Designing Copilot. An in-store experience for Asurion.
Challenge
Exploring new products for Asurion
Asurion had recently acquired UBREAKIFIX, the nation's largest chain of electronics repair stores, and wanted to explore potential new products and services they could offer to customers in the store. I was tasked to research, design, and test new product concepts.
Design Process
Improving the customer UX with Copilot
Armed with our research findings, I used rapid prototyping and iterative design in Figma to develop "Copilot," a tablet-based solution that aimed to reduce customer wait times by 20-30%, streamline check-in, and provide clearer pricing information for customers.
Designing the customer drop off experience
Copilot created a transparent in-store experience that connected customers with technicians while offering upsell opportunities that benefited both franchisees and staff. We predicted that Copilot could cut customer wait times by half while allowing them to view repair costs, add products, and start pickups on their own. We also believed franchise owners would find this experience attractive because it enhanced the overall customer experience as well as opened a new revenue stream for the business.
Step 1. Customer selects the type of repair needed
Step 2. In store technician initiates device diagnostic
Step 3. Diagnostic results are displayed to the customer
Step 4. Display of services provided with costs
Step 5. Customer agrees to device repair with e-signature
Step 6. Products offered before check-in
Step 7. Repair tracking status and e-receipts provided
Designing the customer pick up experience
Copilot bridged the gap between customers and technicians, creating a more transparent and engaging in-store experience while introducing upsell opportunities within the purchase funnel that benefited both franchisees and store technicians. We estimated that introducing a self-service check-in experience could reduce overall customer drop-off and pickup time by 50%, and the system allowed customers to preview repair costs, add relevant products to their order, and initiate the pick-up process independently. Franchise owners found Copilot attractive because it not only enhanced the overall customer experience but also opened new revenue streams for the business.
Step 1. Customer states they have arrived to pick up their repair
Step 2. Customer provides information to locate repair
Step 3. Systtem looks up repair order for customer
Step 4. Customer confirms lookup information from system
Step 5. Customer confirms costs and fees for repair
Step 6. Products offered before checkout
Step 7. Repair tracking status and e-receipts provided
Step 8. Repair tracking status and e-receipts provided
Research
What we learned from research with customers in the store
We conducted in-person interviews across regional franchise stores in Middle Tennessee, talking directly with customers to test new product concepts. We also had in-depth conversations with in-store repair technicians to identify pain points in their customer interactions.
Customers were surveyed with various questions about the wifi experience in their homes and provided with prewritten answers they could use and rank by order of importance.
While this research didn't reveal specific opportunities for new products or services, it uncovered important challenges for both customers and technicians. Customers expressed frustration with long wait times during device drop-off and pick-up, and found repair pricing confusing and unclear. Meanwhile, technicians struggled with customer service aspects of their role, as these interactions fell outside their core technical expertise.
Outcomes & Learnings
The hurdles and challenges with Copilot
This project faced key challenges: securing franchise owner buy-in and creating a solution adaptable to varying customer sophistication across regions. While Copilot generated enthusiasm from service representatives and some franchise owners who saw its potential to enhance experiences and drive revenue, we hit a roadblock when the UBREAKIFIX corporate office rejected the concept, preventing network-wide implementation. This outcome highlighted the necessity of aligning innovations with corporate strategies and the difficulties of introducing new technologies in established franchise systems.
This project taught me to align with corporate goals earlier and manage stakeholders more effectively, leading me to incorporate feedback sooner in future design processes and use leaner research methods. I learned to balance thorough research with project efficiency. Our extensive research, while insightful, delayed other critical aspects. The experience highlighted the necessity of assessing organizational readiness before proposing innovations, as Asurion, UBREAKIFIX's new owner, wasn't prepared to allocate resources to the project.
