Prescription skincare digital health portal and eCommerce platform
SKNV / Sincerus Pharmaceuticals
The need
SKNV (formerly Sincerus Pharmaceuticals) believes that one size and one delivery medium does not fit every patient, so they set out to provide prescribers the ability to offer patients a customized dermatology system to deliver targeted results and repeat purchases through tailored regimens in preventative, curative and maintenance skin care. To achieve this, SKNV needed a replacement for their online self-service payment and fulfillment portal to roll out alongside their company-wide rebrand. SKNV hired us to deliver a holistic product design package including consulting, strategy, architecture, design systems, brand implementation, development, testing, optimization, and features support.
The challenges
Our product team had to quickly absorb a steep learning curve to become expertly familiar with six different internal legacy systems, in order to replace two of them immediately and integrate with the others. Product requirements were collected from disparate lines of business and needed to be distilled into a cohesive project plan. Perhaps most importantly, the project requires that all transitions and migrations were executed smoothly, as even small hiccups risked disrupting daily operations and resulting in loss of revenue. Icosa Studios proposed a digital app that would manage three types of user accounts, incorporate telemedicine, manage prescriptions and payments, and optimize conversion streams, all without allowing any disruption of current operations.
Discovery and Brand Research
During the discovery and research phase, the team delved into a comprehensive exploration to unearth key insights and establish a foundational understanding of SKNV’s business landscape. This involved in-depth market analysis, competitor assessments, and thorough examinations of the client’s unique value propositions. By engaging stakeholders, creating audience personas and empathy maps for three user groups, and analyzing industry trends, we gained valuable perspectives that shaped our strategic direction. The discovery phase laid the groundwork for a nuanced understanding of the client’s brand identity, target audience, market positioning, and experiential needs for the SKNV digital health app.
UI and Design System definition
The design team utilized the MUI component library alongside Google’s Material Design system to create an extensive, comprehensive, and branded design system. First, we translated the SKNV brand color palette into a UI palette that met WCAG Level AAA standards, creating beautiful and accessible contrast while staying true to the SKNV brand hues. The color palette was tested with sample layouts, color blind filters, and contrast checkers. We then created an exhaustive and comprehensive component library in Figma using MUI as our base. This lay the groundwork for not only fast, efficient UI production design, but seamless transition to developing components using MUI’s React components. With the necessary building blocks in place, we created the core layouts we would need to utilize across the app, using responsive MUI grid guidelines and navigation elements. Finally, we moved to creating beautiful, clean, and compliant user interface design screens for the SKNV digital health application.
Replacing legacy tech with zero downtime
In the next phase of the project, we needed to replace existing technologies without creating any downtime or loss of revenue. We strategically approached technology selection, aligning it with SKNV’s current and projected team strengths. The backbone of our architecture comprised an auto-scaling Node.js backend with a React frontend, ensuring a responsive and scalable digital environment. To enhance agility and eliminate downtime, we implemented a secure configuration and feature flag system, empowering the client to modify system configurations without necessitating extensive deployments.
Recognizing the critical nature of time-sensitive tasks, we established a redundant queuing and tasking system. This robust framework adeptly handled one-time jobs such as recurring payments and reminders, ensuring seamless execution and reliability. We also introduced automated feature and security testing protocols, enhancing the overall stability and resilience of the system.
To bridge the gap between the new architecture and the existing legacy data sets, we integrated a sophisticated database abstraction layer. This layer seamlessly interfaced with all five legacy data sets, facilitating smooth data exchange and ensuring continuity across the digital infrastructure.
Optimizing systems
We spearheaded a targeted effort to increase conversions by optimizing systems, particularly in the context of prescriptions that are typically considered optional and not medically necessary. Understanding the unique challenges associated with these types of prescriptions, our approach involved not only refining the user experience (UX) and making product changes but also guiding the client through operational changes for both sales and customer service operations. By implementing strategic enhancements to the digital platform, we aimed to address the specific nuances of these prescriptions, ultimately increasing the likelihood of users completing the purchase and receiving their medications. This dual-pronged approach, encompassing both technical and operational facets, resulted in massive conversion increases.
Increasing conversions with Communications
To improve another area of sub-optimal conversion, we created and implemented a targeted strategy to increase conversion rates through the incorporation of a drip-inspired reminder strategy. This system was meticulously designed to engage potential customers through various methods and mediums, strategically altering the time-of-day to optimize the likelihood of reaching them at a convenient moment.
By deploying a sequence of well-timed reminders to relevant channels, we aimed to guide users through the purchase journey, effectively reducing cart abandonment and bolstering overall conversion rates. This dynamic system not only served as a valuable touchpoint to re-engage hesitant buyers but also played a vital role in fostering a positive user experience. Through the implementation of this reminders system, we propelling the client who saw immediate and dramatic Return on Investment (ROI) attributed directly to the reminder system.
Diversifying the purchasing landscape
In this phase of the project, we honed in on strategic initiatives to not only optimize the eCommerce transactions but also to boost key performance indicators (KPI’s). One pivotal focus was on elevating the Average Order Value (AOV). This was achieved through the following strategies:
- Bulk purchase and product bundle discounts
- Leveraging one of their alternate lines of business, sknvcare, to offer suggested non-prescription add-ons at checkout
- Auto-replenish options
Auto-replenish purchases not only contributed to immediate sales growth but also played a significant role in enhancing Customer Lifetime Value (CLV).
By seamlessly integrating these initiatives into the eCommerce platform and diversifying the purchasing landscape, we aimed to create a more dynamic and profitable digital marketplace for the client while ensuring customers experienced a seamless checkout experience. These initiatives proved highly successful and set the stage for continued growth and success.
Streamling operations and eCommerce
During the final phase of our collaboration with SKNV, we focused on a multifaceted approach to revitalize the digital infrastructure. We undertook the task of rebuilding and replacing additional legacy systems, strategically modernizing outdated frameworks to enhance operational efficiency. Simultaneously, recognizing the paramount importance of a robust eCommerce presence, we developed a comprehensive system from the ground up. This encompassed the creation of a consumer-facing eCommerce website that not only captivates users but also integrates with the digital health portal and facilitates seamless online transactions. To fortify the client’s digital ecosystem, we implemented a sophisticated eCommerce API. This API was specifically engineered to handle complex tasks, such as managing taxes, orchestrating shipping logistics, integrating with multiple fulfillment providers, and meeting the client’s stringent reporting requirements. By meticulously addressing these facets, we laid the groundwork for a resilient and dynamic digital infrastructure, setting the stage for the future of SKNV’s business endeavors.
THE RESULTS
A holistic digital health system that drove immediate profits and dramatic profit.
SKNV was provided with a groundbreaking digital health portal, integrated ecommerce system, and beautifully designed app experience for prescribers and customers alike. Prescribers are able to send digital prescriptions and collect payment from patients, patients are able to access important information about their skincare prescriptions, and SKNV saw unprecedented increases in revenue and customer retention through the digital portal.
The suite of technology deliverable and sophisticated design system sets SKNV on a path to make future feature implementation a streamlined, effective process for their in-house teams.
SKNV was also empowered with foundational systems and an integrated e-commerce website to educate patients, find new SKNV patients, and ultilize a prescriber’s affiliate program for customized skin care products through sknvcare.
- 11% Increase in overall conversion
- 999% Increase in customer retention
- 231% Increase in average cart value
- 68 % Decrease in weekly downtime
- 99 % Decrease in manual phone orders
