StMartin – Yuxin

St Martin Website

TASKS: Design and launch a new official website and rebranding to align its visual image with the market positioning of luxury cabinetry products.

MY ROLE: Sole UX/UI Designer and Coordinator for the Frontend Programming, Sales, Customer Service, and Executive Teams.

PROJECT DURATION: 3 months.

Empathizing with User and Defining Pain Points

At the initiation of the project, meetings were held with the executive, sales, and customer service teams. Team members provided responses to questions aimed at gaining insights into the following:

I want to understand the challenges encountered by the sales team when working with potential clients and attempting to convert them into dealership members.

I want to understand the challenges faced by the customer service/sales team when working on the daily transitions or promotions for current dealership members.

I want to understand the challenges that local dealers provide as feedback to our customer service/sales team when selling our products.

I want to understand the common complaints from dealership members regarding our products and services.

Based on these conversations, two empathy maps were developed for two user segments: one designed for the company’s customer service/sales team to engage with potential or existing dealers, and another for dealers/retailers to interact with their customers during the sale of our products.

Internal Team Empathy Map

Says

“I never have enough space in my car trunk to fit over 200 sample doors!”

“If our website has all the warranties and e-brochures, it would save us a bunch of time replying to emails.”

“My main challenge is highlighting why our products stand out, so dealers see our brand as true luxury, not just a bit pricier than other brands.”

Does

During their business interactions with clients, they don’t use the current website because it lacks effective information to help boost their sales.

Some dealers even inquire about similar products by using images from competitors’ websites for reference.

Thinks

They’ve been talking up a competitor’s website, thinking their new site should have similar functions and style.

Feels

The current website is text-heavy, and the style feels outdated.

They feel awkward when customers open the current website in front of them, as it doesn’t match the price of our high-end products.

Dealers/Retailers Empathy Map

Says

“Customers need actual kitchen photos to choose cabinet styles and colors for their project. St. Martin’s brochure still lacks enough photos.”

“Customers often ask why St. Martin is pricier than others.”

“The retailers don’t present St. Martin’s website to their customers as it does not convey a luxury line.”

Does

In local stores, brochures are limited, making it impossible to offer them for free to every retailer’s customer.

Some retailers’ customers take their time deciding on the product styles. They capture photos of sample doors and return to the store after several days of consideration at home.

Thinks

While St. Martin provides a wider range of product choices than other brands, the limited showroom displays pose a challenge for customers to explore these options thoroughly.

Feels

Some new dealers find the process of applying for membership very time-consuming. If the dealer cannot use PDF or WORD on their computers to complete the form, they are required to print it, fill it out, scan it, and send it back.

From these conversations in the meetings, two personas were developed: one tailored for the company’s sales specialists using the website to engage with potential or existing dealers, and another for dealers/retailers using the website for their customer communication.

NAME: Jack

AGE: 35

OCCUPATION: St Martin Sales Specialist

EDUCATION: BA in English

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:

Meet local dealers in their retail stores.
Invite dealers to visit the company showroom.
Showcase sample doors to dealers, introduce products, and persuade them to become dealership members.
Maintain contact with dealership members, update them on new promotional activities, and generate new sales.

NEEDS AND PAIN POINTS:

When meeting dealers, Jack struggles to carry all door samples for effective product presentations.
When promoting products, especially new ones, to dealers, he lacks enough kitchen display images to showcase the final product effect.
When a customer wants to join as a dealership member, Jack relies on email for the application process. If customers face issues with PDF or WORD on their computers, they must print, fill, scan, and send it back, making the process inconvenient.
Jack lacks systematic and standardized support materials, making it challenging to effectively present products and establish a premium brand image to support the high-end pricing of the products.

NAME: Jassica

AGE: 45

OCCUPATION: Local Cabinetry Stores Salesperson

EDUCATION: Associate of Science

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:

Handling walk-in customers and introducing products.
Assisting customers in product selection.
Taking measurements from clients and creating designs.
Generating products based on quotes.
Placing orders with the manufacturer.

NEEDS AND PAIN POINTS:

Some customers hesitate among numerous brands, door styles, and colors, making it challenging to assist them in making decisions quickly and effectively.
The customers want to retain the kitchen image brochures, but these brochures ordered from the manufacturer are very limited.