E-Bike Retailer Service Design
Challenge
A major Australian cycling mass-market retailer acquired the distribution rights for Corratec a premium electric bike brand from Germany. The problem was, sales had been slow and they came to us for help. They were looking for solutions.
Approach
In addition, to a new website and brand, a new store-within-a-store concept was proposed to the client along with other physical process modifications that could improve the customer experience and increase sales conversions.
Personas
A recap of the personas we are designing for:
Customer journey map
Customer journey map tool used to assess e-bike purchase experience indicates two critical areas (the valley’s) where customers may opt of out of purchase path.
A three pronged approach was recommended to combat this:
- Improve online experience for research.
- Improve the in-person experience for product evaluation.
- Improve the cross-channel experience between the online research phase and in-store product evaluation phase.
Service design blueprint
A Service Design Blueprint was produced to understand the process flow between the online and offline channels.
Feature priority map
An ideation exercise was conducted, and possible solutions to improve the customer journey were prioritised so that improvements would deliver the best return-on-investment.
Improving the online booking experience
- Customer can schedule test ride at store online, or over the phone.
- E-bike product expert calls customer and does a basic needs analysis over the phone. Confirm height / bike preferences.
- Informs of them of the need for Photo ID for test ride.
- Provides finance forms (if required) so customer can get pre-approval and leave with bike (if required)
- E-bike product experts emails customer with date/time/location, parking instructions.
Improving the process with a Product Expert
- E-Bike product expert role created. Initially up-skilled sales staff.
- Solution focused rather than sales focused.
- Offers personal touch.
- Build relationship with customers from online booking to bike servicing.
- T-Shirt “ask me about e-bikes”.
- “Show don’t tell” approach.
Improving the Q&A experience
What if the e-bike sales discussion was more like a car buying experience.
- The customer has a one on one with a product expert.
- Seats around a small table.
- Customers can experience and interact with the bike throughout the conversation.
Improving the bike demo / trial experience
- E-Bike product expert able to customer home / work to demo bike.
- Allow customer to test ride the bike 24 or 48 hours.
- Collect all information required for sale in initial consult.
- After 48 hours, customer can keep bike and credit card charged if they want to buy.
