Improving In-Store Experience for Small Business Customers @ Verizon Buisness
Replaced cookie-cutter sales with tailored business solutions, powered by a guided iPad experience.
My Role
Timeline
UX Researcher and Designer
Responsible for end-to-end research, conceptualization, design and Usability testing.
October 2024 - May 2025
Problem Overview
The gap between customer expectations and in-store reality
Small business customers expect comprehensive, tailored solutions from Verizon but receive generic internet and mobile plans after lengthy wait times.
Sales reps lack product knowledge and discovery tools to identify customer needs or recommend from Verizon's extensive business portfolio. This results in frustrated customers, lost revenue, and over-dependence on limited specialized business representatives.
The core issue: Verizon delivers generic service when business customers demand personalized, consultative experiences.
Problem Statement
'How might we help Verizon sales reps effectively recommend all relevant solutions to small business customers based on their unique needs and goals?'
Solution Overview
An interactive iPad-based discovery tool that empowers sales reps to quickly understand small business customer needs and generate personalized recommendations from Verizon's full suite of solutions.
This solution transforms the generic "internet and mobile plan" interaction into a consultative experience where customers leave with a complete understanding of how Verizon can support their business growth.
How it works?
Guided Discovery
Interactive interface walks sales reps through key questions to uncover customer business type, size, goals, and pain points.
Real-time Recommendations
Instantly generates tailored product bundles from Verizon's complete portfolio (both below and above-network solutions)
Conversation Enabler
Provides talking points and benefit explanations to help reps confidently discuss solutions they may not be deeply familiar with.
Customer Engagement
Interactive format keeps customers engaged during the discovery process.
Business Impact Delivered
Dramatically reduced service time
Customer interactions decreased from 52 minutes to just 10-15 minutes
Significant revenue growth
Projected 35% increase in Verizon Business sales
Strong customer satisfaction
Achieved an NPS (Net promotor score) score of 72
Enhanced product awareness
Boosted solution knowledge across Verizon's business portfolio
Key Benefits
For Sales Reps
Eliminates guesswork, provides confidence to handle business customers, reduces dependency on specialized business reps.
For Customers
Faster, more comprehensive service with personalized recommendations that address their actual business needs.
For Verizon
Increased cross-sell opportunities, better customer data capture, improved in-store conversion rates.
Final Designs
Smart Customer Onboarding
Seamless data capture that personalizes the experience from the first interaction!
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Industry selection for personalized experience
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AI-powered auto-population from existing records
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Essential business information capture
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Real-time database integration
Understanding the Business
Strategic questioning that reveals customer needs and guides relevant solutions.
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Guided key questions about team size and work style
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Structured data collection for personalized recommendations
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Quick customer insight capture for sales reps
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Ensures critical business details aren't missed
Exploring Verizon Services
Organized service discovery that matches business needs with relevant solutions.
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Service categories organized for easy scanning and explanation
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Targeted follow-up questions for each service
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Customer preference capture tied to specific business needs
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Guides reps through comprehensive solution options
Intelligent Solution Matching
Precision recommendations that connect customer needs with perfect solutions.
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AI-generated personalized service bundles
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Integrated promotions and relevant add-ons
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One-click handoff to Master Solution Architect
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Saved selections for future interactions
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Confidence-building presentation format for reps
Built-In Support Tools
Real-time assistance that keeps conversations flowing smoothly.
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Categorized FAQ database for instant answers
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Verizon GPT integration for live support
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In-app note-taking for customer tracking
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Direct calling to MSA and business reps
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Seamless help without disrupting flow
Want to see how we built this solution? Keep scrolling to explore our design process
Curious about the research, ideation, and testing that shaped this iPad tool? The following sections dive into our user-centered design methodology, from initial customer interviews to final prototype validation.
Research
What did we do?
Primary And Secondary Research
Understanding the gaps in how Verizon serves business customers.
22
Semi-structured interviews
with sales reps, business representatives, and account managers.
6
hours in-store observation
tracking real customer interactions from greeting to close
12+
Competitive analysis
business service providers
16+
Research papers
on small business technology adoption
Research Revealed:
Limited Solution Scope
90% of business interactions result in network-only recommendations despite broader needs.
Operational Inefficiency
​52-minute average service time due to multiple handoffs and delays
Awareness
Gap
Business customers remain unaware of Verizon's full solution ecosystem.
Tool
Misalignment
Current iPad systems prioritize lead generation over needs discovery.
What's Blocking Reps from Selling Beyond Basic Services?
Confidence Barriers
Knowledge Overwhelm
Sales reps expressed anxiety about recommending unfamiliar solutions:
"I get nervous suggesting anything I can't fully explain" and "What if I promise something we can't deliver?"
The breadth of Verizon's portfolio creates paralysis: "Too many options to remember" and "I never know what fits their specific situation."
Critical Insight
The real problem wasn't what reps were doing, it was what prevented them from doing more. Addressing these psychological and structural barriers became essential for any solution to succeed in practice.
Synthesis
Connecting the Dots
Turning Insights Into Patterns
Affinity mapping transformed fragmented data points into a cohesive narrative about why business customers weren't getting the service they needed.
Ideation
Ideations and brainstorming
From Problems to Possibilities
Exploring Solution Concepts
1
Collaborative Exploration
We started with team brainstorming and paper sketches to rapidly generate ideas and align on design direction. This encouraged diverse perspectives without early commitment to specific solutions
2
Structure Before Details
Next, we mapped out the information architecture to establish clear user flows and content hierarchy, preventing design dead-ends later.
3
Low- fidelity wireframes
We created low-fidelity wireframes to visualize functionality and interactions. Staying intentionally rough allowed quick iteration and stakeholder feedback without visual distractions.
4
Early Validation
These concepts became conversation starters with sales reps and managers, helping validate assumptions before detailed design work.
11
Usability Tests
with sales and business representatives
02
Concept Tests
with Verizon Stakeholders
Usability Testing
Evaluating The Solution
Final validation with sales teams in real-world scenarios
After refining our designs based on early feedback, we conducted comprehensive usability testing to ensure the solution would perform effectively in live customer interactions.
What Users Loved
Natural Conversation Flow
''The tool lets me talk to customers normally without feeling like I'm reading from a script''
- Sales Rep
Intuitive Experience
''This flows so much better than what we had before, everything is where you'd expect it to be''
- Business Rep
Confidence Building
Clear product information helped reps explain services confidently, while FAQ access provided instant answers without disrupting customer flow.
Operational Efficiency
The MSA handoff feature eliminated repetitive steps, and cross-selling support enabled reps to recommend beyond basic internet and devices.
Areas for Future Enhancement:
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Enterprise customer expansion -
Scale the tool to handle larger business needs and complex procurement processes.
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Predictive analytics -
Use historical data to anticipate customer needs and proactively suggest solutions.
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Integration ecosystem -
Connect with CRM, inventory, and billing systems for seamless end-to-end experience.
Reflection & Key Takeaways
What I'd Do Differently
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Map out technical constraints earlier -
Understanding system limitations upfront could have streamlined the design process.
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Include more diverse business types in research - Exploring niche industries could have revealed additional workflow needs beyond standard cases
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Test more complex customer scenarios -
Evaluating multi-location and enterprise needs would have identified scalability opportunities earlier
What Worked Well
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Starting with the "why"-
Understanding rep confidence issues was more valuable than jumping straight to interface solutions.
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Testing in actual stores -
Real environments revealed issues we'd never catch in conference rooms.
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Keeping it simple -
The most effective features were often the most straightforward ones.
Biggest Surprise
The solution's success came less from fancy features and more from giving reps confidence to have conversations they were already capable of having.
What This Taught Me
Sometimes the best design solution isn't the most innovative one, it's the one that actually gets used and creates real value for people doing their jobs every day.
