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Reducing failed installations for large appliances

Reducing failed appliance deliveries through UX research, collaboration and process redesign.

Quick overview

  • Role: Lead UX Designer

  • Company: John Lewis

  • Timeline: 2021

  • Tools: Figma, Axure, Miro, SessionCam, Adobe Analytics, Customer contact spreadsheets, remote user testing

  • Impact: 12% reduction in installation failures, extended to 8 additional product types​

Situation

At John Lewis, seven large appliance types were generating high volumes of failed installations, customer complaints, and business costs. For example, 1,417 gas cooker installations failed in a single year—55% due to insufficient clearance and 20% due to sockets in the hot zone.

Task

Use user-centred design to reduce failed deliveries and improve operational efficiency, measured by:

  • Fewer returns at the doorstep

  • Reduced customer service calls

  • A better customer experience to support loyalty and repeat sales

Action

  • Analysed customer verbatims, call logs, and installation feedback through journey mapping and needs analysis

  • Collaborated with subject matter experts to map pain points and assess the existing post-purchase process

  • Facilitated cross-functional sessions to co-design and prioritise solutions based on technical feasibility

  • Designed process flows, wireframes, and interactive prototypes for user testing

  • Ran remote usability tests to observe decision-making in real customer environments (e.g. kitchens)

  • Iterated based on findings and simplified technical language in collaboration with domain experts

  • Validated effectiveness through A/B testing of the new design approach

Image of an early process flow for installation checks

Pre-purchase check flow · Early prototypes of gas cooker process

Result

  • Introduced a short set of pre-purchase questions for gas and electric cookers

  • Achieved a 12% reduction in installation failures

  • Improved satisfaction from both customers and installation teams

  • Based on the success, the approach was scaled to eight additional appliance types, further enhancing efficiency and reducing operational costs

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