User & Consumer Research
at Mercedes-Benz USA
Objective:
To enhance Mercedes-Benz’s customer experience through mixed-method research and designing user-centered solutions for marketing campaign and app usability.
Role:
Consumer Researcher
Timeline:
Jan. 2023 - May 2023
Collaborators:
Emory Student Co-op Team,
Mercedes-Benz Product Department,
Mercedes-Benz Marketing Department
Problem Statement
Mercedes-Benz USA faced a significant drop in service retention for vehicles aged 4–10 years, as customers turned to Independent Service Providers for faster and lower-cost options. The task was to uncover the reasons behind this decline and propose actionable solutions to improve campaign efficacy and the usability of the Mercedes-Me App.
This project aimed to address service retention challenges for vehicles aged 4–10 years by focusing on two key objectives: providing actionable insights to the marketing team for a targeted intergrated marketing campaign and enhancing the user experience of the Mercedes-Me App for the product team.
Collaborating with Mercedes' marketing and product department, my role as a student Co-Op researcher involved conducting comprehensive user-centered research to bridge the gap between customer needs and service offerings while aligning proposed solutions and campaigns with Mercedes-Benz’s premium brand identity.
Scope and Background
Snapshot From the Storyboard Deliverable
Sample Quantitative Research Workplan
Designing Solutions
To address the challenges identified in our research, we developed a campaign and product design concept titled “Time is the Real Luxury.” This initiative aimed to balance user needs for speed and efficiency with Mercedes-Benz’s premium brand positioning. Using storytelling techniques, we introduced a series of solutions that aligned with customer expectations while reinforcing the company’s dedication to providing exceptional service.
Logo Re-Design
As part of the campaign, we prototyped an alternate logo specifically for the “Time is the Real Luxury” campaign. The iconic Mercedes Star was reimagined as a clock, with its hands forming the shape of the star. This design symbolized Mercedes-Benz’s commitment to valuing customers’ time, emphasizing a seamless and efficient service experience. The logo served as a visual anchor for the campaign, reinforcing the brand’s alignment with user priorities.
Building on the quantitative insights, we conducted:
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Focus Groups: Four sessions with selected MB owners to explore motivations and preferences for dealership services.
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Contextual Inquiry: Observations of users interacting with the Mercedes-Me App to identify tasks, goals, and barriers.
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Dealership Interviews: Conversations with dealership managers and customer service to understand service value propositions and app challenges.
A Mismatch between luxury propositions and customers’ demand for time efficiency
Qualitative Research
Male, 38, New York:
"For the App, I wish I could see the service progress in real-time. Not knowing what’s happening makes me feel disconnected from the process."
Male, 58, Connecticut:
"I value quality, timeliness, and relationship. For the amenities, the bare minimum is enough. They don’t matter that much compared to the repair itself."
Quotations from the interviews and focus groups
Dealership Manager in Georgia:
"The App's aesthetics and complexity sometimes overshadows practical features, which make it hard to integrate fully to our workflow"
Female, 46, Georgia:
"I see car service as a chore, not an indulgence"
Time is the real luxury
Quantitative Research
We conducted a survey with 400 Mercedes owners and Mercedes-Me App users to understand their aftersales service experiences and priorities. Using factor analysis and cluster analysis, we identified key variables for service priority and pain points with the app navigation.
Our analysis revealed that the target segment primarily consists of high-net-value, late-career professionals who value speed and efficiency over luxury amenities. The top priorities identified were timeliness and ease of use in both service and app interactions.
Iterations of design based on customer feedback
Enhanced App Interface
Using Figma and working with the product team, we prototype iterations of the Mercedes-Me App interface, aligning new features with the customer journey and addressing identified pain points:
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In-App Scheduling: Integrated wait times and the ability to book services conveniently.
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Post-Service Reports: Detailed summaries of completed services, including photos, videos, and service history. And a traffic light system indicating the urgency of repairs.
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Real-Time Service Tracker: Updates on the servicing progress with estimated completion times.
Through usability testing and user feedback, these upgrades proved effective in streamlining the service efficiency and improving transparency.
Mock Video Commercial
We collaborated with the marketing team to prototype a video commercial that emphasized the value of time in the customer experience. The video highlighted how Mercedes-Benz’s efficient services allow customers to reclaim their time and spend it on what truly matters—family, friends, and professional endeavors. By featuring snapshots of these meaningful moments, the commercial reinforced the campaign’s core message: time is the ultimate luxury.
Reflection
This project was a transformative experience that established my ability to approach complex challenges through a combination of research, storytelling, and design. From large-scale surveys and statistical analysis to focus groups and contextual inquiries, conducting mixed-method research taught me how to uncover complex insights from users. It reinforced the importance of balancing quantitative data with qualitative research to tell a comprehensive story about user needs.
One of the most rewarding aspects was translating these findings into actionable solutions. Working closely with the product and marketing teams, I used storytelling to connect user pain points to impactful design ideas, making the data resonate with diverse stakeholders. Collaborating on the app redesign and campaign concepts allowed me to bridge research with practical, user-centered designs, from prototyping new features to developing creative visuals like the campaign logo and video.
This experience deepened my appreciation for the intersection of research and design in creating intuitive and effective user experiences. It also reinforced my belief in the value of empathizing with diverse perspectives to align user needs with business goals. These lessons have shaped how I approach UX challenges, blending curiosity, creativity, and a human-centered perspective to drive meaningful solutions.
Impact
The proposed solutions successfully balanced customer needs for speed with Mercedes-Benz’s high-end brand positioning. Key outcomes included:
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Adoption of designs and campaigns for the 2024 Q4 cycle, aligning brand identity with user needs.
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Service retention for vehicles aged 4–10 years is projected to improve by 22%, reversing a multi-year decline.
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Enhanced customer satisfaction by addressing pain points in the Mercedes Me App and streamlining the service experience.