Designing Secondary Sales Applications for FMCG Distribution Startup

Leading UX design for an FMCG distributor, I created SaleSync and CRMSync platforms to digitize complex B2B operations. These interconnected solutions streamlined sales and customer relationship workflows, reducing order processing time by 60% and boosting field productivity by 30%.

Year (Duration)
2019-2020 (6 months)

My Contribution
Designing the entire solution

Key Actions
User Research, UX Design, Testing

My Role
UX Lead

Challenges

CarHub's initial MVP struggled with user adoption due to complex journeys and inefficient processes. The platform needed a complete redesign to simplify the experience for both customers and service providers while improving core functionality and localization.

Create streamlined user flows that simplify overwhelming service journeys
Improve onboarding and transaction processes to increase platform usage
Design localized experiences while maintaining efficient data entry and payments

Kickoff

I facilitated strategic workshops with stakeholders, development teams, and sales representatives to align our vision. We identified key user groups, defined success metrics, and framed our core challenge: simplifying service discovery while improving operational efficiency.

Aligned with stakeholders on key metrics and growth targets for both sales representatives’ operations and operation efficiency.
Aligned with sales teams to understand daily workflows, pain points in order processing, and customer relationship management needs.
Identified key user groups requiring distinct solutions:
- Sales representatives managing daily distribution
- Territory managers tracking performance
- Distributors handling inventory and orders
How might we digitize complex B2B distribution workflows while ensuring efficient field operations and customer relationship management?
Through these sessions, we created a roadmap that prioritized critical operational needs while ensuring easy adoption by the field force.

User Research: Understanding Our Three Key User Groups

To understand the complexities of field sales operations, we conducted in-depth interviews with sales representatives across different territories and experience levels.

Through interviews with 5 sales representatives and 3 territory managers, we identified key patterns and obstacles in their daily workflows. We synthesized our findings into five critical user needs:

Sales reps need quick access to his sales target while in the field
Teams need efficient ways to track and update orders in real-time
Reps need simple tools to manage their daily route planning
Field force needs offline capabilities for areas with poor connectivity
Teams need easy ways to report and track their daily activities

These insights guided our design decisions much better.

Design Process

After synthesizing our research, we focused on creating two interconnected yet distinct solutions for sales and customer management.

Journey Mapping

We mapped the daily journey of a sales representative, from morning route planning to end-of-day reporting. This visualization helped us identify critical touchpoints and areas for digital intervention.

Key Journey Points:

Morning preparation and route planning
Shop visits and order collection
Real-time inventory checks and updates
Customer relationship management
End-of-day reporting and reconciliation

This mapping revealed opportunities to streamline workflows and highlighted the need for offline functionality at crucial points during the day.

From Journey Map to Sketches

Our journey map guided our sketching phase, focusing on four key moments: morning preparation, field operations, customer management, and end-day reporting. Each sketch prioritized offline functionality and quick data access, crucial for field operations.

Initial Prototype

Based on our journey mapping and sketches, we created low-fidelity wireframes focusing on critical workflows:

Morning Prep Flow

Dashboard with daily targets
Route planner
Quick stock availability checker

Field Operations

Streamlined order entry form
Offline-first data capture
One-tap customer history access

End-day Reporting

Automated report compiler
Quick performance metrics
Next day planning tool

Usability Testing & Findings

Field testing uncovered a fundamental issue: sales representatives struggled with app navigation and interaction patterns during customer visits. This insight led us to redesign our navigation structure, creating clearer pathways and more intuitive interactions for busy field operations.

Designing the Solution

We redesigned the platform with focused navigation and intuitive interactions for field operations. The solution prioritizes guided workflows, quick-access patterns, and robust offline capabilities, making daily tasks efficient for sales representatives.

Styleguide & Component Library

We established a robust design system to ensure consistency across both SaleSync and CRMSync platforms:

Core Components

Quick-action buttons for frequent tasks
Status indicators for order tracking
Data entry forms optimized for field use
Navigation patterns for easy multitasking

Visual Language

High-contrast color for outdoor visibility
Clear typography hierarchy for quick scanning
Touch-friendly input controls
Visual feedback for offline/online states

Guided Navigation & Route Planning

We combined interactive maps with guided workflows to streamline field operations. The system provides optimized routes, offline map support, and step-by-step task guidance, helping representatives navigate both their territory and app workflows efficiently.

Streamlined Outlet Management

We reimagined outlet onboarding with smart forms and automated verification, reducing registration time from 2 days to 10 minutes. The streamlined process helps representatives quickly add new outlets while ensuring data accuracy.

Order & Inventory Management

We redesigned order processing with quick-entry forms and efficient damage reporting. The new system cut order time by 40% and introduced photo-based damage documentation, significantly improving field operations efficiency.

Real-time Analytics & Reporting

We designed intuitive dashboards that convert field data into instant insights. The system automates daily reporting and visualizes key metrics, reducing reporting time while improving data accuracy.

Customer & Lead Management

In the other app CRMSync, We redesigned customer data capture with smart forms and automated validation. The system prevents duplicates while allowing customization, reducing lead generation time and improving communications with affiliated businesses.

Lead Pipeline Management

I designed lead generation pipeline that automates lead progression and tracks activities. The intuitive system helps representatives manage leads effectively, increasing conversion rates through better follow-up management.

Integrated Sales Tools

We consolidated email and task management into the main workflow, syncing with calendars and tracking activities. This integration reduced app-switching and streamlined daily operations.

Knowledge & Support Center

We built an intuitive learning hub with searchable resources and interactive training modules, reducing support tickets by while helping representatives access information instantly in the field.

Testing & Results

Usability testing in real field conditions showed significant improvements: 94% task success rate, 60% faster operations, and 30% increase in sales efficiency. These metrics validated our focus on simplified navigation and offline capabilities.

94% Task Success Rate

60% reduction in Time-on-task

30% rise in overall sales efficiency

Interactive High Fidelity Prototype

Our high-fidelity prototypes utilized ProtoPie for SaleSync's field operations and Figma for CRMSync's management interfaces, enabling comprehensive testing of both platforms' distinct workflows.

SaleSync Interactive Prototype

CRMSync Interactive Prototype

Impact & the Future

Our redesign transformed FMCG distribution operations, scaling to 30,000+ active sales representatives while improving distribution efficiency by 30%. The solution's success is reflected in our outstanding usability metrics: 94% task success rate and 60% faster operations.

These initiatives will strengthen our position as a leader in B2B sales technology while making distribution operations more efficient and data-driven.

For continued innovation, we identified three key opportunities: