Case Study: Improve Engagement at a Two-Sided Marketplace

Challenge

Member engagement and NPS was declining, creating an imbalance in the marketplace.

 

Member engagement and NPS were declining significantly at a two-sided marketplace.  Due to the low engagement, the company had to increase member outreach to maintain the same level of service to clients, resulting in:

  • increased cost of acquisition,

  • downward pressure on growth, and

  • ultimately creating a marketplace imbalance.

The situation was not sustainable and it was unclear how to re-engage members.

Solution

Deep customer research, customer journey audit, and quantitative analysis to identify root causes.  Developed and led roadmap execution.

 

I identified the key levers to create an engaged membership through a combination of in-depth customer interviews, focus groups, and quantitative analysis. Assessed tradeoffs where changes would have a potential consequence to the other side of the marketplace and made recommendations to executive leadership. Focused on the member experience in the short term and expanding the value proposition in the long term.  

Revamped member digital experience in 4 major areas:

  • Onboarding experience: removed friction points

  • Project experience: streamlined experience; created dashboard for transparency; improved targeting based on member expertise

  • Payments: created self-service capabilities

  • Communications: overhauled to be more customer focused, personalized, and responsive based on previous member actions

Additionally, identified an underserved need around vetted and curated peer communities for VP+ professionals.  Led several successful pilot launches of peer communities.

Results

In one year, realized a16% increase in engagement rate and a 50% bump in NPS.

 

In one year, all engagement and satisfaction metrics increased:

  • 16% increase in engagement rate

  • 50% increased in NPS

  • Qualitative feedback that the experience was more “member centric.”