Unified E—Commerce Platform
Overview
Putting in a dumpster order was one of the most time-consuming jobs for our subscriber’s customer service workers.
When a client called, CSR (customer service representative) needed to create the client account, filling out about a dozen fields first and only after that starting to take orders. They would ask questions like the service address, who will receive it, whether it will be in a driveway or a yard, what goes inside the dumpster, etc.
Taking an order can be an average 10-17 minute phone call, and nobody loves it. That is why we created an E-commerce platform where a client goes to our subscriber’s website and orders dumpsters online.
Company
CurbWaste is a cloud-based platform that helps waste haulers digitize their operations. It offers route optimization, customer management, compliance tracking, data analytics, and sustainability solutions.
My Role
UIUX Designer
Year
2023
Problem
We identified the need for a user-friendly e-commerce platform to streamline the inefficient, manual process that customer service representatives use to handle dumpster rental and service orders.
Not only was it time-consuming and manual labor to take orders over the phone, but the clients of the subscribers constantly brought up the idea of ordering services online and tracking the progress.
Our Vision
Our vision was to create an e-commerce platform connected to our subscriber’s websites.
Users could order dumpsters online and then track them on this platform in the “customer portal.”
Research
I interviewed our subscriber’s customer service reps and their clients to understand our user's specific needs better.
Some of the CSRs had experience with e-commerce platforms using our competitor’s software, so they could tell me what had worked and what was missing in those platforms.
This is what I found out:
Price Quotes
Since prices fluctuated wildly depending on location, dumpster size, etc., clients needed some price quoting features.
Order Reviews
Inventory management was automated to ensure the required assets were available; CSRs needed to review orders and give the final confirmation in our orders panel.
Follow-Up Emails
Follow-up emails could convert users who initially declined subscribers' services.
On the other hand, our subscriber’s clients were mainly two different personas. Regular homeowners, working on personal projects, and small construction companies also had their clients.
While homeowners didn’t know much about dumpsters, their sizes, or different materials, — Construction companies, who also ordered more dumpsters, were familiar with the process and pricing.
Here is what I found out by talking to our subscriber’s clients:
Size Assist
Homeowners needed assistance with the dumpster sizing, depending on their projects.
Order Tracking
Businesses wanted the ability to track their orders and invoices since their rentals usually lasted months.
Price Transparency
Both types of clients needed to see additional fees in advance before placing the order.
Based on our conversations with the users, we decided on v1.0 vital features:
Instant Price Quoting System
The website should provide the service's base price quote based on the client's location.
Transparent Pricing
Be upfront about additional charges, overload, overage, and extra pick-up fees.
Follow-Up Email Automation
If an email is provided, the system follows up on an offer or small discount coupons.
Size Selection Guide
Design and Provide easy-to-understand dumpster size guides for different types of projects—and minimalist user interface (UI).
Finding Right Solutions
After deciding on the v 1.0 features, we needed to understand how the subscribers' clients would find our E-commerce platforms.
Our original plan was to make this platform accessible from our subscribers' websites.
We called a meeting with developers and business stakeholders and discussed two different ways of integrating e-commerce:
Developers suggested that webhook would be the most time-efficient option.
We would place an “order online” button on each of our subscriber's websites, and it would seamlessly direct them to our platform, barely realizing they had left the website.
The platform had to have each of our subscriber’s logos and names.
I quickly created mid-fidelity designs and got back from all the stakeholders. Next was to bring designs to higher fidelity and test them.
Explore Designs
With Interactive Prototype
Interactive elements flicker once you click anywhere on the prototype. Tap "R" on your Keyboard to restart the prototype. Use left arrow key on your keyboard to go back
R
Design Validation
The design and product teams initially aimed to test the designs before developing them.
Still, we shipped designs without testing because of changes in the dev team and our client's constant pressure (standard in start-ups).
Results
We did receive positive feedback after implementing the e-commerce platform.
The ability to order dumpsters reduced CSR work by 40%, which was a massive win for us, our subscribers, their clients, and even their clients!
Summary
In conclusion, the development and launch of the e-commerce platform significantly improved the efficiency of the dumpster rental and service order process.
The platform's essential features, including instant price quoting, transparent pricing, and a user-friendly size selection guide, addressed the needs of both homeowners and business clients.
Copyright © Giorgi Okhanashvili, 2023. All Rights Reserved.