IV. Discussion

Last updated 2 months ago

IV. Discussion

The one-month pilot deployment of Spark Mobile, conducted from December 16, 2024, to January 16, 2025, revealed notable progress across multiple performance indicators aligned with the project’s objectives. The analysis of collected data highlights Spark Mobile’s capacity to modernize and streamline traditional car wash operations through digital innovation.

Operational Efficiency and Waiting Time Reduction: Spark Mobile significantly improved operational efficiency by reducing the average customer waiting time by 37%, dropping from 39 minutes to 25 minutes—successfully aligning with the target service range of 20–30 minutes (Specific Objective 3). This improvement was particularly evident during peak hours, such as the 12:16 PM time slot, where wait times fell from 55 to 27 minutes. These reductions are attributed to the platform’s dynamic scheduling algorithm, which optimized technician assignments based on demand patterns. These early gains reinforce the potential for further enhancement through future AI-driven predictive scheduling and real-time resource allocation.
Transparency and Customer Satisfaction: The platform's digital features meaningfully improved customer transparency and satisfaction. According to pilot data, 89% of users rated the real-time tracking and notification system as excellent. Additionally, an average post-service rating of 4.6 out of 5 reflected strong user approval of both the service quality and app usability. These results suggest that Spark Mobile not only met but exceeded user expectations. Planned enhancements, such as live GPS tracking of technicians and estimated time of arrival (ETA) notifications, are expected to further strengthen customer trust and experience.
Service Innovation and Digital Engagement: Spark Mobile introduced a transformative digital layer to traditional car wash services, fulfilling its objective of encouraging businesses to maintain 4–8 active service offerings (Specific Objective 2). The number of available services increased from one to six by the end of the pilot period, supported by automated service update reminders that kept provider listings fresh and competitive. Additionally, the introduction of a customer rewards program led to a 22% increase in repeat bookings, showcasing the platform’s ability to enhance user engagement and brand loyalty.
Scalability and Future Developments: Spark Mobile’s modular architecture supports ongoing innovation and scalability. Future system upgrades include AI-powered route optimization to reduce technician travel time, blockchain integration to ensure secure and verifiable transactions, and dynamic pricing models that adjust to real-time demand. These developments aim to position Spark Mobile as a robust, forward-thinking platform capable of sustaining long-term growth while delivering superior customer experience and operational excellence in the evolving on-demand service industry.

Figure 5 shows user login durations on the car wash owner portal, revealing varied engagement patterns from brief 14-minute check-ins to extended 85-minute management sessions. The average 36-minute duration suggests most owners use the platform for daily operational tasks, while the missing status data (<min>) indicates a need for better activity tracking. These insights can guide interface improvements tailored to different usage behaviors.

Figure 6 confirms that the service data shows the 20-30 minute waiting time objective was not fully met. While some services like tire cleaning (25 minutes) met the target, others like full washes (75 minutes) exceeded it. The inconsistent durations reveal operational inefficiencies that need addressing through standardized service times or improved workflows to consistently achieve the target.

Finally, Figure 7 provides a month-by-month snapshot of loan approvals, with December 2024 and February 2024 both at 100% and January 2025 at 75%. In future iterations, blockchain technology will create a tamper-proof audit trail for loan approvals, facilitating comprehensive real-time performance tracking and strengthening overall system integrity.

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Last updated 2 months ago

Operational Efficiency and Waiting Time Reduction: Spark Mobile significantly improved operational efficiency by reducing the average customer waiting time by 37%, dropping from 39 minutes to 25 minutes—successfully aligning with the target service range of 20–30 minutes (Specific Objective 3). This improvement was particularly evident during peak hours, such as the 12:16 PM time slot, where wait times fell from 55 to 27 minutes. These reductions are attributed to the platform’s dynamic scheduling algorithm, which optimized technician assignments based on demand patterns. These early gains reinforce the potential for further enhancement through future AI-driven predictive scheduling and real-time resource allocation.
Transparency and Customer Satisfaction: The platform's digital features meaningfully improved customer transparency and satisfaction. According to pilot data, 89% of users rated the real-time tracking and notification system as excellent. Additionally, an average post-service rating of 4.6 out of 5 reflected strong user approval of both the service quality and app usability. These results suggest that Spark Mobile not only met but exceeded user expectations. Planned enhancements, such as live GPS tracking of technicians and estimated time of arrival (ETA) notifications, are expected to further strengthen customer trust and experience.
Service Innovation and Digital Engagement: Spark Mobile introduced a transformative digital layer to traditional car wash services, fulfilling its objective of encouraging businesses to maintain 4–8 active service offerings (Specific Objective 2). The number of available services increased from one to six by the end of the pilot period, supported by automated service update reminders that kept provider listings fresh and competitive. Additionally, the introduction of a customer rewards program led to a 22% increase in repeat bookings, showcasing the platform’s ability to enhance user engagement and brand loyalty.
Scalability and Future Developments: Spark Mobile’s modular architecture supports ongoing innovation and scalability. Future system upgrades include AI-powered route optimization to reduce technician travel time, blockchain integration to ensure secure and verifiable transactions, and dynamic pricing models that adjust to real-time demand. These developments aim to position Spark Mobile as a robust, forward-thinking platform capable of sustaining long-term growth while delivering superior customer experience and operational excellence in the evolving on-demand service industry.