Reducing Support Tickets 34% with WiFi Optimization Tools
Role
Product Design
Tool
Figma
Summary
A significant rise in customer service calls reporting poor WiFi performance prompted an investigation. We discovered that our existing speed-optimized WiFi configurations were underperforming in congested, multi-network environments, common in urban settings.
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To improve WiFi performance across diverse home and office environments, I designed an intuitive tool enabling users to manage their WiFi channel settings. This tool was designed to be user-friendly, requiring no prior networking knowledge. For administrators managing user accounts, I also developed a complementary tool providing enhanced insights and centralized control.
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Impact: This empathetic design approach led to a 34% reduction in customer support calls related to poor congestion-related network performance, an 18% reduction in low-signal network devices across user accounts, and a 6% increase in Customer Satisfaction (CSAT).
About Minim
Minim, Inc. delivers intelligent software to protect and improve the WiFi connections we depend on to work, learn, and live. Headquartered in Manchester, N.H., Minim holds the exclusive global license to design and manufacture consumer networking products under the Motorola brand.
The Challenge: Same Bad Time, Same Bad Channel
Prior to the Minim and Zoom Telephonics merger, Minim primarily focused on networking products for small to medium-sized Internet Service Providers (ISPs) serving rural communities. In these less densely populated areas, multi-network interference was not a significant concern. While we provided a Care Portal interface for ISP admins to manage customer channel settings, this functionality was not extended to end-users, allowing admins to maintain centralized control.
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However, the landscape shifted post-merger with the launch of our Motorola-branded consumer product line. We observed a notable increase in customer service calls regarding poor WiFi performance. Investigation revealed that our default WiFi channel settings, originally optimized for speed, struggled in congested, multi-occupancy buildings prevalent in urban environments.
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In these dense network environments, WiFi networks often overlap. This overlap forces networks to take turns accessing the wireless spectrum, leading to delays in data transmission as each network waits for its turn. This congestion was the root cause of the performance issues reported by our users.
App store reviews and product returns further underscored the widespread impact of this issue and the urgent need for a user-centric solution. Users lacked an easy way to address this themselves, and the traditional admin-focused approach was no longer suitable for our direct-to-consumer product.
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Recognizing this, we established the following key objectives:
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Empower Mobile Users: Provide an intuitive way for end-users to optimize WiFi channel settings in their home or office environments.
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Simplify Complexity: Ensure users can improve their WiFi performance without requiring technical knowledge of WiFi channels.
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Maintain Admin Control: Retain centralized control for administrators managing user networks.
Our Solution: Optimizing WiFi Performance with User-Friendly Design
To provide an optimal experience for both mobile users and Care Portal administrators, we settled on the following high-level strategy:
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Guided Onboarding: Offer users an opportunity to optimize their WiFi during the initial hardware setup ("onboarding"), ensuring optimal performance from the start.
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Accessible Settings: Provide a clear and accessible location within the mobile app for users to adjust their optimization settings later.
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Admin Insight and Override: Equip Care Portal admins with visibility into user WiFi channel settings and the ability to override them when necessary.
To inform our design, we gathered insights from various sources: previous user research (interviews and surveys), competitor product analysis (examining their WiFi optimization features), customer service feedback, input from our internal "product champion" (who personally experienced the issue), and collaborative ideation sessions within the product team.
Team discussions prioritized the critical user insight: the vast majority of users lacked understanding of WiFi signal technology and its impact on network performance. This core understanding shaped our approach to user stories and the Product Requirements Document (PRD).
With the PRD established, I iteratively explored design solutions through design reviews with the product, engineering teams, and the product champion. While the core user flow was quickly defined, refining the UI language to strike the right balance between clarity and conciseness required several iterations.
All designs were created in high fidelity using Figma, leveraging our existing design system components and patterns to ensure a consistent and seamless user experience. Designing in high fidelity from the outset allowed for efficient communication and precise visualization of the design solution.
Mobile Onboarding: Contextual and Intuitive
To effectively optimize user WiFi, we needed to gauge the network density in their environment. Directly scanning for networks during onboarding would be time-consuming, impacting the crucial first-time user experience. Minimizing setup time is a key priority for our products.
My solution was to ask users about their building type (e.g., single-family home, apartment). I recognized a strong correlation between building type and likely network density. Building type is also information users readily understand and can provide. To assist technically proficient users who understand the concept of network density, I provided descriptive secondary text associating building types with approximate network numbers. For users who find the question confusing, I included an option to use default settings.
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Notably, I consciously avoided mentioning that reducing interference might slightly reduce overall network speed. Users purchase routers expecting advertised speeds, and realistically, achieved speeds are always lower due to technological factors. Introducing the complexities of speed vs. stability trade-offs during onboarding would likely confuse users and lead to suboptimal choices. I prioritized a simplified, user-friendly experience focusing on improved stability and reduced congestion.
Mobile Settings: Accessible Customization
To enable users to modify their optimization profile after initial setup, I added a dedicated option within the app's advanced network settings. A subtle mention during onboarding hinted at the availability of this setting, guiding users to its location when needed.​
The settings interface mirrored the three optimization profiles offered during onboarding. However, if an administrator had configured custom channel settings via the Care Portal, a fourth "Custom settings" option would appear, reflecting the admin's configuration. Furthermore, if an administrator restricted user access to these settings, the app would display a notification and provide a link to contact support, ensuring clear communication and guidance.
Care Portal: Empowering Admin Control and Insight
The existing Care Portal already featured a channel scanning tool, generating a visual graph of neighboring WiFi networks to aid admins in selecting optimal channel settings. This valuable tool was retained and integrated into the new Care Portal implementation.
The redesigned Care Portal combined the mobile app's optimization profiles with the legacy scanning tool. While we considered automating channel selection based on network scans, we opted for an iterative approach, deferring automated selection to a potential future revision.
To enhance the admin experience, I incorporated several key features beyond the mobile app's functionality:
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Speed/Stability Trade-off Context: I included detailed explanations of the speed/performance trade-offs associated with each optimization profile. Admins, familiar with networking concepts, would appreciate this nuanced information.
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Consistent Language: I incorporated the mobile app's profile descriptions into the admin interface, enabling admins to use consistent language when communicating with end-users during support interactions.
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Fine-Grained Customization: Admins gained the ability to set custom channels and bandwidths beyond the pre-defined profiles, offering granular control.
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User Restriction Toggle: Admins could restrict users from modifying channel settings, either per network or globally, ensuring centralized control when needed.
Results: Improved Performance and User Satisfaction
The introduction of WiFi optimization profiles significantly improved network performance. We observed a 34% decrease in customer support calls related to poor congestion-related network performance. Furthermore, we saw an 18% reduction in low-signal network devices across user accounts, indicating a tangible improvement in signal quality and network stability. These improvements directly translated to increased user satisfaction, reflected in a 6% increase in CSAT scores.
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Qualitative feedback further validated the success of the new feature. Users praised the ease of use and intuitive nature of the optimization tool, reporting a noticeable improvement in their WiFi experience. Power users specifically requested the ability to set custom channels and widths within the mobile app, indicating a desire for even greater control, which will inform future iterations of the tool.
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This project demonstrates the power of empathetic design in addressing user pain points and achieving significant business outcomes. By focusing on user understanding and simplifying complex technology, we successfully reduced support costs, improved network performance, and enhanced overall customer satisfaction.