Problem

Until the end of 2019, Moxtra offered the same UI/UX experience for both business owners and their clients. Our direct customers—the businesses—were generally satisfied with the product, though they expressed concerns that the platform did not sufficiently highlight their brand. On the other hand, clients found the platform too complex to navigate. This misalignment between the product’s design and the clients’ needs ultimately hindered adoption and reduced overall engagement.

Strategy and Process

This project presented significant challenges due to backend constraints and a limited engineering scope. While adding new features was out of scope, we had the flexibility to repackage and enhance existing ones. Recognizing these limitations early, I made the decision to maintain the well-established UI/UX for core functionalities like chat and video calls, enabling us to concentrate on improving the discoverability of information and the ease of connecting users.

We adopted a phased approach that prioritized platforms based on usage. We started with mobile, where the majority of our client user base interacted, focusing on the most common use cases: on-the-go, low-effort, and low-focus interactions.

At the same time, we were mindful of the business owners' demand for more customization options, which had a significant impact on our visual design decisions.

Solution

While our product was already a white-labeled app, the level of customization available was modest. While the businesses could apply their branding to a limited extent, it wasn’t enough to make the app feel like a true extension of their brand.

To address this, we shifted our focus to increasing customization options. By enabling businesses to incorporate stronger visual identities—ranging from colors and logos to app layouts—we empowered them to reinforce ownership and maintain consistent branding.

In addition to enhancing customization options, we simplified the user interface by removing or hiding complex features that were not essential for client use, such as creating signature documents and managing large sets of conversations.

We recognized that the concept of a relationship manager was a pivotal selling point that could be leveraged by the marketing and sales teams. One of the key changes in this design was positioning the primary contact person (the relationship manager) and relevant conversations front and center. This decision emphasized the most important interactions, making it easier for clients to find the right contact, reducing their cognitive load.

We also introduced widgets that allowed businesses to customize advanced content, such as photo galleries for fashion brands, featured listings for real estate companies, or quick links to access the business most relevant website pages. These widgets enabled businesses to highlight key information within the app, further personalizing the experience for their clients.

Championed by Product and Design, this initiative led the company to achieve product-market fit, unlocking access to a whole new market. We expanded from serving only enterprise clients to reaching the mass market, including small and medium businesses, enabling faster scalability. The new visual language highlighted the product’s value, making it easier to sell and explain. The update received widespread praise, with businesses benefiting from enhanced brand visibility and clients appreciating the improved usability. This initiative reinforced the importance of a user-centric approach and contributed to a 5X growth in revenue.

Design leadership

This project was a collaborative effort where I played a dual role. As an individual contributor, I delivered key user flows and UIs, ensuring high-quality design solutions. Simultaneously, I managed my team and provided them with growth opportunities. I intentionally created space for team members to expand their skills by working on platforms outside their usual scope, while actively involving them in brainstorming and ideation sessions. My leadership approach focuses on challenging the team slightly beyond their comfort zones, fostering growth without overwhelming them.