Case study: Property Certificates in a competitive industry
By: Maria Gallo
Company
Landchecker is a software designed for property professionals located in Melbourne, Australia. It is a reliable source of property data that allows users to quickly and easily narrow down an entire suburb to a few suitable sites using advanced filters. The software displays sales history and comparable residential sales data so that users can make informed decisions. Additionally, users have the option to purchase all documents related to each property, which makes their work more efficient.
Project Date: April 2023- July 2023
My team and my role:
Maria Gallo — UX Researcher, User Interviews, Affinity Map Synthesising, UX Mindsets (personas), User Stories, Task Analysis Flows, Flow Charts, UI Designs and Prototypes and Presentations.
Nicolette Provis — Head of Product and UX, User Interviews, Surveys, UX Research, Designs Prototypes and Presentations.
Overview of the project: user and business goals
When a property is being bought or sold, property information certificates are used to convey important land, building or planning information. It is important to consult a conveyancer or lawyer to determine what information you need to supply as a seller or what to check for if you are a buyer. A conveyancer, lawyer, or property professional can order certificates on your behalf.
Landchecker offers multiple document purchasing options tailored to users' needs and professions, with the choice of purchasing with or without a paid Plan.
What were our goals?
Our goal was to offer the most competitive rates for documents, surpassing the best market price and obtaining new customers in conveyancers, lawyers and property professionals.
Methodology
To develop this feature, we conducted market research, surveys, and interviews with conveyancers, lawyers, and other users.
We accessed data of 80,000 conveyancers from our parent company PEXA and met with the product team that previously developed the PEXA marketplace for these documents. Although their platform was unsuccessful in this market, we gained valuable insights from the product owner who had worked on this functionality.
Nico and I split our tasks to be more efficient. Nico was responsible for organising all the interviews and surveys, while I conducted thorough competitive analysis research. This involved defining property certificate terminology, analysing the usability of our primary competitors' platforms, Global X and LANDATA, and studying their user workflows.
I used an affinity map to sort the new insights gathered from the interviews and surveys. It's my favourite tool for brainstorming and categorising complex information efficiently.
Key insights
Our initial analysis revealed several challenges that needed to be addressed to realise our goal. These included:
~Pricing Pressure: Competitors were already offering competitive rates, making it difficult to undercut without sacrificing margins and with numerous providers offering similar solutions.
~Market Complexity: The document services market is vast and confusing and platforms are clunky.
~Improvement of User Experience: While price was a significant factor, customers also expected high-quality service and comprehensive workflows.
~Prioritise Certificates: Users helped us understand that certain certificates hold more significance than others.
We focused on the following certificates:
Building Approval, Land Tax Certificate, Land Information, Water Information, Owners Corporation and DWELP Planning.
User Personas
For this case study, we focused on conveyancers as the primary persona since they typically have to order certificates for their clients. However, independent property owners, developers, and real estate agents are also important users that were considered.
“ I need to be able to order all property certificates in one single property platform, it takes me far too long to do these tasks for several clients, jumping from one government source to a different platform, it’s confusing and messy”
“I would pay more if I could get all my documents from a single platform”
Primary persona case:
~They believe in efficiency and if they can gain efficiency they are happy to pay for it.
~Lives a busy work life, this mindset is constantly multitasking.
~Understand the complexity of Property Certificate document dynamics.
Focusing on the Primary persona I came up with the following Problem Statement:
Conveyancers need a single online source to purchase Property Certificates that is easy to use so that they can gain workflow efficiency.
So, how might we empower users with the necessary tools to efficiently and comprehensively purchase property certificates, enabling them to enhance their productivity?
Developing and Ideating
Conveyancers must include specific individual identifiers in their applications for property certificates to ensure correct processing. Failure to do so could result in process failure and financial loss for the user.
To avoid overwhelming the reader with unnecessary detail, I’ll strive to provide a concise summary.
I created a distinct tab labelled “Certificate Searches” to segregate certificates from other document searches, aiming to prevent user confusion and streamline navigation.
I meticulously analysed each certificate, examined its unique identifiers, and repeatedly navigated through the processes using both the LANDATA and Global X platforms.
Delivery Phase
We convened weekly meetings with the developers to collaboratively strategise the most effective methods for automating user flows. During these sessions, we rigorously assessed and refined my designs to ensure they were both efficient and comprehensive.
Project success metrics
How to enter the property document industry with competitive pricing?
To overcome these challenges and position ourselves as the leader in competitive pricing for documents, we implemented a multi-faceted strategy:
~ Streamlined Operations: We optimised our internal processes to minimise overheads and improve efficiency.
~ Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating with key suppliers and service providers (LANDATA and Global X) enabled us to negotiate favourable terms and further reduce costs.
~Technology Integration: Leveraging cutting-edge technology, we automate repetitive tasks and enhance productivity.
~Market Analysis for design: Continuous monitoring of market trends and competitor user experience design ensured that we remained one step ahead.
Results Achieved:
~Price Leadership: we positioned ourselves as the preferred option for budget-conscious customers.
~Enhanced Reputation: Leading to improved brand perception and customer loyalty.
~Sustainable Growth: Despite our competitive pricing strategy, our streamlined operations and effective cost management maintained healthy profit margins, fostering sustainable growth in both revenue and paid memberships.
Conclusion:
In a fiercely competitive market, I learned that offering competitive rates for documents is not merely a goal but a necessity for survival. Through our innovative strategies and unwavering dedication, we not only achieved our objective but also set new benchmarks for affordability and quality.
