Christine Phan

Verizon - Soft Credit

Changing utility providers is often nerve-wracking. When it involves credit checks, the decision is carefully thought through for customers.

Verizon wanted to make it easier for users who were interested in switching their mobile line over.

The new product would ease the process for both customers and store representatives as it will be used by both. It would provide a cost breakdown, could be consulted at any time and referred to for completing the switch online or in-store.

Our agency, R/GA New York, partnered with Verizon to introduce a simulator tool, helping users to obtain an accurate cost to switch their mobile line.

My team was in charge of designing the credit check and the checkout mechanism. The product has a modern design with elegant micro-animations, providing transparency to the user regarding the cost.

SKILLSResearch, personas, information architecture, User flows, Site map, sketches, wireframes, testing storyboards, digital prototype.

Verizon web main image

1. Discovery

Competitive_Analysis_icon Competitive Analysis

We researched how to switch to the competitor’s network as well as the related costs. Our test was done on T-mobile, Sprint, AT&T, Metro PCS and Boost. Some competitors use tongue-and-cheek tonality to engage customers, others have no credit check plans.

None of the competitors had a service providing a quote to the customer interested in switching over. Verizon was the only one to offer this simulator.

Features_Analysis_icon Feature Analysis

During our test, we analyzed and compared the features and services provided by Verizon and its competitors. This helped us refine and confirm our list to deliver.

Below is an example of the analysis we have performed.


Features

Tmobile Sprint ATandT MetroPCS
1 Plan Tmobile Sprint ATandT MetroPCS
2 Phones Tmobile Sprint ATandT MetroPCS
3 Soft credit check no impact on credit Tmobile Sprint ATandT MetroPCS
4 Bringing phone number over Tmobile Sprint ATandT MetroPCS
5 Bring your own device Tmobile Sprint ATandT MetroPCS
6 Prepaid Tmobile Sprint ATandT MetroPCS
7 Quote Tmobile Sprint ATandT MetroPCS
8 Save information Tmobile Sprint ATandT MetroPCS
9 Filter by credit rate (good/ average / no credit check) Tmobile Sprint ATandT MetroPCS
10 No credit check plan Tmobile Sprint ATandT MetroPCS
interview_icon Interviews

Partnered with the research team, we wanted to find out a few key points, for example:

  • How was research done prior to switching?
  • What platform was used to complete the switch?
  • The customer’s understanding of credit check.
  • Do customers know their credit score?
  • Is it difficult to run?

Key findings

  • Interviewees perform mainly online research and comparison.
  • The completion is split between online and in-store to get a “better deal“.
  • Interviewees have had a credit check performed at least twice but haven’t necessarily run the process themselves.
  • Interviewees rarely know their credit scores.
personas_icon Personas

Studying the research results helped us to refine our understanding of the users and their goals:

  • Jim likes to keep an eye on the cost.
  • while Megan wants an overall upgrade for the family.
  • Jake likes the latest and greatest gadgets.
persona_jim_photo Jim, 45 Married, has a freshman in college, a teenager and a pre-teen Finance Director High income, good credit "I want to swap to keep contact with Brian now in college." Needs Making sure to have enough gigs for the family. Bring my own device - BYOD. Being able to trade-in our old phones. Change phone number. Pain points Confusing process for BYOD. Hate seeing too many plan sizes. Being able to pick the new phone numbers.
persona_megan_photo Megan, 40 Married, has a teenager and a pre-teen VP of Marketing High income, very good credit "It's time for a change and an upgrade." Needs Being able to get offers. Having a good panel of plans. Bring phone numbers over. Having a Free shipping option. Pain points Don’t want to send contacts new number. Can’t save research for a later consultation. Unsure when the price shown includes taxes.
persona_jake_photo Jake, 28 Single, no kids Video editor Medium income, average credit "I like to get the latest gadgets as soon as possible." Needs Having enough gigs for streaming. Having access to the latest phones. Being able to trade-in old phone. Pick-up available close to work. Pain points Having to wait for delivery. Not having the latest phones available. Having shipping options.
userflow_and_sitemap_icon User flow & site map

User flow

The tasks to perform credit checks were easy to identify. The placement of the credit check in the simulator flow was the challenge. We explored multiple scenarios until it felt natural without removing the seriousness of the task.

Here is an example of a user performing a soft credit.

Site map

The simulator tool solution was to be embedded in the original structure. Drawing the existing hierarchy and adding the new elements without intrusion was the natural approach.

2. Ideation & Design

sketches_icon Sketches

We had a quick sprint of 2 weeks to deliver the feature set given to us. We captured the list of requirements on a corner of a whiteboard, then sketched and iterated 5 or 6 times a day depending on the feature.

Sketches

3. User Testing

We put a polished version of our design into a digital prototype to challenge our decisions.

We asked users to run a credit check and focused on finding answers on:

  • The element placements and information hierarchy.
  • The tone of voice.
  • The iconography.
icon_low_fi Digital prototype - low fi wireframes
Prototype low-fi
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Key findings

  1. The CTA placement was creating confusion for users.
  2. The progress bar indicated where the user was, but not how close the user was to completion.
  3. The copy didn't provide enough explanation related to the results.
  4. The graph was too minimalist and users couldn't find how to view the cost breakdown.
icon_hi_fi Digital prototype - hi fi iteration
Prototype low-fi
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Key findings

  1. Amending the CTA shape brought some softness to the page.
  2. Adding the estimated figures was necessary to bring more cohesion to the page and a comparative element.
  3. The copy provided a better information on the cost, but still had the small print feeling.
  4. Showing the elements that composed the updated costs due today and monthly brought more transparency.
icon_hi_fi Digital prototype - high fi final
Prototype rendered
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Design amends

1

Relocating the CTA to eye level reduced cognitive load for the users.

2

Breaking down the progress bar into segments gave a better sense of the process completion.

3

Changing the tone of voice gave more positive feedback and clarity on the impact of the action taken.

4

Removing the graph made it easier for users to understand the variance in costs.

Solution

Video
Verizon web

Outcome

The feedback from the internal stakeholders was positive. The design was implemented by the Verizon technical team along with the relevant quality control and testing 5 months later in August.

43%

Decrease in support calls the first 3 months of launch.

45%

Rise in transferred lines the first 4 months of the launch.

72%

Jump in phone trade-in transactions.

35%

Uplift in accessories processed transactions.

  • I don't feel intimidated, it uses plain english not legally terms everywhere.

    Ben T, Tester
  • This is great! I understand everything, I was always worried about giving my information before.

    Jackie D, Tester
  • This is a credit check mythbuster for me. Thank you!

    Deena G, Tester
  • Adjectives describing the simulator: Clear, Easy, Transparent.

    Bill P, Tester
  • I like that I can keep the quote and go to the store to talk to somebody.

    Ann R, Tester
  • Running the process from start to finish is clear and quick.

    Clare S, Tester