Onboarding & Booking Redesign
Onboarding & Booking Redesign
Onboarding & Booking Redesign
Led product design across research, design, and delivery
Intro
Client
Client
First Utility
Role
Role
Lead Designer
Industry
Industry
Energy/Telco
Proptech
Timeline
12 Months
Team
Head of Telco, Brand, 2 Devs, 1 PL
Reviving Broadband Conversions
Reviving Broadband Conversions
A stagnant 2% cross-sell threatened to stall First Utility's broadband expansion. I diagnosed three interlocking systemic failures in language, infrastructure, and velocity and designed the solutions that turned the channel into a £7.2M revenue stream.
A stagnant 2% cross-sell threatened to stall First Utility's broadband expansion. I diagnosed three interlocking systemic failures in language, infrastructure, and velocity and designed the solutions that turned the channel into a £7.2M revenue stream.
My Scope
I led end to end, defining the failures and working across marketing and product teams defining decisions and executing design improvements.
I led end to end, defining the failures and working across marketing and product teams defining decisions and executing design improvements.
Product strategy and diagnosis across a failing conversion funnel
UX design from research and IA through to interaction and UI
Stakeholder negotiation and business case for backend investment
Modular design system and marketing infrastructure
The Challenge
Turn a stalled cross-sell into a scalable revenue channel by diagnosing why a product with real traffic and real intent was converting at 2%, then designing the fixes that made it perform.
Turn a stalled cross-sell into a scalable revenue channel by diagnosing why a product with real traffic and real intent was converting at 2%, then designing the fixes that made it perform.
Outcome Snapshot
+68%
Broadband Conversion
£7.2M
Projected revenue post-relaunch
20,000
new customers in the first 12 months
4 Hour
Campaign delivery time
Research
What Was Actually Breaking
What Was Actually Breaking
The brief pointed at the product. The data pointed somewhere else. I started with research using exit surveys with churned users, session recordings across the full funnel, 12 months of inbound CS call logs, and campaign history review with Marketing — to find where the failures actually sat.
The brief pointed at the product. The data pointed somewhere else. I started with research using exit surveys with churned users, session recordings across the full funnel, 12 months of inbound CS call logs, and campaign history review with Marketing — to find where the failures actually sat.
Behavioural Data
Users weren't lost. They were stuck.
Users weren't lost. They were stuck.
Users weren't lost. They were stuck.
Session replays showed hesitation patterns, not navigation failures. People reached the plan selection stage and froze. Exit surveys made it explicit:
Session replays showed hesitation patterns, not navigation failures. People reached the plan selection stage and froze. Exit surveys made it explicit:
dropped at plan selection
67%
dropped at plan selection
dropped at plan selection
CS calls were plan comparison questions
76%
CS calls were plan comparison questions
CS calls were plan comparison questions
Key Insight: High cognitive load, users need confidence, not analysis.
Key Insight: High cognitive load, users need confidence, not analysis.
Marketing Bottleneck
The business was structurally slow
The business was structurally slow
The business was structurally slow
I audited previous campaign activity and it showed the same pattern on repeat: bespoke builds, weeks of engineering time per launch, inconsistent layouts that drifted off-brand between campaigns.
I audited previous campaign activity and it showed the same pattern on repeat: bespoke builds, weeks of engineering time per launch, inconsistent layouts that drifted off-brand between campaigns.
Average campaign delivery: 2 weeks from brief to live
Average campaign delivery: 2 weeks from brief to live
12+ launches audited, every one required a custom dev build
12+ launches audited, every one required a custom dev build
Marketing had no way to update pricing or messaging without engineering involvement
Marketing had no way to update pricing or messaging without engineering involvement
Key Insight: Fixing conversion without fixing velocity meant the business still couldn't capitalise on market moments.
Key Insight: Fixing conversion without fixing velocity meant the business still couldn't capitalise on market moments.
Customer Service Insight
The booking window was costing us high-intent customers
The booking window was costing us high-intent customers
The booking window was costing us high-intent customers
Post-abandonment interviews exposed a failure that wasn't visible in the funnel data. A distinct group people coordinating broadband with a house move, renters and pro active switchers — required locking in an installation date weeks ahead. Our 7-day booking window with 6-hour slots made that impossible.
Post-abandonment interviews exposed a failure that wasn't visible in the funnel data. A distinct group people coordinating broadband with a house move, renters and pro active switchers — required locking in an installation date weeks ahead. Our 7-day booking window with 6-hour slots made that impossible.
of users abandoned at booking
72%
of users abandoned at booking
of users abandoned at booking
35%
of interested users were Movers
64%
of interested users were Movers
£60,000
CS calls directly attributable to the booking limitation
£85k
CS calls directly attributable to the booking limitation
40%
CS calls directly attributable to the booking limitation
of interested users where Movers
Key Insight: We weren't losing on price. We were losing on feature parity and it was costing us our highest-intent users.
Key Insight: We weren't losing on price. We were losing on feature parity and it was costing us our highest-intent users.
API Investment
Making the Case for the API Investment
Making the Case for the API Investment
Engineering had deprioritised the booking API upgrade as too complex. Marketing wanted plan changes live immediately. I was being asked to optimise around a constraint that was actively excluding our highest-intent users and costing the business an estimated £2.9M a year.
Engineering had deprioritised the booking API upgrade as too complex. Marketing wanted plan changes live immediately. I was being asked to optimise around a constraint that was actively excluding our highest-intent users and costing the business an estimated £2.9M a year.
Rather Than Design Around It, I Made A Case To Change It
Rather Than Design Around It, I Made A Case To Change It
I collated everything from the research phase into a business argument the Telco team couldn't ignore — session replay montages showing exactly how mover-segment users hit the booking wall, a revenue model quantifying the opportunity, and a competitive audit mapping the precise feature gap against every major provider.
I collated everything from the research phase into a business argument the Telco team couldn't ignore — session replay montages showing exactly how mover-segment users hit the booking wall, a revenue model quantifying the opportunity, and a competitive audit mapping the precise feature gap against every major provider.
Session replay montages showing exactly how mover-segment users behaved when they hit the booking wall
Session replay montages showing exactly how mover-segment users behaved when they hit the booking wall
A revenue model that put a number on the opportunity
A revenue model that put a number on the opportunity
Competitive audit showing the precise feature gap against every major provider
Competitive audit showing the precise feature gap against every major provider
£425 annually
Average Customer Value:
Average Customer Value:
35% of traffic
Mover Segment Size:
Mover Segment Size:
£2.9M
Annual Opportunity Cost:
Annual Opportunity Cost:
£85k
Customer service costs attributable to constraint p/a
Customer service costs attributable to constraint p/a
Unlocking Booking
The Phased Approach
The Phased Approach
Phase 1 unlocked a 4-week booking window — manageable for engineering, enough to validate the mover segment.
Phase 2 scaled to the full 8-week window, built alongside the marketing toolkit.
Switching priority of marketing toolkit to securing the 'proactive mover' booking segment meant we would unlock as our primary revenue driver.
Phase 1 unlocked a 4-week booking window — manageable for engineering, enough to validate the mover segment.
Phase 2 scaled to the full 8-week window, built alongside the marketing toolkit.
Switching priority of marketing toolkit to securing the 'proactive mover' booking segment meant we would unlock as our primary revenue driver.
Competitive Gap
Competitive Gap
Sky, Virgin, and BT all offered 6-8 week advanced booking with 2-hour installation windows. We weren't losing on price, we were losing on feature parity.
Operational Cost
Operational Cost
Customer service logs showed nearly half of all booking-related calls were simply 'Can I book further out?' £85k in avoidable annual costs that a longer booking window would eliminate
Plan Redesign
From Specs to Decisions
From Specs to Decisions
With the API work in motion, I turned to what design could fix directly. Every plan was described in technical specs — speed, bandwidth, infrastructure, while competitors were writing in real world outcomes .
With the API work in motion, I turned to what design could fix directly. Every plan was described in technical specs — speed, bandwidth, infrastructure, while competitors were writing in real world outcomes .
Old Plan UI
New Plan UI
Real World Content
Benefit-Led Language
Benefit-Led Language
Benefit-Led Language
Competitors described plans in lifestyle outcomes. We were listing specs. I translated every plan into the language customers were already using.
The benefit language was validated with a panel of churned users before finalising. 'Stream Movies & TV Easily' framing consistently outperformed speed-led copy, which directly informed the Plus Points A/B testing framework built into the spec.
Competitors described plans in lifestyle outcomes. We were listing specs. I translated every plan into the language customers were already using.
The benefit language was validated with a panel of churned users before finalising. 'Stream Movies & TV Easily' framing consistently outperformed speed-led copy, which directly informed the Plus Points A/B testing framework built into the spec.
Key Insight: Users could map plans to their lives immediately rather than decoding infrastructure specs.
Key Insight: Users could map plans to their lives immediately rather than decoding infrastructure specs.
Scannable
Visual Differentiation
Visual Differentiation
Visual Differentiation
The original plans were visually identical — same layout, same weight. Nothing guided a decision before a user read a word. I introduced colour-coding and hierarchy so plans felt meaningfully distinct at first glance.
The original plans were visually identical — same layout, same weight. Nothing guided a decision before a user read a word. I introduced colour-coding and hierarchy so plans felt meaningfully distinct at first glance.
Key Insight: Users could orient spatially before reading, reducing the cognitive load of comparison.
Key Insight: Users could orient spatially before reading, reducing the cognitive load of comparison.
Testing Plus Points
Futureproofing Plus-Points
Futureproofing Plus-Points
Futureproofing Plus-Points
Rather than hardcode benefit messaging, I created a modular 'Plus-Points' section within each plan card.
This meant we could future proof messaging by testing and comparing what converts users.
Rather than hardcode benefit messaging, I created a modular 'Plus-Points' section within each plan card.
This meant we could future proof messaging by testing and comparing what converts users.
Key Insight: We could map future benefits that are converting and start to understand what users are looking for when scrolling plans.
Key Insight: We could map future benefits that are converting and start to understand what users are looking for when scrolling plans.
The New Plan UI
Distinct & Defined
Distinct & Defined
Distinct & Defined
Benefit-led language gave users instant context, applying distinctive styles allowed for users to easily scan and pick a plan. The Plus Points framework meant the language could evolve and we make key learnings by testing and refining.
Benefit-led language gave users instant context, applying distinctive styles allowed for users to easily scan and pick a plan. The Plus Points framework meant the language could evolve and we make key learnings by testing and refining.
Benefit led, real world language
Scannable distinct plans
On-going A/B benefit testing
Built with marketing assets in mind
New Plan UI
New Plan UI
27% Reduction
in plan drop-off
27% Reduction
in plan drop-off
27% Reduction
in plan drop-off
22%
higher conversion post-launch
22%
higher conversion post-launch
22%
higher conversion post-launch
CS Calls Down
benefit language answering questions
CS Calls Down
benefit language answering questions
CS Calls Down
benefit language answering questions
Booking Redesign
Designing for Planners
Designing for Planners
The booking interface had been built around what was technically available, not how people actually schedule their lives. Four targeted changes, each addressing a specific failure the research had surfaced.
The booking interface had been built around what was technically available, not how people actually schedule their lives. Four targeted changes, each addressing a specific failure the research had surfaced.
Old Booking UI
New Booking UI
Unlocking Booking
Testing Phase
Testing Phase
Before committing to UI, I ran task-based usability testing on the booking wireframes with movers, renters, and proactive switchers — the three segments most underserved by the existing flow.
Tasks focused on the two known failure points: finding a slot within a specific future window, and completing a booking without backtracking. Testing exposed two additional friction points — unavailable slots weren't registering as such, and vertical scroll made week comparison feel like a memory task.
Both fed directly into the final design: the three-state slot system and the shift to a horizontal browser.
Before committing to UI, I ran task-based usability testing on the booking wireframes with movers, renters, and proactive switchers — the three segments most underserved by the existing flow.
Tasks focused on the two known failure points: finding a slot within a specific future window, and completing a booking without backtracking. Testing exposed two additional friction points — unavailable slots weren't registering as such, and vertical scroll made week comparison feel like a memory task.
Both fed directly into the final design: the three-state slot system and the shift to a horizontal browser.
Booking UI
Calendar UI
Interaction UI
Unlocking Booking
Redesign Key Changes
Redesign Key Changes
Slot states were reduced to three
available, selected, unavailable — each with distinct visual treatment and a reason shown when slots weren't open. It eliminated the dead-click frustration visible in every session recording.
Slot states were reduced to three
available, selected, unavailable — each with distinct visual treatment and a reason shown when slots weren't open. It eliminated the dead-click frustration visible in every session recording.
Two-hour precision windows
Time windows moved from vague labels like "Morning" to precise two-hour slots. For someone coordinating a house move, ambiguity was a reason not to book.
Two-hour precision windows
Time windows moved from vague labels like "Morning" to precise two-hour slots. For someone coordinating a house move, ambiguity was a reason not to book.
Horizontal slot browser
smart calendar scoping surfaced four weeks by default, covering 85% of actual bookings, with the option to expand to eight weeks for the mover segment that had been invisible to the product until now.
Horizontal slot browser
smart calendar scoping surfaced four weeks by default, covering 85% of actual bookings, with the option to expand to eight weeks for the mover segment that had been invisible to the product until now.
Smart calendar scoping
four weeks visible by default, covering 85% of actual bookings, with an option to expand to eight week view for the mover segment.
Smart calendar scoping
four weeks visible by default, covering 85% of actual bookings, with an option to expand to eight week view for the mover segment.
The New Booking UI
Designed For Proactive Planners
Designed For Proactive Planners
Designed For Proactive Planners
I redesigned booking so dates and times were immediately accessible. A swipeable date picker surfaced the next four weeks at a glance, with available time slots appearing directly beneath each date.
I redesigned booking so dates and times were immediately accessible. A swipeable date picker surfaced the next four weeks at a glance, with available time slots appearing directly beneath each date.
Instant date picker
No more endless scrolls
Booking better than competitors
Proactives catered for
New Booking UI
New Booking UI
+51% Increase
in booking completion. Users found slots faster with less friction
+51% Increase
in booking completion. Users found slots faster with less friction
89% Satisfaction
exit surveys showed 89% of users found a booking time to suit them
89% Satisfaction
exit surveys showed 89% of users found a booking time to suit them
2-4pm
emerged as the dominant slot, an insight that fed directly into future availability planning
2-4pm
emerged as the dominant slot, an insight that fed directly into future availability planning
2-4pm
emerged as the dominant slot, an insight that fed directly into future availability planning
Marketing Infrastructure
Building for Velocity
Building for Velocity
Every campaign in the audit had required a build from scratch. I audited 18 months of assets, identified the repeating patterns across high-performing launches and competitors.
Every campaign in the audit had required a build from scratch. I audited 18 months of assets, identified the repeating patterns across high-performing launches and competitors.
The Design Building Blocks
Rather Than Solving One Campaign I Built Infrastructure
Rather Than Solving One Campaign I Built Infrastructure
Rather Than Solving One Campaign I Built Infrastructure
The reusable marketing modules were designed to work with the new plan designs, optimised for high-conversion promotional, removing the inconsistency and reducing delivery times from 2 weeks to 4 hours!
The reusable marketing modules were designed to work with the new plan designs, optimised for high-conversion promotional, removing the inconsistency and reducing delivery times from 2 weeks to 4 hours!
Replaced bespoke builds with reusable conversion-focused UI modules
Enabled self-serve campaign configuration within UX guardrails.
Delivered a scalable UI toolkit aligning Marketing and Engineering.
Reduced launch cycles from two weeks to hours
Sticker Plan
Reduction
Countdown
Old Marketing UI
New Marketing UI
Future Proofing
Ownership
Ownership
When new collabs and marketing takeovers we needed clear ownership. I worked with the telco team and we agreed as part of the new marketing suite specific responsibilities. This meant deliverables and actions have defined process and ownership so new campaigns can be delivered with speed.
When new collabs and marketing takeovers we needed clear ownership. I worked with the telco team and we agreed as part of the new marketing suite specific responsibilities. This meant deliverables and actions have defined process and ownership so new campaigns can be delivered with speed.
Marketing owned: copy, imagery, messaging, and offers.
Design and Engineering owned: evolving layout structure, hierarchy, and interaction patterns.
Reduced
campaign delivery from two weeks to four hours, enabling competitiveness in time sensitive moments
Reduced
campaign delivery from two weeks to four hours, enabling competitiveness in time sensitive moments
Reduced
campaign delivery from two weeks to four hours, enabling competitiveness in time sensitive moments
2 Weeks to 4 Hours
Engineering freed from repetitive campaign work, reallocating to core product features to developers
2 Weeks to 4 Hours
Engineering freed from repetitive campaign work, reallocating to core product features to developers
2 Weeks to 4 Hours
Engineering freed from repetitive campaign work, reallocating to core product features to developers
Adaptability
The system stayed in use, maintaining its core structure while evolving through ongoing collabs
Adaptability
The system stayed in use, maintaining its core structure while evolving through ongoing collabs
Adaptability
The system stayed in use, maintaining its core structure while evolving through ongoing collabs
The Impact
What We Achieved
What We Achieved
This project turned a stalled Telco launch into a scalable growth channel and reshaped how the business used design. Over twelve months, the redesigned onboarding journey turned a stagnant 2% conversion into a high-growth revenue channel. But the impact went beyond the numbers.
This project turned a stalled Telco launch into a scalable growth channel and reshaped how the business used design. Over twelve months, the redesigned onboarding journey turned a stagnant 2% conversion into a high-growth revenue channel. But the impact went beyond the numbers.
The Old Telco Journey
The New Telco Journey
Impact
Commercial Impact
Commercial Impact
+51% booking completion
Reduced abandonment by enabling future-dated installation for proactive planners
+51% booking completion
Reduced abandonment by enabling future-dated installation for proactive planners
20,000+ new telco customers
In 12 months demonstrated sustained growth , not a short-term uplift. 20,000 customers x ~£30/month = £600k/month = £7.2M/year
20,000+ new telco customers
In 12 months demonstrated sustained growth , not a short-term uplift. 20,000 customers x ~£30/month = £600k/month = £7.2M/year
£7.2M projected recurring revenue
Unlocked by redesigning plans, extending booking capability, and removing marketing bottlenecks
£7.2M projected recurring revenue
Unlocked by redesigning plans, extending booking capability, and removing marketing bottlenecks
+68% broadband conversion
Increased cross-sell conversion from 2% → 3.4% by solving for confidence, clarity, and booking flexibility
+68% broadband conversion
Increased cross-sell conversion from 2% → 3.4% by solving for confidence, clarity, and booking flexibility
Impact
Operational Impact
Operational Impact
2 weeks → 4 hours
Campaign delivery reduction enabled real-time responses to competitor moves
2 weeks → 4 hours
Campaign delivery reduction enabled real-time responses to competitor moves
Reduced Load
Clearer, benefit-led plans significantly cut plan-related customer service calls
Reduced Load
Clearer, benefit-led plans significantly cut plan-related customer service calls
Engineering Time
Freed ~40% of engineering capacity previously spent on campaign UI churn
Engineering Time
Freed ~40% of engineering capacity previously spent on campaign UI churn
Reflections
Delivering a user experience.
Delivering a user experience.
Delivering a user experience.
This project changed how I think about the boundaries of a design brief. The original ask was a conversion problem. What the research exposed was three interlocking failures — in language, in infrastructure, and in a deprioritised API — none of which a visual redesign alone would have touched.
The work that had the most lasting impact wasn't the UI. It was building the case for the API investment, and creating a marketing infrastructure that freed engineering from repetitive campaign work entirely. Both required stepping outside the design brief and into product and operational strategy.
For a senior designer, that's the job. Screens are the output. The real work is understanding what's actually breaking and having the range to fix it at the right level.
This project changed how I think about the boundaries of a design brief. The original ask was a conversion problem. What the research exposed was three interlocking failures — in language, in infrastructure, and in a deprioritised API — none of which a visual redesign alone would have touched.
The work that had the most lasting impact wasn't the UI. It was building the case for the API investment, and creating a marketing infrastructure that freed engineering from repetitive campaign work entirely. Both required stepping outside the design brief and into product and operational strategy.
For a senior designer, that's the job. Screens are the output. The real work is understanding what's actually breaking and having the range to fix it at the right level.
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