This case study examines how Vodafone redesigned its Express Upgrade program, aiming to improve customer experience and reduce order changes or cancellations. The program provides eligible customers with a convenient way to upgrade their devices and mobile plans, offering the latest mobile devices and competitive discounts on mobile plans. However, issues arose, leading customers to modify or cancel orders through customer care

Identifying the Problem: Understanding Order Changes and Cancellations

Vodafone initiated the project by analyzing data from the Express Upgrade orders database. This analysis revealed that order cancellations constituted over 30% of orders, followed by plan-only changes at around 20%, and device color changes. Device type changes were minimal. Most customers making multiple changes retained the same device but opted for a different plan and color.

“Most users favored the iPhone 12 Standard model, offering a wider range of color choices compared to the Pro and Mini models. This suggests that customers prioritize personalized options over switching device models.”

Customers with low spend and brand fidelity are price-sensitive and seek clarity in offers. They often look for alternative deals, fearing hidden fees, and aim to find the best offer available

Research Methodology: Uncovering Customer Attitudes and Decision-Making Processes

Surveys and user interviews explored customer perspectives on the Express Upgrade program.

Survey: A 25-minute survey of 1,207 customers (ages 25–50) examined device usage, spending habits, brand loyalty, and shopping preferences. Key findings included:

• High-income customers value innovation and respond to personalized marketing.

• Negative experiences among younger users (25–34) could lead to harmful reviews, impacting campaigns aimed at review-dependent groups (35–44).

A survey explored various aspects, including brand familiarity, fidelity and loyalty, preferred shopping and servicing channels, device usage, spending patterns, demographics, and more. Brand fidelity and familiarity were assessed using Likert scale questions. Each parameter had five questions, and the results were consolidated into single values for both brand fidelity and familiarity. To verify correlations, a reliability analysis was conducted, revealing a positive correlation between spending and brand fidelity. Customers with higher brand fidelity tended to have higher spending habits.

User Interviews: Eighteen customers who modified orders within five days shared their experiences. Insights revealed:

• Offer details were clear, but some overlooked them due to excitement.

• Segment-specific issues included color preferences, plan change reliance on customer support, and confusion around plan inclusions.

Visualisation of the thematic analysis based on the customer interviews

“Based on the survey and interview findings, it can be hypothesized that the Express Upgrade experience triggers intuitive and spontaneous decision-making styles in some customers. This may lead to careless decisions without detailed planning, resulting in order changes or cancellations”

Synthesizing Findings and Understanding Decision-Making Styles

The combined findings from the survey and interviews suggest that the Express Upgrade experience triggers intuitive and impulsive decision-making in some customers. This can lead to hasty decisions without thorough planning, resulting in order changes or cancellations. To address this, the user experience should encourage the evaluation of alternatives, ensuring positive post-purchase evaluation. The design should consider the consumer decision-making process stages: need recognition, information gathering, evaluating alternatives, purchase, and post-purchase evaluation.

“It was found that negative experiences with the offer among customers aged 25 to 34 led them to express their opinions on customer review platforms and social media.”

It was found that negative experiences with the offer among customers aged 25 to 34 may lead them to express their opinions on customer review platforms and social media. The presence of these reviews has the potential to negatively impact the performance of the Express Upgrade offer campaign and another marketing initiative, particularly among the 35 to 44 age group who heavily depend on reviews and social proof as influential factors.

Implementing Solutions: Prioritizing Customer Choice and Transparency

Based on the research insights, Vodafone implemented several changes to improve the Express Upgrade experience:

Empowering Customer Choice: Addressing the need to explore plan details, Vodafone restructured plan information into distinct areas for clarity.
Enhancing Transparency: A plan comparison module was introduced, highlighting key differences between the current plan and the suggested upgrade.

“Specific insights were identified for each segment, such as the preference for color choice, reliance on customer care or in-store visits for plan changes, and a lack of clarity in plan inclusions”

To improve the Express Upgrade experience, several changes have been implemented. One significant change is allowing customer choice and addressing the need for exploring plan details. The plan information has been structured into distinct areas to enhance clarity and transparency. A plan comparison module has been introduced to highlight the main differences between the current plan and the suggested upgrade."

Measuring Results: Validating the Effectiveness of Design Changes

Testing the implemented changes yielded positive results:

Increased Conversion Rate: 67% increase
Reduced Order Changes: Over 32% reduction
Reduced Exit Rate: 12% reduction

“When the hypotheses has been tested, this option has resulted in: Increase of conversion rate by 67% reduction in order change by over 32% reduction in the exit rate by 12%””

Conclusion: Achieving Success Through a User-Centric and Data-Driven Approach

The Vodafone Express Upgrade case study showcases the effectiveness of a data-driven and user-centric approach to improve customer experience. By combining data analysis, surveys, and user interviews, Vodafone identified key customer segments, their needs, and their decision-making styles. The redesigned Express Upgrade program, focused on customer choice and transparency, successfully addressed these needs, resulting in increased conversion rates, reduced order changes, and an overall improved customer experience. These outcomes demonstrate the significance of continuous data analysis and user feedback in optimizing digital products and services.