Mercedes’
Mercedes’
Mercedes’
ROFT Platform
ROFT Platform
ROFT Platform
Digitizing Mercedes-Benz UK’s dealer network for an agency-model future — cutting a 2-hour manual ordering process to under 25 minutes and powering 10,000 vehicle sales through the platform.
Digitizing Mercedes-Benz UK’s dealer network for an agency-model future — cutting a 2-hour manual ordering process to under 25 minutes and powering 10,000 vehicle sales through the platform.
Platform
Web App
Client
Mercedes Benz (Infosys + WONGDOODY)
Year
2020
Sagar Kumar
Menu
Problem & Context
Problem & Context
Mercedes-Benz UK was transitioning its dealer network to an agency model — MB UK selling directly to customers with franchise partners as agents, holding zero inventory.
Mercedes-Benz UK was transitioning its dealer network to an agency model — MB UK selling directly to customers with franchise partners as agents, holding zero inventory.
The existing sales process couldn’t support this: placing a single vehicle order took ~2 hours of manual paperwork, verification, and submission, with a 23% error and rejection rate.
The existing sales process couldn’t support this: placing a single vehicle order took ~2 hours of manual paperwork, verification, and submission, with a 23% error and rejection rate.
Meanwhile, HQ-to-retailer communication was fragmented — dealers learned about campaigns and stock late, and more than 50% of customers believed dealerships weren’t fully informed about products and offers.
Meanwhile, HQ-to-retailer communication was fragmented — dealers learned about campaigns and stock late, and more than 50% of customers believed dealerships weren’t fully informed about products and offers.
Why now:
Why now:
COVID accelerated online car buying — customers arrive better informed than dealer staff
Online sales penetration projected to grow ~1pp per year toward 15% of revenue by 2026
The indirect sales model scattered customer data across dealers — no 360° customer view
Retailers requested a mobile-friendly dashboard for quick request submission
COVID accelerated online car buying — customers arrive better informed than dealer staff
Online sales penetration projected to grow ~1pp per year toward 15% of revenue by 2026
The indirect sales model scattered customer data across dealers — no 360° customer view
Retailers requested a mobile-friendly dashboard for quick request submission
Research & Discovery
Research & Discovery
Research ran in two passes: secondary research with business and data analytics teams to establish the baseline, then primary qualitative research with every user type on the platform.
Research ran in two passes: secondary research with business and data analytics teams to establish the baseline, then primary qualitative research with every user type on the platform.
Methods:
Methods:
App analytics — event data showed merchants used only the traditional sales flow; invoicing and payment features had near-zero adoption
12+ interviews — focus groups and one-on-ones across Head Office users, admins, retailers, staff, and support teams
Competitive benchmarking — Toyota Central Media Hub, Nissan Dealer Portal (NNA 2.0), Fuso Dealer Web Portal
Stakeholder interviews with MB UK network-effectiveness managers
App analytics — event data showed merchants used only the traditional sales flow; invoicing and payment features had near-zero adoption
12+ interviews — focus groups and one-on-ones across Head Office users, admins, retailers, staff, and support teams
Competitive benchmarking — Toyota Central Media Hub, Nissan Dealer Portal (NNA 2.0), Fuso Dealer Web Portal
Stakeholder interviews with MB UK network-effectiveness managers
From user statements to opportunities:
From user statements to opportunities:
“It takes around 2 hours to place a single order manually” → target an 80% reduction via digital ordering
“It takes around 2 hours to place a single order manually” → target an 80% reduction via digital ordering
“We often make mistakes entering details” → automated validation and error-checking at input
“We often make mistakes entering details” → automated validation and error-checking at input
“Hard to keep track of inventory levels” → real-time stock visibility inside the order flow
“Hard to keep track of inventory levels” → real-time stock visibility inside the order flow
“Orders delayed or lost due to miscommunication” → transparent status with notifications both ways
“Orders delayed or lost due to miscommunication” → transparent status with notifications both ways
“During peak seasons it’s impossible to keep up” → design for volume from day one
“During peak seasons it’s impossible to keep up” → design for volume from day one
Who the Platform Serves
Who the Platform Serves
Two personas anchored every prioritization call — the retailer consuming information and placing orders, and the HQ admin publishing and resolving.
Two personas anchored every prioritization call — the retailer consuming information and placing orders, and the HQ admin publishing and resolving.
Amelia — Retailer (UK)
Amelia — Retailer (UK)
Runs sales and operations; needs campaigns, publications, sales reports, and parts availability in one place, mobile-friendly, with notifications tuned to her preferences.
Today she can’t track sales or stock progress in real time and hears about publications late.
Runs sales and operations; needs campaigns, publications, sales reports, and parts availability in one place, mobile-friendly, with notifications tuned to her preferences.
Today she can’t track sales or stock progress in real time and hears about publications late.
John — Manager, Network Effectiveness (MBUK HQ)
John — Manager, Network Effectiveness (MBUK HQ)
Publishes campaigns and updates to the entire network; needs publication rights, request tracking, flagging, MFA/SSO, and an audit trail of who accessed confidential documents like rates.
Today there’s no single platform to manage, track, and resolve retailer concerns.
Publishes campaigns and updates to the entire network; needs publication rights, request tracking, flagging, MFA/SSO, and an audit trail of who accessed confidential documents like rates.
Today there’s no single platform to manage, track, and resolve retailer concerns.
The Business Shift the Design Had to Serve
The Business Shift the Design Had to Serve
This wasn’t a UI refresh — it was a platform for a new business model. Under Retail of the Future, MB UK becomes the seller of record: it sets prices, owns inventory, and invoices customers directly. Franchise partners become agents — zero inventory, no market risk, competing purely on customer experience. Every platform capability maps to making that model operable.
This wasn’t a UI refresh — it was a platform for a new business model. Under Retail of the Future, MB UK becomes the seller of record: it sets prices, owns inventory, and invoices customers directly. Franchise partners become agents — zero inventory, no market risk, competing purely on customer experience. Every platform capability maps to making that model operable.
Traditional retail → agency model — what changes for each party
Traditional retail → agency model — what changes for each party
What this meant for the design:
What this meant for the design:
Ordering had to be real-time against MB UK’s central inventory — the dealer no longer buffers with local stock
Pricing transparency became a feature: best-price guarantee means no negotiation UI, only configuration
Publications and campaigns became operationally critical — agents sell with HQ’s information or not at all
Role- and entity-based access: confidential rates visible to the right roles, with download/share limits and audit trails
Ordering had to be real-time against MB UK’s central inventory — the dealer no longer buffers with local stock
Pricing transparency became a feature: best-price guarantee means no negotiation UI, only configuration
Publications and campaigns became operationally critical — agents sell with HQ’s information or not at all
Role- and entity-based access: confidential rates visible to the right roles, with download/share limits and audit trails
Reframing & Prioritization
Reframing & Prioritization
The redefined problem: replace a process-oriented sales journey full of manual information retrieval with one that enables selling — everything at the consultant’s fingertips so they never leave the customer’s side. Technically: integrate up to 12 backend systems from multiple vendors into a single platform that works across markets.
The redefined problem: replace a process-oriented sales journey full of manual information retrieval with one that enables selling — everything at the consultant’s fingertips so they never leave the customer’s side. Technically: integrate up to 12 backend systems from multiple vendors into a single platform that works across markets.
Goals set:
Goals set:
Best-in-class help & support — self-serve help with query tracking
Cross-market usage — functions that translate across regions
Functional minimalism — every feature the client needs, nothing decorative
A measurably better experience — TAT, error rate, and satisfaction as the scorecard
Best-in-class help & support — self-serve help with query tracking
Cross-market usage — functions that translate across regions
Functional minimalism — every feature the client needs, nothing decorative
A measurably better experience — TAT, error rate, and satisfaction as the scorecard
MoSCoW analysis clustered the backlog: real-time ordering, publications, and role-based access were Musts; community forum and advanced analytics moved to Later.
Even the product’s name was a designed decision — Buzz won over Pulse and Engage in the naming exploration for the communication platform.
MoSCoW analysis clustered the backlog: real-time ordering, publications, and role-based access were Musts; community forum and advanced analytics moved to Later.
Even the product’s name was a designed decision — Buzz won over Pulse and Engage in the naming exploration for the communication platform.
Final Designs
Homepage
Homepage
Primary navigation prioritized around retailer jobs, with entity tabs to switch between Cars, Vans, and Trucks. Quick CTAs (tour, help & support, feedback) and the latest publications surface immediately — a retailer lands and acts, no digging.
Primary navigation prioritized around retailer jobs, with entity tabs to switch between Cars, Vans, and Trucks. Quick CTAs (tour, help & support, feedback) and the latest publications surface immediately — a retailer lands and acts, no digging.
Publications
Publications
Every campaign, sales update, and parts communication from Mercedes-Benz in one browsable hub — listed, filterable, and consistent across all geographic retailers, replacing scattered emails with a single source of truth.
Every campaign, sales update, and parts communication from Mercedes-Benz in one browsable hub — listed, filterable, and consistent across all geographic retailers, replacing scattered emails with a single source of truth.
Product Details
Product Details
Video banners bring advertising campaigns to life, with publishing dates and full context up front. A one-tap “Download All” gives retailers every related sales and marketing asset — the resources dealer staff said they lacked, now attached to the story itself.
Video banners bring advertising campaigns to life, with publishing dates and full context up front. A one-tap “Download All” gives retailers every related sales and marketing asset — the resources dealer staff said they lacked, now attached to the story itself.
Publishing power, governed
Publishing power, governed
HQ admins create campaigns and publications through a structured flow. Business entity, category, and role-based access are defined at the point of creation, so a confidential parts bulletin reaches the Sales Manager and nobody else.
Publishing and expiry dates are set in the same pass, which means content retires itself instead of going stale in the hub.
HQ admins create campaigns and publications through a structured flow. Business entity, category, and role-based access are defined at the point of creation, so a confidential parts bulletin reaches the Sales Manager and nobody else.
Publishing and expiry dates are set in the same pass, which means content retires itself instead of going stale in the hub.
Find it mid-conversation
Find it mid-conversation
Real-time search with filters across every current and past publication, returning video, PDF and article results together. Built for the moment a retailer needs a specific rate sheet or campaign while a customer is standing in front of them.
Real-time search with filters across every current and past publication, returning video, PDF and article results together. Built for the moment a retailer needs a specific rate sheet or campaign while a customer is standing in front of them.
Validation & Rollout
Validation & Rollout
Unmoderated usability studies with existing MB retailers and HQ admins, then a phased rollout to 30% of UK retailers (~38k users, Apr–Jun 2023) before full release.
Unmoderated usability studies with existing MB retailers and HQ admins, then a phased rollout to 30% of UK retailers (~38k users, Apr–Jun 2023) before full release.
KPIs tracked:
KPIs tracked:
TAT — platform ordering vs the traditional process
User error rates on core tasks
Conversion — task completion end to end
Engagement — how the platform settles into daily work
Phased rollout: 90% task success on core functions · 85% satisfaction · 40% of users landing on the homepage daily
Full release (Dec 2023): 125k users · 70% MAU increase from August · 96k monthly active
TAT — platform ordering vs the traditional process
User error rates on core tasks
Conversion — task completion end to end
Engagement — how the platform settles into daily work
Phased rollout: 90% task success on core functions · 85% satisfaction · 40% of users landing on the homepage daily
Full release (Dec 2023): 125k users · 70% MAU increase from August · 96k monthly active
Outcomes & Impact
Outcomes & Impact
Increase in Product Engagement
~80%
Units sold via ROTF
10,000
Satisfaction (from 70%)
85%
Task success, core flows
90%
Reflections
Reflections
What worked
Anchoring the design in the business-model shift, not the UI — every prioritization call got easier
Research-driven persuasion — showing stakeholders the baseline data made the revamp case for me
Close engineering collaboration from day one — 12 backend systems don’t integrate themselves around a design
Anchoring the design in the business-model shift, not the UI — every prioritization call got easier
Research-driven persuasion — showing stakeholders the baseline data made the revamp case for me
Close engineering collaboration from day one — 12 backend systems don’t integrate themselves around a design
What I'd do differently
Regulatory change in automotive moved under us repeatedly — I’d build compliance checkpoints into the design cadence, not react to them
Push for the invoicing feature research earlier; analytics showed zero adoption but the why took too long to chase down
Set up post-launch measurement before launch — the 2021-design-to-2023-rollout gap made attribution harder than it needed to be
Regulatory change in automotive moved under us repeatedly — I’d build compliance checkpoints into the design cadence, not react to them
Push for the invoicing feature research earlier; analytics showed zero adoption but the why took too long to chase down
Set up post-launch measurement before launch — the 2021-design-to-2023-rollout gap made attribution harder than it needed to be
Appendix
Appendix
Supporting research, explorations and design evidence
Supporting research, explorations and design evidence
Research artifacts
01
Research notes, audits and synthesis that shaped the conversational experience.
Research artifacts
01
Research notes, audits and synthesis that shaped the conversational experience.
Personas & behavioural patterns
02
Key user needs, behaviours and intent patterns identified across Jio products.
Personas & behavioural patterns
02
Key user needs, behaviours and intent patterns identified across Jio products.
Conversational benchmarking
03
Benchmarking of chat, assistant and support experiences to understand different interaction models.
Conversational benchmarking
03
Benchmarking of chat, assistant and support experiences to understand different interaction models.
Visual Designs
04
The complete set of components, states, screens and behaviours explored while building the reusable chat framework.
Visual Designs
04
The complete set of components, states, screens and behaviours explored while building the reusable chat framework.
Sagar Kumar
UX/UI Designer
Contact me
Available for work
Get in touch and let’s turn concepts into stunning websites
Transforming ideas into reality
© Sagar 2026 | All Rights Reserved
Get in touch and let’s turn concepts into stunning websites
Transforming ideas into reality
Available for work
© Sagar 2026 | All Rights Reserved