When I was working on my Service Design case study, I stumbled upon a challenge - how to effectively visualize solutions that I was passionate about. After considering various options, I realized that Figma could be the perfect tool for the job. Luckily I was given the opportunity to explore Figma while creating a loyalty program for PlanetPal, a platform that exclusively offers sustainable products from eco-friendly retailers.
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Introduction
PlanetPal is a unique platform that focuses on providing sustainable products and services to its customers. The company's goal is to encourage sustainable living and make it enjoyable and easy for consumers to shop in a way that benefits the planet. They offer an extensive range of products that are sustainably produced. While they were making progress in promoting sustainability, the company realized that their customers needed more than just eco-friendly products; they needed a way to be rewarded for their sustainable choices and actions. Hence, the idea of a loyalty program was born, which would not only reward customers for their efforts towards a better tomorrow but also encourage them to make better buying choices and stay engaged with PlanetPal.
Problem statement
My task was to develop a draft for a loyalty program, visualize it, and create an app prototype with Figma.
Questions that I needed to answer:
who are they doing this for
what is the loyalty program and its innovation
what methods are used for the loyalty program
what are the components of the loyalty program
how it delights customers to come back
Users
To start, I conducted thorough research to understand the customers' needs and preferences, their pain points, and their behavior patterns. I got a storytelling about the PlanetPal's customer Matilda.
"Meet Matilda, a young person living the fast-paced city life. She's worried about about protecting the environment and making sustainable choices. But when it comes to shopping, she struggles to find truly sustainable retailers. It takes her hours of research to find eco-friendly brands she can trust.
But one day, Matilda discovers the ultimate solution to her shopping woes - a revolutionary platform called "PlanetPal". It's a one-stop-shop for all things sustainable, From clothes to food, everything was available on this platform. And the best part? Every purchase earns her Sustainable Points, which she can redeem for exclusive rewards.
Matilda was so excited to finally have a go-to shopping destination where she could feel good about her purchases. And the more she shopped, the more she earned. She even climbed up the ranks and became a "Planet Protector" - one of the most dedicated members of the sustainable community.
PlanetPal is not just a platform - it's a movement. It's a place where eco-conscious consumers like Matilda can make a real impact on the environment with every purchase. And with a growing community of like-minded individuals, it's a force to be reckoned with."
Customer journey map
After exploring more about Matilda, I built a map which reflects four stages of the customer journey. During the Awareness stage, Matilda sees a social media ad for a sustainable app and becomes frustrated with traditional shopping options that don't align with her values. She searches for sustainable shopping options and reads about the app's features and benefits. Moving onto the Consideration stage, Matilda browses product offerings on the app and checks for discounts. She is looking for product offerings that align with her values and is seeking more information about the app or its products to make a well-informed decision. In the Purchase stage, Matilda adds items to her cart and proceeds to checkout, wanting a simple and easy-to-use checkout process or buys products in-store. Finally, in the Post-purchase stage, for online purchases Matilda receives an order confirmation and tracking information. When she receives the product, she feels excited about the order and checks her rank in the loyalty program. Matilda receives and uses loyalty rewards, achieving satisfaction with her sustainability efforts. She desires to continue shopping sustainably and getting rewards.
Process and iterations
When developing a loyalty program for PlanetPal, I explored various solutions that already existed on the market. This helped me to gain a better understanding of what features and benefits users were looking for in a loyalty program.
I also researched and analyzed various apps to identify what features and design elements were successful in engaging users and driving loyalty. This research allowed me to identify gaps in the current market offerings and incorporate innovative features into the PlanetPal loyalty program. Throughout the process, I also continually iterated on the design and functionality of the loyalty program, incorporating feedback from the PlanetPal team.
After having explored various loyalty program options, I started thinking about what would be most appropriate and engaging for PlanetPal's customers. After researching and analyzing different approaches, I found that a loyalty program where customers earn sustainable points and achieve different ranking levels would be most effective.
Initially, my idea was to visualize the loyalty program as users planting a seed and watching it grow into a tree or a jungle as they progress through the ranks. However, I found it challenging to visually implement this concept. As I continued brainstorming, I thought about incorporating in-app avatars for users and giving them titles based on their ranking level. This approach would add an element of fun and excitement to the program.
After careful consideration, I decided on the following ranking levels for the loyalty program:
Eco Explorer
Sustainability Scout
Green Guardian
Planet Protector
Environmental Champion
Earth Advocate
The ranking names not only indicated the customer's level in the loyalty program, but also conveyed a sense of significance and gravity. These names felt both self-explanatory and meaningful, lending an air of importance to the customer's progress within the program.
As part of the loyalty program design, I considered the inclusion of a progress bar to display the user's earned points and their progress towards the next rank. I also recognized the significance of highlighting the rewards for reaching the next level, as it could motivate users to strive towards advancing in the loyalty program. To achieve this, I ensured that the rewards were easily accessible and prominently displayed, increasing the user's desire to engage and participate in the program.
In terms of the app, the key priorities were keeping things simple, ensuring smooth navigation, and avoiding cluttered interfaces.
Final design solutions
who are they doing this for
The loyalty program is targeting individuals who are passionate about sustainable living and making environmentally-friendly choices. Our target audience includes environmentally-conscious consumers, eco-enthusiasts, and those looking to make a positive impact on the planet.
what is the loyalty program and its innovation
The PlanelPal loyalty program consists of a six-level ranking system where customers earn points for various sustainable actions. Each level has a unique ranking name, description, number of earned points, and corresponding rewards. All rewards are designed to stimulate sustainable behavior and at the same time are interesting for consumers to receive. Rewards include things like free vegetarian lunches, eco-friendly water bottles, gift cards to sustainable retailers, and even private tours of sustainable production facilities. By providing engaging and meaningful rewards, the PlanelPal loyalty program encourages customers to continue shopping sustainably and participating in environmentally friendly activities.
what methods are used for the loyalty program
The loyalty program goes beyond rewarding customers solely for purchases. It also encourages and educates them on environmentally-friendly actions, incentivizes sharing sustainable living on social media, rewards for referring friends and family to PlanetPal, and completing sustainable challenges from partners. For example, customers can even earn extra PalPoints for actions like sharing on social media or referring a friend.
what are the components of the loyalty program
To begin with, the loyalty program is seamlessly integrated into the PlanetPal app, eliminating the need for customers to carry a separate card to earn points and redeem rewards. Our loyalty program is designed to be both inclusive and exclusive, with customers becoming members from their very first purchase and receiving immediate rewards. However, the most loyal customers are granted access to even more rewards compared to other members. Our loyalty program incentivizes members to take action and earn PalPoints, which can be redeemed for enticing rewards. Rewards at lower levels include branded products, while higher levels offer complimentary meals, private tours of sustainable production facilities, and exclusive access to sustainability events. Our loyalty program creates a triple win situation for customers, us, and the environment, where customers can contribute to the planet while doing their regular shopping.
how it delights customers to come back
This is a Figma visualization of the PlanetPal app, designed to incorporate the loyalty program in a user-friendly and intuitive way. The app is organized into four easily identifiable windows: Home, Deals, In-store, and Profile.
Upon opening the app, customers are greeted with personalized offers based on their purchase history, showing that their loyalty is valued and understood. The Home tab also provides brief information about the company, customer testimonials, and a feedback option. Feedbacking is crucial as being responsive to customer inquiries and concerns is the main source for future developments at PlanetPal.
The second tab, Deals, grants customers access to the different categories and their corresponding level rewards.
The In-store tab offers a seamless and convenient shopping experience for customers making purchases on-site.
And finally in the Profile tab, I incorporated some user experience solutions to enhance the overall customer experience. For example, I added a personalized dashboard that displayed customers' rewards and progress, making it easier for them to keep track of their achievements. I also featured how customers can earn more PalPoints and also rewards that they might get upon reaching the next rank to keep users engaged.
Creating the PlanetPal prototype in Figma was my first project, and I gained valuable experience and knowledge throughout the process. The prototype can be seen here.
Results and key takeaways
In conclusion, developing a loyalty program for PlanetPal was an exciting project that allowed me to explore various design tools and techniques. Through extensive research, analysis, and collaboration, I was able to create a loyalty program that aligned with the company's vision and values. The use of Figma was a game-changer in terms of creating a visually appealing and user-friendly prototype. The incorporation of UX solutions helped to enhance the overall customer experience and make the program more engaging and enjoyable for the customers.
I believe that the loyalty program and the UX solutions would be a valuable addition to PlanetPal, and I am excited to see how they will be work further on my ideas and implement solutions that I suggested.
Next steps
The next steps for the PlanetPal loyalty program and app involve testing the prototype and gathering feedback from users. It is important to have a user-centered approach to the development of the app and loyalty program, so incorporating user feedback is essential. The process should be iterative, with frequent testing and adjustments made based on feedback.
In addition, it would be beneficial to conduct user research to better understand the needs and preferences of our target audience. This can inform the design of the loyalty program and app and ensure that it is meeting the needs of our customers.
Once the app and loyalty program have been fully developed and tested, it will be important to market it effectively to attract and retain customers. This can involve targeted advertising, social media campaigns, and partnerships with relevant organizations.
Overall, the success of the loyalty program and app will depend on continued testing, iteration, and a focus on meeting the needs of our customers.
Thank you for reading abut PlanetPal and my first experience with building a loyalty program and using Figma. In the end I include some sources that I used while doing this case study: