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Introducing our innovative solution – a robust referral and review management system. We recognized a significant challenge faced by tradespeople in today's digital age, where online reputation holds immense importance. A vast majority, approximately 95%, of potential customers now turn to social media and online portals to gauge the credibility of service providers before making contact.
For contractors engaged in numerous shorter-term projects, the task of manually tracking, reaching out to clients, and soliciting online reviews can be a time-consuming and cumbersome process. That's where our system comes into play. It empowers tradespeople to swiftly and effortlessly generate hundreds of authentic online reviews from satisfied customers. With this capability at their disposal, businesses can significantly enhance their online reputation, thereby boosting their trustworthiness and appeal to potential clients. In a world where 95% of customers rely on reviews to make informed decisions, our solution equips tradespeople with a powerful tool to thrive in the digital landscape.
For tradespeople, Google My Business and Facebook stand out as the two most influential social media platforms. These are often the first destinations for potential customers seeking service providers. Consequently, our product's principal objective is to introduce an automated solution for managing and enhancing their presence on these platforms. Additionally, the app strives to foster increased interactions and deliver a personalized experience to contractors' customers, encouraging them to leave reviews across various online platforms. In the case of tradespeople, our aim is to streamline the process, reducing the number of interactions and providing an automated solution that frees up their time, eliminating the need for manual intervention in this specific task.
Our internal team, consisting of three members, has been dedicated to this project, where I assumed dual responsibilities for product management and product design. As a tightly-knit unit, we have been actively engaged in every phase, spanning from research to implementation and analytics. The comprehensive scope of our work encompassed the following major stages:
The project was a collaborative effort involving a team of three individuals: a Product Designer, a Front-end Developer, and a Back-end Developer. To make the most efficient use of our time, we meticulously optimized tasks and project phases, aiming to deliver the maximum value within the specified timeframe.
I aimed to establish a brand and visual identity that exuded qualities such as self-confidence, trust, strength, and security. It's worth noting that TradieReviews operates as a subsidiary of a larger corporation. Therefore, with respect to the logo, we needed to align it with the established central corporate visual identity while seamlessly integrating the new brand within that framework.
Originally created as a bespoke typeface for the 2013 and 2014 identity of design conference and competition Visuelt (Oslo, Norway) – also known as the National Norwegian Design Awards – the typeface spawned from a more considered and constrained version of Aperçu. From its initial roots and underlying aesthetic, new details were brought in to remove some of the more distinguishable features of Aperçu to make way for a new tone of voice and trajectory.
Usability tests serve as a valuable avenue for actively listening to users' feedback and refining the product. In the case of tradespeople who participated in testing, they found the product to be functional and capable of handling many aspects of their needs. However, their insights were instrumental in generating a host of requests and ideas as they explored various use cases. Additionally, their feedback was pivotal in identifying areas where the product could be enhanced to better cater to their requirements.
Based on analytics and usability tests, it became evident that the previous onboarding process presented challenges for users. In response, we opted for a more user-friendly approach by breaking down the onboarding process into multiple steps. This segmentation was aimed at providing users with a clearer understanding of each step. Notably, we identified that logo upload posed difficulties on mobile devices, prompting us to introduce the option for users to skip this step, along with relocating it to the final stage of the onboarding process.
User research revealed that tradespeople commonly invite multiple clients by copying and pasting multiple contacts/emails. Additionally, they often maintain their contacts in Excel or Google Sheet files. In response, we developed a convenient add-on that seamlessly integrates contact lists from Google Sheets and automates the process of sending review requests to these individuals. This feature simplifies the workflow for tradespeople and enhances their efficiency when reaching out to clients for reviews.
My objective was to boost the number of registrations within the system. As a result, the landing page design was strategically crafted to incorporate numerous Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) and Call to Action (CTA) blocks, compelling users to take action and sign up. Below, you can preview a section of this design.
We've established a system for end users that intelligently manages outbound reviews. As a result, reviews from users who provide low ratings will not be published on social media platforms. Nevertheless, tradespeople will still receive these reviews, allowing them to reach out to dissatisfied customers and address their concerns. Conversely, users who leave higher ratings are actively encouraged to engage further and share their positive feedback on various social media platforms, fostering a culture of increased interaction and advocacy.
The referral system is accessible both with and without the need for user login. For users who choose not to log in, the process involves entering their email addresses, after which they gain the capability to invite their friends. Each user can invite up to 10 friends at a time using this method.
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