Website refresh for
Tom's Palette, a gelateria in Singapore
Born from a passion for gelato in 2005, Tom's Palette empowers aspiring entrepreneurs and restaurant owners to launch their ice cream dreams, even without prior expertise. As their business has grown, Tom's Palette recognized the need for a website refresh to better showcase their core B2B services.
Our team was tasked with a two-fold mission: 1) Clearly communicate their three key B2B offerings, and 2) optimize lead generation for valuable follow-up conversations.
Task
To design a website for Tom's Palette's B2B business (desktop version), to deliver a hi-fi prototype within 7 weeks.
My Role
I worked with a team of 4 UX designers, engaging actively in all phases from user research, branding, ideation, usability testing testing, iteration & providing recommendations to clients.
I led in brand design, leveraging my skills in graphic design and Photoshop; ideation and prototyping, leveraging Figma.
Our Approach
Empathise - Define - Ideate - Prototype - Test
User interviews: How do business owners assess Tom's Palette's website?
To gather diverse perspectives on the F&B industry, interviewed 3 aspiring young foodpreneurs (20s-30s) eager to launch their ventures, and 2 established F&B owners (20s-30s).
My interviewees were a 30-year-old Singaporean man with a clear passion for starting an F&B business and a 34-year-old Chinese male restauranteur currently managing two successful Korean restaurant chains.
Heuristic evaluation
A website review through Nielsen Norman's 10 Usability Heuristics identified exciting opportunities for a more engaging and user-friendly experience.
The website could benefit from clearer forms with enhanced instructions, extended confirmation messages for increased user confidence, a more intuitive information flow for easier navigation, and a stronger brand story that effectively communicates its unique value proposition.
Mouse over or click for a closer look
Top five learnings from research insights
60% of users would feel more secure engaging with TP if the site provided stronger evidence of their expertise.
Building trust is key! Users value positive word-of-mouth recommendations, industry accolades, and genuine customer experiences.
3 out of 5 of interviewees emphasized the importance of assessing the viability of an ice cream business before starting one.
60% of users prefer to contact via live chat/calls (vs. forms). This suggests adding these options for a more engaging experience.
Users expressed some uncertainty about the specifics of TP's B2B service offerings.
Synthesizing research into 2 personas
To optimize lead generation for the client's gelato business, we prioritized user personas based on service focus. Gelato consultancy (their top priority) was addressed first, followed by flavor creation and ice cream machine rentals.
Primary Persona
Sarah
"It is important for me to make an informed decision, as I'm investing capital and time in my first business."
Needs
Aspiring entrepreneur Sarah researches the possibility of launching her own gelato store.
Goals
Sarah seeks the knowledge to assess the viability of her dream ice cream/gelato shop.
Secondary Persona
Benedict
"My journey to restaurant success wouldn't have been possible without trusted partners."
Needs
Craft a signature ice cream flavor that embodies his brand, drives customer traffic to his restaurant, and garners positive media attention.
Goals
To increase revenue: Explore adding ice cream (potentially with branded options) to his menu. To identify a partner that aligns with his brand and inspires trust.
Pain Points
The website doesn't detail how TP's services can integrate with my existing brand to elevate the overall dining experience.
Competitive & Comparative Analysis
Competitive analysis
Studying competitors like Momolatom Monarchs & Milkweed and FATCAT, we derived Tom's Palette's competitive edge:
• 16-year legacy
• 180+ flavour innovations
• Carpigiani-certified instructor
• natural ingredients, 0 artificial flavouring
• Full case studies on flavour creation & gelato consultancy
• Reviews by ladyironchef.com, sethlui.com, featured on Burpple guide
Comparative analysis
Drawing inspiration from industry leaders:
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Industrial product presentation of Royal Rasa
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BK Korea's impressive case studies showcase
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Yulan creative's succinct and convincing flow of information that removes barrier in users' minds, targeted at lead generation
Tom's Palette needs
To build potential clients' confidence & showcase its ability to deliver on brand promises
Some of its USPs:
• 16 years of legacy
• 180+ flavours created (and counting)
• Carpigiani-certified instructor
• No artificial flavourings
To improve on its information architecture & content design
(1) logical flow structure
(2) labelling
(3) brand refresh to current-day aesthetics and supports its USP.
(4) guideline for consistency
To improve the communication experience
(1) Explore methods of communication that work best
(2) Practice open communication
so that its potential clients are convinced that engaging Tom's Palette's services will add value to their businesses.
Picking on business owners' brains through a game
Prioritizing scannable content for lead generation, we conducted a "minimum content challenge." This challenge revealed 5 key questions users need to be answered to understand Tom's Palette's business. This data will guide the organisation of task-driven, high-impact content for maximum lead generation. To further improve scannability, we conducted a design studio to explore ways to present information with visual aids.
Transformed complex information into 4 clear and concise takeaways
We simplified the information architecture into a clear 4-step process that guides business owners towards understanding the value proposition of any of the three services. While pricing details are not publicly available, this streamlined approach ensures users grasp the core benefits that Tom's Palette offer.
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Ideation: Ways to present information
Our design challenge is to craft compelling website content that seamlessly guides users towards contact forms. We curated sharp, persuasive messaging and prioritised scannable, clear information to minimize user effort. This meticulous planning involves visual aids like journey maps and clear layouts to reduce cognitive load. Images were strategically chosen to support our key USPs, ensuring relevance.
Conducted a brand refresh
To showcase Tom's Palette's 16 years of experience and creativity, we're crafting a fresh and consistent brand presentation that leverages both new and existing assets.
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Fresh colour palette using pastels to reflect natural ingredients (no artificial colours!), with a touch of magenta for premiumness and creativity.
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Enhanced logo visibility for better brand recognition.
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Candid behind-the-scenes photography to highlight the passion and craftsmanship behind their products.
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Showcase flavours boldly and visually expressing their unique character.
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Flexible editorial layouts for easy website content creation and a consistent user experience..
Bringing the brand to life with a high-fidelity prototype
Usability testing with scenarios
Methodology
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Recruit 8 users aged 20-30 with an entrepreneurial mindset.
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Moderated usability test
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To gather qualitative feedback on the clarity of information and highlight any usability issues.
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Using the Likert scale, measure users' satisfaction with clarity, trust & likeliness to fill up the form.
Task 1
You want to launch your own gelato store and you are assessing consultancies for professional guidance.
Task 2
You want to sell a unique flavoured ice cream in your store to boost your brand but you have zero experience. You’re seeking professional help to customise the flavour.
Task 3
You are exploring adding soft-serve ice cream to your restaurant’s menu and want a solution that requires low cost & manpower, such as the use of an ice cream machine.
Usability Testing Insights
Using Likert's Satisfaction Scale to
facilitate conversations about areas of improvement
Rating: 4/5
Feedback & Analysis
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"Gelato consultancy" is unclear → Missing "business"
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The user stated, "I need to be wowed by the presentation of flavours on the landing page, the flavours should be something I cannot create myself.” → Without accolades for award-winning flavours, Tom's Palette has to impress users with its flavour presentation that represents the brand's boldness.
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Users feedback that they require more technical information such as rental duration, cost estimate, and summary of what to expect for gelato business consultancy. → TP is unable to provide more details without understanding the scope of each project. Direct users to submit a form for a quotation.
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Iterations & Recommendations
A. Clarity of information
1. Labels
Rename "gelato consultancy" to "gelato business consultancy" to allow the focus to be on setting up the gelato business.
2. Highlight flavour expertise
Tie in the landing page banner to the artisan brand. Show flavour expertise through the bold presentation of flavours. Tip: Bring out the flavour cues through raw & ingredients. Use colourful flavours that in with the brand's pastel colour palette.
Gelato Consultancy
Gelato Business Consultancy
Iterations & Recommendations to Client
B. Inspiring Trust
1. Dial-up on the human touch to communicate the experience of using the services
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Using candid and behind-the-scenes photographs, show the consultancy team discussing, selling, making, and serving ice cream.
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Soft serve - Using an image that focuses on the effortless experience of serving soft serve ice cream to show the ease of use.
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Iterations & Recommendations
C. Communication
1. Answer frequently asked questions through the messenger chat feature
Chat messengers provide a quick avenue to offer direct answers to questions, helping the business look more trustworthy.
2. Keep both methods of communication, if possible
Keeping both forms of communication allows greater oversight of potential clients and those who are casually browsing.
Final iterated prototype
Scroll and click through clickable prototype below
Key project takeaways
While our interview with the 34-year-old Chinese PR restauranteur yielded valuable business insights, he politely declined to participate in the website contextual inquiry. His perspective offered a unique viewpoint on the F&B industry, but his focus on personal relationships might explain his preference for collaborating with known vendors rather than relying solely on website evaluations.
Outlining the interview process beforehand attracts engaged participants, fostering a smooth experience and a fair testing ground for valuable user feedback.
It is easier to convince users through other brand's success stories. However, we had to give up strong business case studies due to confidentiality.
To ensure client comfort, we explored alternative case studies that effectively showcase the value proposition without compromising confidentiality.
The client requested 1000+ words for SEO, but user testing (UT) showed users skim the long text, imparing understanding. However, the use of clear and concise keywords will improve SEO and user experience.
It was challenging to ascertain the right solution to optimise SEO and reduce cognitive load.
It's a wrap!
Many thanks to the client, Tom's Palette and Faith, for providing the opportunity to redesign their site, and their understanding and support. Thanks to Karthik, Angela and Jess for the camaraderie as we pulled through this project despite other full-time work commitments!
