Springboard Retail | Chad Wetherbee Portfolio

Springboard Retail – Retail Management & POS App

This project transformed Springboard Retail’s web-based Retail Management and POS platform into a native iOS iPad and iPhone app, streamlining workflows for managers and sales associates to enhance mobility, improve store operations, and provide better customer service directly from the sales floor.

Client: Springboard Retail
Platforms: iOS Native App – iPad & iphone
Role: Lead Product Designer & Manager
Design Team: Myself, UX Designer, UX Researcher
Client Team: Stakeholder, SME, Engineering Lead & Engineering Team
Time Frame: 6 Months

**View the final designs and project outcomes by scrolling to the bottom of the screen.

Context

Dynamic Retail Environments: Retail stores require efficient operations, seamless customer service, and accurate inventory management to succeed.
Store Managers: Balance sales performance, staff management, and inventory control to ensure smooth operations.
Retail Associates: Deliver exceptional customer experiences by relying on accurate, real-time information to assist customers and manage transactions efficiently.
Inventory Managers: Maintain stock accuracy, ensure product availability, and minimize discrepancies across store locations.
Unified Systems: All roles depend on robust systems that unify data, streamline workflows, and enable real-time decision-making to meet modern retail demands.

Problem

Store Managers / Sales Associates Impact:

Service Gaps: Retail associates face difficulties accessing accurate and timely information on-the-go, hindering their ability to provide seamless customer service and manage transactions efficiently.
Fragmented Systems: Retail teams rely on disjointed tools that fail to provide a unified view of operations, limiting their mobility on the sales floor and reducing overall efficiency

Business Impact:

Managerial Challenges: Store managers lack access to real-time data in a mobile-friendly format, making it challenging to balance sales performance, staff management, and inventory control, which impacts store profitability.
Inventory Discrepancies: Inventory managers struggle with stock inaccuracies and delayed updates due to limited mobile capabilities, disrupting product availability and operational efficiency, leading to lost sales opportunities.

Springboard Retail’s current desktop web-based Retail Management and POS platform.

Objective

Develop Unified Systems: Create a mobile platform that integrates sales, inventory, and operational data into a single, accessible system for all retail roles, tailored for iPads and iPhones.
Enhance Managerial Tools: Provide store managers with real-time, mobile-friendly data and insights to effectively oversee sales, staff, and inventory while improving decision-making on-the-go.
Streamline Customer Interactions: Equip retail associates with intuitive, mobile-optimized tools to access accurate information, manage transactions efficiently, and deliver superior customer service directly from the sales floor.
Optimize Inventory Management: Ensure inventory managers have real-time updates and tools to maintain stock accuracy, streamline workflows, and improve product availability across locations.
Support Mobility and Flexibility: Design a solution that empowers all retail roles to operate efficiently in fast-paced, multi-channel environments while adapting to various retail scales and contexts.

1. EMPATHIZE

Tasks:

Reviewed stakeholder requirements
Educated and gathered insights about retail industry
Conducted interviews with stakeholders and retail store owners
Performed a product evaluation of the current software
Shadowed retail Sales Managers and Associates

Reviewed Stakeholder Requirements

Key Findings:

Real-Time Data and Integration: Provide seamless, mobile-friendly access to sales and inventory data with full integration into existing retail systems to eliminate data silos and support instant decision-making.
User-Friendly and Customizable Interface: Design an intuitive platform with robust customization options, ensuring easy adoption and adaptability to specific operational needs.
High Performance and Reliability: Deliver a fast, dependable platform optimized for iPads and iPhones, capable of handling the demands of busy retail environments without delays or disruptions.
Enhanced Reporting and Analytics: Include advanced tools for actionable insights into sales trends, inventory levels, and staff performance to support data-driven strategies.
Scalability and Flexibility: Develop a solution adaptable to retailers of all sizes, supporting growth and empowering teams to work flexibly across the sales floor and beyond.

Conducted Interviews

Managers & Sales Associates

Usability Issues: Difficult navigation and inefficient mobile checkout processes hindered productivity and training for both associates and managers.
Real-Time Data Needs: Access to real-time inventory and sales data was crucial for effective customer service and stock management.
Desired Features: Associates sought streamlined tools like barcode scanning and easy promotion handling, while managers prioritized advanced reporting capabilities.
Customer Service Challenges: System delays disrupted customer interactions, highlighting the need for tools that maintain high service standards.

Stakeholders

Strategic Alignment Issues: The current system lacked support for goals like expansion and customer engagement, requiring better analytics and CRM tools.
Operational Inefficiencies: Slow data processing and outdated updates impacted overall efficiency.
Need for Customization: Stakeholders emphasized tailoring the system to fit diverse retail operations and scales.
Prototype Feedback: Stakeholders praised prototypes for improved navigation and mobile functionality.

“I wish we had a way to see inventory across all stores and online in real time. It would make it so much easier to give customers accurate information and create a smoother shopping experience.”

Jonathan Hendrik

Sales Associate, Threads & Things

Performed a Product Evaluation of the Current Software

Shadowed Sales Associates

High-Traffic Retail: Slow system response times during peak hours highlighted the need for a faster POS system to handle high transaction volumes.
Online and In-Store Integration: Challenges with inventory accuracy across online and physical stores emphasized the need for a unified, real-time system.
Mobile Usability: Poor screen visibility and inefficient data input during field sales and pop-ups called for a mobile app optimized for outdoor use.
Customer Engagement: Associates needed tools to access purchase history and preferences to personalize customer interactions.

2. CONCEPTUALIZE

Tasks:

Developed User Personas
Conducted Foundational & Exploratory Research
Created Sketches & Wireframes

Developed User Personas

Conducted Foundational & Exploratory Research

Created Sketches & Wireframes

3. DESIGN

Tasks:

Develop Prototype
Conduct User Testing
Build High-Fidelity Designs
Create Design System

Developed Prototype & Conducted User Testing

These were new and updated features introduced into the prototype and tested with Sales Associates during user testing to evaluate the usability and effectiveness of the prototype.

Mobile Accessibility: Transitioned from desktop to a mobile-native platform for improved mobility and usability.
Enhanced Product Search: Improved search functionality for faster and more accurate results.
Detailed Product Information: Enhanced product details for better understanding and decision-making.
Advanced Inventory Management: Introduced real-time inventory tracking, multi-location inventory lookup, and restock alerts.
Streamlined POS System: Optimized point-of-sale processes for efficiency, including seamless handling of promotions, discounts, and returns.

Order Status Updates: Improved visibility and tracking of order statuses.
Simplified Customer Management: Made it intuitive to add new customers to the database and collect customer feedback during interactions.
Improved Sales Rep Tools: Enhanced tools for adding and managing sales representatives.
Real-Time Sales Analytics: Provided managers with dashboards to monitor sales performance and key metrics.

PROJECT OUTCOMES

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are based on 6 months of user data collected from company analytics.

Managers / Sales Associates Impact:

29% Reduction in Transaction Times: Simplified workflows enabled sales associates to handle customer interactions more efficiently.
37% Increase in User Satisfaction: Enhanced mobile performance and streamlined navigation provided a more intuitive and reliable experience for associates.
18% Reduction in Transaction Errors: Improved workflows minimized errors, enhancing reliability during customer interactions.
15% Reduction in Training Time: User-friendly design decreased onboarding time for new sales associates.

Business Impact:

23% Increase in Revenue Per Store: Streamlined operations and improved strategic focus drove higher revenue.
25% Faster Decision-Making: Advanced analytics tools provided insights that reduced decision-making time.
21% Lower Operational Costs: Improved inventory accuracy through real-time updates reduced discrepancies, cutting unnecessary expenses.
19% Reduction in Report Customization Time: Enhanced customization tools streamlined report creation and improved efficiency.

KNOWLEDGE GAINED

Retail Operations: Learned the intricacies of inventory tracking, sales processing, and customer service, informing effective POS system designs for future projects.
Mobile UX Design: Specialized in creating responsive, intuitive mobile platforms, ensuring seamless usability for diverse industries.
Real-Time Data Systems: Gained expertise in integrating real-time data to improve accuracy and timeliness, applicable across various systems needing instant updates.
Customization Techniques: Developed adaptable UX frameworks to meet unique retailer needs, prioritizing flexibility and tailored functionality.
Iterative Design: Strengthened skills in iterative processes and user testing, ensuring products consistently meet user and business expectations.