EWC Tech Help App
European Wax Center is a beauty company with over 850 salons nationwide specializing in hair removal services and products. Their 4,000+ workforce consists of managers, guest service associates, and waxers.
Previously, the employees at the European Wax Center relied on Zenoti- a third party tech support service to field calls and resolve scheduling and payment issues. We’ve redesigned and simplified their website to better equip employees with the troubleshooting tools they need to provide a better customer experience.
Company
Team
Roles
Website
European Wax
Center
Thea Coelho
Nick Valdez
UX Design
User Research
Visual Design
01. Introduction
Challenge
From customer check-ins to product orders, employees struggle to resolve technology errors in a timely manner, often being placed on hold for long periods of time or having to search through a lengthy manual for the solutions themselves.
The Goal
To understand the specific challenges employees at the European Wax Center face when dealing with various technical issues. We will redesign and simplify the website based on the feedback received through an extensive interview process. To ensure a better user experience for the employees and customers, we want to run several rounds of testing on our prototypes.
My Role
I took on the bulk of the research and focused mainly on imagery, iconography, and drafting the body copy. I also took on the role of user interviews and testing.
02. Empathize
User Research
We conducted preliminary interviews to assess the range of needs and created a journey map based on the user's experience with the original interface.
Interview goals
-
Assess technology comfortability and proficiency
-
Target pain points of the current site that trigger tech issues and emotional stressors
-
Learn more about employee backgrounds and the demands of their roles
Interview Outcomes
Morgan Allen - Female /25 / Manager
-
My manager training consisted of approximately 11 hours worth of video courses.
-
We use a system called Zenoti. It can be very simple but also very challenging. The only tech support is a PDF & a helpline.
Cindy Martinez - Female /22 / GSA
-
I wait on hold with Tech Support for hours on the phone.
-
I start to panic when customer appointments glitch. It holds up the whole line and I feel helpless trying to solve the problem alone.
-
Customers can be very rude when they have to wait a long time which increases my anxiety when I don’t know how to fix a tech issue.
Sierra Millian - Female/19/Waxer
-
Sometimes customers get added to the wrong waxer’s schedule due to glitches in the system. This can be very frustrating because we build relationships with clients and having to suddenly switch to a different technician can create tension.
-
When this occurs we have to contact the GSA since we don’t have access to the Zenoti system. The customer then has to wait while the GSA attempts to solve the problem.
Summary of Employee Roles
Waxer
-
Clock in, review books (number of clients and services)
-
Send in BOD goals form to Management
-
Verify their room is clean and prepped for guests
-
Review iPad for client’s check-in status
GSA
-
Clock in, clean the bathrooms, complete opening procedures
-
Send in BOD goals form to Management
-
Count/open register/send register opening form
-
Verify the lobby is clean and set up for the day
Manager
The manager is responsible for the tasks of the GSA as well as the following tasks:
-
Check in with each center to make sure things are running smoothly
-
Maintenance requests
-
Troubleshoot technology issues
-
Manage inventory needs
-
Prepare google sheet templates with every retail product and supply items
Pain Points
The current site does not present a consistent visual across employee positions which prevents employees from seeking solutions and troubleshooting errors together.
The Zenoti system provides a PDF manual and telephone helpline that do not quickly resolve tech errors. These issues contribute to negative customer experiences as clients deal with scheduling and payment system failures.
Planning
The company experiences a significant amount of tech issues but only managers know how to resolve a majority of them. GSA’s and waxers require more access to troubleshooting resources.
Availability
There is only one manager for every three stores. Therefore a majority of calls are left unanswered and issues left unresolved. In addition, the PDF is almost
no help on site.
Our Process
The current process using the Zenoti system, is far from streamlined and requires far too many steps for solutions that are time sensitive.
03. Define
Persona’s
Based on the employees interviewed, we created three personas that exemplify common user needs, frustrations with the current site, and their personal technology proficiency.
04. Ideate
Journey Map
Product values
By synthesizing all the data from the user research, we used the insights to help us group & prioritize. As a result, the value propositions for the new tech feature for EWC app were established.
Accessible
Present relevant information clearly and concisely to users.
Flexibility
Equipping users with a variety of tools to solve technical issues. “Go back” and “Cancel” features enable users the freedom to navigate the system freely.
Professional
Transparency that provides users with a seamless troubleshooting experience.
Reliability
Accurate and credible data that users can easily navigate and interact with.
Key Features
FAQ Page
Useful for answering common questions employees may have about certain features or processes.
Resource Page
A curated collection of articles and how-to videos to refresh employees on topics taught in the initial training.
Chat Page
Allows quick and efficient communication between employees of different locations.. This feature will be incredibly useful for more urgent and time-sensitive issues.
04. Prototyping & Testing
Wire Frames
We initially drafted an iteration of each screen in black and white to begin the journey toward a final and cohesive product.
Usability Studies
We conducted two rounds of usability studies: Findings from the first study helped guide the wireframe designs to mockups while the second study revealed areas for improvement within the mockups through the use of a high-fidelity prototype.
Affinity Diagram
The Affinity Diagram methodology was helpful in synthesizing the data, observing common themes from the studies, and generating insights to improve the product in the future.
Results from Testing
The Affinity Diagram methodology was helpful in synthesizing the data, observing common themes from the studies, and generating insights to improve the product in the future.
1.Some users struggled to understand the wording of the FAQ question.
2. Younger testers were less familiar with the concept of FAQ’s and associated terminology.
3. Younger users generally lacked experience with tech support features in the past.
4. Some reported that the “Tech Support” text showed up in the wrong location, appearing below the icon rather than on it.
5. Testers did not struggle to find the “Back” button but some preferred for it to be located on the top left corner of the screen.
6. Some users struggled to close the chat feature and attempted to use the minimize or “x” button instead of the “End Session” icon. This may be a result of the lack of color present in the Mid-Fi prototype or a formatting issue.
05. Refining & Outcomes
Design System
Typography
Photography
Colors
