Bridging Digital Divide
From Lost in Translation to Customer Delight
OVERVIEW
Jazz, a leading mobile network operator in Pakistan, faced a unique challenge regarding the adoption with its WhatsApp self-service channel: catering to a diverse customer base with varying levels of English proficiency.
Many customers were native Urdu speakers, and English was a second language. Additionally, cultural sensitivities, particularly among conservative segments, needed to be carefully considered.
The project involved conducting in-depth user research, designing and implementing features, and continuously iterating based on customer feedback. The goal was to create a seamless and intuitive experience that met the needs of Jazz's diverse customer base.
MY ROLE
Improving the UX end-to-end, working closely with product and engineering team
TEAM
Solo designer, with guidance from a Product Manager, 1 Psychologist, 2 Engineers
BUSINESS CHALLENGE
The product team noticed a decline in user satisfaction and increased customer support inquiries, that meant less adoption of WhatsApp self-service channel.
INFORMATION GATHERING
We spoke to 86 customers to understand their perspective.
A detailed research plan of 16 weeks conducted was created with customers across 5 different cities. The participants recruited were Jazz customers, between age group of 35-50, however, not necessarily users of the product. We uncovered really interesting insights as described below:
User Insights
UX CHALLENGE
How might we build customer trust while increasing awareness and confidence in our service?
THEMES EMERGED FROM USER INTERVIEWS
01.Users are not aware of the self-service channel
02.Users do not trust the platform to provide authentic information
03.Users are not confident that they will be able to navigate it
Case studies of my focus areas during the redesign
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BREAKDOWN OF THE PROCESS
While all channels directed customers to the WhatsApp API, we identified broken journeys within WhatsApp itself. Users faced confusion from acquisition to service usage and struggled to interact with the service.
SUMMATIVE USABILITY TESTING
Identifying pain points and needs
I conducted task analysis with users as they interacted with the service. We recruited 12 participants for the test, all of whom had active customer tickets with the service.
Next, I evaluated the structure and organization of the WhatsApp channel’s menu options and information flow to compare actual user interactions with expected interactions.
SYNTHESIZING THE DATA
Translating user stories
I gathered a range of interaction stories and insights related to the service.
To streamline the analysis, I consolidated similar user stories and organized them into key categories, which allowed me to eliminate redundancy and establish clear buckets for feature prioritization
FEATURES PRIORITIZATION
Define Prioritization Criteria
With representation from all key teams—business leadership, product, customer support, design, and tech—we collaboratively established criteria to evaluate the importance of each feature.
Together, we focused on common criteria, such as user value, business value, feasibility, urgency, and effort (cost), to guide our prioritization process.
FEEDBACK LOOP
Usability Testing
I then created design prototypes aimed at simplifying the user interface, reducing the number of steps needed to complete tasks, and enhancing visual cues for clearer guidance. Following these updates,
I conducted another round of usability testing to assess the effectiveness of these design changes and gather user feedback.
IMPLEMENTATION
Iterate and Reassess
After several rounds of testing and refinement, the product team approved the final insights and improvements.
I then handed off the finalized design changes to the engineering team for implementation.
The WhatsApp channel was updated with a new conversational style, enhanced with emojis, and a refined messaging strategy.
This updated approach was integrated consistently across all promotional channels and within the WhatsApp channel itself, ensuring a cohesive and engaging user experience.
Positive Results
15%
monthly growth rate of Whatsapp self-service users over the past quarter.
85%
positive feedback comments on ease of use and accessibility
30%
decrease in support tickets related to Whatsapp Self-service.
