Client: SingleInterface
Role: Lead Product Designer
Timeline: Mar 2021 - Dec 2021
Type: Mobile Application

Case Study — Mobile edition

Connect
Because WhatsApp alone isn't a business strategy

Small business owners were juggling 5 apps to run their shop. We built one that did everything — chat, catalog, orders, customer history — and made 15,000 of them stop complaining about it.

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The Problem Nobody Was Solving

5 platforms open.
0 orders tracked. Brilliant.

Managing conversations across 5+ platforms was overwhelming and time-consuming

Sharing product information required switching between multiple apps

No way to track customer preferences or purchase history

Delayed responses led to lost sales and frustrated customers

Manual order taking was error-prone and inefficient

Limited insights into what drives customer engagement and sales

The Part Where It Got Complicated

Fragmented Communication

Store owners struggled to manage customer conversations across multiple platforms—phone, email, SMS, and social media.

Limited Mobile Commerce

Small businesses lacked tools to showcase products and accept orders directly through mobile conversations.

Customer Relationship Gap

No centralized system to track customer history, preferences, and past interactions for personalized service.

Key Features

01

Unified Messaging Hub

All customer conversations from WhatsApp, SMS, Facebook, and Instagram in one place.

Smart inbox with automatic categorization by urgency and customer type
Read receipts and typing indicators for real-time engagement
Search and filter conversations by date, customer, or product
Push notifications with customizable priorities
250K+ monthly chats70% faster responses
02

Digital Product Catalog

Browse, share, and sell products directly through chat with rich media support.

Visual product cards with images, prices, and stock status
One-tap sharing to send product details in conversations
Inventory tracking with low-stock alerts
Product collections and categories for easy navigation
10K+ products listed3x sales increase
03

Smart Customer Profiles

Comprehensive customer view with purchase history, preferences, and interaction timeline.

Automatic profile creation from first interaction
Purchase history with order values and frequency
Tags for customer segments (VIP, New, Inactive)
Notes and reminders for personalized follow-ups
85% better personalization40% repeat orders
04

Order Management

Accept, track, and fulfill orders without leaving the chat interface.

Create orders directly from chat conversations
Real-time order status updates (Pending, Confirmed, Delivered)
Payment link generation for secure transactions
Delivery tracking integration with status notifications
20K+ orders monthly95% order accuracy
05

Quick Replies & Templates

Pre-built responses and automated workflows for common customer inquiries.

Customizable quick reply buttons for frequent questions
Automated greetings and away messages
Template library for pricing, availability, and policies
Variable insertion for personalized automation
60% faster responses85% satisfaction rate
06

Analytics Dashboard

Track engagement, sales performance, and customer behavior with actionable insights.

Response time metrics and team performance tracking
Sales analytics with product-level breakdowns
Customer engagement scores and retention rates
Peak hours analysis for optimal staffing
Real-time reporting15+ key metrics

Design Solutions

Unified Chat Interface

Built a single inbox aggregating messages from all channels with smart categorization and priority sorting.

70% faster response time

In-App Product Catalog

Enabled store owners to share products, prices, and images directly in chat conversations with one tap.

3x increase in mobile sales

Customer Profiles

Automatically created customer profiles with purchase history, preferences, and communication timeline.

85% improved personalization

Quick Actions & Templates

Designed quick reply templates, automated responses, and shortcut actions for common tasks.

60% reduction in manual work

User Research

Retail Store Owners

"I lose track of customer requests when they message on different platforms. I need everything in one place."

Unified messaging
Product catalog access
Mobile-first experience

Service Providers

"I want to send quotes and service packages instantly when customers inquire instead of typing everything manually."

Quick reply templates
Service catalog sharing
Appointment booking

Food & Beverage

"Customers order through WhatsApp but I have no way to track who ordered what. It gets messy during busy hours."

Order management system
Customer order history
Menu sharing capabilities

Design Process

01

Discovery & User Research

Interviewed 20+ small business owners across retail, food, and service sectors
Analyzed existing communication tools and identified friction points in their workflows
Created user personas for different business types and technical proficiency levels
02

User Flows & Wireframing

Mapped critical user journeys: receiving messages, sharing products, taking orders
Created low-fidelity wireframes focusing on mobile-optimized layouts and one-handed usage
Validated navigation patterns with guerrilla testing at local businesses
Connect App Wireframes
03

Visual Design & Prototyping

Developed a clean, approachable visual language with large touch targets and clear hierarchy
Created high-fidelity prototypes in Adobe XD with native mobile interactions
Designed dark mode variant for late-night business operations
Connect App Hi-Fi Designs
04

Usability Testing & Iteration

Conducted moderated usability tests with 15 store owners performing real tasks
Identified confusion around product sharing flow and simplified to one-tap action
Refined bottom navigation based on usage patterns and accessibility feedback
05

Development Handoff & Launch

Collaborated with iOS and Android developers for platform-specific guidelines
Created comprehensive design documentation including edge cases and error states
Monitored beta launch metrics and refined onboarding flow based on drop-off analysis

Numbers That Made the PM Very Happy

15,000+
Active Store Owners
250K+
Monthly Customer Chats
4.7/5
App Store Rating
40%
Increase in Repeat Orders

User Satisfaction

4.7/5 average rating on App Store and Google Play
92% of users actively use the app weekly
70% reduction in customer response time

Revenue Growth

3x increase in mobile commerce sales for store owners
40% increase in repeat purchases through personalization
250K+ customer conversations facilitated monthly

Lessons Learned the Slightly Painful Way

Mobile-First Matters

Small business owners live on their phones. Designing for thumb-friendly navigation and quick actions was critical to adoption and daily usage.

Context is Everything

Customer profiles with conversation history transformed how store owners interacted. Having context at fingertips made every interaction more personal and effective.

Reduce Friction Everywhere

Every extra tap or screen mattered. The most successful features were those that required minimal effort—one-tap product sharing became the most-used capability.

Got a product that needs this level of care?

Your users
deserve better.

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