Blend App - Viable-User Centric Hub

Transforming Workforce Management in the Hospitality Industry

Visit Website

Overview

Blend is a comprehensive workforce management solution designed to simplify scheduling, time tracking, and team communication for restaurants and hospitality businesses. Our project aimed to optimize Blend's user experience and drive subscriber growth.

Visit Website

The Result.

Measuring Success Through Key Metrics
In the fast-paced world of SaaS, numbers speak louder than words. Here's a closer look at how our strategies have translated into tangible results for Blend

35%

Increase in Conversion Rate

500%

Growth in New Subscribers

20%

Reduction in Churn Rate

200%

Increase in App Installs

75%

Increase in Recurring Revenue

Our Key Metrics .

In this case study, we'll delve into a series of key metrics that serve as the backbone for assessing Blend's growth and the effectiveness of our strategies.

The below metrics provide a comprehensive view of Blend's performance. They are critical indicators that not only measure the immediate impact of our initiatives but also forecast long-term success. By closely monitoring these metrics, we've been able to make data-driven decisions, fine-tune our approaches, and ultimately drive significant growth for Blend.

The Metrics:

Conversion Rate

Objective: Transform website visitors into Blend’s loyal customers.
Method: By analyzing the ratio of visitors who became paying customers to the total number of site visitors, we gauged the effectiveness of our marketing and UI/UX strategies.

Growth of New Subscribers

Objective: Expand Blend’s user base and market presence.
Method: We tracked the rate of new subscribers, month-over-month or year-over-year, to understand market penetration and the appeal of Blend’s offerings.

Recurring Revenue

Objective: Ensure a stable and predictable income for Blend, which is vital for planning and expansion.
Method: By multiplying the number of subscribers by the average revenue per user (ARPU), we could forecast financial growth and stability.

User Engagement Rate

Objective: Enhance user interaction with the Blend app, aiming for higher satisfaction and retention.
Method: Metrics such as daily active users (DAU), session durations, and feature usage were monitored to understand user behavior and preferences.

Churn Rate

Objective: Retain more customers by reducing the number of customers who leave the service.
Method: By comparing the number of customers at the start of a period to those who left, we assessed customer satisfaction and identified areas for improvement.

App Installs

Objective: Increase Blend’s visibility and user base.
Method: Tracking the number of app installations provided insights into Blend’s market reach and the effectiveness of its promotional strategies.

Free Trial to Paid Subscription Rate

Objective: Demonstrate Blend’s value proposition effectively during the trial period.
Method: By analyzing the conversion rate from free trials to paid subscriptions, we evaluated the success of the trial phase in showcasing Blend’s benefits.

Viable's Team Composition.

Head of Strategy

He orchestrated the overall project direction, ensuring alignment with Blend's business goals and market needs.

UX Designer

He conducted user research and iteratively refined the app's user interface to enhance usability and user satisfaction.

UI Specialist

He worked closely with the UX designer to bring the user interface to life, ensuring it was both visually appealing and functional.

Project Manager

He managed timelines, resources, and cross-functional communication, ensuring that milestones were met and the project stayed on course.

Product Marketing Manager

He developed and executed a comprehensive marketing strategy, focusing on customer segmentation and targeted messaging to drive user acquisition.

Front-end Developer

He translated the UI/UX designs into code, making the app's user interface interactive and responsive.

Backend Developer

He worked on the server-side operations, ensuring the data integrity, security, and scalability of the Blend application.

Content Writer

He crafted SEO-optimized blog posts, email campaigns, and in-app messages to engage users and improve search engine rankings.

The Challenge.

Blend's primary goal was to acquire paying subscribers in a market crowded with formidable competitors like "When I Work," "7Shifts," "Homebase," "HotSchedules," "Sling," "Schedulefly," and "Restaurant 365." The unique challenge for Viable was not just to help Blend stand out, but to effectively communicate its distinct advantages as a mobile-first platform in a landscape dominated by desktop-first solutions. Additionally, Viable aimed to offer valuable educational material to Blend's target audience to further differentiate the brand and establish it as a thought leader in the industry.

Project Duration:
The Blend project with Viable commenced 8 months ago.

Our Approach.

Our initial steps were twofold: conducting in-depth interviews and performing a comprehensive competition analysis. These actions were crucial in laying the groundwork for our strategic approach.

Interview Blend's Stakeholders .

By engaging with Blend’s primary stakeholders—the product managers, developers, and marketing team—a comprehensive understanding of Blend’s offerings was obtained. This knowledge was pivotal for:

Feature Comprehension: Gained clear insight into the product’s functionalities.
USP Identification: Understand the distinct selling points that differentiate Blend from competitors.
Challenge Recognition: Grasped the specific problems that Blend aims to resolve.

The derived information was instrumental in formulating a marketing strategy that centers around the user, emphasizing Blend’s exclusive features.

Interview Industry Stakeholders .

Through interactions with various hospitality professionals, such as restaurant owners, managers, and chefs, a clear picture of the challenges faced in the day-to-day operations of their businesses was painted. These invaluable insights led to the following:

Pain Point Detection: Recognized the common issues hindering their operations.
Targeted Messaging: With the knowledge of these challenges, Blend’s communication was custom-made to resonate with these professionals.
Feature Optimization: Ensured that Blend’s features aligned perfectly with the needs of the industry, enhancing its allure for the intended audience.

Competition Analysis .

An exhaustive study of competitors in the same space as Blend was carried out, which included platforms such as “When I Work,” “7Shifts,” “Homebase,” “HotSchedules,” “Sling,” “Schedulefly,” and “Restaurant 365.” The goal was to gain a holistic view of the competitive landscape, pinpointing market gaps and potential differentiation avenues.

Key Analysis Points:

Competitive Strengths and Weaknesses: By assessing each competitor’s pros and cons, we had a clearer vision of the market’s strengths and potential vulnerabilities.
Feature Evaluation: Analyzing the feature sets of these platforms gave us insights into the functionalities that are standard across the industry and those that are unique.
Pricing Strategy Insights: Understanding the pricing models of these competitors helped us gauge the market’s price sensitivity and potential pricing opportunities.
Market Position and Branding: By studying how competitors positioned themselves, we understood the prevailing market narratives and how Blend could craft its unique story.

Benefits of Each Action .

Interviews: The insights gained from both sets of interviews helped us fine-tune Blend’s value proposition and messaging. They also informed the feature development process, ensuring that the product met the actual needs of the target audience.
Competition Analysis: This gave us a clear roadmap for positioning Blend in the market. It helped us identify areas where Blend could offer something genuinely unique, thereby making it easier to attract and retain paying subscribers.

By combining the rich insights from these interviews with the data from our competition analysis, we were able to formulate a robust, user-centric strategy aimed at driving Blend’s growth.

The Solution .

Rethinking the Customer Journey: Viable's Infinity Loop Strategy for Blend

At Viable, we don't just think of the customer journey as a linear funnel; we see it as an infinity loop. This approach allows us to focus on the entire lifecycle of a customer, from initial awareness to long-term advocacy. For Blend, we identified five critical stages in this infinity loop:

Our Solution .

Create
Transform
Revolutionize
Deliver

Creating Demand

Our first task was to generate awareness about Blend’s unique mobile-first approach in a desktop-dominated market. We used targeted advertising and SEO-optimized content to reach potential customers and make them aware of what differentiates Blend.

Educating & Selling

Once we had the attention of potential customers, we used educational material and targeted messaging to help them understand why Blend was the right solution for their needs. Our new landing page and in-app guides were educational platforms and sales tools.

Guiding & Onboarding

After a customer chose Blend, we focused on ensuring a smooth onboarding process. We used UXCam insights to refine the user experience, making it easier for new users to navigate the app and understand its features.

Adopting & Advocating

Post-onboarding, we aimed to turn users into advocates for Blend. Our Intercom series and in-app messages were designed to guide users toward features that would be most beneficial for them, thereby increasing user engagement and satisfaction.

Growing & Expanding

The final stage involved turning satisfied customers into growth engines. We turned satisfied customers into Blend advocates. Through a referral program with targeted incentives, we encouraged existing users to introduce Blend to their industry contacts, thereby organically expanding our reach and credibility.

Blend’s PLG Approach

For Blend, Product-Led Growth (PLG) isn’t just a term; it’s our growth blueprint. We’ve implemented PLG throughout the customer journey, enhancing not just acquisition but also onboarding, retention, and expansion. We’ve achieved streamlined growth and notable results by centering our strategy around the product.

UI & UX Design

At Viable, we understand that an intuitive UI & UX design is not just an aesthetic choice but a business imperative. Our redesign of Blend’s interface aimed to enhance user satisfaction, reduce churn, and guide users effortlessly through their journey within the app.

Branding and Messaging: A Crucial Pivot for Blend

Initial Challenges

Blend’s initial branding and messaging were generic, diminishing its unique value in a saturated market.

Rebranding Significance

Clarity of Value:

We emphasized Blend’s ease of use and robust features, targeting restaurant managers and staff seeking efficient solutions.

User Engagement and Conversion:

We aimed to boost user interaction and increase conversions by sharpening the branding.

Landing Page Enhancements at GetBlend.app

Hero Section:

It now highlights “Simplify Your Restaurant Operations”, directly addressing users’ needs.

Feature Overviews:

Icons and summaries for key features like “Staff Scheduling” and “Time Tracking” provide clarity at first glance.

Testimonials:

Genuine feedback from users enhances credibility.

CTA:

“Get 14 Days Free Trial” buttons are strategically placed, enhancing the chance of user engagement.

The rebranding of Blend was pivotal for differentiating it in the market and underlining its exceptional value.

Content Strategy for Blend: A SEO-Driven, User-Focused Blueprint

To distinguish Blend in a competitive landscape, we anchored our content strategy on user needs and SEO optimization.

Competitor and Keyword Research

We laid a strategic SEO foundation by analyzing competitor content and targeting valuable yet achievable keywords.

Educational Blog Articles

Addressing user challenges, our articles position Blend as an industry authority, boosting SEO while fostering trust among our users.

Social Media Engagement

Beyond showcasing Blend’s features, our social channels blend informative and entertaining content, encapsulating our brand essence.

Find Blend on Instagram

Find Blend on Facebook

This tailored approach amplifies our organic traffic SEO standings and offers genuine value to users.

Blend’s User-Centric Pricing Model Shift

14-Days Free Trial

This model lowers entry barriers, allowing users to try Blend without financial commitment. The two weeks are optimized to help users discover Blend’s value, increasing their likelihood of becoming paid customers.

Free Plans for Small Teams

A functional plan for up to 5 users targets small teams, integrating Blend into their operations. As teams expand, they naturally upgrade to paid plans, offering a smooth upselling avenue.

User-Based Paid Plans

Pricing tiers are set based on data analytics of standard team sizes, ensuring businesses find plans suitable to their needs. This strategy boosts user satisfaction and optimizes revenue for Blend.

Blend’s pricing evolution focuses on user experience, maximizing conversions and long-term customer relationships while ensuring steady revenue growth.

Optimized User Engagement with Intercom Messaging

User Journey Focus

We identified three key user milestones within Blend: team addition, schedule creation, and schedule publication. Our communication strategy was designed to guide users through these steps, leading them to Blend’s core values.

Dual Communication

Users first receive an in-app message upon hitting a milestone. If unnoticed, a follow-up email is sent the next day. This ensures effective engagement without being intrusive.

Positive Outcomes

Implementing this method saw a notable increase in users completing essential in-app actions. Continuous monitoring and adjustments further improved these results.

The Wider Impact

Every team member perceives Blend’s value when a schedule is published, reinforcing its role in team management.

Our targeted messaging strategy, implemented via Intercom, enhanced user engagement and cemented Blend’s value in daily operations.

Leveraging UXCam for Blend’s Enhanced Design

In our relentless pursuit to perfect Blend’s user experience, we turned to the capabilities of UXCam. This game-changer integration offered us insights directly from our users’ interactions.

Heatmaps Insight

Through UXCam’s heatmaps, we visualized users’ primary touchpoints within the app. This showed us popular areas and highlighted potential design missteps that might impede user navigation.

Data-Driven Refinements

We refined Blend’s UI and UX using these insights. These weren’t random tweaks but targeted adjustments rooted in actual user behavior. For instance, if users missed crucial buttons, we optimized their visibility to enhance engagement.

By incorporating UXCam, we’ve taken Blend’s design to the next level, ensuring a more intuitive interface, elevated user satisfaction, and diminished churn.

UI & UX Design: A Deep Dive into User-Centric Transformation.

UX Design
UI Design

Highlighting Critical Actions:

We emphasized important buttons like “Create Schedule” by optimizing their color visibility and size. This ensures that users can easily find and execute key tasks.

In-App Messaging:

Strategically placed in-app messages guide users through essential actions, making the user journey seamless and intuitive.

Simplified Wording:

We revised the text on critical buttons to make the actions straightforward and easy to understand, thereby reducing cognitive load.

Law of Proximity:

We applied the law of proximity in the arrangement of elements, making it easier for users to navigate through the app without distractions.

Highlighting Core Actions:

We focused on the three main actions within the app—adding a team, creating a schedule, and publishing a schedule. These actions were highlighted optimally to guide users toward their ‘aha moment,’ helping them realize the Blend app’s utility and ease of use.

Testimonials.

Constantinos Samuel

CEO & Founder, Blend

"Partnering with Viable has been a game-changer for Blend. Their deep expertise in UI/UX design has not only elevated our user experience but has also significantly reduced our churn rate. Their strategic insights have been invaluable, helping us pivot our branding and messaging to resonate with our target audience."

Andreas Sanidiotis

Sales Director, Blend

"Working with Viable has revolutionized the way we approach sales at Blend. Their data-driven strategies have enabled us to target and acquire new clients much more efficiently. I've personally seen a more streamlined sales process, and the feedback from new clients has been overwhelmingly positive."

Join us on this journey of transformation & growth.

Get Started