Design
Perch Energy
Portfolio
Perch Energy connects solar developers with consumers looking to save on electricity and support renewable energy. But as the company prepared to launch its community solar initiative, it lacked a clear direct-to-consumer strategy, and no scalable way to continually resize customers’ energy allocations without requiring constant uploads of new utility bills. My role began with solving this problem: defining the strategy, user experience, and design foundation for a seamless, automated customer journey from signup to ongoing management.
Gaining Buy-in and Building the Experience
I spearheaded the development of a comprehensive strategy, leveraging extensive user research. Through interviews with existing customers and solar farm owners, multiple focus groups, and an in-depth competitive landscape analysis, we uncovered critical insights that informed our approach. These findings helped us define key pain points, opportunities for engagement, and design principles that would guide our product development.
- Reduced customer acquisition cost (CAC) from approximately $400 to under $150 by supplementing door-to-door sales with digital strategies.
- Achieved a 267% increase in lead generation, a 226% rise in completed steps, a fourfold boost in conversions, and a ninefold increase for LMI (Low-to-Moderate Income) residents from 2023 to 2024.
- Scaled the business by 261% over the last two years.
The Enrollment Overhaul
Our enrollment overhaul was a testament to the power of data-driven insights combined with empathetic design. By deeply understanding user behavior and pain points, we developed a streamlined process that not only improved conversion rates but also enhanced the overall experience. This involved reducing friction, clarifying steps, and ensuring that users felt confident in their choices.
Scaling the Solution
Expanding into new markets while supporting self-enrollment, telesales, and door-to-door sales presented a formidable challenge. To maintain a seamless experience across diverse regions, we embraced team-wide design thinking, AI-driven optimizations, and a flexible modular design. This adaptability allowed us to scale efficiently across 21 new markets within Massachusetts, Maine, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Illinois, and Minnesota.
Key Enhancements and Insights
- 📈 Conversion Optimization: we implemented Google sign-in for ease of use, introduced a compelling "hook" to highlight potential savings, incorporated trust indicators like big brands and security features, offered incentives such as gift cards, and leveraged scarcity messaging to drive sign-ups.
- 🛒 User Experience Enhancements: we streamlined the journey by reducing clicks, provided clear explanations of Perch's business model and benefits, integrated product visualizations for improved understanding, added prominent help options and contact information, and explored diverse payment options to better serve various markets.
- 📊 Key Insights from Analytics: users convert more frequently when uploading bills manually rather than integrating utility credentials, and feedback emphasized the need for clearer communication around savings and the business model. Low to mid-intent users found the enrollment process overly aggressive, while LMI users prioritized cost savings and understanding community solar impact, underscoring the importance of showcasing potential savings and building trust.
The Future of UX at Perch Energy
By continuously iterating and optimizing, we’ve established a solid foundation for Perch Energy’s growth. Looking ahead, we aim to further refine our digital experience, expand into new markets, and leverage emerging technologies to make community solar even more accessible and user-friendly.