The New Whitepages Mobile App

Stay Connected Product March 6, 2018

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The New Whitepages Mobile App

As the world at large is increasing the use of mobile devices, we wanted to improve the design and functionality of our mobile app. Below isĀ an account from Alvaro, Senior Product Manager for Mobile and Premium Products, and Dustin, Senior Manager, Customer Experience on making our user’s mobile experience even better!


At Whitepages, we love our customers. Each time we make updates to our apps and services, we align that with user feedback, so that we can improve our services for you. One of our bigger missions was to apply that feedback to mobile devices too. Whether our Premium members access our data on their smartphones or computers, we want to ensure they have a consistently great experience.

In the summer of 2017, we set up the following objectives for a re-imagined mobile app:

– Make sure that our all of our users would have an easy transition
– Premium members should have a plan that works across all devices
– Free users continue to get quick and easy access to the data that they’re used to

This was no small task, and our organization had to develop new skills to succeed. We wanted to do more than just update the app; it should feel like a fresh and innovative experience!

First, we had to understand how users are currently using the app. This included analytics on which features are the most frequently used, and how to continue providing valuable information. It also included user interviews, to help them find answers even faster. Next, we had to equip our engineers with the right technology and expertise. We had some very skilled developers flex their skill sets, and brought on some new employees to empower the team even further. There are plenty of other technical details as part of building the app – we will save you from all the jargon, but trust that it was not easy!

The Whitepages Mobile Team


Ready, Set, Go!

Our organization was now well equipped for this quest, and we started our coding efforts in August. The goal was to have a functional Beta by November so that we can start gathering user feedback. Our amazing Customer Care team was enlisted to be involved in both signing up testers from the public and collecting their suggestions. To make sure the mobile app had a successful launch, all teams had to be working closely together! The more we were communicating, the faster we could adapt.

Early tests showed that we had a stable app with few technical issues. We were also happy to see so many pleasant comments about the integration of Premium memberships into the app. Beyond that, we also wanted to make sure that people got what they wanted from Whitepages, which meant we needed more feedback. By December, we began slowly introducing more and more users to the updated app. The comments began pouring in, and we had to quickly make sense of which ones were most important.

Better, Faster, Stronger

Gathering feedback from a small number of testers is one thing, but gathering feedback from hundreds of thousands of users is a whole new ballgame. The scale was much larger, and we wanted to ensure that we had a system for success. Fortunately for us, the Customer Care team really stepped up. Their tasks included:

– Proactively asking users about their experience
– Replying to every suggestion and piece of feedback
– Following up with those users after their issues were addressed

As we’re listening to our customers, it’s important for them to know that their voices are heard! It’s difficult to please everyone all of the time, but by listening to comments, we can make steady improvements. Since our soft launch in December, we’ve responded to over 5,000 suggestions and comments. Dozens of changes have been made as a result, so that customers are getting the most useful information from the app, and at an affordable price. This process isn’t slowing down, either! We will continue to monitor those suggestions and use them to prioritize future features and changes.


 

At Whitepages, we take a lot of pride in our customer support. If someone takes the time to speak up, it’s our responsibility to listen and respond. This led to a successful launch of the app, and a great product for mobile users. Our new app provides both free and Premium services and does it seamlessly. We’re excited to continue these updates and evolve the app in the coming months!

Interested in checking out our mobile app, and contributing to the conversation? Click the links below and let us know what you think!