Saltalk
Revolutionizing food entrepreneurship through AI-driven virtual kitchens, delivery, and e-commerce for unique culinary experiences and business success.
About Saltalk
Saltalk is a food-tech company leveraging a virtual kitchen model to offer diverse, authentic cuisine. It supports food entrepreneurs with infrastructure and services, partnering with chefs, home cooks and restaurants for a broad culinary range. Focused on delivery and takeout, Saltalk brings delicious, varied meals conveniently to customers’ doorsteps.
Problem space
When Saltalk began receiving a sudden surge in demand for corporate catering, we faced a complex problem. Our initial solution, Google Forms was effective for small orders but struggled with the surge of complex, large corporate orders requiring personalization and orders needing specific attention to allergies and food preferences.
My role
Developed Saltalk’s automated, personalized catering solution.
Designed high-fidelity interfaces.
Executed A/B testing for product refinement.
Goals
Product Goal
Create a platform that easily accommodates large corporate orders with specific dietary needs, including allergies and food preferences.
Business Goal
To draw in more clients with a standout catering service that simplifies large, complex orders.
Discovering limitations of current catering
Initially, Saltalk used Google Forms to understand corporate catering needs, including headcount, budget, and dietary preferences.
Key Finding 1
Limited Customization: Google Forms offers limited options for customization, making it challenging to cater to the specific preferences and dietary restrictions of a large group.
Key Finding 2
Scalability: Handling high volumes of requests and organizing the data efficiently for large orders can be difficult to manage and can lead to mistakes.
Design Journey
From initial concept to MVP, our journey focused on key functionalities to meet user needs effectively.
MVP FOCUS
- AI-Driven meal generator
- Dietary preferences and restrictions filter
- Budget calculation tools
Method
- Rapid prototyping
- A/B testing for quick feedback
- Fail-Fast approach
Collaboration
- Design, Engineering, and Product Teams
Outcome
- An effecient platform redefining corporate catering experiences
Research Findings
I conducted thorough user research to understand HR/Admin professionals' pain points, preferences, and dietary-related challenges
Insight 1
The AI-driven meal generator should be our priority feature. As the core function of our product, it directly addresses the main pain point of our users - the time-consuming manual selection process.
Insight 2
Given the diverse dietary restrictions and preferences of employees, a highly customizable meal selection process was necessary. Thus, integrating filters for allergens, dietary restrictions, and cuisine preferences was a top priority.
Insight 3
To ensure user satisfaction and adherence to their budget, we needed to develop a feature for budget calculation based on headcount.
Feature Prioritization Matrix
We used a Feature Prioritization Matrix to focus our development on user-valued features that aligned with our business goals, ensuring efficient resource allocation.
High Priority
The AI-driven meal generator should be our priority feature. As the core function of our product, it directly addresses the main pain point of our users - the time-consuming manual selection process.
Medium Priority
User feedback mechanisms, repeat order functionality.
Low Priority
Advanced customization options, integration with existing HR systems.
Key Features Highlights
Before developing our AI solution, we used Google Forms to understand corporate catering needs, including headcount, budget, and dietary preferences. Below is an image of the original form, which informed the development of Saltalk's platform.
Budget and Head Count
Inputs allow AI to match budget constraints and guest count.
Cuisine Preferences
Users' choice of cuisines (e.g., Italian, Chinese) helps AI tailor meal suggestions.
Advanced Filter
Incorporates dietary preferences and restrictions (e.g., Omnivore, Vegan, Nut Free) for precise meal customization.
Desired Meal Courses
Users' selection on quantity of meal types aids AI in creating balanced meal plans.
Meal Customization Edge Cases
Hover to Modify Filters with Immediate Feedback
Immediate cart updates as filters change, showing how selections influence the order.
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Simultaneous Access to Cart and Filter Adjustments
Real-time cart and filter modifications enhance customization seamlessly.
Product Direction
Initially, Saltalk used Google Forms to understand corporate catering needs, including headcount, budget, and dietary preferences.
Strategic AI Investment
Despite challenges, investing in AI and analytics highlights our commitment to enhancing user experience and operational efficiency, ensuring Saltalk stands out for its personalized service and scalability. This move signals our unwavering commitment to innovation and value creation for our customers and our business.
high fidelity designs
Future Refinements
Continuous Refinement
Leveraging A/B testing feedback for design improvements.
User-Centric Enhancements
Focused on making the platform more intuitive and efficient for HR/Admin staff.
Progressive Releases
Each update moves us closer to an effortless catering order process.
Key Takeaways
Understanding User Needs
Key insights from HR/Admin staff shaped our feature design and user flow.
Embracing Iteration
Continuous learning and refining from initial designs to A/B testing.
Embracing Iteration
Achieved a solution that meets both business objectives and user pain points.
Collaborative Value
Stakeholder insights from across roles were pivotal in refining our approach.