TL;DR
Project
Caravan is a conceptual hospitality franchise that offers apartments, refurbished Airstreams, and modern cabins instead of the standard room setups commonly expected when booking a stay at a typical hotel. To update its content strategy, Caravan wants to repackage its brand message to reflect this unique gap they are filling for its clientele by also offering a special loyalty rewards program.
Scope
All copy (headlines, descriptions, CTA, emails, booking, pop-up notifications, etc.)
My role
Lead content designer and writer
Stakeholders
Travelers (for work and pleasure)
Goal and timeline
User goals: Unique alternatives to typical stays found in hotels with the added benefit of being rewarded for return service.
Business goals: Research, plan, design, prototype, and test the loyalty rewards program structure, flow, and copy within ten weeks.
Challenges
Business challenges:
How many tiers should the loyalty rewards program have to reach its audience effectively?
How should the tiers differentiate from one another?
At what stage should the loyalty rewards program be introduced in the user’s experience, and how?
User challenges:
Benefits need to be clear, accessible, and desirable
Based on their varying needs, they need more than one option to tailor their experience to their behavior
Basic process
User research > Plan > Design/Copy > Prototype > Test
Results
Based on testing, users responded positively to the experience and how the program was introduced.
Project overview
Caravan is a hospitality franchise focusing on offering apartments instead of the standard room setups commonly expected when booking a stay at a typical hotel.
In addition to their urban lodgings, travelers also have the option of outdoor settings in completely refurbished Airstreams and modern cabins. They strive to cater to anyone wanting the comforts of home but with all the flair associated with a vacation.
Caravan has decided to update its content strategy. They want to repackage their brand message to reflect this unique gap they are filling for their clientele - an invaluable niche that the hospitality industry has not been able to corner.
The problem
Many travelers are faced with unexpected challenges when selecting a place to stay.
For some, it is the need for adventure, so having unique lodging options is a must. For many, they want the security of a concierge in case they need advice or help. For most, they desire the comforts of home and a range of options to suit these needs.
Hotel rooms can often feel limiting - no space to lounge besides a bed, no kitchen to prepare a quick meal, and boring cookie-cutter layouts that lack inspiration
Airbnbs (or similar) have a vast range of lodging offerings, however, the host experience can be unpredictable, there are added fees and sometimes even expectations for the guests to clean before they leave, and no concierge on-hand to help if they need.
The goal
The goal of Caravan is simple:
to give everyone unique lodging options to suit their traveling needs
to offer a range of amenities so they have all the comforts of life at home
to have a dedicated concierge on-site to answer any questions, be available to assist guests when needed, or just for added security
To this end, Caravan is focused on making their customers feel appreciated. They are all-inclusive and value the safety and needs of their guests and they always want to share in the excitement and adventure surrounding traveling in general.
Role
Lead UX Writer | Researcher
Project duration
September - December 2022
Design tools
Figma | Adobe InDesign | Illustrator | Airtable | Miro | Pen + Paper
Responsibilities
Writing + Research
Competitor Audit (x11)
Conversation Mining (x3)
Style Guide Voice + Tone
User Personas + Journeys
Product Features
Card Sorting
Surveys + Interviews (x7)
Usability Testing
Interface Design
Research goals
Caravan wants to have a better understanding of the target audience and their needs.
Who are they?
What are their expectations?
What are their frustrations or pain points?
What do they really want and need?
In addition, Caravan wants to discover what kinds of rewards could be implemented to make their traveler’s stay more enjoyable and to show their clientele that their return service is important to them.
Knowing how to communicate with their customers will be paramount.
Research methods + findings
Competitor analysis: Of the eleven companies evaluated, none consistently offered the same features of Caravan.
Conversation mining: I researched honest reviews from customers on Reddit, Tripadvisor, and Reviews.io to discover a range of positive, negative and neutral feedback for each of the eleven companies evaluated.
Key takeaways
Professional travelers who use these services the most frequently tend to be affected the most adversely
Communication with hosts, such as with Airbnb, can be cumbersome or pleasant - lack of consistency of service
Loyalty programs need to be simple and clear
Users enjoy the ease of being able to compare options
Travelers feel upset when they aren’t rewarded or offered any perks for return business
Airbnb (or similar business models) see the host as their customer so renters are rarely, if ever, advocated for
Hotel loyalty programs, when there are too many options or ways to use, are often confusing - users are lost as a result
User personas
Travels for work
The majority of Charles’ traveling is for work, however, he likes to get away with his family whenever possible. For this reason, he needs flexibility when booking and wants a variety of options to choose from.
Since he travels frequently, it is important for him to feel valued for his repeat business.
For this reason, the app needs to provide a variety of choices and easily attainable rewards for their return customers.
Travels for pleasure
Kat has a busy lifestyle and likes to reward her hard work and long hours with a vacation whenever possible.
While she is a spontaneous adventure-seeker who often makes plans at the last minute, she doesn’t like costly surprises and it is important for her to have unique benefits to accommodate her stay.
For this reason, the app needs to be convenient, clear, and offer exclusive perks with easy to redeem points.
Key Takeaways
Travelers want to be valued for their repeat business to their chosen hospitality destination
They like to have options, whether it be in the type of lodging or rewards package being offered to them
They value flexibility, consistency, simplicity and ease of use
As individuals, they are unique and they want to have choices that reflect their style and behavior
Users have distinct needs specific to how they like to travel (such as workstations, conference rooms, extended stays)
Conversely, there are many features and amenities that are unanimously preferred by a majority of travelers regardless if it is for work or pleasure (such as strong Wifi, kitchens, gym, spa, dining, bars, etc)
Now that I had an understanding of the target audience, it was important to align the company’s image to reflect the values and needs of its users.
Voice and tone
ADVENTUROUS
“We push the boundaries to offer you a unique and exciting experience.”
DO
Make room for bold language to convey excitement.
DON’T
Be overwhelming and cause disengagement.
FRIENDLY
“We’re fun and want to share and support your love for travel!”
DO
Be cheery and conversational.
DON’T
Sound phony or insincere.
CARING
“We are mindful of your need for a safe place to stay. We are all-inclusive and are here to help with whatever you need.”
DO
Be mindful and empathetic of the user’s needs
DON’T
Come off as disrespectful.
Primary product feature
Based on the competitor audit, conversation mining, and surveys I determined what product features were needed (based on priority) and outlined what content elements would be required for each.
I focused on the loyalty rewards program, called the Caravan Advantage, and chose to introduce it on the home screen and during the booking process.
Key takeaways
the loyalty rewards program should be available more than once - on the home screen and before the booking process is complete
by considering each step in the flow, I could anticipate any additional information that would be needed for each screen
I was able to visualize what experience the user could have beyond the booking of the stay with an email reward for members the next day
offering the app download after the positive thank you email was to encourage action
Caravan Advantage
User journey
The primary user journey shown here highlights the initial offer to the loyalty rewards program and sign up process. The offer occurs as the user is booking their stay.
1. User is finalizing the booking of their stay.
2. Offered sign up to rewards program.
This unexpected offer leaves the user apprehensive and unsure if this is a wise decision to make.
3. User decides to take the time to review the offer.
They are mildly bothered by investing this additional time into their booking process but are relieved to see that the loyalty benefits are being shown in an easy to read format.
4. They see the offer’s value and decide to sign up.
After going over the features of this service, the user is feeling like it is a smart choice.
After all, there is no cost to use it and they can always cancel later if they change their mind.
5. A pop-up window appears with a confirmation of their sign up.
They are excited to see that they have unlocked a 10% discount to apply to their stay.
6. They resume booking their stay.
User reviews their selected dates and previously entered info and completes their reservation.
While they knew they were going to get a 10% discount, it’s an added bonus to see that they have already earned 1 free night with this booking.
7. User gets a confirmation of their stay and notified that the trip details have been sent to their email address.
They are feeling more excited about their vacation now that some solid plans have been realized.
The next day…
8. The user gets a thank you email with a gift for becoming a new loyalty rewards member.
They are delighted and surprised by this. In addition, they are also offered a link to download the app where they can keep track of their membership with a tailored experience.
9. They download the app.
Although they haven’t gone on their first vacation with Caravan yet, they are already feeling valued and appreciated.
Caravan Advantage user flow
The next day…
A breakdown of my writing
Scenario
The user is in the process of booking their stay and is offered a sign-up to the customer rewards program.
Problem
They are skeptical about the program and whether or not it is worth signing up for.
User goal
Understand how the rewards program works.
Business goal
Introduce the user to the rewards program and convince them of its value.
Style notes
Use upbeat, informative, and clear language.
The headline embraces a friendly and upbeat tone when introducing the rewards.
Including words like ‘free’ and ‘view’ (instead of ‘get’) makes the content approachable.
A brief introduction highlights an immediate reward upon joining.
Users who want to sign up without reviewing the benefits can click ‘join now’ and jump to the sign-in at the bottom of the screen.
I outlined the ease of use of the rewards program in a simple 1-2-3 format.
One bold descriptive word for each step was included for added impact.
Adding a comparison of benefits makes the rewards clear and understandable.
Including short headlines to each section of content makes the information skimmable and convenient for the user.
Scenario
The user has signed up for the program.
Problem
They need reassurance that this was the right choice to make.
User goal
See their immediate benefits in action.
Business goal
Convince them that they are valued.
Style notes
Impress the user with clear and buoyant copy.
User is greeted with a friendly confirmation and a reminder of their immediate benefit.
Their rewards, list of applied benefits, and total savings is clearly highlighted with their current booking cost.
A cheery message engages in their excitement for the trip and also confirms the reservation for their booked stay.
Scenario
It’s the next day, and the user receives a welcome gift email with an invitation to download the app.
Problem
They may be apprehensive about taking more action.
User goal
Feel reassured that the app will make keeping track of their rewards easier.
Business goal
Increase connection between the customer and their brand.
Style notes
Be clear, concise, and confident.
To entice the user to open the email, the subject line needed to be upbeat, friendly and to the point.
Clear hierarchy with a thank you in the headline followed by their gift and how to redeem.
It was important to reassure the user that the app was free and added value.
All information is displayed as simply and impactful as possible.
By making the customer’s rewards more accessible and tailored to them, Caravan is able to extend their service to the customer further.
Next steps
If I were to continue to work on this project, I would explore more areas of the site, such as onboarding, price points for different travel packages and add-ons, and any additional copy that creates a stronger connection between the brand and the user, such as all emails and a travel highlights section.