B2B - SAAS
goal
Gain market share through simpler navigation, consistency, and better software appearance.
In August 2021 I joined Guestline as the second product designer. Even if Guestline has existed for more than two decades, the first designer was hired only a few months before me.
product
Guestline offers hotels a full platform with a Property Management System (PMS), online channel distribution, guest experience solutions, payment processing, and a Point of Sale system. The PMS is their flagship product, used by 2.500+ clients, with 10k average daily users. Guestline's PMS is the UK market leader and is growing in Asia and Europe.
brief
Soon after I was onboarded, this problem was presented to me:
The PMS struggles to gain market share outside the UK, and especially in Germany
Moreover, the German support and sales teams stated that customers prefer other products because of the software's complexity and outdated look.
Moreover, the German support and sales teams stated that customers prefer other products because of the software's complexity and outdated look.
my Role
Product Designer
Lead Product Designer
Timeline
Sep 2021 to May 2023
Sep 2021 to May 2023
Company
To validate the problem, we investigated through user shadowing, data analysis, and interviews. First, we needed to understand, who are Guestline's users and which challenges they are facing.
tech savvy trainee <> experienced old-school
The hotel industry faces a shortage of experienced staff, leading to many new hires who need training on both the software and main tasks. These are typically tech-savvy users, who prefer straightforward software and find Guestline's PMS unintuitive and outdated. Experienced staff, used to the PMS for years, rely on routine and may resist changes.
Specific roles <> one-man-band
Responsibilities vary by hotel size. Smaller hotels have less defined roles, while larger ones are more structured. Common roles include:
Germany <> UK
Guestline operates in multiple countries, each with unique challenges. Most clients (80%) are in the UK, followed by the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) at 5%. Guestline has a strong reputation in the UK after two decades, but in newer markets like Germany, users find the software complex and stagnant.
challenges
Finally, we were able to identify some key challenges:
The previous lack of a product design team led to some internal issues.
Improve usability and learnability by simplifying navigation
To tackle the problem of navigation, we came up with some simple yet effective solutions. The most important were:
Add breadcrumbs and page names. Users always know where they are and find their way back easily.
Make icons' names visible.
It is not only clearer for users what icons mean, but it is also easier for them to remember the location of specific pages
Introduce role-based actions.
Users see only options relevant to their specific tasks, cutting down on complexity and reducing the over-reliance on hotkeys.
Improve accessibility by increasing font sizes and making clickable areas larger. The system is easier to interact with, especially for those who struggle with smaller text or buttons.
validation
The first validation happened through the usability testing platform Maze.co.
Testers were asked to perform 3 tasks in order to assess the ease of use, the workspace set-up, and the customization:
metrics
results
Results were clear: the new navigation concept is easier
One frequent error is not understanding that the sidebar is vertically scrollable. Follow-up interviews also show unclear differences between role-based actions and hotkeys, and difficulties in finding the reservation search. Comments also highlight the improved look but note concerns about horizontal screen space.
navigation usability success
The success of the concept is especially evident in the 1st task:
Sidebar on hover, Topbar with search and Create Reservation tool
Streamline the software architecture and reduce the number of pages
Searching, especially for reservations, is one of the most common tasks and involves many different pages. To improve this, we focused on two main solutions:
Simplify the reservation system by merging the different reservation searches into a single search, view, and edit Reservation Tool that supports multitasking.
Consolidate searches into a Unified Search function accessible from multiple locations.
reservations tool validation success
After validating the reservation tool through interviews and usability tests, we launched it to a small group of customers with an opt-out option, replacing the reservation ID search.
The results were impressive: less than 12% opted out, mainly because they were in a rush and didn't have time to learn the new feature. However, many soon asked to opt back in. Feature adoption jumped from 5% to 95% in three months, and user feedback was positive, leading us to gradually roll out the functionality to all customers.
metrics
a search to rule them all
The unified search, a new feature, was launched as an MVP with limited functionalities for a group of BETA testers. Their feedback helped us refine the concept and prioritize features. It was interesting to see what users were searching for and how they navigated the tool. After several iterations, the unified search was launched in September 2023 to a limited number of users with an opt-out option. The initial results were very promising, with an initial 26% opt-out rate and a 65% adoption.
Standardize processes, improve appearance, and ensure consistency
After identifying usability and accessibility issues, along with customer complaints about the outdated look, we knew the direction to take:
Develop and implement a common style guide to ensure design uniformity and modernize the look.
Standardize design and workflows through a design components repository.
Update all styles in the current system to meet accessibility standards.
New Clients in DACH
Efficiency on Navigation
Perceived Product Quality
Pages removed
Accessible system
New Styleguide Daily Users
In January 2022, Guestline's goal was to gain 100 new clients in the DACH area by year-end. By July 2023, the new clients were 200. The system redesign and new features attracted new clients and made the sales team prouder of the product. Design became a key part of Guestline's vision and I participated in different sales pitches and helped secure new contracts.
The new navigation improved efficiency by 9% and perceived product quality by 12%. The reservation tool adoption rate is 90% higher than the previous reservation ID search.
Thanks to the new style guide and design repository, delivery and maintenance speed improved in the design and development department. New styles are fully implemented on PMS, and the tool now complies with all accessibility standards.
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