Client: BT (British Telecom)

Challenge:

BT faced a critical challenge in retaining customers as contract renewal prices increased. Traditionally, the renewal process was handled over the phone, resulting in high operational costs, inconsistent user experiences, and drop-offs due to friction in the journey. The goal was to shift this process to a seamless digital experience while maintaining customer trust and minimising churn.

This required addressing several key obstacles:

• Reducing Customer Drop-Off: Ensuring customers felt confident in renewing their contracts despite price increases by improving transparency and value communication.

• Seamless Service Transition: Creating an intuitive digital journey that maintained the level of guidance previously offered through phone agents.

• Complexity vs. Simplicity: The renewal process involved multiple variables, including contract terms, personalised offers, and engineer appointments, which had to be simplified without losing critical information.

• Adoption & Behaviour Change: Encouraging users, especially those accustomed to phone-based renewals, to transition to an online-first experience.

• Business Efficiency: Reducing reliance on call centres while ensuring high customer satisfaction and increasing opportunities for upselling additional services.

Process:

Our squad followed a user-centred, iterative approach guided by the mantra: "Think, Create, Learn, Iterate." The process was designed to ensure that customer insights drove every decision, balancing business objectives with a seamless user experience.

1. Discovery & Research

   • Conducted in-depth stakeholder workshops to align business goals with user needs.

   • Developed user personas based on qualitative interviews and behavioral data to understand pain points, motivations, and renewal decision-making factors.

   • Carried out ethnographic research to identify why customers preferred phone renewals and what barriers existed for digital adoption.

   • Analysed call centre transcripts and customer service logs to map common frustrations and knowledge gaps.

   • Benchmarked against competitor journeys to identify industry best practices and innovative approaches.

User Testing

We conducted regular usability testing to validate each iteration of our product. Every update and improvement was informed by user feedback, ensuring continuous refinement. Below is an example of a test run used to validate changes based on previous user insights.

Outcome

• Clearer Product Vision & Strategy: Defined both short- and long-term roadmaps, aligning with business goals and user needs.

• Enhanced Customer Understanding: Deep insights into customer behaviour and decision-making, driving a more tailored renewal experience.

• Improved Product Delivery & Adoption: A streamlined, user-friendly renewal process led to increased online adoption and reduced reliance on phone support.

• Higher Customer Engagement & Satisfaction: Improved clarity and transparency resulted in a more positive renewal experience, reducing churn risk.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Stronger focus on analytics and user feedback loops to continuously refine and optimise the journey.

• Stakeholder Alignment & Business Impact: Ensured stakeholder satisfaction through measurable improvements in efficiency, cost savings, and user adoption.

Recognition

🏆 BT Innovation Hackathon Winner – Introduced a first-of-its-kind approach by consolidating multiple pages into smart, expandable modules. This allowed users to access essential information without leaving the main journey, creating a more seamless and focused experience.

Role

UX Designer | UI Designer | User Researcher | Usability Testing Lead