Designing & building a future proof, customer centred vision for the in-room guest experience

areas of expertise

ux research & experience mapping

product & design strategy

rapid prototyping

product optimisation & growth

ui & interaction design

A large screen TV in a hotel suite, displaying a variety of modern features and on-demand content.

Founded in 1919, Hilton is a global organisation of full-service hotels and resorts, and a flagship American multinational hospitality brand.

When we were approached, Hilton was facing challenges in knowing how best to modernise its in-room entertainment system, as they struggled to understand the potential for enhanced utility and revenue beyond mere entertainment, as guests were no longer willing to pay for traditional movie rentals and preferred instead to use their own personal subscriptions.

objectives

The primary objective was to develop a next-generation in-room entertainment system that could seamlessly integrate guests' personal streaming subscriptions and provide a more comprehensive range of functionalities beyond traditional movie rentals.

This included exploring how the TV system could facilitate access to room service, local attractions, restaurant reservations, and transportation services, enhancing the overall guest experience.

Additionally, the project aimed to establish a robust user experience (UX) framework for the in-room, 10-foot user interface (UI) system, enabling guests to comfortably interact with the television screen from a distance but be able to interact with a series of component utilities.

This would involve research and collaboration with their technology partner LG, a leading TV manufacturer based in South Korea, to develop a fully functional prototype for user testing and refinement.

impact

full mvp build & test

Validated guest experience

The friction mapping analysis provided a thorough qualitative framework to prioritise areas of focus for Volkswagen and its Financial Services business, enabling them to understand where the most critical areas of focus are, while also providing a foundation for continuous discovery and innovation.

Our strategic research and planning helped to create the core central pillars and principals for the organisation as part of its evolving value proposition.

improved ux & service design

Increased revenue opportunities

Using our rapid prototyping framework, we were able to define and establish all of them to then test, validate and fully scope out as part of the strategic VW roadmap.

‍Building upon the insights from the customer journey mapping, we bought together a group of key stakeholders from across VWFS to work together on developing a series of new service and product propositions.

customer-led focus shift

API-fuelled, open-source framework

By promoting a customer-centric mindset and emphasising the importance of innovation, our engagement contributed to a necessary cultural shift within Volkswagen Financial Services, fostering an environment conducive to continuous improvement and customer-focused decision-making.

Our work laid the foundation for ongoing internal CX-focused activities, as well as provide the right tools to champion ongoing innovation.