Electronik del Centro
2024
Transforming a Traditional Electronics Business into a Digital Commerce & Service Platform
Overview
The Company
Electronik del Centro is a long-established electronics business in Culiacán, Mexico, specializing in:
Electronics sales
Installation services
Preventive maintenance
Technical repairs
For years, the business operated primarily through physical locations, phone calls, and referrals.
However, customer behavior had begun to shift.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing security concerns in the region, more customers preferred researching, purchasing, and scheduling services online rather than visiting physical stores.
The company needed a digital platform capable of supporting both product sales and service operations.
Problem area
Challenge 1: Fragmented Customer Experience
Customers needed different communication channels depending on their needs.
There was no centralized digital experience.
Problem area
Challenge 2: Limited Digital Commerce
Products could not be easily discovered or purchased online. The business lacked a scalable online storefront capable of supporting modern purchasing behaviors.
Customers increasingly expected:
Online browsing
Online purchasing
Mobile experiences
Self-service interactions
Potential sales opportunities were being lost.
Opportunity 1
Introduce data-driven guidance to reduce confusion and support tickets, helping businesses make decisions faster and stay engaged.
Opportunity 2
Transform static transaction data into clear insights, making it easier to act and improving retention.
Problem area
Challenge 3: Manual Service Scheduling
Installation and maintenance requests were managed manually through calls and messages.
This process was time-consuming for both customers and staff.
Product before redesign
Opportunity 1
Introduce data-driven guidance to reduce confusion and support tickets, helping businesses make decisions faster and stay engaged.
Opportunity 2
Transform static transaction data into clear insights, making it easier to act and improving retention.
Problem area
Challenge 4: Changing Consumer Behavior
Customers increasingly expected:
Online purchasing
Mobile-friendly experiences
Immediate access to information
Self-service scheduling
The business infrastructure had not evolved to meet these expectations.
Product before redesign
Opportunity 1
Introduce data-driven guidance to reduce confusion and support tickets, helping businesses make decisions faster and stay engaged.
Opportunity 2
Transform static transaction data into clear insights, making it easier to act and improving retention.
Design goals
What I aimed to achieve
The goal was to create a healthcare experience as simple as booking a ride-sharing service.
Patients should be able to:
Request a service
Select a preferred appointment
Receive a home visit
Track appointment progress
Access results digitally
All within a unified ecosystem.
Research & Discovery
Product Ownership Lifecycle
I mapped the primary journeys customers followed:
Journey B
Schedule maintenance or repair
Journey C
Schedule maintenance or repair
Discovery
Although these journeys had different goals, they shared many common touchpoints.
This insight led to a platform strategy that unified all experiences under a single ecosystem. This insight became the foundation of the platform strategy.
Rather than designing isolated experiences, the platform would support customers across every stage of ownership.
Design decision 01
1. Building a Flexible Headless Architecture
To support both commerce and services, I proposed a headless architecture.
Tech Stack
Shopify (Commerce Backend)
GraphQL API Layer
Next.js Frontend
This architecture provided:
Faster performance
Better scalability
Flexible service integration
Future extensibility
Shopify was selected to manage:
Product inventory
Checkout
Orders
Commerce operations
This reduced technical complexity while providing a reliable commerce infrastructure.
Design decision 02
2. Headless Architecture
A headless architecture was implemented using:
Shopify Backend
Next.js Frontend
GraphQL APIs
This approach provided greater flexibility for future platform expansion.
Design decision 03
3. Service Scheduling Experience
A dedicated scheduling flow was designed to simplify service requests.
Users could:
Select service type
Choose appointment preferences
Submit requests online
This reduced dependence on phone-based scheduling.
Version 01: What I learned testing with business owners: charts were too complex
Learning 01
Unclear priorities: Competing data made it hard for business owners to see what mattered
Learning 02
Too much noise: charts were hard to read, slowing decisions when businesses needed speed.
Design decision 04
4. Building Trust at Every Touchpoint
Trust became a foundational design principle.
The experience incorporates:
Professional credentials
Safety information
Transparent service explanations
Clear expectations
Secure data handling
These elements help patients feel confident before booking.
Version 01: What I learned testing with business owners: charts were too complex
Learning 01
Unclear priorities: Competing data made it hard for business owners to see what mattered
Learning 02
Too much noise: charts were hard to read, slowing decisions when businesses needed speed.
Design decision 04
5. Creating a Future Results Experience
Beyond scheduling, the long-term vision included a patient portal where users could access:
Test history
Laboratory reports
Appointment history
Health records
This transforms the service from a single transaction into an ongoing healthcare experience.
Version 01: What I learned testing with business owners: charts were too complex
Learning 01
Unclear priorities: Competing data made it hard for business owners to see what mattered
Learning 02
Too much noise: charts were hard to read, slowing decisions when businesses needed speed.
Design decision 04
Solution
The final concept established a digital healthcare ecosystem that supports:
Patient Acquisition
Helping users understand and trust the service.
Appointment Scheduling
Making booking simple and intuitive.
Service Delivery
Supporting at-home blood collection.
Status Tracking
Keeping patients informed throughout the process.
Results Management
Creating a centralized location for healthcare information.
Version 01: What I learned testing with business owners: charts were too complex
Learning 01
Unclear priorities: Competing data made it hard for business owners to see what mattered
Learning 02
Too much noise: charts were hard to read, slowing decisions when businesses needed speed.
Outcome
Outcome
Responsive Experience
Impact
Increased retention
Dashboard became central, engagement rose, and support tickets fell significantly.
Increased efficiency
It cut design time from weeks to days, letting the team test, refine, and deliver faster.
Retrospective
What I Would Improve
If given additional time, I would explore: Real-Time Scheduling Allow patients to instantly book available appointment slots. Automated Notifications SMS and email updates throughout the testing process. Route Optimization Improve operational efficiency for phlebotomists. Insurance Verification Reduce administrative effort before appointments. Full Patient Portal Provide secure access to health history and laboratory records.
Impact
Increased retention
Dashboard became central, engagement rose, and support tickets fell significantly.
Increased efficiency
It cut design time from weeks to days, letting the team test, refine, and deliver faster.
Retrospective
Key Takeaways
This project reinforced an important lesson: Great healthcare experiences are not only about interfaces—they are about reducing uncertainty. By approaching the challenge through service design, systems thinking, and patient-centered UX principles, I helped define a digital healthcare experience that makes laboratory testing more accessible, transparent, and convenient.
Impact
Increased retention
Dashboard became central, engagement rose, and support tickets fell significantly.
Increased efficiency
It cut design time from weeks to days, letting the team test, refine, and deliver faster.