Dynamo

Working closely with the leadership team, I led the design from its initial concept through to launch and subsequent iterations. My aim was to create a dynamic new proposal tool, enhancing customer engagement and boosting solar conversion rates.

Challenge

A ginormous, disorganized sales team. Sales reps typically relied on a number of homemade presentation materials to use when selling. Messaging was inconsistent and at times, misleading or easily misunderstood. Tesla needed to provide thousands of its salespeople nationwide with a unified tool that not only enabled them to convert customers more easily but also employ best practices to protect its customers.

Process

Step: Field research. In order to understand what actually happens in the field, I interviewed a number of salespeople and participated in several ride-alongs to watch how top ranking salespeople engage a prospective customer.

Step: Design for indecision. I designed it to enable a "one call close". However, solar is a considered purchase and a long-term investment. Therefore, I also designed Dynamo to be a proposal that can be left behind which the customer who can pick it back up later and accept the proposal.

Step: You (still) do you. Sales techniques differed significantly in each region of the US, and sales styles differed between individual salespeople. To be adopted, it had to be flexible enough to enable a salesperson to still do it their way.

Step: Presentation is everything. I used slides as the general paradigm for the tool, optimized for a tablet screen. I worked closely with marketing team to produce dynamic content that clearly communicated a number of complex topics which were typical hurdles on the path to going solar.

Step: Learning loop. We worked with a remote group of very vocal and successful salespeople to iterate on the design and test out variations.

Success

Buy-in. The new proposal tool was well-received by the national sales team.

Win-win. Tesla was able to deliver clear and consistent messaging to its customers and a more effective tool to its sales team.

EXAMPLE 1

How it Works

I used illustrations and simple animations to explain how solar works throughout various times of day – and how topics like Solar Credits and Net Metering affect consumer savings.

EXAMPLE 2

Factors at Play

I created interactive graphs to demonstrate how the configuration of the roof, shading from trees, size of the household, and even out-of-town vacations can significantly affect overall solar production and savings.

EXAMPLE 3

Decision Paralysis

Going solar is a considered purchase. I explored ways to help customers evaluate their financing options such as clear comparison tables and interacive decision trees.

Audience

Sales reps selling Tesla/Scty solar and batteries nationwide. Customers looking to get residential solar.

Role

I led the design and managed a small team. I sometimes dipped into the code to help with the finer details.

Link

You must be a Tesla sales rep in order to fully access: https://dynamo.solarcity.com/proposal