As an entrepreneur, there are many ways to solve such wicked problems that people are experiencing in modern cities like homelessness. One of the many ways to solve such a problem is by collaborating with other Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the government to develop a housing model that is cost effective and durable for living as well as being scalable that can house a large population. This allows low-income individuals and families to have a roof over their heads while non governmental organizations are able to save cost while developing affordable housing units with the government. Furthermore, government will be able to boost their reputation by helping the low-income individuals and families. Not only that, as an entrepreneur, organizations should also provide job opportunities to the poor alongside providing training to said selected group of individuals as the problem of homelessness mainly originates from many people facing financial issues due to the rising cost of living and housing as well as the lack of salary increment and most importantly lack of job opportunities. Therefore, by providing these training programs and job opportunities, more and more people will be able to afford housing and hence decreasing the rate of homelessness. This is due to the fact that the initiatives to enhance entry-level, low-skilled worker routes to employment through investments in subsidized employment and Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA)-funded programs. The availability of work supports, such as child care and transport aid, for low-income households can also significantly affect the ability of a household to maintain employment. (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2019)

References

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2024, May 1). homelessness. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/homelessness

National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2019, March 5). Solutions - National Alliance to End Homelessness. https://endhomelessness.org/ending-homelessness/solutions/