Updating Verizon’s order flows to save $1M in annual support costs

Clear and consistent UI copy would reassure customers about their purchases.

The challenge

When customers placed orders in the My Verizon app, there were nine possible flows they’d navigate from placing their order to receiving it. Customers were often confused by the unclear or incorrect information they’d receive, and so they’d call Customer Support. The product team who owned Orders estimated that these calls cost Verizon +$1 million dollars annually.

The solution

The team, led by a senior product manager and a skilled UX designer committed to updating all nine order flows. They projected making simplifications and clarifications would save Verizon $1 million dollars in the first year. As the lead UX writer on the design systems team, I was added to the team to review all of the original content from a systems perspective and revise it as needed.

Reviewing the flows

I began by reviewing the original copy decks and the flows to find patterns that would need to be updated to follow brand style, content best practices, and the design system. I found:

  • Statuses were often vague or unclear, like “en route” vs. setting shipping time expectations.

  • The vocabulary didn’t match Verizon’s current voice; it was too casual.

  • Terms were over used, like “here,” or used interchangeably, like “orders” and “purchases”

  • Some copy violated accessibility best practices, including using “below” to direct users to an area of the screen.

  • Colloquial phrases, like “Stay tuned,” were used. These phrases could slow comprehension and would require fine-tuned localization.

My Orders flows (PDF)

Revising necessary content

Working in the Figma file, I updated relevant copy in each flow, including:

  • The status “en route” was simplified to “shipped”

  • The focus was placed on the customer as much as possible. For example, headings were revised. Instead of “We’ve shipped your order” we would now say “Your order shipped.”

  • When possible, more specific delivery date information was given. Although until orders shipped, the best we could do was reassure customers “Delivery date will be updated soon.”

  • Vague, uninformative phrases like “Stay tuned” were removed.

I marked each change in the file with a bright blue dot so the designer could easily track my copy changes. If I had questions, I used a pink dot.

My Orders copy revisions (PDF)

Correcting content gaps

Reviewing the flows revealed several serious content gaps that could leave customers confused, frustrated, and ready to call Customer Support. I worked with the designer to create new screens, with specific, clear content.

Identifying the delivery method

Verizon took responsibility for shipment, and didn’t identify the actual shipper, whether the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx, or UPS.

Customers could have trouble knowing which service to watch for, or contact, even after we clarified and emphasized shipment information.

So, I negotiated with the PM to identify the shipper without blaming the shipper for any delivery issues. Along with the shipment date, we clearly identified the delivery method.

Explaining cancelled orders

If an order had to be cancelled, for example if the customer didn’t complete an in-store pickup in time, we didn’t have the content to clearly tell them of the reason for the cancellation. Existing generic content focused on outcome of the customer’s refund.

So, I added content that explicitly explained the cancellation, added a status, and ensured the customer’s payment refund was clear.

Click the image to enlarge it.

The results

When t new version of Order Tracking was released, the customer call-in rate for orders declined almost immediately. Calls to Customer Support about orders continued to decline over the year, achieving the team’s goal of saving $1M in annual support costs.