.png)
Optimising Sign-Up for a Cause-Driven Telco
I improved DrimTel's website and nbn sign-up flow, enhancing brand visibility, driving more nbn sign-ups, and strengthening community engagement with its mission to combat type 1 diabetes.
Client
My Role
Duration
1 x Project Lead
1 x UX/UI Designer & Researcher
2 x Engineers
Achieved 34.3% month-over-month growth in nbn sign-ups, significantly expanding DrimTel’s customer base.
Reached a strong Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 92, reflecting high customer satisfaction and trust.
Enabled greater charitable impact by boosting donations to JDRF.
DrimTel is an Australian telco that donates 50% of its profits to JDRF, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to type 1 diabetes research.
They client wanted to enhance their website to drive higher nbn sign-ups and strengthen the connection between its customers and its charitable mission.
We believe:
That increasing awareness of DrimTel’s charitable mission will help provide a stable foothold/customer base of advocates.
So if we:
Integrate the charitable mission into the sign-up experience in a clear and engaging way,
We will see:
Increased customer awareness and open up more free marketing opportunities to commit to more research and support for the cause.
HubSpot integration: The front-end solution was limited by restrictions on customizing HubSpot's component libraries and templates.
Maintaining the Indie brand: The sign-up flow must build trust through familiarity while offering distinct differentiation from other indie market players.
Do no harm: DrimTel’s 32% MoM growth requires careful focus on the right problems, ensuring changes are gradual to avoid disrupting current success.
%201.png)
Poor visual design and branding
Lack of strong brand identity and imagery to effectively to communicate messaging. Poor contrast, impacting readability and inconsistent iconography styles.
Confusing interactions and navigation
Inconsistent use of hover interactions created confusion about functionality and how to interact with them properly. Some hover elements were non-clickable.
User control/freedom and inconsistent markings
Could not easily return to the previous screen on checkout, with no back option apart from browser navigation. Not all logo components were hyperlinked back to the Home Page, limiting exit options. Not all mandatory input fields were marked as mandatory.
Poor contrast & confusing interactions: low contrast made it difficult to read, causing eye strain, while confusing hover interactions created some frustration with some interactions.
Lack of visuals undermine user trust: participants felt uncertain and distrustful of the website, describing it as “scammy” due to it minimal design and absence of imagery.
Insufficient branding reduced emotional connection: participants felt a lack of connection to the charitable mission, noting the absence of strong brand presence and charity-related visuals.
Lack of clear differentiation between nbn plan options: participants struggled to choose the right plan due to insufficient distinctions between options.
Friction with separate transactions for plan and modem: frustration with having to complete two separate transactions for the plan and modem instead of being able to add items to a single cart.
Users forgot about charitable mission post-checkout: participants completely forgot about the charitable mission after completing checkout due to a disjointed user flow and lack of brand messaging.
Limitations of HubSpot ecommerce features
HubSpot's limitation in shopping cart functionality without a separate eCommerce integration like Shopify meant modem selection couldn't be completed on the NBN plan page, and there was no option to update the checkout URL from HubSpot to DrimTel.
Making trade-offs and quick fixes
Including modem selection as an add-on option on the checkout page to reduce friction by enabling users to bundle their NBN plan and modem into a single transaction, addressing the inconvenience of separate purchases.
Reducing code rewrites through feedback loops
Establishing ongoing feedback loops with engineers during the development process, from wireframes to initial prototype, ensuring alignment and reducing the risk of costly code rewrites.
The client insisted on maintaining the bright cyan colour, which is a key colour of their logo, despite being informed of its contrast issues and educated on AA accessibility compliance.
DrimTel also decided that they wanted to launch a mobile app using React Native as a wrapper for their back-office functions. I decided to run a usability test on this using the screenshots shared by the client.
Offerings failed to hook price & value-driven users: participants focused on price and value, felt unmotivated to sign up due to offering’s lack of unique appeal and capturing call to actions.
Limited awareness of JDRF despite charitable mission visibility: participants were more aware of the charitable mission but had minimal understanding of who JDRF was, impacting connection to the cause.
Confusion grows from broken/disjointed checkout flow: participants remained confused and frustrated by inability to add modem before checkout and needed time to understand the summary.
Users want visibility on plan pricing earlier in the journey: participants desire to have plan pricing earlier in the process to help make informed decisions about next steps from the Home page.
React Native app lacks user appeal & personalisation: participants felt the app surfaced a lot items that were irrelevant to them, while important features that they wanted were buried under layers of navigation.
Opportunity to promote charitable mission within the app: participants felt there was an opportunity to strengthen the connection to the charitable mission within the mobile app by integrating a section on charity-focused updates/messaging.
During testing, users acknowledged their infrequent use of any Telco/utility app unless necessary (i.e. when they have issues that require troubleshooting).
This presents an opportunity to leverage the app as a platform to drive further support for the charitable mission by introducing JDRF updates within the app to keep users informed about the social impact and encourage donations directly on the JDRF site.
The design solution drove a 34.3% MoM growth in sign-ups and achieved a strong NPS of 92, significantly expanding DrimTel's customer base. This growth directly supports their charitable mission, enabling increased donations of 50% of profits to JDRF for type 1 diabetes research.
Evaluate HubSpot viability:
assess if HubSpot is the right platform, given its front-end and e-commerce constraints. Explore investing in a Shopify integration as an alternative solution.
Resolve URL concerns: explore solutions to mask the HubSpot URL on the checkout page to prevent users from perceiving the site as a scam or untrustworthy.
Aligning branding with AA standards: Reassess branding elements, including messaging and guidelines, to ensure compliance with AA accessibility standards.
Navigating tight technical constraints: taught me to focus on what can be controlled, finding alternative solutions within the given limitations.
Collaborating closely with engineers: emphasised the importance of prioritizing pain points based on impact versus effort to deliver the most value efficiently.
Mission doesn't drive user decisions: while the charitable mission is admirable, it has minimal influence on user decisions when choosing a Telco or service provider.