Project Title:

Reducing Call Volume Through an Enhanced Customer Support Experience

Objective:

Create a new customer support experience to reduce call volume by a minimum of 10% annually. Achieving this would yield significant cost savings and improve customer satisfaction.

Key Constraints:

1. Limited Development Resources: Utilize Salesforce out-of-the-box components to minimize custom development efforts.
2. Budget Constraints: Focus efforts on revising the homepage, product display pages, and introducing a federated search experience.
3. Cross-Department Collaboration: Efficient communication was essential for aligning multiple departments throughout the project.

Key Challenges:

1. High Bounce Rates: Users were abandoning the support site, particularly on the homepage and search experience.
2. Call Drivers: Replace-a-part requests, service locator issues, PowerView problems, and product information accounted for 90% of call volume.
3. User Confusion: Interviews revealed users found the existing support site confusing and preferred to call customer service directly.

Project Approach:

Phase 1: Research & Discovery

1. Google Analytics Review:
   • Identified high bounce rates on the homepage and search experience.
   • Data pinpointed where users were dropping off and what actions they failed to complete.
2. Call Volume Analytics:
   • Analyzed call drivers and identified the top four areas accounting for most inquiries:
     • Replace a part.
     • Service locator.
     • PowerView issues.
     • Product information.
3. User Interviews:
   • Conducted 20 interviews to explore user pain points.
   • Key Themes:
     • “The experience was confusing.”
     • “The search didn’t yield desired results.”
     • “I wasn’t sure where to go, calling in was just easier.”

Phase 2: Design & Prototyping

1. Wireframing:
   • Focused on addressing identified pain points:
     • Revamped homepage to bring key call drivers forward.
     • Added federated search functionality for improved search results.
     • Included multiple ways to locate and identify products.
     • Featured popular topics and videos to address frequent issues.
   • Preliminary testing with 10 participants (all past callers):
     • Results: 100% success in task completion.
2. High-Fidelity Prototypes:
   • Leveraged the existing design system for consumer-facing products.
   • Iterative refinement based on feedback from user testing.

Phase 3: User Testing & Iteration

1. Preliminary Testing:
   • Early wireframe tests showed a 90% improvement in task completion.
   • Feedback included:
     • Refining task flows for smoother navigation.
     • Updating icons and adding supporting text for older users.
2. Iterative Refinement:
   • Incorporated feedback to improve task flows and usability.
   • Made adjustments to enhance clarity and accessibility.
3. Final Testing:
   • Conducted multiple rounds of testing with real users.
   • Achieved near 100% success in task-based tests across key use cases.

Key Features Delivered:

1. Homepage Redesign:
   • Highlighted major call drivers for quick access.
   • Included links to key resources like replace-a-part, service locator, and product guides.
2. Federated Search:
   • Unified search experience to provide accurate, relevant results.
   • Added predictive text and filters to refine search queries.
3. Product Identification Tools:
   • Multiple methods for users to find and identify their products easily.
4. Popular Topics and Videos:
   • Brought frequently accessed content forward to reduce search effort.

Outcomes:

1. Reduction in Call Volume:
   • Early analytics showed a 10%+ annual reduction in customer support calls.
2. Increased Task Success Rates:
   • Final tests achieved a near 100% success rate in task-based testing.
3. Improved User Satisfaction:
   • Positive feedback from older users on accessibility and ease of navigation.
4. Cost Savings:
   • Reduced reliance on customer support staff, leading to significant cost savings.

Conclusion:

This project successfully leveraged Salesforce’s out-of-the-box capabilities to create a streamlined, user-friendly customer support experience. By addressing user pain points through thoughtful design and rigorous testing, we not only reduced call volume but also enhanced customer satisfaction and delivered measurable business value.

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User Testing Results: Refining the Customer Support Experience

Round 1: Wireframe Testing

Participants: 15 users (5 Consumers, 5 Dealers, 5 Installers)
Feedback Highlights:

1. Homepage Clarity:
   • Feedback: Users appreciated the prominent call driver links but found the layout too cluttered, making it difficult to prioritize actions.
   • Refinement: Simplified the homepage by grouping call drivers into clearly labeled sections and adding visual hierarchy with larger headings and more white space.
2. Search Placement:
   • Feedback: Some users struggled to locate the search bar, which was not immediately visible above the fold.
   • Refinement: Relocated the search bar to the top-center of the homepage with a bold outline and placeholder text: "Search by product name, part number, or issue."
3. Call Driver Links:
   • Feedback: Links to major call drivers (replace a part, service locator, etc.) were useful but lacked descriptive icons or text.
   • Refinement: Added intuitive icons and short descriptions under each link to improve recognition and usability.

Round 2: Early Federated Search Testing

Participants: 20 users (10 past callers, 10 frequent site users)
Feedback Highlights:

1. Search Accuracy:
   • Feedback: Search results were often irrelevant, particularly when users entered partial part numbers or vague keywords.
   • Refinement: Enhanced the federated search algorithm to prioritize exact matches and offer suggestions for partial entries.
2. Filter Options:
   • Feedback: Users wanted an easier way to narrow down results, especially when dealing with a long list of parts or products.
   • Refinement: Introduced filter options (e.g., product type, part category, and compatibility) displayed prominently alongside search results.
3. Search Results Presentation:
   • Feedback: The search results page lacked organization, forcing users to scroll excessively.
   • Refinement: Implemented a card-based layout for search results, with key details (e.g., product image, name, and part number) visible at a glance.

Round 3: Prototype Usability Testing

Participants: 25 users (5 older adults, 10 Consumers, 10 Dealers)
Feedback Highlights:

1. Task Flow Efficiency:
   • Feedback: While most users successfully completed tasks, some flows (e.g., replace-a-part) had unnecessary steps, causing confusion.
   • Refinement: Simplified task flows by consolidating steps into a single page where possible, such as combining product identification and replacement part selection.
2. Accessibility for Older Users:
   • Feedback: Older participants found certain icons and text sizes too small, leading to difficulty in completing tasks.
   • Refinement: Increased icon size, text contrast, and font size across key pages. Added a toggle for larger text in the settings menu.
3. Video Content Placement:
   • Feedback: Users appreciated the instructional videos but wanted them more accessible during task flows.
   • Refinement: Embedded relevant instructional videos directly within task pages (e.g., how to replace a part), making them contextually available.

Round 4: Post-Launch Beta Testing

Participants: 30 beta users (15 frequent callers, 15 self-serve users)
Feedback Highlights:

1. Search Speed:
   • Feedback: Users noted occasional delays in search results, especially with complex queries.
   • Refinement: Optimized back-end processes to ensure search results loaded within 1–2 seconds.
2. Real-Time Assistance:
   • Feedback: While the FAQ and guides were helpful, some users still wanted immediate guidance for complex issues.
   • Refinement: Integrated a live chat widget with AI-driven responses for common issues and escalation to human agents when necessary.
3. Personalized Recommendations:
   • Feedback: Users wanted recommendations based on their previous searches or purchases.
   • Refinement: Added a "Recommended for You" section on the homepage and within search results based on user activity and call history.

Post-Testing Metrics

• Homepage Clarity: Satisfaction scores improved from 7.0 to 9.5/10, with users praising the reorganized layout and added visual hierarchy.
• Search Success Rate: Users successfully found desired results in 95% of cases, compared to 65% before the enhancements.
• Task Completion Efficiency: Task flows were completed 30% faster after simplifying unnecessary steps and embedding video content.
• Accessibility: Older users reported a 40% improvement in usability, citing better icon sizes and text contrast.
• Customer Support Dependence: Early data showed a 15% reduction in calls to customer support, surpassing the initial goal of 10%.