Smart Meter Bookings for Web
I led the redesign of the smart meter booking journey to accommodate non-digitally savvy members during a major company migration, introducing new booking channels and maintaining key business metrics.
Brand and role
OVO Energy, a leading UK energy provider, acquired SSE Energy Services in 2020, expanding its customer base to over 4 million. I worked for OVO from 2021-2022 as the Lead UX Designer for the 'Get Smart' Product team.
The problem
Our goal was to streamline smart meter bookings and meet Ofgem requirements. Incoming SSE members were not digitally engaged and OVO's 'digital-first' system required an online account, risking a drop in booking numbers and a surge in support calls.
The team
I was the Lead UX Designer in a multidisciplinary squad including a Product Lead, Product Manager, Content Designer, developers, and data analysts.
The user need
Customers needed to book their installation easily, using a channel they trust. They required clear information and accessible alternatives (like phone or WhatsApp) if the digital journey failed.
The business need
The business had to meet government installation targets, reduce high costs from missed appointments (£40 each), and migrate millions of non-digital customers without overwhelming support centres.
Discovery: Mapping the Challenge
In collaboration with Product colleagues, I kicked off an experience mapping workshop to identify and learn about the pain points SSE members would face when moving to OVO Energy to book a smart meter appointment. We learned that 58% of SSE members needing a smart meter lacked an email address, making an online account impossible. This key insight proved that a 'digital-only' solution would fail them and that a single web-only journey was insufficient.
This insight was critical. I helped transform our pain points into 'How Might We' opportunities and, through dot-voting, we prioritised a new multi-channel strategy. We shifted from 'fixing the website' to supporting all users by adding WhatsApp and the phone as new booking channels.
Experience mapping and ideation session screenshots.
Define: A Multi-Channel Solution
Following the workshop, we held a user story-mapping session. We decided to create an 'intercept' page for users without an account. This page would serve two functions:
- It gently encouraged users to create an account, supporting a key business goal.
- It provided immediate, clear alternatives (WhatsApp and phone) for users who couldn't or wouldn't create an account.
This multi-channel approach would maintain booking numbers while helping new users adapt to OVO's digital platform.
User story-mapping session
Develop: Lean Design and Prototyping
With no budget for user testing, I adopted a lean, expert-design approach. I used desk research (applying Jakob's Law to mimic familiar login and contact pages) and created rapid sketches, which I iterated on in Miro.
I then created high-fidelity wireframes in Figma using OVO's 'Nebula' design system. I designed two main pages: the intercept page (acting as a login/choice screen) and a_lternative bookings page (acting as a contact page). I focused on clear calls-to-action and simple, persuasive content to encourage account creation while offering easy alternatives.
Sketching and wireframing process.
Delivery: Design Critique and Handoff
I ran several design critiques with peers and the product team. This led to key UI improvements, such as simplifying the content, improving the information hierarchy, and ensuring the new WhatsApp and call options were clearly visible 'above-the-fold' on mobile.
After final sign-off from the Brand, Content, and Product teams, I handed the complete flows and content-mapped designs to the developers for implementation.
How our designs changed over time...
Result
The project proved to be a resounding success for both the team and the business:
- The new WhatsApp bot, a first for OVO, received an average rating of 9/9 from members.
- A significant 45% of users who visited the alternative booking page proceeded to the account activation journey, supporting our business goal.
- Smart Meter booking numbers remained stable during the migration, with no drop-off.
Reflections
This project was a fantastic lesson in challenging assumptions. The initial brief was to 'fix the web page,' but our discovery work proved that a single-channel solution would have failed our new users. By mapping the full experience, we identified the right multi-channel strategy.
While I didn't design the final bot flow, contributing the initial idea and designing the web journey that funnelled users to it was a key part of its success. The 9/9 CSAT score for the bot was a huge validation of the team's multi-channel approach.
UI Showcase
Here are the final screens designed for this project and part of the WhatsApp journey.
Showcase of the final UI designs for the smart meter booking journey.