Securing Stakeholder Buy-In: Designing a 5-Touchpoint Strategy to Integrate Grooze

Case study read: ~13 mins

In a previous case study, I designed Grooze, a platform aimed at addressing common grocery store frustrations, such as long wait lines and difficulty locating items. In this case study, I focused on developing strategies to integrate Grooze into existing grocery stores and secure buy-in from key stakeholders. My task involved designing a 5-touchpoint customer journey to illustrate how consumers would learn about and adopt Grooze. My responsibilities included mapping user flows, determining deliverables for each touchpoint, designing the branding, and considering the needs of both grocery store consumers and staff. This approach ensures that the implementation of Grooze aligns with its vision of creating a smooth, efficient, and seamless shopping experience.

Tools

Figma
Illustrator
Photoshop
Notion

Skills

HMW
Storyboard
User Flows
Prototyping
Mockups

Disciplines

UX Research
UI Design
Brand Design
Customer Experience

Timeline

Jan-April 2024
(4 months)

Problem

How Might We Implement Grooze in Existing Grocery Stores?

In a previous case study, I developed Grooze, a platform utilizing "Just Walk Out" technology to eliminate long wait lines. The current challenge is determining how to effectively implement Grooze within grocery stores.

  • Why should users download and use Grooze? How can we raise awareness and encourage adoption of the platform among consumers?
  • Why should businesses adopt Grooze? What incentives and benefits will convince grocery stores to integrate this technology into their operations?
Goals

Develop a Comprehensive Touchpoint Journey Campaign

To support Grooze’s implementation, my goal was to design a 5-touchpoint journey campaign that enhances the customer experience and appeals to stakeholders by clearly presenting the logistics and benefits of Grooze. My high-level goals included:

  • Creating a Visual Brand Identity: Establish a strong and recognizable brand for Grooze.
  • Delivering Tailored Products for Each Touchpoint: Design specific deliverables that streamline the customer experience across all touchpoints.
  • Securing Buy-Ins from Business Partners: Persuade stakeholders of the value and practicality of integrating Grooze into their operations.

Research

Understanding the User Flow

To craft an effective touchpoint journey campaign, it was essential to first comprehend the user flow. I envisioned various scenarios depicting how individuals might interact with the Grooze brand, considering questions such as:

  • Awareness: How will people become acquainted with the platform?
  • Motivation: What incentives will drive them to download Grooze?
  • Interaction: In what ways will they engage with Grooze's features?
  • Business Integration: What information does the business require to facilitate a seamless experience?
  • Retention: How can we foster brand loyalty and enhance retention rates?
User flow chart

Developing the 5 Touchpoints: Seizing Opportunities at Each Brand Interaction

Building upon the user flow insights, I identified five critical touchpoints: Awareness, Learning, Onboarding, Experience, and Follow-Up. Through a "How Might We" (HMW) workshop, I brainstormed opportunities to elevate the user experience at each stage. This process yielded a diverse array of potential deliverables, ranging from print posters and social media advertisements to features designed to bolster Grooze's credibility and user-centric approach.

How Might We workshop

Utilizing Storyboarded Scenarios to Refine Deliverables

Given the extensive list of potential deliverables from the HMW workshop and the constraints of time, I employed storyboarding to visualize user progression through each touchpoint. This method allowed me to prioritize and execute the Most Viable Products (MVP) for each stage, ensuring a focused and impactful campaign.

Sketched storyboard
Design

Crafting Grooze’s Brand Identity Around Its Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

“In an age where everything competes for your time, Grooze gives it back by making shopping efficient and effortless. Grooze not only enhances customer satisfaction but also optimizes store operations and reduces stress for staff, creating a better experience for everyone.”

Grooze's brand identity is closely tied to its mission of bringing joy and ease to the shopping experience. The name "Grooze," reminiscent of "cruise," evokes a sense of speed, relaxation, and fun, perfectly encapsulating the brand's promise. The logomark, a sleek and streamlined shopping cart, symbolizes the simplicity and ease of shopping with Grooze.

The brand’s color palette features Chill Blue and Delightful Orange. Chill Blue conveys a sense of productivity and relaxation—two elements that, while seemingly contradictory, come together as people feel relaxed and satisfied when they are productive. Delightful Orange, a complementary color to blue, adds vibrancy to the brand, enhancing its appeal. Orange also evokes feelings of freshness and happiness, reinforcing the brand's cheerful and inviting nature.

The brand patterns incorporate minimalist line art depicting various shopper actions, further emphasizing Grooze’s commitment to making shopping effortless.

Grooze brand guidelines
Awareness

Grabbing Attention Through In-Store Posters, Innovative Technology, and Branded Shopping Bags

The Awareness stage is the initial phase of Grooze's touchpoint journey, where potential customers first learn about the platform. This stage involves multiple strategies to capture attention:

  • Digital Shopping Carts and Grooze Gates: Positioned at the storefront, these innovative features are designed to pique curiosity and draw people in.
  • Physical Advertisements: Around the store, strategically placed posters and signage with catchy taglines directly address common frustrations shoppers face, highlighting how Grooze can solve them.
  • Employee Engagement: Store employees wearing Grooze-branded uniforms serve as walking advertisements, further embedding the brand into the shopping environment.
  • Branded Shopping Bags: At checkout, customers receive shopping bags featuring the Grooze logo and messaging, reinforcing brand awareness even after they leave the store.
Grooze poster mockups
Grooze gates and digital carts mockups
Grooze's staff uniform front and back design
Grooze shopping bags mockups
Learning

Delivering Value and Establishing Credibility for Users

The Learning stage is the second phase of Grooze's touchpoint journey, where users engage with the platform and gather the information they need to get started. This phase is all about building trust and providing clear value:

  • Home Page Design: I created a user-friendly homepage featuring a prominent link or QR code to download the Grooze app. This page also includes essential information about what Grooze offers, its key services, and how it enhances the shopping experience.
  • Subscription Service: To keep users informed and engaged, I integrated a subscription service where users can sign up for the latest news, weekly promotions, and deals on popular items.

The objective at this stage is to educate users about Grooze, establish its credibility, and empower them with the knowledge and confidence to download the app and create an account, setting the stage for a smooth onboarding experience.

Grooze website prototype
Onboarding

Personalizing the Experience and Understanding Customer Shopping Habits

The Onboarding stage is the third phase of Grooze's touchpoint journey, where users download the app and set the foundation for a personalized shopping experience. This stage focuses on gathering essential information to tailor the experience to each user’s needs.

#1 Creating an account

Upon downloading the app, users are guided through a seamless account creation process, where they provide their email and credit card information. Thanks to the familiarity and trust established in the Learning stage, users are more comfortable sharing personal details, knowing that Grooze will enhance their shopping experience.

Grooze create an account high-fidelity prototype

#2 Personalizing the Experience Through Dietary Preferences

During onboarding, users are asked about their dietary preferences, shopping habits, and goals. This information allows Grooze to recognize food allergens, highlight relevant ingredients, and recommend products that align with the user’s taste and preferences based on their shopping history.

Grooze dietary preferences high-fidelity prototype

#3 Onboarding the cut-edge Grooze technology with simple tutorials

To ensure a smooth transition to in-store use, the app offers brief, straightforward tutorials. These guides help users understand how to navigate the store efficiently, whether they’re shopping with or without a cart, making the technology easy to adopt and use.

Grooze tutorial high-fidelity prototype
Experience

Revolutionizing Retail: Enhancing Shopping with “Just Walk Out” and AR Technology

Explore the comprehensive case study on how I transform the shopping experience by eliminating long wait lines and simplifying item location here

Experience represents the fourth stage in the touchpoint journey, where customers physically engage with the store environment while leveraging digital tools. As shoppers add items to their cart, RFID tag technology automatically tracks and displays them on a cart screen. If shoppers need assistance finding a product, they can use the “navigate” button to access an interactive store map. This map shows their current location and the item’s destination. By selecting “go,” the cart’s AR system activates, visually guiding them with a green-highlighted path to their item’s location.

Grooze digital cart screen shopping list prototype
Follow-Up

Retaining Customers with a Loyalty Rewards Program

Follow-Up is the final stage in the touchpoint journey, focusing on post-visit engagement to maintain customer interest and loyalty. After completing their shopping experience, businesses can enhance customer retention by providing digital receipts and an integrated dashboard showing earned rewards points. This approach keeps visitors connected with the brand and encourages repeat interactions.

Grooze follow-up email high-fidelity prototype
Bonus section

Designing a Staff Interface to Reduce Stress and Enhance Customer Service

Survey research revealed that the attitudes and well-being of employees significantly impact the overall shopping experience. In response, I designed a “backend” system tailored for store associates. This system includes an in-store navigation feature that enables employees to stock and organize items more efficiently. By improving productivity and boosting confidence in item locations, this system empowers employees to deliver better customer service and positively influences the shopping experience.

Grooze staff interface high-fidelity prototype
Impact/Metrics

Measuring the Success of the Touchpoint Journey Strategy

  • Number of App Downloads and Retention Rates: Track the total number of downloads over time to gauge initial consumer interest. Monitor retention rates by analyzing how many users continue to engage with the app after the first download, focusing on key intervals such as 7 days, 30 days, and 90 days. High retention rates indicate that users find value in the app and are consistently using it as part of their shopping experience.
  • Employee Productivity and Efficiency: Evaluate the backend system's impact on employee performance by tracking metrics like the time taken to restock shelves, the accuracy of product placement, and overall employee satisfaction. Improvements in these areas can indicate that the system is helping staff work more efficiently and confidently, leading to a better customer experience.
Wrapping up

Key Learnings

Visualizing the Customer Journey with Flowcharts
I deepened my understanding of flowcharts, learning that the start and end points are always represented by oval shapes. By utilizing a flowchart, I was able to pinpoint key decision points in the user’s journey and strategically determine where and when to introduce specific deliverables. This approach allowed me to break down each brand interaction into touchpoint journeys, effectively demonstrating to stakeholders how the product would function.

Expanding Beyond UX: The Importance of Cross-Disciplinary Insights
To develop a well-rounded approach, I believe in exploring fields beyond UX, such as business and marketing. Understanding how other businesses bring products to life is crucial. Since my proposal targets both consumers and potential business partners interested in investing in Grooze’s platform, it’s essential to have a strategic plan that effectively persuades key stakeholders.

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