Just like designing for every other industry, we have to keep in mind what the users' needs are and cater our design to them. Designing for the service industry, however, often leaves designers in a blur of unknown. We may have this great idea of how it should look, but how do we provide the best service to our customers? Today we will be discussing some simple tips to help you provide a better service design.

Set Expectations

When designing for service, it’s best to clearly define all expectations and limitations upfront. You want to clearly explain its purpose so even users that have no idea what your service is will be able to understand and use it. The service should also explain what is needed for the user to complete the service, the time frame needed for the project, any costs associated with completion, as well as restrictions. This gives users any basic knowledge they need before diving deep into their research process.

Keep Internal Processes Secret

While you want users to have all of the information they need to complete the service, you don’t want to expose your internal structures and processes to them. Service design extends past the digital world into everyday customs. Your internal processes include all the steps that help you provide a better service, whether this is how you hire new employees, program codes, or company files, your behind the scenes information should be kept within the company. Having this information available allows your competitors to see how your company is performing and leave you in a vulnerable state.

Minimum Steps

Designing a great UX strategy often involves simplifying processes to provide an easy and non-confusing user flow. We want users to click on our website and know exactly where to go and how to achieve what they’re looking for. When designing for service you want to decrease the number of steps it takes the user to reach a conversion point. Having well-thought-out user flows and detailed easy to comprehend content can help a user better understand what their needs are and lead them in the right direction.

Conversions

Like we just mentioned, we want to lead the users in the right direction and easily find a conversion point. Whether that be instructions to complete a service, filling out a contact form, or signing up for a newsletter, there should always be a clear path to an outcome for the user. Without a clear path and flow, users could end up becoming frustrated and unable to complete their goals. Eliminating dead ends will help build the overall user experience. You should also provide routes for human assistance, so if any problems arise they can easily speak to a human at any time during their process. Let’s take an airport kiosk for example when you go to check-in for your flight you want to be presented with easy to use instructions to help you complete your check-in. Without this clear path, your check-in could take longer to complete, making you frustrated and upset. This may also tarnish your experience and keep you from attempting to use the service again.

Usable for Everyone

As we’ve discussed before, providing a service or product that is ADA compliant is the way to go. You should always take into account designing for accessibility and ensure all users are able to use your service without any issues. There are a variety of tips such as using helpful alt text and having enough color contrast that can help your website become more ADA compliant. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it may just save you from a lawsuit.While there are a lot of factors that play into designing a great service, remember to put the user's needs ahead of your own. Listening to your customers and evolving based on their needs will help you to provide the best service possible. At Red Shark, we can help you create the best service experience for your customer base and increase conversions. Contact us today to get started on your digital marketing strategy.