CURRENTLY SEEKING PRODUCT DESIGN, PRODUCT OPERATIONS AND UX OPPORTUNITIES

CURRENTLY SEEKING PRODUCT DESIGN, PRODUCT OPERATIONS AND UX OPPORTUNITIES

Competitor Comparison Calculator

Project Overview

Designed and built an internal competitor comparison tool to help sales agents quickly compare broadband packages against competitors during live customer calls. The dashboard combined pricing calculations, contract comparisons and service differences into a single, easy-to-use interface, allowing agents to respond with confidence without manually working everything out themselves.

Designed and built an internal competitor comparison tool to help sales agents quickly compare broadband packages against competitors during live customer calls. The dashboard combined pricing calculations, contract comparisons and service differences into a single, easy-to-use interface, allowing agents to respond with confidence without manually working everything out themselves.

Excel

The Problem

I worked for a broadband provider where I regularly reviewed retention calls between agents and customers looking to leave. One of the biggest challenges was when customers quoted a competitor's offer. Agents often knew our product well, but struggled to confidently compare prices or explain why our offer might still provide better value.

Competitor pricing changed regularly, contract lengths varied, and some providers increased prices throughout the contract. Calculating the true overall cost while keeping the conversation flowing simply wasn't realistic, which often caused agents to lose confidence at exactly the point they needed it most.

The Goal

The aim was to create a simple comparison tool that gave agents everything they needed within a few clicks. Rather than asking them to perform calculations during a live call, the dashboard would automatically compare overall contract costs, highlight service differences, and provide talking points that helped explain the value of choosing our product.

It also needed to be easy to maintain behind the scenes, allowing weekly pricing updates without changing any formulas or breaking the dashboard.

Behind the Scenes

Although the dashboard looks simple on the surface, most of the work happened behind the scenes. I designed the workbook so that weekly pricing updates only required new data to be added, while formulas, comparisons and calculations updated automatically for the user.

The Solution

I designed the dashboard to be as simple as possible for the agents using it. With just a few dropdown selections, the tool automatically compared packages, calculated the true contract cost, highlighted price differences, and displayed key selling points against each competitor.

Behind the scenes, I built the workbook so it could be updated quickly every week without rewriting formulas. Hidden sheets handled all calculations, while the dashboard remained clean and easy to use. I also incorporated competitor branding and conditional formatting to make comparisons quicker to scan and the overall experience feel more polished than a typical spreadsheet.

I even included optional inputs such as goodwill credits, allowing agents to instantly see how a discount would affect the overall comparison during a live conversation.

Key Takeaways

This project reinforced how much good design can improve confidence, not just efficiency. The goal wasn't to create a complicated spreadsheet, it was to remove as much thinking as possible for the person using it under pressure.

What I took away from this project

  • Good design removes unnecessary decisions and lets users focus on the task they're trying to complete.

  • Backend users deserve a good experience too. Making weekly pricing updates simple was just as important as designing the dashboard itself.

  • Small visual details, like colour coding and branding, helped users scan information much faster.

  • Even in Excel, thoughtful design can make a business tool feel intuitive and approachable rather than overwhelming.

The Problem

I worked for a broadband provider where I regularly reviewed retention calls between agents and customers looking to leave. One of the biggest challenges was when customers quoted a competitor's offer. Agents often knew our product well, but struggled to confidently compare prices or explain why our offer might still provide better value.

Competitor pricing changed regularly, contract lengths varied, and some providers increased prices throughout the contract. Calculating the true overall cost while keeping the conversation flowing simply wasn't realistic, which often caused agents to lose confidence at exactly the point they needed it most.

The Goal

The aim was to create a simple comparison tool that gave agents everything they needed within a few clicks. Rather than asking them to perform calculations during a live call, the dashboard would automatically compare overall contract costs, highlight service differences, and provide talking points that helped explain the value of choosing our product.

It also needed to be easy to maintain behind the scenes, allowing weekly pricing updates without changing any formulas or breaking the dashboard.

Behind the Scenes

Although the dashboard looks simple on the surface, most of the work happened behind the scenes. I designed the workbook so that weekly pricing updates only required new data to be added, while formulas, comparisons and calculations updated automatically for the user.

The Solution

I designed the dashboard to be as simple as possible for the agents using it. With just a few dropdown selections, the tool automatically compared packages, calculated the true contract cost, highlighted price differences, and displayed key selling points against each competitor.

Behind the scenes, I built the workbook so it could be updated quickly every week without rewriting formulas. Hidden sheets handled all calculations, while the dashboard remained clean and easy to use. I also incorporated competitor branding and conditional formatting to make comparisons quicker to scan and the overall experience feel more polished than a typical spreadsheet.

I even included optional inputs such as goodwill credits, allowing agents to instantly see how a discount would affect the overall comparison during a live conversation.

Key Takeaways

This project reinforced how much good design can improve confidence, not just efficiency. The goal wasn't to create a complicated spreadsheet, it was to remove as much thinking as possible for the person using it under pressure.

What I took away from this project

  • Good design removes unnecessary decisions and lets users focus on the task they're trying to complete.

  • Backend users deserve a good experience too. Making weekly pricing updates simple was just as important as designing the dashboard itself.

  • Small visual details, like colour coding and branding, helped users scan information much faster.

  • Even in Excel, thoughtful design can make a business tool feel intuitive and approachable rather than overwhelming.

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