Transforming BP's Customer Experience with BPme Food Ordering MVP: A Strategic UX Case Study
Project Overview
Client: BP (British Petroleum)
Duration: 2019-2020
Role: UX Designer at IBM
Objective: Design a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for BP's BPme mobile app to introduce food and coffee pre-ordering, enhancing convenience and driving revenue.
Team: Cross-functional collaboration with data engineers, software engineers, and product owners from BP's Australia and UK divisions.
Project Overview
As a UX Designer at IBM, I was accustomed to taking on complex projects that required innovative solutions. My world revolved around crafting user-centric experiences that not only met business objectives but also exceeded customer expectations. Little did I know that a transformative journey awaited me, one that would redefine the way customers interacted with BP's digital offerings.
The call to adventure came in the form of a partnership with BP (British Petroleum) in 2019. BP sought to enhance their BPme mobile app by introducing a food and coffee pre-ordering feature, aiming to provide convenience to customers and drive additional revenue. This was no ordinary task; it required designing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) within a tight timeline, validating the concept, and securing further funding for full-scale development.
The Challenge
Initially, the complexity of the project and the tight timeline gave me pause. Doubts crept in about the feasibility of delivering a user-friendly solution that aligned with BP's technical and business requirements. The existing third-party pre-order flow posed significant challenges, and coordinating efforts across BP's Australia and UK teams seemed daunting. However, I knew that this was an opportunity to make a significant impact on BP's customer experience.
Guidance and support came in the form of collaborative workshops with BP's product owners. Through these sessions, I gained valuable insights into BP's vision, customer pain points, and technical constraints. The wisdom shared by the product owners served as a guiding light, helping me navigate the complexities of the project and reaffirming my commitment to delivering an exceptional user experience.
Armed with a clear understanding of the project's objectives and challenges, I embarked on the journey of designing the BPme food ordering MVP. I delved into user research, conducting interviews and surveys to uncover customer expectations and pain points. This marked the beginning of my journey into the unknown, where I would apply my UX design expertise to create a solution that would revolutionize BP's customer experience.
BP aimed to elevate its BPme app's functionality by integrating a seamless food and coffee pre-ordering service. Key challenges included:
Short timeline to validate the concept and secure further funding
Need for a user-friendly interface that encourages adoption and repeat usage
Aligning design with technical feasibility and business requirements
Understanding and addressing pain points of the existing third-party pre-order flow
Coordinating design and development efforts across BP's Australia and UK teams
Defining the Vision and Goals
Purpose and Need: The BPme app exists to streamline customer interactions with BP services, making daily transactions effortless and more engaging. The addition of a food and coffee pre-ordering feature aimed to address the need for quicker service and enhanced user satisfaction.
Vision for the App: The vision was to transform the BPme app into a comprehensive service tool that customers could use to manage all their interactions with BP, from fuel purchases to food orders, thus integrating daily needs into a single, seamless digital experience.
Business Objectives: The short-term goal was to validate the MVP to secure additional funding and support for further development. The long-term objective was to increase customer retention and revenue through enhanced app functionality.
Metrics for Success: Success would be measured by user adoption rates, the frequency of repeat orders, and positive changes in customer satisfaction metrics post-launch.
Strategy and Business Requirements: The strategy involved developing a user-friendly interface that could integrate seamlessly with existing BP systems and support future scalability. Business requirements were gathered through collaborative sessions with stakeholders and aligned with BP's broader digital transformation goals.
My Role & Process
As the lead UX Designer, I followed a user-centric approach to navigate these challenges:
User Research: Conducted interviews and surveys to identify pain points and expectations surrounding food pre-ordering.
Collaborative Workshops: Facilitated workshops with BP product owners to finalize scope and requirements.
Wireframing & Prototyping: Created wireframes focused on simplicity and ease of navigation, developed clickable Figma prototypes for usability testing.
Design System Creation: Designed a cohesive UI kit and design system for cross-platform consistency.
Development Collaboration: Collaborated with engineering teams to implement the designs into a functional MVP.
Key Deliverables
Throughout the project, I produced several key deliverables:
User research insights, personas, and opportunity prioritization matrix
User flows, journey maps, and wireframes of the end-to-end pre-order experience
High-fidelity UI mockups, clickable prototypes, and design system extension
MVP design specifications, Zeplin specs, and assets for development handoff
Understanding the Users
User Demographics and Behaviors: The primary users were identified as BP customers who frequented BP stations for fuel and were likely to use in-station services. Insights gathered from user research indicated that users valued speed, convenience, and the ability to pre-plan their visits.
Pain Points: The main user frustrations centered around the waiting times and the inconvenience of ordering food upon arrival. There was a clear demand for a pre-order option that could save time and enhance the overall visit experience.
User Interactions: Analysis of current app usage patterns highlighted the need for a more intuitive user interface that could accommodate quick, on-the-go ordering. This was particularly important for mobile users, who represented the majority of the app's user base.
Design and Development Process
Research and Insights: Initial user research involved surveys and interviews to understand customer needs and preferences. This phase helped in crafting detailed personas and user journey maps that guided the design process.
Wireframing and Prototyping: Early designs focused on simplicity and ease of navigation. Prototypes were tested iteratively with users to refine the interface and ensure the design met their needs.
Design System and Technical Execution: A robust design system was developed to ensure consistency across the app. The technical team worked closely to integrate the new features without disrupting the existing app functions, ensuring a smooth rollout of the MVP.
Stakeholder and User Engagement: Throughout the development, stakeholders from various BP divisions were engaged to ensure the product aligned with business goals. User feedback was continually solicited to refine the product and align it with customer expectations.
Results & Impact
The BPme food ordering MVP yielded impressive results:
Delivered a fully functional MVP to BP product owners by the December 2019 target
Secured a multi-million dollar contract for IBM to continue development
Successfully incorporated a voice ordering feature conceived during a hackathon
Laid the foundation for future expansion of food ordering to more BP locations globally
Successful launch of the BPme app's new pre-order feature in June 2020
Improvement in customer engagement, retention, and incremental revenue for BP
Expanded partnership between IBM and BP, extending into future joint initiatives
Validated the value of UX research and design in BP's digital transformation efforts
Lessons Learned
This project provided valuable insights and learnings:
Importance of early and frequent user feedback in MVP design and development
Criticality of cross-regional collaboration and communication in global projects
Benefits of close designer-developer partnerships in ensuring design feasibility
Value of hackathons in sparking innovative feature ideas like voice ordering
Power of user research in identifying opportunities for customer experience innovation
Effectiveness of iterative prototyping in facilitating stakeholder feedback and buy-in
Importance of design consistency in creating seamless omni-channel experiences
Future Directions
With the successful MVP rollout, BP is poised to expand the pre-ordering feature globally, exploring further enhancements like loyalty rewards and personalized recommendations. This strategic UX case study exemplifies the transformative potential of user-centric design in redefining customer experiences and driving business growth in the retail and energy sector