The ongoing issues with the organization's sales software were exacerbated by the complexity of eBay's international advertising operations, located in Germany but spanning the markets of the UK, France, and Germany. Managing such a multifaceted, cross-border ecosystem added an additional layer of difficulty to an already challenging situation. The software's shortcomings had a ripple effect, causing bottlenecks and errors that didn't just stay localized but reverberated through these three key European markets. Given the cross-border scope, the toll it took on billing, ad operations, and accounting was even more pronounced. With multi-country compliance and varying market needs, the stakes were high. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, I stepped in to identify the root causes of these issues. My objective was to ascertain areas where either the software or the operational processes could be optimized, with the goal of improving efficiency, effectiveness, client satisfaction, and ultimately, revenue.

Approach & Process

To initiate our evaluation, I undertook remote interviews complemented by screen-sharing. Additionally, I employed the ISONORM 9041-10 questionnaire, a robust tool designed to assess user satisfaction concerning efficiency and effectiveness in line with international ergonomics standards. The aim was to grasp the processes, task flows, and the software's impact from the perspective of each role while simultaneously gauging their satisfaction levels.

Deep Dive Interviews & System Tour

I engaged 14 representatives spanning the sales, ad-management, and accounting sectors from three distinct countries (Germany, the UK, and France. Our conversation centered on their overarching processes, specific task flows that presented challenges, and the implications these had on their productivity. Each user then guided me through their software interactions, emphasizing areas where efficiency was notably hampered.

ISONORM 9041-10 Questionnaire

This tool, grounded in international usability standards, is pivotal in measuring software ergonomics and user-friendliness. It touches upon various facets of usability, including task alignment, clarity, and user expectation alignment. Each participant filled out this survey post-interview, furnishing a comprehensive understanding of system satisfaction across different roles.

From the data amassed, a pronounced challenge emerged among the sales personnel. Setting up campaign targeting proved especially taxing. A recurring issue was the complexity in sequencing targeting attributes, which, once incorrectly set up, became arduous to rectify. Given the sales team's tight timelines, there was a palpable demand for a more intuitive data input and revision mechanism.

Wireframe and Prototyping Solutions

Armed with these insights, I liaised with a Salesforce expert to decipher system limitations and strategize possible modifications. Our collaboration bore fruit in the form of a user-centric prototype on Salesforce. This new design championed a drag-and-drop feature, a departure from the previous intricate method. The result was a transparent and error-minimized data input system, further bolstered by timely error alerts for users.

Usability Assessment

Following the development of the prototype, I engaged the sales team for a hands-on test of the new design. My primary goal was to assess whether the updated interface was more intuitive and could streamline their tasks, reducing the time and clicks compared to the original system. To this end, I meticulously documented the time and clicks required using the old interface for a clear comparison.

To sum it up, this exhaustive assessment illuminated significant user challenges, leading to the creation of a more streamlined and efficient system. This revamp holds promise for elevating overall operational efficiency and boosting revenue streams.

Summary

The implemented solution was rolled out across all three countries, leading to a notable reduction in compensations given to clients due to targeting errors. Consequently, the sales team could concentrate more on their core responsibilities, and the accounting department experienced fewer billing complications. This enhancement contributed to a significant increase in overall revenue.

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