Enhancing Ferries Post Booking Experience
UX Case Study | Direct Ferries App | 2020
The quickest way to view, use and manage your booking
Case Study Overview
Direct Ferries is a multi-platform ferry ticketing service that enables customers to quickly and easily search, compare, and book scheduled ferry crossings to various ports across the globe.
The challenge was to enhance the post-booking experience and increase NPS by helping customers view, use, and manage their ferry reservations.
With a focus on the overall customer experience and balancing business goals with customer needs, I analyzed Direct Ferries’ requirements and researched the end-to-end customer experience in collaboration with the customer service team. This involved reviewing customer reviews and feedback captured during live conversations with customer service agents.
I also engaged stakeholders in value proposition design workshops to define all the product and user experience requirements. Working closely with product owners, I planned and prioritized the development of user stories under each epic, categorizing each step of the customer journey with a focus on usability, accessibility, user interface, visual design, and usability testing.
Some information and details are excluded due to confidentiality reasons.
Product Design Process
Managing the project
Problem & Opportunity
Traveling on a ferry can be a frustrating customer experience.
As a product designer, it’s essential to balance both customer and business needs by analyzing business requirements and providing solutions that cater to different ferry operators with varying technology support.
Currently, one of the main customer pain points is the confusion surrounding the use of the ticket barcode. Depending on the route and operator chosen, the barcode can be used for boarding the ferry at the port or checking in at the operator’s ticket office. This confusing scenario leads to frustration and complaints to customer service, generating negative reviews..
There is also a lack of clear information about booking types, boarding procedures, and check-in processes, as well as a lack of communication with ferry operators regarding booking status, time, delay, and cancellations. These issues have contributed to the brand’s poor reputation and low ratings in app stores.
Not clear information about the booking type, Boarding and Check-in.
Lack of communications with ferry operators (Booking status/Time/Delay/Cancellations).
Low brand reputation and poor ratings reviews in App Stores.
My initial impression of the customer experience was negative.
Main challenge
The main challenge is to develop a service that minimizes friction between customers and the ferry operators they have booked with. This involves helping customers navigate the confusion and hassle they may face during pre and post-booking stages. Additionally, introducing self-service automation can help reduce friction between customers and ferry operators. Ultimately, the goal is to improve the overall customer experience and raise review ratings to 4+.
My Role
Lead Product Designer
Solution
To address the main challenge, the solution was designed to reduce friction between customers and the ferry operators they’ve booked with. The key strategy was to offer an optimised solution that caters to all customer segments.
The redesign focused on categorising each key booking type to provide a tailored experience for each individual customer, depending on the operator and route booked. Clear communication was provided about how and when to use the service, with easy-to-follow directions to the right location, and notifications and reminders to facilitate customer understanding.
To ensure successful implementation, collaboration between the product design team, commercial team, and tech department was necessary to address any barriers that arose depending on the operator’s API capabilities and type of integration with Direct Ferries’ application programming interface.
High-fidelity Prototype
I’ve used Principles in my process to communicate or validate concepts.
Task models and Scenarios
User Experience
Import My Booking
Booking Status
Add Calendar Reminder
Take Directions
Manage Booking Cancellation
Redeem Voucher
Approach
The Project
Product Audit
During the kick-off, I faced the challenge of understanding the end-to-end customer experience. On-site research revealed a lack of understanding of the big picture and a need for improved collaboration between business departments.
Research and Analysis
To address the real customer problems and improve the self-serve features of our app, it was essential to conduct extensive research involving all relevant stakeholders who have frequent interactions with our customers. Customer Service team’s involvement was critical in the product development research.
To gather insights, I conducted internal workshops to create a Customer Experience Map and analysed data to understand the user’s pain points. I then defined a User Experience Strategy that focused on identifying opportunities for the business to create gains and help customers complete their key tasks more efficiently.
Scope
The scope of this research is to identify the scenarios in which customers can onboard the ferry without having to go to the ticket office for check-in. This includes understanding the different operators, routes, and technology used to provide a seamless boarding experience for the customers.
Problem to solve
Identify confusing scenarios that cause frustration and generate complaints from customers, resulting in negative reviews for customer services.
Objective
Provide clear and relevant information to customers about when they need to check-in at the port office to receive their actual ticket and how to find the right location at the port for each scenario.
Main Goal
Prevent delays or missed ferries due to confusion, leading to negative reviews and an overload of customer service calls. Improve brand reputation and customer satisfaction by helping customers understand how, when, and where to use their ferry ticket.
Customers want a seamless and hassle-free experience when booking and using their ferry tickets.
Research Outcome
During the research, it emerged that different types of booking scenarios depending on operators and routes were significantly affecting each customer’s needs and pain points in different ways. The critical point identified was the lack of information and unclear communication, leading to customer frustration and complaints. The research highlighted that the most important issue to address was the overall post-booking process and rebuilding the relationship between customers and the product by focusing on their needs.
Learnings, results and output
Automate customer service tasks with AI chatbots, such as handling FAQs and simple booking requests. Use proactive messaging to remind customers of upcoming trips, suggest new offers and upgrades, and alert them to any changes or delays.
Implement Self-Service Features.
Allow customers to make changes to their bookings, such as modifying travel dates, adding or removing passengers, and upgrading their ticket class, without needing to contact customer service.
Improve Post-Booking Experience.
Provide clear and detailed information about the check-in and boarding process, including directions to the port and any required documentation. Allow customers to track their booking status and receive notifications about any changes or updates.
Collect and Use Customer Feedback.
Gather customer feedback through surveys and reviews, and use this feedback to improve the product and service. Implement a system to address customer complaints and resolve issues quickly.
Monitor and Analyze Data.
Track customer behavior and booking patterns to identify areas for improvement and optimize the product and service accordingly. Use data to personalize the user experience and offer targeted promotions and discounts.
Takeaways
Overall, the focus should be on providing a seamless and convenient experience for customers, from the pre-booking stage through post-booking. By prioritizing customer needs and pain points, and leveraging technology and automation, the ferry operator can improve customer satisfaction and increase review ratings.
Make Use of Automation and AI and be Proactive.
My own vision, ideas and long term strategy
The following vision, ideas, and strategies are my personal perspective and may not necessarily reflect the business vision. However, I would like to provide an overview of how I believe this product could evolve and improve based on my experience and knowledge.
Tags
#Travel #Tourism #Ferries #CaseStudy #CustomerExperience #Booking
Fair dealing Disclaimer
Sections 29 and 30 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
I’ve written this Case Study for purposes such as research and private study, criticism or review, or news reporting.
Michelangelo Zampogna
Lead Product Designer
Get in touch on Linkedin if you’d like to find out more about me or if you’d like to know how I think I could help your business.
Please visit my Portfolio to see my works.
