FLARE Product Activation & CX Research Initiative

The Flare Product Activation and Customer Experience Research Project is summarized into a comprehensive visual representation of the customer journey, identifying key pain points, barriers to activation, and proposed solutions to improve product activation rates, customer retention, and overall satisfaction. This map was created as an extension of a 30-60-90 day activation plan, focusing on addressing critical issues in the customer experience, such as poor activation rates, churn, and customer sentiment.

Role: Project Planning, User Research, Data Synthesis, Data Analysis, Graphic Design, Development, Ideation

Tools Used:

• Miro (design tool for mind map)

• Typeform (data collection tool behind research)

• Klaviyo (email and SMS user outreach tool)

• Zoom (user interview conversations)

• Google Slides (user research findings presentations)

• Google Sheets (data collection tracking)

• Canva (design tool for photo editing)

The primary purpose of the Flare Product Activation and Customer Experience Research Project is to provide a holistic view of the customer journey, highlighting areas for improvement and outlining targeted solutions to enhance the overall customer experience. By identifying specific problems at each stage of the journey, this map and project serves as a strategic roadmap for implementing data-driven initiatives to boost product activation, engagement, and customer satisfaction.

1. Customer personas: The map outlines three distinct personas - the Gifter, the Gift Recipient, and a standard Customer - to better understand their unique needs, expectations, and challenges.

2. Customer journey stages: The map breaks down the customer journey into key stages, including Awareness, Intent, Purchase, Delivery, Unboxing, and Product Experience.

3. Barriers to activation: At each stage, the map identifies specific barriers that hinder product activation, such as lack of product understanding, perceived value, and technical issues.

4. Proposed solutions: The map presents a range of targeted solutions to address the identified barriers, including improved in-box communication, incentivization programs, community building, and product enhancements.

5. Impact and time intensity: Each proposed solution is evaluated based on its potential impact and the time intensity required for implementation, helping prioritize initiatives.

The Flare Product Activation and Customer Experience Research Project was a result of extensive user research and led to both additional research projects as well as decisi nmaking that led to significant improvements in product activation, customer engagement, and overall satisfaction. You will see several other projects throughout my portfolio that preceded and followed this intensive project.

Key results of the Flare Product Activation and Customer Experience Research Project include:

• Achieved a remarkable 198% lift in activation one month post-launch of an enhanced unboxing experience, which included improved brand promotional materials, activation inserts, and a comprehensive 25-page Flare Quick Start Guide.

• Boosted email open rates by 25% through the development of targeted post-purchase communications, an innovative SMS experience, and strengthened customer activation incentive programs, resulting in approximately 3,000 activations within 3 months.

• Created a highly engaging "How It Works" product video that garnered over 14,000 views (as of May 2024) and an impressive 11.3% click-through rate (CTR) (as of April 2022), effectively educating customers on product features and benefits.

• Developed a tailored gifting experience for roughly 63% of Flare's customer base by leveraging integrations to trigger personalized gift messages, enhancing the onboarding process for gift recipients, which was discovered to be a significant previous pan point.

• Successfully advocated for and launched the Flare Nomination Program, a charitable initiative that donates Flare bracelets to individuals in need, strengthening brand loyalty and community engagement.

By leveraging insights from extensive UX research, including semiannual CX projects, numerous surveys, and in-depth interviews, the Flare Product Activation and Customer Experience Research Project has driven substantial improvements in product activation, customer retention, and overall brand perception. This data-driven approach to customer experience optimization positioned Flare for long-term success and growth — most notably when it was acquired by Smart Alert Holdings in March 2023.