American Car Center
Transforming American Car Center’s Digital Car-Buying Experience
During the summer of 2022, I worked with American Car Center (ACC) to improve the customer experience across their nationwide automotive leasing network. Our goal was to create a seamless, omni-channel journey that made it easy for customers to move between the web platform and in-person dealerships based on their needs and preferences. The redesign focused on making the leasing process more intuitive, empowering customers with a smoother, more personalized experience at every touchpoint.
CONTRIBUTORS
Sean Bossardet
Patrick Zhou
MY ROLE
UX Researcher
UX/UI Designer
USER RESEARCH
Who are our typical users?
Through the combination of many interviews, surveys and additional research provided by ACC, we were able to pinpoint ACC's main consumer demographic. The typical ACC customer is budget-conscious and they likely have an immediate need for a vehicle.
Through contextual inquiries and stakeholder interviews, I developed a user persona, Maria, representing a typical ACC user. My team and I mapped out her journey of leasing a car through ACC’s current process, identifying pain points, highlights, and key opportunities for improvement.
PRODUCT RESEARCH
Best-in-Class Examples Audited
I conducted a comprehensive audit of over 10 consumer car leasing companies, analyzing both their websites and mobile applications. This included examining the overall look and feel, messaging, imagery, typography, color systems, and content strategies. I also identified unique standout features for each company and mapped the information architecture of best-in-class examples.
Car leasing can often feel overwhelming and confusing for users, so my goal was to design an experience that simplifies the process, allowing users to complete it seamlessly and comfortably from their homes.
Information Architecture
SYNTHESIZING
What are our users telling us?
There needs to be a quick process for users to lease a car
The process is confusing and there are a lot of different touchpoints for a user to come across
Users need a simpler way to get matched with appropriate vehicles
PROBLEMS WE CAN SOLVE FOR
How might we streamline ACC's car leasing process by enabling users to complete most steps digitally ?
1. Improve the web experience of ACC so that costumers can go through most of the leasing process at home.
2. We will focus on supporting an omnichannel purchasing process.
3. We aim to increase user task completion rates and reduce bounce rates on ACC site.
DESIGN
We created a design system for ACC from scratch and implemented it throughout the website to ensure visual consistency.
DESIGN
ACC Improvements and New Features
SEARCHING BY DEALERSHIP
Users can filter cars by make, model, price, and dealership location to find the match for their needs.
GETTING APPROVED
Users can complete most steps from the comfort of their own home as many application steps are digitized.
DIRECT CONTACT FROM DEALERSHIP
To streamline the purchasing process, users can fill out a form requesting an associate from a specific dealership to reach out to them and help them find a car that meets their desires and budget requirements.
ACCESSIBILITY
Testing our Assets for Accessibility
A key priority in my design process was to ensure accessibility for all users. I applied the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), with particular attention to color contrast ratios, touch target sizes, and screen readability. For color, I chose high-contrast combinations that meet AA and AAA standards, enhancing visibility for users with low vision or color blindness. Touch targets were enlarged and spaced appropriately.
RESPONSIVE DESIGN
Functional Across Different Breakpoints
My team and I designed the digital site to work smoothly across web, tablet, and mobile, making sure the layout and interactions feel natural and adapts to any screen. I focused on keeping the experience consistent while adjusting for different screen sizes, so users can easily navigate no matter what device they’re on.
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