Problem
projekt202 Experience Research and Strategy
A Fortune 50 computer hardware manufacturer wanted to equip their nearly 7,000 field service technicians to provide a world-class experience for their customers during onsite service calls. They turned to projekt202 to better understand their techs' experience and design a solution that would better serve both their techs and their customers.
Problem
projekt202 Experience Research and Strategy
A Fortune 50 computer hardware manufacturer wanted to equip their nearly 7,000 field service technicians to provide a world-class experience for their customers during onsite service calls. They turned to projekt202 to better understand their techs' experience and design a solution that would better serve both their techs and their customers.
A bloated app experience was costing millions of dollars annually in wasted calls
The client's current app was intended to be a full-service reference for their field-service techs on-site with customers. In reality, a desire to create an app with everything had created a bloated app with a steep learning curve for techs to find the tools and information they actually needed. As a result, when a problem was encountered in field, techs would bypass the app and call into the service center to seek resolution. This behavior was costing the client millions of dollars in wasted call volume, while simultaneously decreasing service quality for customers.
Techs' most desired features were buried deep in the app
A global survey of techs at the beginning of the project revealed their three most desired features: tool integration with their employers system, the ability to order parts, and a way to see the history of the customer cases they were serving. When looking at the client's current app home screen (at right), it is hard for one to discern where these features would exist, or if they even exist at all.
Current App Home Screen
ResearchInsight
What techs needed in an app was much different than the functionality being provided
ResearchInsight
What techs needed in an app was much different than the functionality being provided
A TECH'S WORK DAY STARTED LONG BEFORE THEY ARRIVED AT A CUSTOMER SITE
While the majority of their day was spent on-site, every tech we spoke with spent over an hour each morning printing a customized call list and planning their route for the day.
TECHS ONLY NEEDED LIMITED FUNCTIONALITY ON SITE
The majority of the app's current functionality centered around providing on-site reference information such as product manuals and troubleshooting guides. In observing techs, we noticed they're natural tinkerers and will only turn to a separate resource when they've exhausted all available options and need to order a new part.
Designs
Techs needed a tool to help them manage their schedules, inform them of case history, and order parts
Designs
Techs needed a tool to help them manage their schedules, inform them of case history, and order parts
The new designs reflected a tech's actual workflow
Through remote user validation sessions and design iterations, we were able to focus on only the information and functionality the tech actually needed. We were able to greatly reduce the cognitive load and create an interface that was intuitive to the way techs really worked. The new designs centered around 3 essential pieces of functionality: an editable list of the day's service calls, status updates of ordered parts, and list of parts to be picked-up and dropped-off at Fedex.
Editable Service Call List
The call list tab gave the techs quick access to all the information they had been manually organizing and printing each day. Additionally, they had one-click access to ordering parts for each service call.
Ordered Part Status
Techs previously had to dig deeply into the app to find ordered part status. The new app allowed them to easily track parts they had order, the part's approval status, and with which job it was associated.
Fedex Package List
The 'For Pick Up' tab allowed the tech to see all of the parts they needed to gather each morning at Fedex as well as providing a packing list of each box's contents.