Skinny Case Study Full screen Image Reverse

Skinny Mobile Web platform

Helping transform a value-based mobile brand into a digital-first e-commerce business.

Skinny Mobile, a value-based pre-paid mobile brand approached us looking to re-platform its digital and mobile self-service infrastructure and set about creating a new benchmark in customer experience. We worked with them over several years as they shifted to a digital-first e-commerce business.

Challenge.

To help Skinny acquire customers, improve retention, increase sales, drive efficiency and deliver integration across their digital channels – we needed to design, develop and continually enhance their brand and service experience. As a value-based brand in a packed market, they critically needed to keep their irreverent challenger brand alive and vibrant.

To help Skinny acquire customers, improve retention, increase sales, drive efficiency and deliver integration across their digital channels – we needed to design, develop and continually enhance their brand and service experience. As a value-based brand in a packed market, they critically needed to keep their irreverent challenger brand alive and vibrant.

Solution.

To deliver the optimal Skinny experience, we set out to radically simplify the user experience across every aspect of the mobile provider's website – from acquisition to account management. The platform design facilitated the ongoing addition of products and services – and needed to meet the demands of significant customer growth. 

To deliver the optimal Skinny experience, we set out to radically simplify the user experience across every aspect of the mobile provider's website – from acquisition to account management. The platform design facilitated the ongoing addition of products and services – and needed to meet the demands of significant customer growth. 

Outcome.

In the first year alone, Skinny saw a 25% increase in online sales with an increased annual revenue per customer – while attracting 154,000 new customers. Due to its success, Skinny was merged back into the Spark Group as one of its brands.

In the first year alone, Skinny saw a 25% increase in online sales with an increased annual revenue per customer – while attracting 154,000 new customers. Due to its success, Skinny was merged back into the Spark Group as one of its brands.

Skinny needs a new platform.

Skinny is a pre-paid mobile brand set up as stand-alone business by Spark Ventures to compete in the low cost pre-paid market. Conceived originally as a youth-only brand – it quickly established itself across several market segments looking for the best prices in mobile plans.

DNA was engaged in building a new web platform as Skinny looked to increase its market share. The existing website provided very limited functionally and did little to support customers to top up and buy combos. The new platform was intended to increase acquisition, improve regular top-ups, provide combo flexibility and reduce calls to the call centre.

At the heart of Skinny was a desire to make mobile as simple as possible – becoming a core principle for the design of the new web platform.

Design of the platform.

Skinny was looking to re-platform its digital and mobile self-service infrastructure and set about creating a new benchmark in customer experience.

The design process was an iterative and collaborative approach working closely with the Skinny team – to understand the current experience and find ways to simplify it.

The new platform included the build of a front-end SilverStripe CMS with API integrations into the Skinny Mobile Virtual Network Operator platform, Spark network, payments provider and logistics provider.

What had been complex product ranges and bundling options were made simpler, the UI was radically stripped back, and the resulting experience was a first in simplifying the mobile phone provider experience.

The platform was well supported by integrated marketing and engagement across digital, social, retail and activation channels.

Ongoing product development.

Our role with Skinny extended for several years, providing ongoing product design support and delivery of regular enhancements designed to continually optimise the customer experience – and deliver on business goals.

Key improvements included radically simplifying signing up and switching; continuous improvement of mobile plan and device management; introduction of broadband; analytic benchmarking and regularly enabling the platform to support new mobile product plans.

Over the course of engagement, the brand shifted from a low cost pre-paid provider available mainly through retailers to a digital-first e-commerce business.

As part of the ongoing product development, the user interface was refined and optimised.

Key outcomes.

Key outcomes of the design and management of the Skinny web platform were:

  • Growth in sales: Stronger revenue and significant new customer acquisition on the digital platform

  • Improved self-service: Simplified customer experience in purchase and account management

  • Lower cost to serve: Reduced customer service management – lower cost to serve through call centre

  • Integrated platform: Integration with back-end services and enabler of product extension

  • Simplified experience: Set market benchmark for simplicity 

Project Summary

Client: Skinny Mobile

Project: Web platform

Duration: 2013 – 2018

Awards: Best Awards 2014 / Large Scale Websites Bronze

Deliverables: Web Platform, Digital Product Design and Management, Brand Design Management, Customer Experience Mapping