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A three-fold approach of combining qualitative and quantitative research, performing customer journey mapping, and strategic opportunity mapping.
At Marktplaats, a long term client of ours, we had the opportunity to dive into the user needs of the small-medium business segment, while also defining strategic improvements based on research of the business and customer needs. The goal was to understand their customer journey and to help that segment grow on the platform through meaningful solutions. This unique project encompassed gathering insights, discovering opportunities, and defining strategic solutions. The end result was a living document of actionable output which stays relevant longer and empowers stakeholders.
Every second four new ads are being created on the Marktplaats platform. The size of the platform, as well as its UX, are key drivers of success making Marktplaats a magnet for many flourishing businesses. As the largest online marketplace in the Netherlands, Marktplaats serves a disparate audience varying from buyers, small to medium sellers, and professional businesses.
Marktplaats sought to develop a customer journey map for their small and medium-sized business segment. Its goal: uncovering user pain points, aligning stakeholders, and initiating targeted projects to address these needs. Using Opportunity Mapping, we aligned product and business goals, to create strategic focus and conduct concrete experiments. Clear differentiation and prioritisation of new or improved functionalities became crucial in order to help diverse users across a range of services.
We interviewed both the business and customers to gather input for the customer journey map, and assessed existing research. By engaging with different departments and teams, we came to understand their operational needs. Simultaneously, we conducted interviews with users of varying experience levels. To address objectives of increasing user satisfaction and expanding the user base, we built a dynamic customer journey map in TheyDo. This dynamic and evolving journey map now empowers data-driven decision-making and adaptation to evolving user needs.
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To address the limitations of qualitative research, we created a quantitative survey based on the most crucial pain points identified in the interviews. This allowed us to prioritise findings and determine which problems had the greatest impact. By combining quantitative and qualitative approaches, we gained an extensive understanding of the user experience, enabling targeted improvements.
A customer journey map as a standalone artefact stays relevant for a short time. Only when it is embedded in the organisation as a living document, will it be able to deliver real value. So we went one step further. After presenting our findings, we organised opportunity tree workshops to align the different departments, and then we worked together to come up with solutions. In doing so, the customer journey map became a framework to which new projects could be attached, all based on the most up-to-date user insights. Most solutions were designed with an experimentation mindset, trying to validate the direction and test what works in practice first, before building a final solution.
The customer journey project at Marktplaats resulted in new and up-to-date insights in their user base, delivered in a format designed to be easily updated as a living document. The success of this project was bringing these insights into creative workshops to get to opportunities and solutions all stakeholders agreed on. We went from delivering mere insights to a strategic partner who could propose agreed-on solutions.
The implementation of research into the living document has significantly enhanced the effectiveness of the small to medium business team by providing them with more comprehensive insights. This facilitates greater stakeholder buy-in and improved understanding of the user perspective. The process of prioritisation within the organisation is streamlined, allowing for a focus on areas that yield the highest impact. The living document will ensure continuous value is brought to the business, empowering decision-making processes. These advancements contribute to the achievement of high-level business goals and pave the way for future growth and development in response to the project's outcomes.
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