Bhanzu
JAN 2024 - FEB 2024
Communication Management Platform
In today's business world, effective communication with customers on different platforms is crucial. But many operations teams struggle to handle various communication channels, leading to wasted time and manual work. Bhanzu saw this problem and set out to create a communication management app that brings all platforms together in one place. This case study delves into our UX design journey to help operations teams overcome these challenges and manage communication more efficiently.
Role
Product designer
Responsibilities
System design
User interface design
Research
Team
Designer (Myself)
Engineering manager
Data security team
Operations team
2 Months duration
94%
Efficiency from 30+ min to 3 min to send communications
Unique insights
Business level insights for better communication
Cost reduction
Reduction in manual labor costs resulted in the best ROI
Ease of use
3 minute work flow to send comms
Key metrics
Reduce manual work for the team
Simplify the information architecture
Provide business level insights and reports for operational managers
What we have to achieve? 🏆
Operations teams currently spend around 30 minutes each day manually sending communications across various platforms. This process is inefficient and labor-intensive. As an Ed-tech company, we have a critical need to send live class reminders to our extensive user base of over 100,000 students every day, just before the event begins, typically 10-15 minutes prior.
Problem Statement
To build a product to manage all communication platforms for outbound messages and automate the process
Our Goal 🎯
Will this project yield results? 🤔
Qualitative research, field research, competitor research
Let’s ask the users 🕵🏻
This research can uncover unmet needs and opportunities for innovation. By listening to users' experiences and frustrations with existing communication management processes, we can identify areas where the Bhanzu application can offer unique solutions or improvements that differentiate it from competitors
Questions
Starting with open ended question and directing users to close ended questions
How do you currently manage communication across multiple platforms in your daily workflow?
What are the main challenges you face when sending messages across different communication channels?
How much time do you typically spend on communication management tasks, such as composing and sending messages, across all platforms?
What features or functionalities would you find most beneficial in a unified communication management application?
What concerns do you have regarding security and privacy when managing customer data across multiple communication channels?
Target audience
Communication managers or administrators overseeing communication processes, data privacy officers
All members of the operations team involved in communication tasks
#Daily workflow
#Time taken
#Data security
#Ease of explanation
#Management
Navigating through platforms
Involves logging in and out of different interfaces, copying and pasting content, and ensuring messages are sent to the correct recipients on each platform
Time-consuming and prone to errors, leading to inefficiencies in our workflow
Repetition of process
Lack of integration between platforms, which requires us to duplicate efforts and manually input information multiple times
Lack of reports
Tracking and analyzing communication performance across platforms is also cumbersome, as we rely on separate tools and reports
User desires
A unified application that consolidates all communication channels into a single interface would be incredibly valuable.
Features such as centralised message composition, scheduling, and tracking performance metrics would streamline our workflow and improve efficiency.
Integration with existing tools and platforms, as well as customisable templates and automated responses, would further enhance productivity.
Inconsistency in quality
Ensuring consistency in messaging across channels and managing responses from customers can be overwhelming
Time consuming
On average, we spend approximately 30 minutes per communication campaign, from composing messages to sending them across various platforms.
This time includes navigating between interfaces, customising messages for different channels, and verifying delivery.
The message templates need to be approved by managers before any message is been sent out, currently happening with excel sheets
We found out 👁️🗨️
Major findings from all forms of survey
A glance at our competitors 🥇🥈🥉
Understanding the common practices utilised in designing communication management applications
Front
Front is a collaborative inbox platform that allows teams to manage communication channels such as email, SMS, chat, and social media in one unified interface
Front offers powerful collaboration features, such as shared inboxes, internal comments, and assignment workflows, making it ideal for teams handling customer support and sales communications
While Front integrates with several communication channels, its focus is primarily on email management
Intercom
Intercom is a customer messaging platform that offers solutions for live chat, email marketing, and customer support automation
Intercom provides a comprehensive suite of tools for engaging with customers across various channels, including live chat, email, and push notifications. Its automation features help streamline communication workflows and personalize interactions
While Intercom supports multiple communication channels, its pricing structure may be prohibitive for small to medium-sized businesses, limiting accessibility. Additionally, users may find the interface complex and overwhelming, especially when configuring automation rules and workflows.
Zendesk
Zendesk is a customer service software that offers solutions for ticketing, chat, call center, and knowledge base management
Zendesk provides a robust suite of customer service tools, including ticket management, live chat, and call center functionalities. Its extensive integration ecosystem allows businesses to connect Zendesk with various communication channels and third-party applications
While Zendesk supports integration with multiple communication platforms, its focus is primarily on customer service ticketing and support, rather than comprehensive communication management. Users may find the interface complex and overwhelming, particularly when configuring workflows and automations.
Tool name
Strength
Weakness
We faced few challenges 😰
Integrating multiple communication platforms into a single application posed technical challenges due to varying APIs and protocols
Operations teams may be resistant to change and hesitant to adopt a new communication management solution
Handling sensitive customer data across multiple communication channels raises concerns regarding data security and privacy
Consolidating diverse communication channels into one interface without overwhelming users required careful consideration of information architecture and UI design
Providing actionable insights from communication data was essential for operations teams to assess performance and optimize strategies
And we solved them 🎯
We developed custom integration modules and APIs to seamlessly connect with popular communication platforms, ensuring smooth data exchange and interoperability
We conducted extensive user training sessions and provided comprehensive documentation to familiarize users with the application's features and benefits. Additionally, the application was designed with a user-friendly interface to minimize the learning curve and encourage adoption
We implemented robust security measures, including encryption protocols and access controls, to safeguard user data against unauthorized access and breaches. Compliance with relevant data protection regulations such as GDPR and CCPA was also ensured to maintain user trust and compliance
We simplified the interface by categorizing communications based on platform and priority, enabling users to navigate effortlessly
We implemented advanced analytics features that generate comprehensive reports on communication effectiveness, delivery rates, and customer engagement
Structuring the navigation for ease of use 🧭
Redefining the existing IA
Platforms we integrated
Slack
SMS
Notification
Voice
Previous versions 🧪
Version 1.0
This version was build without a designer
Version 2.0
This version was build by myself (Internal application)
Version 3.0
Under construction
Final design UI
UI-Design
Communication got better
Manage and send communication to your customers within 3 minutes
3-step approach
Enter pipeline details, choose a template, test and send communication
Select a template
Select or create new templates for all platforms in one place
Test your communication
Send a test mail address before sending to customers
Insights for business
Get to know communication success rate, failure rate, seen time
Add/create templates
Create templates for every communication type / event
Get reports on all communications
Delivery time, received time, seen time and more
Bhanzu's journey to creating a groundbreaking communication platform highlights the transformative power of UX design in solving real-world challenges. By focusing on user needs and leveraging advanced technologies, Bhanzu has redefined communication management, setting new standards for efficiency and innovation. This unified platform paves the way for significant advancements in communication management, driving growth and success in our interconnected world.
At last 😇
The implementation of Bhanzu's communication management application has yielded significant benefits for operations teams
Reduction of manual labor from 30 minutes to 3-minute automated process
Consolidation of multiple communication platforms into one centralized hub
Enhanced efficiency and productivity in managing customer communications
Access to actionable insights and analytics for data-driven decision-making
What did we achieve? 🤔
Upon reaching a certain revenue point, this product may have a CMS integrated into it to handle customer complaint tickets and manage them through a live chat feature
Our Future plans 🔮
The results below are from version 2.0
How API’s impact the performance of the product
To collaborate with different stakeholders
To make balanced decisions between user needs and tech-feasibility
This project taught me
Personal take aways from this project 🤠
