Localz aims to make the day of service awesome. The customer web portal is the main point of interaction between your business and your customers. When an expectant customer receives an SMS stating their technician or delivery is on the way, a quick tap on a link displays real-time information making it easier for customers to view the arrival of their service person and feel in control.
Our goal for this project was to simplify the user experience by improving the display of information, and to help bridge communication between your customer, the technician or driver, and customer support.
In doing so, we aim to improve your business outcomes by building stronger relationships with the people who use the product. With over 54,557 users in November 2019, we have seen a triple digit increase in usage of our customer portal in the last 6 months. We knew we needed to update our customer experience to meet the online expectations of a growing market.
Here's our process from the existing layout, to testing a prototype, on to the simplified modern interface:
Putting the customer first: Research and persona development
We began the redesign process by developing our persona profiles. By talking to real customers and users we were able to record their insights and views. We got to the crux of what a particular demographic needs, wants and likes. By answering these ideals we created an ecosystem of products that are helpful and enjoyable.
We distilled four types of key customer groups for the customer portal . A stay at home parent, an office manager, a customer success employee and a technician.
At the same time, we ran a competitor analysis to better understand how others solve their customer problems, and mapped out our user motivations and tasks. By optimising the existing workflows and simplifying product architecture, we came up with 3 prototypes for how the portal could work. Various methods of navigation were explored and tested.
Customer channels and actions
Testing ideas with real customers
Our prototypes went through various rounds of user testing to better understand how people are interacting with our product, and to make improvements to the full experience.
Opportunities for innovation
We found the most intuitive way for customer communication. By separating the customer support and technician contact details, a customer is able to leave instructions for the technician arriving at their home, without having to call customer service. Likewise, if there is an issue raised through customer service, the technician is able to carry on with his or her day without distractions.
Improving the interface
After facilitating a focus group, we found one of the areas we needed to improve on was how to better display the technician's identification. A high number of testing participants stated that they wanted to know who was coming to their home. Seeing the technician’s name and photo provided comfort and made the customer feel safe.
We also updated button styles and icons to make it easier to identify how to communicate with the technician through two-way chat.
As this product is fully configurable and used by multiple Localz partners, we created a colour concept to house the partners’ brand with interchangeable UI elements. A visual hierarchy is created with the pin and ETA highlight in the same colour to drive home the message of time vs. location and the synergy between the two UI elements.
The map layout and tab structure allow us to continue to expand our capabilities and add features or functionalities in a way that feels logical and intuitive.
While working through the interaction details we created and maintained an extensive Design System, so existing design patterns can be reused or adapted in the future. We also identified other challenges we plan to address, such as how we might create greater freedom for people expecting a delivery by rescheduling, and changing locations with better feedback systems.
Through the Localz customer portal, your business will be able to increase real-time visibility, efficiency, and save on operating costs, all the while improving the customer experience.