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GEICO: Body Shop Selection Flow
Context
Previously, GEICO auto policyholders couldn’t choose a body shop after submitting damage photos, leaving the decision to GEICO. The updated flow changes that.
Read Time
6 Minutes
Project Duration
2 Weeks
Platform
Web + Mobile
Team
Product Designer (Me), Project Manager, Product Managers
Tools
Figma, Microsoft Azure (ADO)
The Problem
There was no option for policyholders to select their body shop.
(AP) Auto Policyholders couldn’t select a body shop after submitting damage photos; GEICO’s system assigned one automatically, often adding frustration for the AP.
GEICO’s system often selected body shops located over 5+ miles from the AP.
The previous design left APs stuck on the summary, with no further options provided.
Easy Photo Estimate Summary Page
The Solution
New flow enabling Auto Policyholders to input their nearest body shop.
AP’s now have the ability to locate their nearest body shop after they submitted their photos of their damaged vehicle, however, the new flow was not ideal as there were multiple technical and business constraints at hand.
The flow sped up estimator wait times as AP’s selected their shop instead of GEICO’S system.
Self-service let APs avoid relying on adjusters, but also avoid out-of-network cost
User Constraints
Learnings from Internal Research
Maps Limitation
APs searching for repair shops find locations within GEICO’s network, not always the nearest option. These shops may still be far.
Lengthy Wait Times
APs often face delays while waiting for adjusters to communicate repair options and cost estimates, prolonging the claims process.
Out-of-Network
When APs choose a body shop outside GEICO’s network, the company cannot provide funds for the repairs, resulting in out-of-pocket expenses for the AP.
Full Constraints
What are the Key Project Constraints?
These lists highlight business and user constraints found during internal research, with lines showing their correlations and why the experience is unideal.
Documenting UX Issues
Creating a UX Roadmap
I documented unresolved constraints for future reference, always keeping the user in mind. This helps me and the team know where we are today.
Further Understanding
Comprehending User Metrics & Process
When the claims product managers submitted this project, during kick off, I learned and discussed adjuster and user pain points. After consulting with 3-4 adjusters, they informed me they wait for claim estimators to submit the repair costs, while APs waited to learn the dollar amount covered for repairs, this waiting created delays tied to both time and finances.
In this step I learned how the success of the design would be measured post launch. . . Which helped me direct my approach to the flow and design.
Essential Metrics Design will Improve
1-3
Days users normally wait
85%
Preferred self-service
5+
Miles
reduced
The Simpler the Better
Mapping the User Flow
New Design
Final Screens
This flow accommodates users who don’t have a body shop in mind and are fine waiting for an adjuster, and those who prefer selecting a GEICO-covered shop that’s more convenient.
Conclusion
Reflection &
Next Steps
This project initially appeared simple, but many constraints required me to design a temporary solution while awaiting additional resources, like developer capacity for the project. After careful consideration, the user researcher and I decided that user testing wasn’t essential for this project, as existing insights and data were sufficient to guide the design process effectively.
My role as the product designer was to ensure a thorough understanding of company and developer capabilities before moving into ideation.
What did I learn from this project?
Always advocate for the user. with the constraints I faced, I made sure to document UX issues and shared them with the team. While some problems couldn’t be resolved immediately, I developed a UX roadmap in collaboration with the claims team.
This roadmap helped stakeholders understand that the current solution, while a necessary quick fix, is not the ideal experience. It outlines what can be achieved now, in the next six months, and further into the future, following the "now, next, future" framework inspired by the Nielsen Norman Group.
Additional Solutions
Confirmation for Body Shop Selection
How do we confirm to the user that their chosen body shop was logged into the system? Due to time constraints, instead of a confirmation page, I designed a success banner from our design system.
