SHUKRAN X LANDMARK GROUP
How Did We Boost Basket Size by 7% with the Launch of Shukran 2.0 in Bahrain?
ROLE
Sr. Product Designer
Duration
6 Months
YEAR
2023-2024
In 2023, Shukran, Landmark Group’s loyalty program which is a widely recognized loyalty program in the UAE and GCC, needed a major update. My team and I had already been working on research and planning to transform it from a basic points system into a tiered, gamified experience that would boost customer loyalty and engagement across all Landmark brands. However, in August 2023, we were suddenly tasked with completing a pilot of Shukran 2.0 by December, to coincide with the Group’s 50th anniversary. With this tight deadline in mind, we focused on launching the updated program first in Bahrain.
My role
I collaborated with 3 designers and 1 researcher on designing the new Shukran 2.0 experience. I worked closely with product owners, developers, and the CRM team to align the user experience with business goals.
I led the communication strategy, defined the tier mechanics, and iterated on the "timeline" component. I also contributed to the design of the new Shukran website and the design system to ensure consistency across all platforms.
Results
Shukran 2.0’s launch in Bahrain resulted in a 7% increase in basket size. The new tier system and gamification features boosted user engagement and satisfaction. The pilot provided valuable insights, paving the way for a successful rollout in other regions like KSA and UAE.
Here’s the Full Story 📖👇
Challenges with Current Shukran
The main challenge was to overhaul the Shukran loyalty program, to match user expectations in a rapidly changing market. Key issues included:
Inconsistent Earning Experience
The lack of coherence across the landmark brands led to confusion, with users unsure of how points could be earned and redeemed.
Lack of Engagement
Despite a 13.1 Million active user base, there was little and passive interaction with the program, with many users unaware of the benefits or how to unlock rewards.
Poor Communication
The multiple channels (SMS, push notifications, email) were overwhelming users and not delivering clear, actionable information.
Rationale Behind the Tier Model
With the support of a detailed RFM (Recency, Frequency, Monetary) analysis conducted by product analysts, we segmented users into four groups, identifying purchasing patterns that informed our tier strategy. The tiers aimed to drive user engagement by incentivizing them to move upward throough benefits and rewards.
Planning a Phased Approach
Recognizing the need for a swift yet strategic rollout, We planned a two-phase delivery to ensure a smooth user transition while keeping developers working in parallel.
Phase 1
Focused on revamping the account page UI and updating its information architecture, ensuring a unified experience across all Landmark brands. This phase aimed to simplify navigation and set the foundation for the new features.
Phase 2
Concentrated on integrating the new tiers, offers, and promotions into the "My Account" page, providing users with access to the gamified elements and rewards system, while the developer are working on implementing phase 1.
Understanding Customer Needs
By this stage, we had already conducted a study using interviews and surveys to understand user behavior and preferences in loyalty and reward redemption. This research revealed distinct loyalty archetypes, capturing the diverse ways users engaged with Shukran and the benefits they valued most.
We also performed a competitive analysis to benchmark Shukran against other loyalty programs, identifying key features and engagement strategies that set leading programs apart.
Phase 1
In the initial phase, We created wireframes for the new My account tab . A primary proposal was to reorganize the information architecture of the "My Account" tab, consolidating related tabs for a smoother user experience.
Then, we progressed to the UI phase, focusing on a cohesive design that would standardize the “My Account” page across all brands. We selected a neutral color scheme to establish a flexible foundation for future updates in Phase 2. After finalizing the UI, we handed it off to developers, enabling them to begin implementation while we moved forward with further.
Phase 2
We developed multiple wireframe alternatives to explore different layout options for the new tier system, offers, and promotions sections. We designed an informative details page that would clearly explain the tier system and guide users through onboarding. This process included aligning on various layouts to ensure that the tier benefits, offers, and user progression were intuitive and engaging.
Once we agreed on the layout direction, We advanced to UI design for both iOS and Android, carefully adapting the experience for desktop and mobile web across all Landmark brands.
Design System
To maintain consistency and streamline collaboration, we built a design system, which I contributed to, ensuring cohesive design elements across platforms and simplifying implementation for our developers.
Communication Strategy & Tier Journey
While designing the timeline component on the Shukran card, which is a feature to communicate each user’s tier progress, validity, and next steps. I identified a need for dynamic logic to guide personalized messaging. This logic would determine when to prompt users to work toward upgrading their tier and when to focus on maintaining their current status to avoid downgrading. To address this, I developed a structured set of rules for timely communication, factoring in each user’s tier status, purchase history, and tier validity period. This approach helped create clear, actionable next steps for users and ensured they stayed motivated and informed about their progress.
Based on the tier mechanics, I mapped out a detailed communication journey illustrating how a user progresses through the tiers by making more orders, highlighting the information they need at each stage. This journey focused on educating users about the new system in a way that felt natural and engaging. It emphasized the key information to deliver at each stage, from clarifying tier benefits to offering reminders on how to stay on track. At each milestone, I designed celebratory touchpoints across different channels to keep users motivated, ensuring that progress felt rewarding.
Pre-Launch Validation
We conducted 8 usability tests, revealing that users didn’t find the Shukran card clickable, and accessing tier information was difficult. In response, we updated the card for better visibility and ease of interaction.
Results & Impact
On December 6, 2023, Shukran 2.0 went live in Bahrain. My team and I visited stores to gather real-time feedback and ensure smooth operations. Three months after launch, we saw some improvements:
Basket Size Increase
7% growth in basket size in Bahrain.
Tier Adoption
here was a significant movement of users into the Platinum tier, showing strong engagement with the new program.
Thanks to the success in Bahrain, Shukran 2.0 was expanded to other markets, including Saudi Arabia, and then the UAE, by Aug 2024.
Post-Launch Evaluation & Expansion
After launch, we conducted a survey with 3,000 responses and followed up with 9 interviews from customers in Bahrain who had made a recent qualified purchase. The findings showed that while user awareness and satisfaction with the new system were generally positive, there was room for improvement. We received feedback on the tier colors and names, indicating a need for further refinement to enhance clarity and user experience.
Iteration & Improvements
Based on survey feedback and research insights, we made key changes to improve the Shukran 2.0 experience.
Renaming Member Tier
We renamed the "Member" tier to "Classic" to align with customer expectations and make the system clearer.
Updating Tier Colors
We also updated the color scheme of the tiers, making the platinum tier more premium and differentiating the classic and silver tiers to improve visual hierarchy.
Updating the Shukran Card Timeline
Additionally, I focused on updating the timeline component on the Shukran card.
I added tier validity information directly on the Shukran card to give users clear insights on the duration of their membership.
I made the next goal for users more prominent based on tier mechanics.
I enhanced the progress and steps section, making it visually clearer and more intuitive for users to track their achievements and next steps
Learnings & Reflections
Throughout the Shukran 2.0 project, I encountered valuable insights that reshaped my approach to design and collaboration. Here are two key takeaways from the experience.
The Perfect UX Process Doesn’t Exist
We originally planned to execute this project in an ideal way, starting with research, understanding our loyalty personas, and taking time to explore different solutions. While we knew these steps were crucial, we quickly realized that we had to be flexible. We focused on delivering our best guess first, then validated and improved it after launch. Our opportunity to prove the value of design only began once the project was live. Which can be referred to as The Reverse Double Diamond.
It Takes More Than 2 Slides to Change Design Culture
Changing design culture, organizational processes, or stakeholder opinions is more complex than it appears. At first, presenting research findings didn’t achieve the desired impact. It took continuous effort, communication, and real-world proof to drive meaningful change in how design is understood and valued within the organization
