Learning Launch

Design Tool Application

Challenge    I work for the Telecommunications Company in the Product Development Department and our  challenge was to increase the amount of TV packages upselling - to motivate customers to  upgrade their TV packages on more expensive ones that included more TV channels.  There already were several methods of package upgrade for customers, such as: online - via  Self-Care Portal and offline - with the help of Call Center and/or Service Center operator.   Despite of the active marketing communication, some important amount of TV subscribers did  not realize that there was a variety of TV channels except the ones they already had activated.  There also was a discomfort while watching TV to switch to another device or call the hotline  operator (I am not even saying anything about visiting Company’s Service Center), get  information about other TV channels/Packages and then purchase it.  We realized that the best way for customers to activate additional TV packages was while  watching TV and decided to develop TV Upsell function that enabled customers to preview and  watch all the available TV channels during 2 minutes/each channel and then activate the  desired package directly from TV interface.      Selection    Idea seemed very fascinating, but still we did not know the customers reaction and readiness to  use the function. It needed to test in all aspects starting from the idea, ending to the interface,  while we started technical development process.  We decided to use a learning launch tool to test the function in several amount of real  customers and research how their needs would have been satisfied using this function.      Application    The first thing we have done before testing the real customers was that we have introduced the  idea to the several colleagues from different departments, including: Marketing, PR, Sales,  Customer Relationships and Customer Services.   After their opinion and recommendations, refined idea was tested among the real TV customers.   We have created an interface prototype where was represented the function whole working  process: how the upselling channels were given in the TV interface in the channels list, how  customer had the opportunity to preview the desired channel during 2 minutes, how the  package purchase window was given in the interface and how the package activation process  looked like.

The idea and prototype testing was conducted among focus group with 10 individuals. The  questions we asked the customers were open. They were discussing about the new feature with  great interest and excitement.   This method of testing very much helped us to identify main strengths and weaknesses of the  feature.      Insight    As we applied the learning launch tool, we realized that overall the idea was very successful but  still there were several things we had to modify in order to satisfy customers’ needs. Particularly,  we thought that upselling channels should have been viewed while channel zapping (while  quickly switching between different TV channels to find something interesting to watch to) but  this feature caused irritation among users. Also we thought that upselling channels had to be  given disordered way on the TV interface channels list, but this also did not like users as they  saw it like a barrier to preview their available channels list. So we improved both features and  did not implement in the way we planned it.      Approach    Our team permanently uses several design thinking activities/tools and in this case the learning  launch was definitely the appropriate one.   However I would try to modify the process of using learning launch tool for another time: I would  have increased the number of test customers and added face to face interviews as well. The  reason is that during group researches individuals more or less influence on each other’s  opinion.


Learning Launch Design Tool Application Challenge I work for the Telecommunications Company in the Product Development Department and our challenge was to increase the amount of TV packages upselling - to motivate customers to upgrade their TV packages on more expensive ones that included more TV channels . There already were several methods of package upgrade for customers , such as : online - via Self - Care Portal and offline - with the help of Call Center and/or Service Center operator . Despite of the active marketing communication , some important amount of TV subscribers did not realize that there was a variety of TV channels except the ones they already had activated . There also was a discomfort while watching TV to switch to another device or call the hotline operator ( I am not even saying anything about visiting Company ’s Service Center ) , get information about other TV channels / Packages and then purchase it . We realized that the best way for customers to activate additional TV packages was while watching TV and decided to develop TV Upsell function that enabled customers to preview and watch all the available TV channels during 2 minutes / each channel and then activate the desired package directly from TV interface . Selection Idea seemed very fascinating , but still we did not know the customers reaction and readiness to use the function . It needed to test in all aspects starting from the idea , ending to the interface , while we started technical development process . We decided to use a learning launch tool to test the function in several amount of real customers and research how their needs would have been satisfied using this function . Application The first thing we have done before testing the real customers was that we have introduced the idea to the several colleagues from different departments , including : Marketing , PR , Sales , Customer Relationships and Customer Services . After their opinion and recommendations , refined idea was tested among the real TV customers . We have created an interface prototype where was represented the function whole working process : how the upselling channels were given in the TV interface in the channels list , how customer had the opportunity to preview the desired channel during 2 minutes , how the package purchase window was given in the interface and how the package activation process looked like . The idea and prototype testing was conducted among focus group with 10 individuals . The questions we asked the customers were open . They were discussing about the new feature with great interest and excitement . This method of testing very much helped us to identify main strengths and weaknesses of the feature . Insight As we applied the learning launch tool , we realized that overall the idea was very successful but still there were several things we had to modify in order to satisfy customers ’ needs . Particularly , we thought that upselling channels should have been viewed while channel zapping ( while quickly switching between different TV channels to find something interesting to watch to ) but this feature caused irritation among users . Also we thought that upselling channels had to be given disordered way on the TV interface channels list , but this also did not like users as they saw it like a barrier to preview their available channels list . So we improved both features and did not implement in the way we planned it . Approach Our team permanently uses several design thinking activities / tools and in this case the learning launch was definitely the appropriate one . However I would try to modify the process of using learning launch tool for another time : I would have increased the number of test customers and added face to face interviews as well . The reason is that during group researches individuals more or less influence on each other ’s opinion .