USER RESEARCH & UX/UI DESIGN - CLIENT PROJECT
Improving Efficiency of Sales Calls with Copilot
Copilot is a real-time sales coach that integrates with video call services during sales calls and displays automatic, voice-activated cue cards during a conversation. They help sales reps remember the most up-to-date information while on a live call, and also assist sales managers in onboarding reps faster. My team was tasked with updating the interface of Copilot’s CMS (content management system) website and desktop application to offer more user-centric note-taking features and allow users to navigate call information more efficiently.
CLIENT: Copilot TARGET USERS: Sales Reps & Sales Managers DURATION: 3-week sprint
Methods
Heuristic Evaluation, Competitive/Comparative Analysis, User Interviews, Affinity Mapping, Journey Mapping, Sketching, Wireframing, Prototyping, Usability Testing
Tools
Figma, Adobe Illustrator, The Noun Project, Whimsical, MURAL, Google Suite, Zoom, paper & pen
THE CHALLENGE
Sales teams need an easy way to update and find information from previous sales calls
Copilot currently offers a unique tool that helps sales reps reference their notes while on a call, but new users were having trouble learning its capabilities and locating specific information after calls.
THE SOLUTION
Improve the user’s experience with Copilot’s product by:
Streamlining the onboarding process
Updating the web-based CMS website to promote easier navigation
Improving features on the desktop application to log notes from calls
How does Copilot’s product currently function?
To begin our research, we first needed to understand the ways in which sales teams interacted with Copilot’s product. We performed a heuristic evaluation, or usability inspection, of the two platforms involved in this interaction - Copilot’s CMS website and desktop application. In order to validate our assumptions, we conducted four user interviews to identify points of friction.
When assessing the CMS site, we learned that users:
Considered the existing email-based onboarding process to be too complex
Had trouble with navigating and reviewing calls
When assessing the desktop app, we learned that users:
Were unsure how the product worked, if using for the first time
Were confused by the lack of feedback when taking and saving notes
Understanding the client’s & users’ needs
By conducting multiple interviews with the Copilot team and their users, we learned what each of their needs and goals were. This helped us understand how we could develop a harmonious solution:
Understanding Copilot’s role in the sales industry
After observing what Copilot has to offer, we did a competitive and comparative analysis to see how their product fits within the sales industry. This allowed us to recognize areas of expertise vs. ways in which Copilot could be an equal player.
Defining each of the target users
Based on our research insights, we developed three personas that would benefit from Copilot’s product. Since Copilot is intended to be used with a range of experience levels within an organization, we made sure to keep each of their needs in mind.
As the lead of the team, the sales manager wants to make sure the company performs well and that all employees have everything they need in order to be successful.
NEEDS:
Ensure that the team has the tools they need to turn a profit.
To streamline the sales process to improve performance.
PAIN POINTS:
Training multiple employees can be overwhelming.
Too much time is needed to review employee performance.
As a knowledgeable and adept member of the team, the experienced sales rep wants to excel further in the company and pass on valuable skills to teammates.
NEEDS:
Tools that will help move prospects to the next stage.
Ability to sort through collected data more efficiently.
PAIN POINTS:
Wants more assistance with closing sales.
Transferring her notes into a CRM is time consuming.
As a younger, more inexperienced member of the team, the new sales rep needs to not only adjust to the environment, but the technology as well.
NEEDS:
To quickly get accustomed to the team’s sales material.
To easily get assistance with trouble shooting.
PAIN POINTS:
Team members are too busy to commit to regular training.
Digging through notes wastes time and can be frustrating.
Determining the most important features with affinity mapping
Using feedback from user interviews, we analyzed the data through affinity mapping. We took the most common responses and filtered them into feature prioritization matrices, which compared the value each feature would bring to users with the feasibility of integrating them. To determine the level of feasibility, we discussed these with Copilot’s developer.
Feature prioritization in CMS website:
Top CMS Features:
More intuitive navigation
Organization of call transcripts
Post-call breakdown
Feature prioritization in desktop application:
Top Desktop Features:
Streamlined onboarding process
A way to filter notes
Panel layout options to simulate eye contact
Exploring concepts & drawing inspiration
To kick off our design phase, we started with a Design Studio which involved six other UX designers to get a fresh perspective on how these features could be realized. We then continued on with our own sketches and wireframes.
I took the lead in investigating popular functions in productivity apps like Roam, Notion, and Slack that could be implemented in Copilot’s note tool within the desktop application. These would aid in segmenting information within a call transcript. Since many of these programs’ shortcuts used the same hotkeys, we hypothesized that these shortcuts would be relatively easy for users to adopt.
Usability testing round 1 - Functionality
Before delving into aesthetic details in our prototype, we first tested our low-fidelity MVP (minimum viable product) with users to make sure that the updated navigation and onboarding flow worked as intended.
Users were happy to see these changes realized, but there was room for improvement.
Key Insights from Usability Testing Round 1:
Keep onboarding flow short, simple, and positive - users didn’t want to mess with lengthy forms.
On the CMS site, users preferred preview pop-ups over expanding cards and redirection to another page.
New users were eager to learn the program, but didn’t want to sit through a tutorial video.
Iterations round 1 - Streamlined onboarding
During our first round of testing, many users expressed the need for a quick onboarding process in order to get new sales reps up to speed in a timely manner.
To create a more streamlined experience, we added in-app tooltips to assist new users in getting familiar with Copilot’s desktop app functionalities as they’re using the product.
Final prototype - CMS website
This sequence follows the scenario of a new hire registering within their team’s account on Copilot.
During this second round of usability tests, users were also given the tasks of creating a new card and referencing a specific call transcript.
Key Insights from Usability Testing Round 2 (CMS):
Users enjoyed having extra tools to label calls but wanted a smoother transition to other pages.
It often takes users a while to review transcripts.
Final prototype - desktop app
This follows the scenario of a new hire using Copilot’s desktop app for the first time without external assistance.
Key Insights from Usability Testing Round 2 (App):
Users were excited to see a more ingrained tutorial and thought it was easy to understand.
They weren’t sure if they would remember to use the functionality keys, but liked having the option.
Iterations round 2 - Call script highlights
During our second round of testing, users were looking for a way to quickly skim important parts of a call transcript. In response, we designed a feature that would allow users to highlight individual time-stamped notes, both during and after a call.
These images show where this feature could be implemented within the website. Additionally, there would be a corresponding highlight (#) feature in the desktop app that would allow the user to mark notes as important.
Results & reflections
This project required additional dedication to understanding the sales industry and accommodating spontaneous schedules, and my design team really rose to the challenge. We worked well together in establishing an aggressive project plan, packed full of back-to-back interviews, usability tests, and collaborative Zoom calls over the course of three weeks. I facilitated most of these meetings and file transfers as the main point of contact for my team. This project was also the first time I had designed for cross-functional platforms, which was fun to creatively problem solve.
Our biggest challenge was scheduling a limited amount of users within a short time frame, but we were grateful that our client, Copilot, was accommodating in helping to set these up. They were a pleasure to collaborate with and have an impressively unique product that will continue to bring success to many more businesses in the future.
We received a lot of positive feedback on our final presentation and were happy to hear that some of the proposed features are scheduled to be implemented soon.
“A+ Experience…Just wanted to let you know that we had a great experience with David, Rebecca, and Mel. Kudos to them and the whole GA team!”
— Andy Zhou, Founder of Copilot
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