Verizon

Simplifying Plan Changes for Transparency and Trust

Jun 2019
—
Mar 2021

Live Review is a shared digital experience between a customer and an agent. Our goal was to improve post-transaction transparency and satisfaction by allowing the customer to complete their order while the agent guides them through a real-time review.

Lead Experience Designer
Strategy
Research

Background

Buying a new phone or changing a service plan can be confusing, often leading to unexpected charges and frustration. Telecom providers, including Verizon, face a reputation for complex pricing and surprise fees. Much of the transaction process occurs verbally in stores or over the phone, leaving customers unclear about what they agreed to. By the time they see their bill, it may be too late.

Two key pain points drove this project:

  1. Customer frustration and costly resolutions – Unexpected charges led to repeat customer service calls and bill credits, increasing operational costs and damaging brand trust.
  2. Low digital engagement – Customers who preferred in-person or phone transactions rarely used the My Verizon App, contributing to lower brand loyalty and satisfaction.

Our goal was to improve transparency during purchases, reduce repeat service calls, and encourage digital self-service after transactions.

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Approach

I took over as Lead Designer shortly after discovery, ensuring continuity and strengthening collaboration with product and research teams. Understanding both customers and store/call center agents was crucial. To gather insights, I:

  • Conducted in-store and call-center visits to observe real transactions.
  • Co-led a feedback workshop with ~30 retail reps, creating a workbook to structure their input.
  • Leveraged research from past Fios Live Review implementations to refine our approach.

The resulting design principle was to enhance, not replace, the in-person conversation—offering a visual “narration” of the transaction while allowing for self-service when needed.

We adopted an iterative approach, balancing technical constraints with customer needs. For instance, we initially designed a single agent experience for both phone and retail reps, then optimized it post-launch based on feedback.

Process

To keep improving both before and beyond launch, I worked closely with our Insights group and product team to set research objectives and gather ongoing customer feedback. I even joined a pilot program that let me run my own user tests, helping us get screens in front of real customers faster.

Pushing for an MVP was essential, but big enterprise-wide releases meant we had to be smart about what decisions to finalize and what to leave open for iteration. Not all ambiguity is created equal—some choices are best made with real production data.

  • Partnered with product teams to balance speed with long-term iteration
  • Used surveys, usability tests, call listening, and agent feedback to refine the experience
  • Launched a single experience for both phone and retail agents, then adjusted post-launch once data confirmed we needed a tablet-specific design

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Outcomes

This project not only improved transaction clarity but also paved the way for a more streamlined, digital-first customer experience.

  • Reduced repeat calls – Early post-launch data showed a decrease in billing-related service calls.
  • Higher digital engagement – More customers engaged with their purchase details in the My Verizon App.
  • Scalable expansion – After launching for wireless transactions, I led design efforts to adapt the experience for Fios, ensuring cross-platform consistency.

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