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Sellify CRM

Product Design Internship | Spring 2023

A story on why you shouldn't assume you know what the stakeholder needs!

A story on why you shouldn't assume you know what the stakeholder needs!

Services

UX Research

& UX Design

Scope

7 months

Tools

Figma
Miro

Adobe Suite

React/JS/HTML

Date

February 2023 - July 2023

Working with Auto Finance Canada

Working with Auto Finance Canada

Streamlining the sale from acquisition to hand-off

Streamlining the sale from acquisition to hand-off

At Sellify, we wanted to create
a CRM that is a joy to use by prioritizing:

Workflow
Automation


Software
Integration

Communication
Optimization

Process

Click to jump to each part of the process

Research

Research

Background

Background

Interviews

Interviews

Analysis

Analysis

Problem Summary

Problem
Summary

User goals

User goals

User Flow

User Flow

Ideation

Ideation

Solution Ideation

Solution
Ideation

Prototyping

Prototyping

User Goal Integration

User Goal
Integration

Iteration

Iteration

User Testing

User Testing

Feedback Integration

Feedback
Integration

Next steps/Upkeep

Next steps
+Upkeep

Or…

View Sellify Lean Canvas

Problem Overview

Background

Covid accelerated a change in the auto industry, the move to online and over the phone selling. As teams adopted this process however, existing software failed to meet their new requirements, leading to salesperson burnout and lost deals.

2019

In-Person Sales

In-Person
Sales

2020

Online sales

Online
sales

=

=

Salesperson burnout

Salesperson burnout

Lost Deals

Lost Deals

One of my team members discovered the scale of this issue while contracting for an auto sales company to help build automations into Hubspot and connect it to communications tools.

Yet… the means available to do so were incredibly limiting. The pain that the existing software created was palpable and we were motivated to create a solution that cut immediately to the problem for this company. In the grand scheme, this opened our eyes up to the scale of this problem across the entire auto sales industry.

So we got together with a proposition:

How might we…

How might we…

optimize the complex auto sales pipeline, offering an easy-to-follow, step-by-step system?

optimize the complex auto sales pipeline, offering an easy-to-follow, step-by-step system?

Research

Interviewing time!

To gain a deeper understanding of how employees share their client information, we interviewed current Auto Finance Canada employees and asked them to share their "day in the life".

9 user interviews and 126 data points later, we conducted some affinity mapping and grouped the data points into 7 problem spaces and 3 key themes:

Here were our top findings:

With each client acquisition, the sales department must fill out a pdf with key information, which will be passed on through each department.


Main Software Used:

DealerTrack for order info

Gmail for Communication

Adobe PDF for Client Info

Due to the nature of these client packages, the information may change from stage to stage.

The edits and changes are made by editing the PDF directly, which results in inconsistent communication within every department

Analysis

Problem Summary

Existing CRMs used by over the phone sales teams don’t integrate effectively with software used for deal building or communications.

Existing CRMs used by over the phone sales teams don’t integrate effectively with software used for deal building or communications.

On average…

On average…

a salesperson has to switch tabs and applications over 10 times over the course of a call with a single customer.

a salesperson has to switch tabs and applications over 10 times over the course of a call with a single customer.

From our extensive conversations and field research, we funnelled down the pain points reported by employees into three key problem areas:

From our extensive conversations and field research, we funnelled down the pain points reported by employees into three key problem areas:

Lack of Unified Solution

Salespeople use multiple software that don’t integrate well with each other and slow down many processes.

Lack of Automation

The current systems are very manual and lack any kind of automation.


Wasted Time

Sales agents often spend the majority of their time doing repetitive data entry, instead of closing deals.

This causes immense fatigue, leading to new salespeople quitting far more frequently than in competing industries, as well as errors that crop in from multiple data entry. A single centralized source of truth doesn’t exist.

"Deals can be lost at the 11th hour because of an incorrect value entered at any of the 15 step process…"

Existing software can be manually customized to partially solve some of these issues, but the result is not user friendly and often not within the ability of the average sales team. The poor usability makes it difficult for these teams to adopt, and increases the likelihood of errors.

Existing software can be manually customized to partially solve some of these issues, but the result is not user friendly and often not within the ability of the average sales team. The poor usability makes it difficult for these teams to adopt, and increases the likelihood of errors.

Our Solution

After carefully analyzing the problems our interviewees shared, we implemented key focuses moving forward:

After carefully analyzing the problems our interviewees shared, we implemented key focuses moving forward:

User Goals:

1: Visualize progress

Keep track of sales progress and revenue objectives.

2: Automate client info

No more PDFs! Sellify should handle routine communications so users can focus on what matters.

3: Minimize Tab-Switching

Keep track of all your client interactions with as little clicks as possible.


User Flow

User Flow

After analyzing the user interviews, we came up with a revised user flow that emphasizes the ability to reference client information through each stage of the hand-off.

After analyzing the user interviews, we came up with a revised user flow that emphasizes the ability to reference client information through each stage of the hand-off.

Fresh Lead Stage

Fresh Lead Stage

Customer is looking for a new car

Info Intake

Manual Data Entry

Manual Data Entry

Manual Data Entry

Manual Data Entry

Involved:
- Sales Department
-BDR
- Executive Team

Involved:
- Sales Department
-BDR
- Executive Team

Involved:
- Finance Manger
- Executive Team

Involved:
- Finance Manger
- Executive Team

I Accept Stage

I Accept Stage

Customer confirms interest

Customer pays entire sum

Customer pays entire sum

Customer needs loan

Customer
needs loan

Credit report

Credit Report

Trade-in Report

Budget Report

Credit Report

Trade-in Report

Budget Report

Credit Report

Trade-in Report

Budget Report

Credit Report

Trade-in Report

Budget Report

Submission Plan

Submission Plan

Customer ready to apply

Review Customer Details

Manual Data Entry

Manual Data Entry

Manual Data Entry

Manual Data Entry

Desk Manager

Desk Manager Notes

Desk Manager Notes

Desk Manager Notes

Desk Manager Notes

Desk Manager Confirmation

Co-signer needed

Co-applicant Details
+
Co-applicant Finances (PDF)

Co-applicant Details
+
Co-applicant Finances (PDF)

Customer needs loan

To Finance!

To Finance!

Involved:
- Finance Manger
- Executive Team

Involved:
- Finance Manger
- Executive Team

Involved:
- Finance Manger
-BDR
-Closer
- Executive Team

Involved:
- Finance Manger
-BDR
-Closer
- Executive Team

In Finance

In Finance

Finance Breakdown

Pre-Approval

Pre-Approval

Pre-Approval

Pre-Approval

Deal Signed!

Focuses of the flow above is: centralisation!

We implemented a workflow automation system that is:

We implemented a workflow automation system that is:

Highly customizable to meet the specific needs of the company.

Highly customizable to meet the specific needs of the company.


We integrated with industry- specific software, creating a unified process and a single source of truth.

We integrated with industry- specific software, creating a unified process and a single source of truth.

We optimized for user experience, creating a product that salespeople love to use and minimizing the amount of data entry and task switching they have to do.

We optimized for user experience, creating a product that salespeople love to use and minimizing the amount of data entry and task switching they have to do.

Ideation

Designing the prototype

I began to prototype the key user flow in Figma, focusing on easy navigation, and accessibility of the landing page and pipeline tabs.

I began to prototype the key user flow in Figma, focusing on easy navigation, and accessibility of the landing page and pipeline tabs.

  • Landing Page

  • Customer Details Page

  • Client View

MVP Testing

My moto is to: test quickly, test often! At this stage, we showcased the preliminary MVP prototype to the Auto Finance team.
The team loved the visual graphs on the dashboard, and their feedback re-iterated the importance of progress visualization through each stage of the progress, as a means of focus and by-and-large salesman retention!

My moto is to: test quickly, test often! At this stage, we showcased the preliminary MVP prototype to the Auto Finance team.
The team loved the visual graphs on the dashboard, and their feedback re-iterated the importance of progress visualization through each stage of the progress, as a means of focus and by-and-large salesman retention!

Goal 1: Visualize Progress

I focused on designing for the feeling of progress and movement as the user moves from stage to stage.

I focused on designing for the feeling of progress and movement as the user moves from stage to stage.

Developing with React

The caveat to this prototype is that the data visualization would require a large data source alongside a longer development period.
The timeline of the project was moving rather quickly, the developer and I would be prototyping and integrating the changes to the key screens nearly instantly, frankly, the data visualization could not be prioritized within our timeline.

The caveat to this prototype is that the data visualization would require a large data source alongside a longer development period.
The timeline of the project was moving rather quickly, the developer and I would be prototyping and integrating the changes to the key screens nearly instantly, frankly, the data visualization could not be prioritized within our timeline.

Alternative solutions

Despite the rigid timeline, I knew that the sense of progress was an integral part of the user's retention and joy from using our CRM.

Despite the rigid timeline, I knew that the sense of progress was an integral part of the user's retention and joy from using our CRM.

So I improvised:

I simplified the Dashboard data visualization to reflect only the salesperson's total deals, as well as team performance.

I simplified the Dashboard data visualization to reflect only the salesperson's total deals, as well as team performance.


Each client tag included key insights, for easy prioritization.

Each client tag included key insights, for easy prioritization.


Pipeline View

Step-by-step progress bar at the top

Step-by-step progress bar at the top


Client Info View

Client View

My focus as a UX designer was to integrate the key user goals outlined in the analysis phase without sacrificing on the time and energy of the developer.

My focus as a UX designer was to integrate the key user goals outlined in the analysis phase without sacrificing on the time and energy of the developer.

Goal 2: Automate client info

For this next iteration, I prioritized automation: using AI to input mundane PDF information into easy to read forms.

For this next iteration, I prioritized automation: using AI to input mundane PDF information into easy to read forms.

Without having to manually re-enter data, each salesman can save time and decrease likelihood of errors in important documents

Without having to manually re-enter data, each salesman can save time and decrease likelihood of errors in important documents

Dashboard View

Working with Existing Systems

Now that we have carefully automized the data input and instilled a seamless flow from stage to stage, it was time to highlight our most integral value proposition, tackling the last and main goal:

Now that we have carefully automized the data input and instilled a seamless flow from stage to stage, it was time to highlight our most integral value proposition, tackling the last and main goal:

Goal 3: Minimize Tab-Switching

Goal 3:
Minimize Tab-Switching

We understand that adapting to a new software is a learning curve, so we wanted to integrate Sellify into the salesmen' workflow with ease.

We understand that adapting to a new software is a learning curve, so we wanted to integrate Sellify into the salesmen' workflow with ease.

We decided to integrate with Dealertrack, not only to minimize the number of apps and software used by the dealership, but to also subsidize the costs of the company altogether. With this integration, there would no longer be a need to pay for multiple tools that don’t work well with each other. So the solution was clear:

We decided to integrate with Dealertrack, not only to minimize the number of apps and software used by the dealership, but to also subsidize the costs of the company altogether.
With this integration, there would no longer be a need to pay for multiple tools that don’t work well with each other. So the solution was clear:

We decided to integrate with Dealertrack, not only to minimize the number of apps and software used by the dealership, but to also subsidize the costs of the company altogether. With this integration, there would no longer be a need to pay for multiple tools that don’t work well with each other. So the solution was clear:

We adapted Sellify into the company's existing workflow as a browser extension

We adapted Sellify into the company's existing workflow as a browser extension

View Installation Tutorial

Browser Extension on DealerTrack

Browser Extension on DealerTrack

View Installation Tutorial

Iterations

User Beta Testing Outcomes

After the integration of Sellify into Dealertrack, sales department of Auto Finance Canada reported:

After the integration of Sellify into Dealertrack, sales department of Auto Finance Canada reported:

Substantially less task switching throughout the course of the beta test.

Substantially less task switching throughout the course of the beta test.


Peace of mind that customer information is less prone to errors.

Peace of mind that customer information is less prone to errors.

But most importantly: by cutting out manual data entry, salesmen reported saving up to 30 minutes/shift

But most importantly: by cutting out manual data entry, salesmen reported saving up to 30 minutes/shift

But most importantly: by cutting out manual data entry, salesmen reported saving up to 30 minutes/shift

Suggestions

Testing suggestion 1: Custom Stage Inputs

With testing, we discovered the need for direct dealership stage customization.

With testing, we discovered the need for direct dealership stage customization.

We wanted to ensure that we are building a CRM that can be used not only by one specific company, but multiple dealership services and beyond.

We wanted to ensure that we are building a CRM that can be used not only by one specific company, but multiple dealership services and beyond.

So we designed a built-in feature that allows for managers to customize which stages they would like to display. The user must be logged through an executive role account, ensuring that no mass-scale changes are made by just anyone.

So we designed a built-in feature that allows for managers to customize which stages they would like to display. The user must be logged through an executive role account, ensuring that no mass-scale changes are made by just anyone.

Testing suggestion 2: Communication hub

Communication between departments is vital, but so is the privacy of clients. Managers and the executive team have exclusive access to view all stages of the deal, however, salesmen are only limited to direct car details.

Communication between departments is vital, but so is the privacy of clients. Managers and the executive team have exclusive access to view all stages of the deal, however, salesmen are only limited to direct car details.

While we would have loved to create a direct built-in CRM communication hub, 80% of users expressed their preference for having a separate program for their client information and conversations within the team.

While we would have loved to create a direct built-in CRM communication hub, 80% of users expressed their preference for having a separate program for their client information and conversations within the team.

So we helped AutoFInance Set up their communication channels via Slack, with easy integration of client information and navigation through each stage.

So we helped AutoFInance Set up their communication channels via Slack, with easy integration of client information and navigation through each stage.

Takeaways

Don't assume you know what the best solution for the stakeholder will be!

Don't assume you know what the best solution for the stakeholder will be!

TEST

TEST

LISTEN

LISTEN

ITERATE WITH EMPATHY

ITERATE WITH EMPATHY

Working with Stakeholders

Working with Stakeholders

While my team and I had our ambitious goals set for creating a beautifully developed CRM with an integrated communication feature, sometimes you have to work with what the company feels comfortable with. You need to listen to what the stakeholder actually needs! And sometimes it's not what you anticipated at the beginning of the design process.

While my team and I had our ambitious goals set for creating a beautifully developed CRM with an integrated communication feature, sometimes you have to work with what the company feels comfortable with. You need to listen to what the stakeholder actually needs! And sometimes it's not what you anticipated at the beginning of the design process.

While my team and I had our ambitious goals set for creating a beautifully developed CRM with an integrated communication feature, sometimes you have to work with what the company feels comfortable with. You need to listen to what the stakeholder actually needs! And sometimes it's not what you anticipated at the beginning of the design process.


Consider your background when coming up with solutions. Coming from a tech background, we assumed that integrating a completely new software into the company's workflow will make their work easier.

Consider your background when coming up with solutions. Coming from a tech background, we assumed that integrating a completely new software into the company's workflow will make their work easier.

Consider your background when coming up with solutions. Coming from a tech background, we assumed that integrating a completely new software into the company's workflow will make their work easier.

Despite the end product not being a full-fledged CRM, our contribution and work has led Auto Finance Group Canada to develop a system that integrated easier communication and frictionless client info hand-off which were our goals from the get-go!

Despite the end product not being a full-fledged CRM, our contribution and work has led Auto Finance Group Canada to develop a system that integrated easier communication and frictionless client info hand-off which were our goals from the get-go!

Despite the end product not being a full-fledged CRM, our contribution and work has led Auto Finance Group Canada to develop a system that integrated easier communication and frictionless client info hand-off which were our goals from the get-go!

While the CRM was a great stand-alone product, pivoting its main functions to suit our stakeholder's needs was our main priority. At this point, years down the line, the Auto Finance Canada began its journey to develop their own app that continues to release new features, community posts and client acquisitions. Check out its recent developments here!

While the CRM was a great stand-alone product, pivoting its main functions to suit our stakeholder's needs was our main priority. At this point, years down the line, the Auto Finance Canada began its journey to develop their own app that continues to release new features, community posts and client acquisitions. Check out its recent developments here!

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Angelina Rudakova 2024 All Rights Reserved

reach out to me!

connect on LinkedIn

EXPLORE MORE

Work

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About

About

Contact

Contact

Behance

Behance

Dribbble

Dribbble

Instagram

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Angelina Rudakova 2024 All Rights Reserved

reach out to me!

connect on LinkedIn

EXPLORE MORE

Work

Work

About

About

Contact

Contact

Behance

Behance

Dribbble

Dribbble

Instagram

Instagram

Angelina Rudakova 2024 All Rights Reserved