A Modern UX Playbook Part 1: Your secret weapon for business growth

Overview

User-centric approaches to digital design are producing interactions that foster long-term loyalty and open doors to new revenue opportunities. Let’s take a look at six ways that investing in modern UX can unlock new business potential:

1. Enhanced user satisfaction, engagement, and retention

Modern UX design emphasizes user needs and preferences, creating applications are intuitive, efficient, and enjoyable. When users interact with an application that feels seamless and responsive, they stay for longer periods of time and are more likely to return for more interactions. Studies have shown that improving UX directly boosts key performance metrics such as conversion rates and user retention, with Forrester Research reporting an increase in conversion rates by up to 200%.

SEO software vendor Moz recently implemented improvements to help increase its conversion rates. The enhancements focused on improving user experience, such as optimizing site speed, simplifying navigation, and making the website more user-friendly. The results were a 37% increase in business inquiries and more than $780,000 in new sales opportunities generated within six months, underscoring the tangible business value of a well-designed user interface.

2. Improved accessibility

The World Health Organization reports that 16% of the world’s population lives with some form of disability. But only 3% of the internet is accessible to these individuals. If you neglect accessibility, your businesses risk missing out on the revenue potential of a population with $1.9 trillion in disposable income. There are also legal risks, as demonstrated by Target’s $6 million settlement over missing “alt” tags — essential for enabling screen reader navigation for users with disabilities. The most common website failures include:

• Low-contrast text
• No alternative text for images
• Empty links
• No form input labels
• Empty buttons
• Missing document language

Implementing features like text-to-speech, color contrast adjustments, and keyboard navigation enhances the user experience for a broader audience. This improve user satisfaction and complies with legal standards, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Accessible websites are shown to have higher user retention rates, which help companies reach untapped markets and build a more inclusive digital presence.

3. Competitive advantage

A superior UX gives companies a head-and-shoulders advantage. Users are more likely to choose applications with intuitive and enjoyable experience. And businesses that prioritize user-centered design are more likely to stand out from the crowd. This is why Airbnb co-founder and design school graduate, Joe Gebbia, doubled down on an innovative and customer-centric design strategy in the company’s early days. The fledgling startup, once earning $200 per week in 2009, has now grown into a nearly $10 billion powerhouse (three times larger than its closest competitor), and credits that success to their emphasis on design as a core company value.

Seamless UX enhances customer satisfaction and improves a company's reputation, creating a strong foundation for customer loyalty. Organizations that stay ahead of the curve by continuously improving their UX are better positioned to attract and retain customers in crowded marketplaces.

4.Streamlined operations and efficiency

Modernizing UX also has internal benefits. By creating a user-friendly interface, businesses can improve operational efficiency and reduce the time required to complete tasks. Employees benefit from reduced training requirements, fewer errors, and a more efficient workflow. In turn, savings and productivity increase, both of which improve your business's overall performance, like it did for General Electric (GE). By 2010, GE had become the world’s 14th largest software developer. But its software lacked consistency and quality compared to its hardware. In response, GE established a Software Center of Excellence, including a UX Center of Excellence, to unify its software platforms and improve user experience. Through collaboration among leaders, engineers, and designers, GE implemented culture-changing processes, design tools, and success metrics. This initiative doubled development team productivity and saved $30 million in its first year, laying the groundwork for GE Digital — and the company's leadership in the industrial internet.

5. Data-driven insights

Modern UX design often integrates with analytics tools that provide valuable, data-driven insights into user behavior. It also enables organizations to optimize their applications. By tracking user journeys, identifying pain points, and analyzing feature usage, businesses can make informed decisions about product enhancements, marketing strategies, and customer service improvements. The next time you settle down for a family movie at home, consider the amount of analysis that went behind that next movie recommendation that pops up on the screen.

Netflix utilizes A/B testing extensively to optimize its user interface. By analyzing user behavior and preferences, they have made numerous updates to improve content discovery and user experience. This data-driven approach helps improve user satisfaction, increase engagement, and reduce friction. Through data insights, Netflix has powered higher adoption rates, stronger retention, and more effective support. Additionally, data allows for targeted marketing, improved targeting, and proactive issue resolution, contributing to continuous product improvement and business growth.

6. Positive brand perception

A thoughtfully designed UX can significantly enhance a brand’s reputation. Users expect seamless digital experiences; companies that meet and exceed these expectations build trust and a positive emotional connection with their users. In 2014, Virgin America (now owned by Alaska Air) partnered with Work & Co to redesign their digital experience, focusing on enhancing brand perception through a user-centric approach. They set the digital standard in the airline industry by creating a seamless and efficient booking process with a responsive design that worked across all devices. The clean, minimalistic aesthetics and engaging interactions aligned with Virgin America's stylish and innovative brand identity.

Personalization features remembered user preferences, making future bookings faster and more enjoyable. This fostered brand loyalty and positioned Virgin America as a forward-thinking, customer-friendly airline. When businesses invest in user-centric design, they demonstrate their commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. This level of care translates to greater customer loyalty, higher retention rates, and more frequent recommendations. A positive brand perception fueled by superior UX design becomes a long-term asset that propels business growth.

Conclusion

The need to modernize UX is critical. A modern UX not only enhances user satisfaction but also drives business growth by improving user engagement, retention, and productivity. Failing to update and optimize UX results in higher costs, lost customers, and a weakened brand image. But by integrating the latest technologies and adhering to best practices, organizations deliver exceptional user experiences that meet and exceed user expectations.

Read the full white paper, The Value of a Modern UX: Revenue Strategies, Risk Aversion, and Design Excellence.

If you are interested in learning more about Rocket Uniface’s UX modernization features reach out to your Account Executive or email [email protected].