Merging business objectives and user needs in unexpected ways

There is no one-size-fits-all design solution. Sometimes, research reveals that the ideal approach is also an unexpected one.

The challenge

Our healthcare client, which was in the process of digital transformation, had a life-saving service that relied heavily on a robust call center.

A UX designer’s first instinct may be to eliminate the call center and create a fully mobile experience–but there is more to the story.

The solution

Our discovery workshop revealed that existing contractual obligations required the client to provide a certain number of phone hours to users.

After that quota was reached, subsequent calls were reimbursed by the minute. What’s more, user research showed that the patients were elderly, unfamiliar with technology, and lived in remote areas, often alone.

They preferred speaking to a real human being over the telephone, as it set their minds at ease and gave them somebody to talk to.

Design with a human voice

Since the call center had long provided people with meaningful connection, and the quotas meant that there was no incentive to reduce its role, we decided to keep the human voice central in the new design flow while implementing contemporary UX principles.

Some crucial and challenging parts of the onboarding process, including account creation, were integrated into an introductory call, which both eliminated data entry errors and provided a warm and friendly introduction from a real human being.

When using the product, users are encouraged to call the helpline any time they feel frustrated or apprehensive. This helps ease them into the digital experience and become more comfortable.

The impact

Keeping elements of human interaction reassures users that everything is going well and starts building a relationship that encourages them to reach out in times of need, whether it be a health crisis, to troubleshoot, or just to have a chat.

This greatly improves both ease of use and customer satisfaction, which is essential when it comes to a life-saving healthcare product.