Piggybacking in UX Design
If you're new to this computer-networking term called piggybacking, here is my simple definition. I learnt this term in my engineering days. "Replying to a message and sending something additional along with your standard response." Well, the definition might not be totally correct in technical terms, however I hope you get the essence. (Basically you send something extra to save an additional trip)
I think piggybacking is a fantastic way to improve the user experience, considering you deeply understanding the customer's journey for your product or service.
One should keenly identify critical touch points in order to persuade a user to continue the journey in the smoothest manner possible.
Let's look at a few touch points and examples across a variety of digital products.
When a user signs up on a shopping app, what's the ideal next step you want them to do?
You would want to start engaging with them right away and nudge them to perform a certain task and experience the product further, right? Once the user signs up, a confirmation page or pop-up or message box is our opportunity here. One could give lapsing and time-bound coupon codes, flash today's deals or just offer a unique product for a special one-time discount to instantly checkout.
The whole idea is to nudge them further in the engagement cycle.
Pre-sign up offers are your typical selling tactics, while our entire focus here is post sign-up, post the transaction. System is reciprocating based on the user actions. Piggybacking is using something as simple as a "confirmation message" feedback box as an opportunity to club your offer or guide them to perform next steps.
Context is king.
Reciprocate in the right manner and build trust with users.
Checkouts are exit points where your customer could have finished purchasing. product or a service. However, this is exit is another entry opportunity for you to send a relevant offer to motivate him to come back and perform another transaction. This offer could be driven by machine learning, analytics, subject to items hanging in carts, simple shopping patterns, current geographical location, occasion based or time of the week or month, like bill payment offers, grocery shopping or weekend specific offers.
It's not always about offers. You could use this opportunity to ask for feedback to balance your nudging approach. Don't oversell products or services as it could be a turn-off.
Conversions also matter, when the right mediums are leveraged. Shoot a thank-you mail with order success/summary coupled with coupons, send an SMS or WhatsApp message confirmation asking to collect-an-offer. (Amazon does this) Post booking, BookMyShow prompts the user to collect few coupons based on the geo location of your event or movie tickets.
Let's look at simple user transactions like completing a fund transfer or tasks as simple as filling a form to book a doctor appointment. These are transactional and the moment the transaction is done, you could neatly provide the next steps on various channels for further user action.
Your user finished filling a long form for the Doctor's appointment, help them save this form for reuse, show them facilities that could be availed during their visit or help them reach the location and set a reminder on their calendar. Offer to sign them up for a loyalty card to purchase medicines at a better rate.
When a fund transfer is done, couple that confirmation message with an offer to schedule regular transfers or you could educate the user to learn about banking products that have higher fund transfer limits or just use this opportunity to educate on other easier ways to fund transfer. The hidden possibilities can be unleashed when you deeply understand your customer's journey and user flows.
When users receive communication, they are mostly coupled with offers. If you look at credit card statements, they are bundled with offers, however they are very random and I doubt the conversion factor of offers printed on a card statement. Digital communication channels like notification, email, SMS or WhatsApp messages work best as they are relevant and actionable.
Identifying what's next is important to successfully nudge your customer to the next steps. Even though I spoke about offers here, it doesn't need to be an offer every time, it could be just helping them with next steps in the process like providing FAQs, displaying possible transactions, providing help info or taking feedback. These are opportunities to build trust.
Piggybacking is the best way to stitch the entire user journey across touchpoints in your ecosystem to create a seamless user experience.
I think piggybacking is a fantastic way to improve the user experience, considering you deeply understanding the customer's journey for your product or service.
One should keenly identify critical touch points in order to persuade a user to continue the journey in the smoothest manner possible.
Deep understanding of your user journey, opens up the right engagement opportunities.
Let's look at a few touch points and examples across a variety of digital products.
Post Sign ups
When a user signs up on a shopping app, what's the ideal next step you want them to do?
You would want to start engaging with them right away and nudge them to perform a certain task and experience the product further, right? Once the user signs up, a confirmation page or pop-up or message box is our opportunity here. One could give lapsing and time-bound coupon codes, flash today's deals or just offer a unique product for a special one-time discount to instantly checkout.
The whole idea is to nudge them further in the engagement cycle.
Pre-sign up offers are your typical selling tactics, while our entire focus here is post sign-up, post the transaction. System is reciprocating based on the user actions. Piggybacking is using something as simple as a "confirmation message" feedback box as an opportunity to club your offer or guide them to perform next steps.
Context is king.
Reciprocate in the right manner and build trust with users.
Give something relevant to motivate, engage and move them further in the journey.
Post Checkout
Checkouts are exit points where your customer could have finished purchasing. product or a service. However, this is exit is another entry opportunity for you to send a relevant offer to motivate him to come back and perform another transaction. This offer could be driven by machine learning, analytics, subject to items hanging in carts, simple shopping patterns, current geographical location, occasion based or time of the week or month, like bill payment offers, grocery shopping or weekend specific offers.
It's not always about offers. You could use this opportunity to ask for feedback to balance your nudging approach. Don't oversell products or services as it could be a turn-off.
Build genuine trust.
Conversions also matter, when the right mediums are leveraged. Shoot a thank-you mail with order success/summary coupled with coupons, send an SMS or WhatsApp message confirmation asking to collect-an-offer. (Amazon does this) Post booking, BookMyShow prompts the user to collect few coupons based on the geo location of your event or movie tickets.
Understanding the customer context, relevance and behaviour patterns improve the conversion of your piggybacking efforts.
Post Transactions
Let's look at simple user transactions like completing a fund transfer or tasks as simple as filling a form to book a doctor appointment. These are transactional and the moment the transaction is done, you could neatly provide the next steps on various channels for further user action.
Your user finished filling a long form for the Doctor's appointment, help them save this form for reuse, show them facilities that could be availed during their visit or help them reach the location and set a reminder on their calendar. Offer to sign them up for a loyalty card to purchase medicines at a better rate.
When a fund transfer is done, couple that confirmation message with an offer to schedule regular transfers or you could educate the user to learn about banking products that have higher fund transfer limits or just use this opportunity to educate on other easier ways to fund transfer. The hidden possibilities can be unleashed when you deeply understand your customer's journey and user flows.
Never miss an engagement or conversion opportunity to build trust.
Communication Opportunities
When users receive communication, they are mostly coupled with offers. If you look at credit card statements, they are bundled with offers, however they are very random and I doubt the conversion factor of offers printed on a card statement. Digital communication channels like notification, email, SMS or WhatsApp messages work best as they are relevant and actionable.
Act like a virtual assistant. Leverage every micro touchpoint to nudge users to move further in the journey.
Identifying what's next is important to successfully nudge your customer to the next steps. Even though I spoke about offers here, it doesn't need to be an offer every time, it could be just helping them with next steps in the process like providing FAQs, displaying possible transactions, providing help info or taking feedback. These are opportunities to build trust.
Piggybacking is the best way to stitch the entire user journey across touchpoints in your ecosystem to create a seamless user experience.