Client SomiaCX

Project Duration 10th year Anniversary

Project Location Indonesia

Since 2012, we’ve been working on a variety of interesting projects, many are related to the micro-segment, finances and how they use technology in Indonesia. It is a promising segment with massive growth potential in terms of financial and tech adoption. Additionally, we discovered that current approaches to attract the interest of the micro-segment are not fully optimized yet.

Overview

To celebrate our 10th Anniversary, we would like to share our learnings and experiences regarding this segment. We have written them into this book, hoping that the information we provide can inspire readers to develop more effective strategies to introduce finance and tech adoption to the micro segment. If you want to know more about this publications or to collaborate with us, feel free to contact us. Enjoy!

Read The Books Here!

Concise Version:

8 Recommendations to Improve Financial Adoption
for Indonesia’s Micro-Segment

Detailed Version:

8 Recommendations to Improve Financial Adoption
for Indonesia’s Micro-Segment

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Photo of the respondent shows her make-up routines.

Client Beauty Retailer

Project Duration 7 Weeks

Project Location Indonesia

Building a cohesive brand experience as omni-channel retail from a traditional way is a complex and critical journey nowadays. One of the big retail companies in beauty and cosmetics approached Somia, to design the future Customer Experience (CX) vision that seamlessly integrates the client’s overall ecosystem.

Overview

After having a chat with the whole stakeholders; from C level, manager, to front liners, we helped to flash-out the current state and the front liners were happy since their voice can be heard too. We created behavioral types of customers for the client to visualize the shifting performances and gaps.The customer archetypes become the blueprint for client’s internal ideation. This project has brought inspiration to the stakeholders on the importance of customer experience.

Our Approach

The main objective was to design the future customer experience (CX) vision that seamlessly integrates the client’s overall ecosystem. Our key initial challenges were to find out what motivates customers, their current relationship with the brand, and their shopping habits beyond their needs. We have also immersed ourselves in investigating the stakeholders, front liners, and high-level management in the form of service safari and workshops to align the vision together.

Getting to know customers’ beauty references

Artifacts of respondent’s beauty products

Our Journey and Process

Business Discovery

This step will help to build a solid knowledge basis about the key initiatives, scan the industry to see how competitors do, and also set up a communication strategy between client and us.

Internal Evaluation

For these occasions we did mystery shopping on three client’s channels, to help us to get an honest and real experience of each channel. We also dug deeper about what happens through several FGD sessions with front liners, then communicated the findings with service blueprint workshops.

Customer Research

We did research on our client’s customers as well as the competitors, like their experience using the products and also the problems that they faced.

Insight Synthesis

Using the data that has been collected before, we analyze it to derive insights about their customer needs, expectations, and pain points, alongside with clients core teams. Then we updated the service blueprint and came up with a draft for CX vision and key concepts.

CX Vision

Together with clients higher management we align the proposed CX vision and key concept to the organization’s high level strategy.

The Results

Based on the customer research, we have created archetypes that are represented customers’ shopping habits toward beauty products. In the roadmap towards omni-channel retail, we applied a customer-centric approach to map out the consistency of all retail channels, online and offline touch points. These omni-channel touch points were customized accordingly with each customer archetype based on their needs and pain points across the journey. As a result, we could map the phases of customer behavior from having basic into advanced beauty knowledge and lapsing into loyalty towards the beauty products. The principle of the future CX vision was collected from the overlapping points of customer needs, pain points, and opportunities. In the end, these detailed solutions correlate with each customer archetype in the form of implementation and a prioritized plan each year.

Consultant in-charge

Chin Chin Burkolter

Consultant

Anindya Fitriyanti

User Researcher

Michelle Susanto

Project Lead

Daniel Fandra

Research Ops

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Client E-Commerce

Project Duration 2 months

Project Location Jambi, Manado, Yogyakarta

We engaged with a new startup to enter the e-commerce market targeting rural areas in Indonesia. Since it was still at the beginning of the development, our biggest challenge was defining the target customers and product strategy to have the right angle for the rural market.

Overview

Within two rounds of research, we helped the client develop a clear strategy of value proposition, product offering, customer experience, and product roadmap to enter the market confidently.

Our Approach

We need to understand our users better to define the go-to-market strategy. The explorations that have been done aren’t targeting only the store owners but also other stakeholders, like suppliers, logistics, and also the BUMDes (village apparatus). Based on those explorations we have gained a deeper understanding of the whole ecosystem. Our works aren’t limited to the initial discovery only. We also did service evaluation by visiting areas in Central Java with different types of local merchants. This evaluation helps us to uncover a holistic service journey that can be improved and implemented into e-commerce product transformation.

container mx-auto w-full — Stakeholders Mapping

Our Journey and Process

Exploratory Research

We conducted IDI and intercepts with different stakeholders and business scales in 20 locations from Jambi, North Sulawesi, and Central Java. They range from small, medium, and big resellers. This field research goal is to understand the full ecosystem’s needs and pain points.

Service Evaluation

In this phase, we focus on the service evaluation and identifying improvement areas. We did immersive research in four regions in central Java by interviewing the stakeholders, going to the store, doing home visits, field observations, and intercepts.

Intercept and in-depth-interview with respondents

The Results

Targeting the rural market would be challenging, especially if the products heavily rely on digital. Here are some of the insights that we’ve captured from our research:

Physical touchpoints and offline relationships are essential to bridge the interaction. The existing user journey has been developed for a long time and is primarily offline. Hence, the product can’t apply fully digital experience and touchpoints instantly.

Trust is built over time. Trust is earned. Familiar faces are needed, and past bad experiences set their trust. In this service journey, reliable agents, stock availability, and straightforward legal entities greatly influence customer trust.

The product should build simple and practical over users’ existing habits. Their day has always been packed with warung/ shop routines, and they are served by sales which come directly to the shops. They don’t have time or motivation to learn new things that add more complexities to their current habits.

Consultant in-charge

Chin Chin Burkolter

Interaction Designer

Anindya Fitriyanti

User Researcher

Michelle Susanto

User Researcher

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Wudu All in one Station and Urinal for muslim istinja washing

Client Kohler

Project Duration 3 years

Project Location Indonesia

Kohler wanted to explore opportunity areas to cater Muslim specific needs in bathspace. We started the exploratory journey in 2017 with a series of user research, ethnographic research, observations, and interview with experts. We derived key opportunity areas for innovation and we then worked closely with the client to do iterative user testing with the developed concepts and working prototypes. The project won several international awards and has been developed and launched to the public in 2022.

Overview

Kohler wanted to explore opportunity areas to cater Muslim specific needs in bathspace. We started the exploratory journey in 2017 with a series of user research, ethnographic research, observations, and interview with experts. We derived key opportunity areas for innovation and we then worked closely with the client to do iterative user testing with the developed concepts and working prototypes. The project won several international awards and has been developed and launched to the public in 2022.

Our Approach

As the Muslim market is growing, Kohler, one of the largest international sanitaryware companies, wanted to develop new innovative sanitary wares for Muslims. Throughout the 3 years project, we worked closely with Kohler to discover new opportunities for innovations, develop concepts and then test and iterate the design of the concept:

Our Journey and Process

Phase 1: Exploratory Research & Concept Testing

We started the exploratory journey in 2017 with a series of user research, ethnographic research, observations, and interview with experts (architect, Prominent figures in Islam).

From this initial discovery, we synthesized several key opportunity areas, especially regarding Muslim cleaning rituals and beliefs, such as Wudu (washing all over the face, hand, and foot) and Istinja (cleaning of private parts with water after relieving oneself).
Such needs, however, are not catered well in today’s sanitary products. We found out that there are many workarounds done by the users to be able to do their rituals. From these discoveries, we developed concept ideas to be tested with the potential users in order to discover the design principles and prioritize concepts to be further developed.

Phase 2: Real-Size Prototype Usability Testing

The prioritized concepts were then developed into a real-size prototype, such as 1:1 printouts and cardboards. These prototypes were shown and tested to a number of homeowners and business users to gain their usability feedback. By creating a real-size prototype, we could observe how users interacted with the products.

From the usability testing, we discovered the physical requirements & essential features of the product, which later is used as a guideline for the client to develop the product further. These inputs were important to help us and our client to take decisions before developing a high-cost working prototype.

Phase 3: Working Prototype UT & Finalization

When we tested the non-working prototypes, some feedback may come only from the user’s imagination, which might be different than when they directly interact with the working prototypes. Therefore, it’s important to do usability testing using working prototypes to prevent wrong decisions before finalizing the concept for mass production.

Kohler team developed 8 working prototypes based on the input of the previous phase. Then, we test it to the potential users, developers, architects, technicians & Muslim experts and ask them to prioritize it. We did not only evaluate the usability of the products but also discussed the price they are willing to pay and how they would adopt the products for their home/construction projects. With the Muslim experts, we discussed how to appropriately design, communicate and implement the products.
From the input of the previous round of research, Kohler’s team iterated a new-refined prototype, and then, we tested it again. Finally, the design got approval from the respondents as it already covered most of their needs. From these learnings, Somia provides the Final Product Recommendations and suggested that we can finalize the product.

Wudu, Istinja, and the workaround Muslim does to cater their ritual

From the concept drawing, to mid-fidelity prototype, then high fidelity working prototype

Close collaboration! During the project, Kohler team worked closely with Somians during all phases of the project

The Results

The product concept of this project, the Kohler Rivlet, has been launched to the market in 2022, while the Urinal Istina is still under development. The concept has attracted the interest of both Indonesian and international markets. The project has also received several international recognitions and awards.

Awards & Recognitions

We are very honored and humbled that the Istinja Urinal Concept won in:

IxDA Interaction Awards 2021

for Best in Disrupting Category

Singapore Good Design 2021

For both Istinja Urinal and Wudu All in One Station

2021 iF DESIGN Award

on Product Discipline: Bathroom Product Category (For both Istinja Urinal and Wudu All in One Station)

Fabulous! I love their curiosity, humbleness and willingness to go out of their comfort zone to make things happen. The positivity is great! Another thing I appreciate is how the team works well with me to get the results I need. Sulis also understood that I needed to sell up to top leaders and the type of information/ communication needed to make things work. During the testing, I see the level of passion, involvement, and flexibility to make things work. It’s really good and inspiring!

Taiwoon Woon

Kohler, Design manager and Global Commerial Lead

Consultant in-charge

Chin Chin Burkolter

Project Lead

Anindya Fitriyanti

User Researcher

Andrea Stefanny

User Researcher

Michelle Susanto

User Researcher

Daniel Fandra

User Researcher

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Design Implementation for CASA of Micro-segments

Client Bank BRI

Project Duration 5 months

Project Location Indonesia

How might we get people to save their money in a Bank? Bank BRI (Bank Rakyat Indonesia) wants to increase CASA (Current Account Savings Account) for Indonesian micro-segments areas. The approach is to solve financial inclusion for those segments through developing value propositions as well as developing products and services to get customers to save in the bank.

Overview

Transforming into digital is not always the solution. During 2 months of product testing, more customers started to have new accounts at BRI. We collected approximately $2,750 from 61 new accounts. More than just customers, we helped increase trust and awareness of Bank Agents in the area and the direct impact of the bank itself has collected about $2,750 with an average of $53 savings per transaction.

Our Approach

The project consists of two phases using a human centered design approach. The first phase of Value Proposition Research is to understand the behavioral types of micro segment users, why they don’t save their money at banks yet. From the behavioral insight and field findings, then we formulated Design Principles which would become our guide to the second phase of iterative design, prototyping, and implementation.

Collecting insights and co-ideation with stakeholders, agents, and customers

Our Journey and Process

Stakeholders Interviews and Co-design Workshop

We conducted interviews with the stakeholders to brainstorm ideas and prioritize solutions based on their impacts and efforts to make the changes.

Synthesis and Concept Iteration

We interviewed and observed customers around different cities and rural areas in Indonesia to understand their motivation and pain points to do savings at Banks. We also tested some concepts to see their preference of solution and to gather feedback on the concepts.

Concept Prototyping

After we finished field research in one city, we did a synthesis to capture insights from the research so we can improve the direction of the research for the next city. The concepts tested during the IDI are also iterated based on the feedback and we conceive other concepts based on the concept testing.

Implementation

We have detailed out the service design to ensure successful implementation. Within four iterations with different physical prototypes to find the design of the product that would fit their needs. We designed and produced the product based on the feedback from the customers, Bank Agents, and Stakeholders.

Prototype Testing and Implementations

The Results

During the project, we worked closely with the BRI core team. They were directly involved in the field research, recruitments, IDI, synthesis, and almost every stage of the projects. By working collaboratively, It helped us further understand the client’s need and what’s important to them on the project, so we can dig deeper on their preference and goals to ensure a better research result that fits the client’s vision. It also directed the project’s course so we could manage the project’s time and resources more effectively.

Awards & Recognitions

We are very honored and humbled that this project won in:

IxDA Interaction Awards 2019
for Best in Category: Optimizing and Best in Show

Taiwoon Woon

Kohler, Design manager and Global Commerial Lead

Consultant in-charge

Anindya Fitriyanti

Interaction Designer

Andrea Stefanny

User Researcher

Michelle Susanto

Product Designer

Daniel Fandra

User Researcher

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Client Multinational Healthcare Company

Project Duration 5 months

Project Location Indonesia

Renal care comprises treating patients with chronic kidney disease. At a severe level, patients will have to do dialysis treatment 2-3 times a week with each treatment lasting around 5 hours. Renal care treatment is still a big challenge in Indonesia. Nephrologists (Doctors specialized in kidney diseases) availability are limited and they are distributed unequally across Indonesia, high cost of treatment (equipment and medication), high number of patients and the inefficiency in accessing the treatment itself adds the complexities of the renal care service space. These make the patient’s experience often being overlooked. A multinational healthcare company reached out to Somia to do service innovation in the renal care service space.

Overview

Within 5 months, we identified the needs and challenges both from the patient’s side and the healthcare providers and used those to ideate and do service prototyping. In the end, our client was able to have a service concept and its roadmap for them to develop further.

Our Approach

We used human-centered design as our core approach while also combining Service Design and Business Design methodology. Firstly, we uncovered the landscape of renal care service in Indonesia. This includes mapping and interviewing the stakeholders in the ecosystem: the patients, caretakers, doctors, nurses and hospital management.

In addition, we also looked at secondary data to enrich our findings. After that we synthesized our findings onto insights and used it to ideate on service concepts, including value proposition model and business model. We then tested those concepts to the stakeholders to get their feedback and iterate the service concepts. Finally, we did service prototyping of the concepts to refine and develop the final model of the service concepts.

On-going treatment Chronic Kidney Disease patient

Our Journey and Process

Discovery

We observed and interviewed 9 patients, 6 caretakers and 8 health care providers in 3 cities in Indonesia to uncover their journey, needs and expectations. At this early stage, we already brought a few stimuli to spark conversation and get their initial feedback regarding the idea or preferences.

Ideation & concept testing

From the insights and feedback we got from the discovery phase, we ideated on strategic business models and service concepts. Afterwards, we asked 10 patients, 5 healthcare providers and 3 entrepreneurs about our concepts to get their feedback.

Concept refinement & service prototyping

At this stage, we refined the concepts based on the feedback and ran service prototyping and experiments to further test the concepts in real-world situations. We also did several service safaris to Puskesmas (Indonesian community health clinic), clinics and labs to get a better context of how they run a health care service.

Finalized service concepts

Learnings from the service prototyping and service safari were used to further finalized the concepts, including the prioritized business model recommendation, entities to be approached for collaboration, service flow and high level internal resources and requirements.

The Results

Some key insights we have discovered:

Knowledge about renal care is still limited. Most patients who get dialysis treatment do not realize they have a kidney disease until it is already too late, thus they directly need to receive an intensive treatment.

Accessing the renal care is a daunting task. As an example, some patients who use BPJS (Indonesian universal healthcare) had to wait for months to secure a bed in a hospital to get their regular treatment.

Patients are not comfortable and could not rest well during treatment due to the blaring hospital lights, loud noises from dialysis machines and human traffic.

Due to cost savings, some hospitals reuse dialyzers (a tube used in dialysis treatment) more than the recommended number of times, which affect the quality of the treatment.

Before the study, the clients were unable to navigate themselves within the complex renal care ecosystem in Indonesia and did not have a tangible direction of what kind of service innovation that they could offer in Indonesia. After going through the whole process in this study – through learnings from our insights and service concept development – the client has a much better understanding about the needs of patients and healthcare providers. As a result, the finalized service concepts gave a firm base for the client to further develop the services in order to innovate the renal care space in Indonesia.