Helping the Ditto Advisors with a brand new CRM
Context
Over the period 4 month, I had the opportunity to work with the ditto team to develop a CRM. Which smoothess the functions of sales team and gives the intuitive reports
Ditto started as a no-spam, simple insurance platform in 2021, aiming to simplify the hectic process of selecting insurance from many insurers in India. It was challenging to manage the leads that we acquire. In the initial faces we try to understand the basic functions of the the product by operating in an excel sheet later we decide to upgrade.
Duration
Sept- Dec 2022
Team
Devadhathan M D
Shryeans reddy
Sachin Jacob
Shaily sangawan
Tools
Figma
webdflow
Google docs
Role
Human interface guildelines
Visual design
Prototyping
The problem
We recorded the generated leads and their preferences in an Excel sheet. As things started to get more complicated, we decided to hire external help. At that time, I was working on time scheduling software that collected data from the leads. Due to limited time and effort, we chose to hire externally, but things eventually spiraled out of control.
Here is a story :)
Old CRM
Discover and Define
Ultimately, we decided to build our own CRM as the solution, utilizing the Double Diamond process to guide our approach.Through primary research with sales teams, support services, CRM users, and key decision-makers, we gathered insights into the CRM system's objectives. We conducted 15 stakeholder interviews, analyzed user workflows, and facilitated several workshops, using methods such as alignment sessions, field studies, and journey mapping. It became clear that our challenge was to unify the user experience, streamline workflows, and deliver a flexible and scalable solution. We identified the need to emphasize seamless integration, robust data security, and improving task efficiency. Proactive user engagement and workflow optimization were top priorities, including leveraging notifications and automations as core communication tools.
Main Areas
Inconsistent User Experience Across Platforms – Without a design system, ensuring consistency between mobile, desktop, and web versions becomes difficult.
Fragmented Communication – Different departments may use different tools or processes, leading to communication gaps.
User Onboarding Challenges – Lack of an intuitive onboarding process for internal teams can result in slower adoption and increased training costs.
Scalability Issues – As the CRM grows, its ability to manage larger datasets or support more users might diminish without proper planning.
Lack of Role-Based Customization – Inability to tailor the CRM functions based on the roles and needs of different team members.
Key goals
Provide clear and actionable insights through effective data visualization.
Optimize for fast load times and smooth operation.
Design the CRM to handle growth in users and data.
Provide clear and actionable insights through effective data visualization.
Test and Learn
I conducted in-depth 1:1 interviews with key CRM users, including sales teams, customer support, and decision-makers, to understand their behavior, needs, and pain points. 20 interviews were conducted across various departments and regions, representing diverse workflows and roles. Observational data was captured and tagged in Miro for detailed analysis. This led to the development of role-specific personas, mapped to user journeys across different CRM touchpoints. The insights gathered were synthesized into key findings, including inefficiencies in current workflows and opportunities for automation. This research helped shape the customization of the CRM, aligning it more closely with users' jobs to be done and providing solutions to key pain points.
To improve user onboarding and engagement, I introduced interactive onboarding tours, in-app tutorials, and role-specific tooltips to guide new users through the platform. Additionally, I recommended integrating APIs or middleware to connect the CRM seamlessly with existing tools like email marketing platforms, sales systems, and customer support systems, ensuring smooth data synchronization. We also developed customizable dashboards, permissions, and workflows tailored to specific user roles, allowing users to configure their views and streamline their tasks based on their individual needs.
So we kicked things off by creating components and the entire design system.
