LOYALTY APP
design/UX
Intro
Our client McArthurGlen had a privilege club, which was basically a newsletter sign up which came with few minor perks. However, they were trying to create a new scheme which would give their users actual benefits including exclusive offers, discounts and also point collecting system (users would be able to trade their points for cash discounts on their purchase). They’ve trailed it in one of their centers- the product was a white-label app designed internally however it gave them a deeper understanding of their clients and response was good enough to roll it out across more centers - this is where my agency comes into the picture. The project was complex on many levels and we had to face many UX and design challenges in order to create a great digital experience.
The problem
Stakeholders detached from users
The biggest challenge was that stakeholders and decision-makers were isolated from the users. They were not fully aware of users needs and struggles and yet making critical decisions that would influence the overall experience of the product. It was very important to integrate them into the UX process and also challenge some of their ideas. Balancing user objectives with business objectives and finding solutions that serve both purposes became our main goal.
Content
How do we explicitly communicate to users the difference between the old privilege club and the new loyalty app and prompt them to sign up? There were also 3 different ways to sign up: upgrade your existing membership, register, register a physical loyalty card you got in store. The copy and visual language had to be optimized so we keep the customers on the path of conversion.
My role
Visual design
I was lead designer on the project, responsible for creating UI for desktop, mobile and native app. Creating prototypes and presenting them to the clients at demos which were held at the end of each sprint.
Visual design
I was lead designer on the project, responsible for creating UI for desktop, mobile and native app. Creating prototypes and presenting them to the clients at demos which were held at the end of each sprint.
Delivery and handover
Working closely with developers at DAM who were creating desktop and mobile versions, as well as Product Owner at McArthurGlen and Coniqe - company that was creating the native app. I had to clearly label the designs and prepare all assets for handover.
UX deign
Requirements
McArthurGlenn came to us with a set of requirements and objectives for the loyalty project. We conducted many meetings with the loyalty project team, as well as the marketing, content, and CRM teams to fully understand their business objectives and users' needs.
Personas and user journeys
Based on our past projects done for McArthuGlen and from workshops with the loyalty team we created personas and user journeys which we used to guide us throughout the design process.
Wireframes
The next step was creating quick sketches and discussing them with our team. Once the direction was agreed on we moved to high-fidelity wireframes which were then presented to the client. Feedback from those meetings was incorporated into the design. The product continuously evolved through many iterations
Challanges
Sign up
Creating a smooth sign up process that doesn’t overwhelm users with too many fields. Therefore I broke the sign-up process into steps - with a clear progress bar.
Ease of action
I focused on making the user journey to their goal - collecting points or redeeming rewards to be as fast as possible without distractions. Therefore the app landing page has a card with a QR code which is scannable even without zooming in
Cross centre
There are 24 McArthurGlen centres, but for the time being, only 4 participate in the loyalty scheme. One of the main client requirements was to allow users to swiftly switch between those centres. Implementing this functionality caused the domino effect of other problems:
- What if the centre has a different language?
- How are saved offers marked?
- Does it mean your preferred centre changes in the settings too?
To add more difficulty McArthurGlen insisted on putting a list of all outlets to show the breadth of their business and link them to their unique websites (take the user out of the app). I worked closely with our UX designer and collaboratively we managed to find a satisfactory solution and create a smooth user journey. Signposting and copywriting played a crucial role in those touchpoints.
Visaul design
Brand
I had to create an interface that is in line with the most recent website refresh (also done at DAM Digital) yet distinctive from it. Design needed to communicate luxury and high fashion but still had an approachable vibe.
Consistency
I had to ensure the experience is consistent across the web, mobile, and app.
Motivate users
I liked the idea of a physical card in the digital environment with a clear progress bar. The reasoning behind it was showing how close users are to the next reward would motivate them to collect more points.
Futureproofing
I also had to future-proof the design and accommodate more centres and new functionalities that will be implemented in the next stages of the project.
Onboarding
Explaining to the user how the loyalty scheme works and how they can collect the points and redeem rewards. I’ve created introduction screens with animations and short captions clarifying the process.
Development
The difficulty was that web and mobile versions were developed at Dam and the app was done with an external company chosen by the client. I had to understand the technical limitations of the app and the database they were using. We also had to make sure the interactions and behaviour are consistent throughout the projects. Communication between the two companies and the client was key, as well as regular updates and demos.
Outcomes & next steps
I created a great mobile, web, and app experience which went live in January 2020. At the moment there is not enough data available to determine how successful the project was, but I received a lot of positive feedback from the client.
To improve the product we will conduct more user testing in our studio as well as travel to outlets and do field research. It is crucial to see how users interact with the product in a real-life context.
McArthurGlen is planing not only to expand the loyalty program to all of their outlets but also to add more features; like parking booking and in-app purchases. My team will proactively assist them in researching what functionalities users need and gathering requirements from stakeholders.