Connecting Samsung Account to everyday needs
Introduction
Adoption
Activation
Growth
Led Samsung Account adoption across 1B+ One UI users, driving +13% CTR, +11% sign-ins, and +5.3% global CRM revenue.
Organisation
: Samsung Research & Development Institute
Project Year
: 2022-23
Project Duration
: 12 months
Position
: Senior Designer, IoT & Wearables
Team Involved
: IoT & Wearables, On-Device AI, Multi-Device Experience
Total members
: ~10
What are we trying to solve & why?
Samsung Account's Global Signup Rate stopped at 40% for 3 consecutive years from 2020 to 2023.
Stagnant Rate
Samsung has been releasing multiple features including multi-device ecosystem, that runs mostly through Samsung Account. Low Signup rate in Samsung Account directly impacts their adoption.
CRM Pressure
In early 2023, India’s IMEI database purge impacted Samsung’s CRM activities. This increased the importance of Samsung Account as a key customer engagement channel.
Competition Pressure
Back in 2022, Apple Phones were almost double with 60% registration rate, giving a tough competition to Samsung Account.
"We should target 70% Registration Rate for Samsung Account to compete Apple."
Huichul Yang, Global Head of UX Team, Corporate VP, Samsung
Led UX Research to Identify Deeper Customer Insights in Collaboration with External Agency
Methodology
Conducted UXR, Usability, Market Study with 60 Participants Offline in 4 Different Cities across 6 Identified Personas, and 3 popular Competitor OEMs.
The Research was conducted in close collaboration with TATA Elxsi, a Third Party Research Team of having decade long experience delivering Qualitative Research for big corporates like Samsung, Google, Amazon & Microsoft. The team consisted 4 researchers expert in ethnography & semi-structured interviews.
City Selection for Research
Mix of 2 Tier-1 cities & 2-Tier-2 cities chosen based on Analytics.
Model Selection for Research
A-Series Model is selected because it had highest sales.
3 Personas
Age 18-54, Working, Tier 1 or 2 City Resident, 1:1 Male Female
All Signup Touch points
Samsung Analytics highlights which touchpoints lead to Registration
1 Samsung Experience Center Visited
12 Samsung Stores Visited
12 Multi-Brand Stores Visited
Research Findings
3 Key Insights are identified spanning across the 3 success pillars of a product. Value, Awareness, & Experience.
Value: Global solutions not tailored to local needs
Awareness: Lack of awareness of Linked Apps & Services
Experience: Invisible Touchpoints & Tiring Signup Flow
Key Map
Insight 1 / 3
User Research
Solving for Value Proposition
Competition Benchmarking
Global solutions not tailored to local needs
Power of Third Party Apps
Linked Apps & Services are bloatware, not meant for daily needs. Daily needs are sufficed by third party Apps.
Third Party Apps, agnostic of OS & OEMs, are used by friends & family members. They stay relevant in their lives even if they switch brands.
Hardware over Apps
Hardware is on top of mind than linked apps & services.
90% sales are generated by Retail, and unfortunately Store Executive's sales pitch is designed on hardware because customers enquire about camera zoom quality, battery life, storage, display, etc. A lost opportunity for Samsung Account during purchase journey at the store.
Google is the Boss
One UI is Android. Google is the Boss.
Due to rigid Android policies, Samsung account does not reserve the right to mandate registration for any fundamental actions taken by the users, NOR Samsung has control over the Onboarding Wizard.
How Might We deliver real user value through Samsung Account?
Recommendations for Business Development team
Store Executives busy pitching hardware capabilities only
Insight 2 / 3
User Research
Solving for Awareness
Competition Benchmarking
Lack of awareness of Linked Apps & Services
Deprived of In-app Information
Benefits of Linked Apps & Services are absent or buried.
The device do not communicate the benefits of Linked Apps & Services either while in use. Most users never discover these services in their device lifecycle.
Voice of customers
"I have never heard about Samsung Account"
"My life is complete with Google & other Apps"
"Is Samsung Account a Google Account?"
"I use Samsung Account only for offers & benefits"
"Store executives did not tell me about Samsung Account"
"None of my family members use Samsung Account, why should I use it?"
"I don't know how Samsung Account would benefit me"
"Where is it in the Phone?"
Daily Sales Target in Retail
Store executives rush to complete Onboarding to meet daily sales target in a multi-brand store, haphazardly skipping account related benefits.
There are plethora of multi-brand stores compared to Samsung Smart Cafe's. They offer comparison between multiple brands, and quicker in processing which attracts budget-friendly customers. Approximately 70% sales take place here compared to Samsung Smart Cafes. But, the multi-brand store executives are not trained by Samsung, and lack basic knowledge of Linked Apps & Services. Moreover, they rush to meet the daily sales limit, skipping the Onboarding Screens as fast as possible.
Multi-Brand Store Executives walking us through Registration
In Conversation with Multi-Brand Store Executives
How Might We make sure benefits of Samsung Account is present & clearly visible?
Recommendations for Marketing & Retail team
Concept: Linked Apps & Services Visible on Packaging
Concept: Store-Scape Redesign - Executives Agnostic
How Might We communicate Samsung Account's benefits through device?
UX Solution: Sticky Push Notifications
Sticky notifications pushed to users after Onboarding OR Software Update (whichever is earlier).
Launched in Mar, 2023 as part of One UI 5.3 update. Secure Folder, Samsung Pass, Find My Mobile and other valuable Apps & Services are pushed through Sticky Notifications.
UX Solution: Show Benefits in Settings App
Final designs of Samsung account touchpoint in Settings App, as launched in Oct, 2023 as part of One UI 6 update.
UX Solution: Communicate Benefits in Signup Page
Final designs of Samsung account landing page, as launched in Mar, 2023 as part of One UI 5.3 update.
UX Solution: Linked Apps highlighting Account
Launched in Mar, 2023 as part of One UI 6 update.
Insight 3 / 3
Retail Experience
Easing Sign Up
Competition Benchmarking
Invisible Touchpoints & Tiring Signup Flow
Long Onboarding
Repetitive wait times, multiple user inputs, and long flow makes the Onboarding exhausting. User onboards to both Android & One UI in this setup wizard.
Onboarding (OOBE) is the first thing an excited customer deals with while unboxing the new phone. Based on usability study, it is found that users tend to skip steps wherever possible to avoid decision fatigue. In addition to that, One UI Onboarding Flow is placed towards the end after Android Onboarding Flow. By that time, customers reach peak frustration already.
Usability Testing
Usability Testing
Competitor Analysis
Competitor Analysis
How Might We make the Samsung Account signup flow seamless?
UX Solution: OTP Based Signup
Picked up as a separate project for next phase.
Summary
Value
Awareness
Experience
Summary of all recommendations
Pillar
Insight
Solution/Concept
Delegated to
Status
Results
Value
Global solutions not tailored to local needs
Concept: Group Account
Business Development Team
In Review
No Results
Setup & Configure
Setup & Configure
Concept: Dot Com Site
Business Development Team
In Review
Auto-Switch
Setup & Configure
Setup & Configure
Concept: Increase Cloud Storage
Business Development Team
In Review
Airdrop
Setup & Configure
Setup & Configure
Concept: Bundle with relevant Third Party Apps (Spotify Premium)
Business Development Team
Launched
Airdrop
Setup & Configure
Setup & Configure
Concept: Universal Search
Business Development Team
In Review
Airdrop
Setup & Configure
Setup & Configure
Concept: Samsung Account as Employee Account to reap all benefits
Business Development Team
In Review
Handoff
Awareness
Lack of awareness of Linked Apps & Services
Sticky Notifications after Onboarding OR Software Update
Product & UX Team
Launched
+13% global increase in CTR, +11% increase in Signups, and +5.3% increase in Global CRM revenue.
Continue
Setup & Configure
Samsung Account touch point in Settings App
UX Team
Launched
3.6%
Continue
Setup & Configure
Sign in with Google on top
UX Team
Launched
3.6%
Continue
Setup & Configure
Sign in with Google highlighted
UX Team
Launched
3.6%
Continue
Setup & Configure
Carousel of Benefits to show more with less
Product & UX Team
Launched
3.6%
Continue
Setup & Configure
Remind me Later
Product & UX Team
Launched
3.6%
Continue
Setup & Configure
Nudges through App Settings
Product & UX Team
Launched
3.6%
Continue
Setup & Configure
Remind me Later
Product, Legal & UX Team
Launched
3.6%
Continue
Setup & Configure
Bytes-sized advertisements
Marketing Team
In Review
3.6%
Continue
Setup & Configure
Account Benefits in packaging
Retail Team
In Review
3.6%
Continue
Setup & Configure
Store-scape redesign
Retail Team
In Review
3.6%
Continue
Setup & Configure
Store executive sales pitch redesigned
Retail Team
In Review
3.6%
Continue
Setup & Configure
Linked Apps Preinstalled in Home Screen by Default
Product & UX Team
In Review
3.6%
Continue
Setup & Configure
Always on Display (AOD) Widgets requiring Account are Preinstalled in Home Screen by Default
Product & UX Team
In Review
3.6%
Experience
Invisible Touchpoints & Tiring Signup Flow
OTP Based Signup flow
Product & UX Team
Next Phases
No Results
Learnings
Spend 80% of time with the problem.
Go extra mile to advocate for user
A Product's success has three pillars, Awareness, Experience, & Value.