Redesigning the primary customer touchpoint for a major utility company—the bill. This project was a critical moment of customer engagement and a surface where nearly every business area within the company had a message to communicate.

We were tasked with three core objectives:

1. Drive customers to online channels to reduce paper consumption and printing costs.

2. Enhance customer understanding to increase brand loyalty and trust while reducing calls to customer service.

3. Future-proof the bill to support new business strategies, including upcoming subscription models.

This was amplified by the need to balance strict regulatory requirements for the print bill with the opportunity to design more dynamic and interactive digital experiences.

THE APPROACH

I led this large initiative alongside two design agencies, one research agency, and nearly 30 internal stakeholders. To do that, we run regular workshop sessions to align business needs with customer insights and design outcomes.

The foundation of the project was built on robust insights, such as Customer pain points: a thorough audit of the existing bill highlighted areas of confusion and friction. Competitor benchmarking: we examined best practices from global utility providers and other service industries. Future business needs: we aligned the bill design with upcoming innovations like subscription services, ensuring flexibility for future enhancements.

Complexity at Scale

With nearly 300 use cases to account for (ranging from simple payments to complex scenarios like closure bills and credit notes), we adopted an extreme scenario approach: We defined and designed for four distinct, high-variability use cases beyond the typical "happy path." We mapped the end-to-end customer journey, considering pre- and post-bill touchpoints to deliver a holistic experience.

Designing across touchpoints and channels

We crafted a cohesive design system spanning few channels and technologies, but needed to ensure a consistent customer experience. Print bill: Redesigned to meet regulatory standards while improving clarity, visual hierarchy and saving paper as much as possible. Interactive email: A new, actionable digital bill that links directly to the payment flow, addressing 90% of the user base. Landing page: Providing deeper explanations, addressing complex scenarios, and enabling customer self-service and market opportunities.

Iterative Testing & Validation

We employed a mix of qualitative and quantitative testing to refine designs: Guerrilla Testing: we conducted them in-store with front-line staff and customers, focusing on users with low digital literacy. Eye-Tracking Studies: Lab-based tests to analyze where users focused their attention and ensure key information was surfaced clearly.