Introduction:
In response to the evolving needs of our Customer Care Team, our proptech real estate company embarked on a transformative journey to streamline operations and enhance user experience. As the Product Designer leading this initiative, my role was to conduct comprehensive user research, identify pain points, and collaboratively design a new application for managing calls and tasks.
Objective:
The primary objective was to facilitate a smooth transition from the existing software tool to a more intuitive and efficient solution. The focus was on supporting inbound Customer Care agents, Supervisors, and Team Leads in handling inquiries related to a German real estate company.
Research Process:
User Interviews and Shadowing Sessions:
- Conducted interviews with Customer Care agents to understand their daily challenges.
- Engaged in shadowing sessions to observe workflows and pain points firsthand.
Task Flow Diagram:
- Collaborated with PM and stakeholders to define project requirements.
- Built a detailed Task Flow diagram highlighting software dependencies and the multitude of tasks performed by agents.
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User Journey Workshop:
- Initiated and led a workshop with agents and product managers to delve into the "hows" and "whys" of their experiences.
- Visualized detailed steps, sub-steps, and emotions connected with each stage.
- Identified opportunities and ownership points within the process.
Quantitative Data Collection:
- Collected quantitative data to supplement qualitative insights.
- Analysed data to gain a holistic understanding of user experiences.
Design and Ideation:
Ideation Workshop:
- Organized a cross-functional ideation workshop with backend and frontend developers.
- Encouraged collaborative brainstorming to generate viable and feasible solutions.
Design implementation:
- Defining UX metrics such as task success, time on task, error rate, user satisfaction, system usability scale and ease of use
- Incorporated research findings into the design process.
- Collaborated closely with developers to ensure seamless integration of design elements.
- Usability tests with Agents in live environment
Outcomes:
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Comprehensive User Journey Map:
- Developed a detailed user journey map that not only outlined steps but also captured emotions, opportunities, and ownerships.
- Provided a holistic view of the user experience, enabling targeted improvements.
- Reduced Wrap-Up Time:
- Implemented a new call management system that enabled Customer Care agents to reduce call wrap-up time from almost 3 minutes to an impressive 50 seconds. This was achieved through streamlined processes and a user-friendly interface.
- Automated Task Allocation:
- Developed a task allocation flow that automatically distributed tasks based on agent IDs, availability, and specific task markers such as "first contact," "second contact," or "appointment scheduled." This not only optimized task assignment but also improved overall team efficiency.
Conclusion:
Through a collaborative and user-centered design process, our proptech real estate company successfully transitioned to a new application that significantly improved the efficiency and satisfaction of our Customer Care Team. The case study underscores the importance of understanding user needs, emotions, and workflows in crafting effective solutions for complex operational challenges.
Moreover through the opportunities emerged from the user journey and empathy mapping, two critical projects addressed problems regarding universal appointments slots and improving lead quality.
This case study highlights the importance of understanding user journeys, addressing pain points, and fostering cross-functional collaboration to drive positive outcomes in the realm of proptech and real estate customer support.