The literature review played a significant role in informing our project's direction, drawing from over 20 scientific and professional articles.
It provided us with crucial insights into:
Strategies for enhancing the sustainability of services.
The importance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in retaining customers and attracting new ones.
Emerging opportunities within the insurance industry.
The benefits of customer education initiatives.
Additionally, the literature review validated our hypothesis that customer education on EVs is crucial for market penetration and provided strong recommendations to align our project with these user-centric goals.
An audit of "www.intact.ca" using Bastien & Scapin's framework uncovered:
Smooth navigation yet difficult access to electric vehicle information.
Sustainability content hidden in blogs, not front and center.
Partnerships like AVEQ underrepresented, missing engagement opportunities.
The website is user-friendly but falls short on delivering key information on EVs and sustainability readily.
Focus Areas:
Insurance industry: Electric vehicles, CSR information.
Other industries (e.g., clothing): Strong emphasis on sustainability.
Strategies in Other Industries:
CSR dedicated pages.
Showcasing eco-friendly products.
Market Trends:
Increasing importance of informing about and promoting sustainable practices.
Growing consumer expectation for transparency in sustainability efforts.
Key Takeaway:
Essential for websites, especially in insurance, to feature sustainability practices prominently, crucial for building trust and enhancing customer engagement.
In the user interviews, a mixed-method approach combining quantitative and qualitative techniques was employed to explore three main themes:
Car purchasing behaviors and insurance decisions.
Usability testing of Intact's and TD Insurance's websites.
Exploration of mobile app features and sustainable practices.
Twelve participants, aged 24 to 39 and with a basic knowledge of insurance from Quebec, were carefully selected based on specific criteria. Anonymity was maintained throughout the study.
Purchasing Behaviors for Cars and Insurance:
Participants value guidance in purchasing cars and insurance, relying on word of mouth and online research.
Decisions are influenced by budget, customer service, brand reputation, and incentives.
Non-hybrid/electric vehicle owners are interested in switching but seek more information on costs and technology.
Hybrid/electric vehicle owners focus on feature details and cost savings.
Usability Tests on Intact's and TD Insurance's Websites:
Both websites were evaluated for ease of finding electric vehicle information and submitting quotes.
Intact's site offered easy navigation but lacked comprehensive online info, requiring phone inquiries.
TD's site was appreciated for its visuals and distinct car insurance section, though finding EV info was slower.
Participants were neutral about quote submission, prioritizing lower cost in insurance choice.
Preference between websites hinged on monetary value rather than user experience.
Exploration of Mobile Features and Sustainable Practices:
Participants currently don't use sustainability-promoting mobile apps but showed interest in features like CO2 emissions tracking, emission reduction tips, and comparative data.
Electric vehicle owners expressed interest in incentives, savings comparisons, and social impact reports.
There was enthusiasm for annual driving habit reports and sharing them on social media, similar to Spotify's wrap-up.
Persona:
User interviews led to the creation of two personas:
Primary Persona: Values sustainability, conducts extensive research, willing to pay more for eco-friendly brands. Falls into the early to late majority for technology adoption.
Secondary Persona: Similar to the first but as an early adopter, owns hybrid/electric vehicles, and is more risk-taking.
These insights help diversify our approach to meet the varied needs and preferences of our user base.
User Journey
A journey map was created to outline the primary persona's car and insurance purchase process, focusing on identifying and alleviating pain points to improve user experience.
Utilizing the Value Proposition Canvas, which aligns products/services with customer needs, has been key at Intact. This approach focuses on leveraging current assets and developing new ones for product launches.
The canvas includes the customer profile (jobs, gains, pains) and value proposition (gain creators, pain relievers). This model helped segment the primary persona, uncovering their needs and guiding the development of features that emphasize pain relief and value creation.
A recent workshop was conducted with three participants, focusing on innovative ideas for the future of insurance, particularly in the context of 2050 and the rise of electric vehicles.
Key Findings:
Vision of Insurance in 2050: Explored potential changes and advancements in the insurance landscape influenced by electric vehicle technology.
Innovation in Insurance Products:
Proposed integration of insurance directly into vehicles.
Conceptualized specialized coverage for autonomous vehicles.
Technological and Informational Focus:
Highlighted the importance of tracking technology for EVs.
Identified the need for more accessible information and resources about electric vehicles.
Strategic Prioritization:
Utilized a 2x2 impact-effort matrix to prioritize features and projects, separating critical initiatives from 'nice-to-have' ideas.
High-fidelity mockups for web and mobile were developed, with the web version focusing on visitor education. The mobile mockups, under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), cater to existing clients, offering data tracking, charging station maps, gamification, and sustainability information. These designs form the basis for future iterations.
To view the mockups, click here.
Writing this 40-page dissertation solo was a personal milestone I never imagined achieving. It was a challenging yet fruitful journey, uncovering key trends and insights for Intact, particularly in user experience and customer education. Despite time constraints limiting the depth of exploration, the project has laid a solid foundation for Intact in the automotive industry, with ample opportunities for further refinement and development.
