Stores & restaurants need to include “taxi cab landmarks” on their websites.
This is specifically for tourists or people new to town.
Google Maps is really bad in Panama. None of the directions are right and if I followed Google Maps I’d never end up at the right place. To top it off, I don’t speak Spanish so asking for directions is very hit and miss. Mostly miss. Well, all miss. Unless it’s a touristy place.
The interesting thing is a lot of the places I’m trying to get to have English language websites. I don’t know how to tell a taxi driver “take me to here and here even though I have no idea where that is exactly, ok thanks.” But I could easily tell a tax driver to take me to landmark X.
X can be a hotel, a park, anything really. Taxi drivers know cities fairly well. But they’re not going to know how to go to that niche organic vegan grocery store the size of a bedroom unless you include a landmark on your website.
The ultimate lesson here is make things as simple as possible for your users. In India, for example, you’ll find food items marked with colors. A green dot in a green square denotes a vegetarian item (I believe it’s vegan actually). A brown dot/square denotes some animal ingredients were used. Much easier than reading ingredients lists, wouldn’t you say?
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Love the idea! Slowly it seems that society is focusing on “user experience”. (or refocusing?) It’s hard to imagine your website or business from the viewpoint of the customer, but boy do we appreciate it when it’s been made easy for us to get what we need/want!
I also appreciated the clarity of the green vs. red (or brown) icons in India, but the first time I saw two lines in a fast-food restaurant, I was confused!
Hmm, I’m not familiar with two-lines in a fast-food restaurant. What are you referring to? Was this in India as well?
Yes, it was in Hyderabad…I think at Subway (oh, for shame!) They had a “Veg” line on one side and “Non-Veg” on the other. If I’m remembering correctly, there were probably green and red signs hanging from the ceiling to clue in the guests. (though not a big enough clue for me, at the time)
On a related note, my absolute favorite meal in Hyderabad was steamed dosa…at a restaurant called “Chutney’s”. mmm…I’ve got to get back there….
Oh that’s funny. I ate at a Subway in Goa and it just had one line. I do like that 2-line idea, if only because it would benefit me personally. :)
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