Grundfos | Valtech - Community
Empowering installers, homeowners & wholesalers to resolve pump issues and share expert solutions in real time
1. Context & Role
Company & Product: Grundfos Domestic Building Solutions (DBS) — leading B2B/B2C pump systems
Timeline: March–April 2022
My Role: UX researcher & designer in partnership with Valtech
2. Problem
Business Goal: Meet 2025 targets for sustainable-home solutions by enhancing customer experience and reducing support costs
User Pain Points:
Installers: fragmented resources; 10-minute support waits; no mobile-optimized troubleshooting
Homeowners: unclear product guidance; variable heating performance; difficulty finding installers
Wholesalers: slow product selection; lack of real-time stock/pricing info
Baseline Metrics: Low self-service usage; high repeat inquiries; no on-site diagnostic tool
3. Research
Objectives:
Map seven key customer moments across homeowners, installers, wholesalers
Benchmark leading community platforms for best practices
Uncover current workflows, tools & pain via interviews and netnography
Methods:
Competitive analysis of Stack Overflow, Reddit, Apple Support, Slack, Shopify
Netnography in Facebook groups (VVS og varmepumpe, Grundfos for Installers), PlumbingZone, trade shows
Semi-structured interviews (3 installers, 1 wholesaler)
B2B marketing workshop to align on enterprise buying behaviors
Key Insights:
Search-First & Filters: Users expect a global “Search a solution” bar with product and issue tags
Urgency & Trust: On-site installers need answers in <10 min; “Solved” badges and professional verification drive confidence
Mobile & Visual: Heavy mobile use on-site; clear image-upload flows and video attachments enhance troubleshooting
Gamification & Community: Badges, points and contributor ranks increase engagement
B2B Buying Complexity: Multiple stakeholders demand clear specs, rapid support and data-driven tools
4. Ideation & Concepting
Brainstormed Solutions:
Community Q&A Hub (key moment: find a solution)
Pump Performance & Savings App (real-time data, peer benchmarks, payback visualizations)
Instant Pump Commerce (filter, order & 30-min pickup)
Concept Selection: The Community Q&A Hub best addresses installer urgency, homeowner trust and wholesaler efficiency
Prototype Flows:
Flow 1: Search existing threads → filter by product, status → view “Solved” answer
Flow 2: Ask a Question → select subject & category → attach image → submit → see success banner
5. Design & Prototype
Key Screens:
Home: “Search a solution” bar; featured popular threads
Thread List: result count; status filters (Solved/Unsolved); pagination
Thread View: accepted answer pinned; upvote/downvote; “Book Service” CTA
Ask Flow: subject field; product-category dropdown; clickable image upload; notifications toggle; submission confirmation
Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 contrast; ARIA labels on all form elements
6. Testing & Iteration
Method: Remote think-aloud with two installers (Bily & Michaela)
Tasks:
Find a solved ALPHA2 pump issue
Navigate via product categories
Post a new question with photo
Findings & Changes:
Renamed search to “Search a solution”
Added result counts & pagination; removed redundant login buttons
Replaced checkmarks with clear “Solved/Unsolved” labels
Enhanced breadcrumbs for context
Refined Ask flow: added subject & category, image-upload feedback, success banner, moved toggle above Post, aligned stats
Metrics: Task success ↑ 80% → 95%; SUS score ↑ 68 → 82
7. Outcome & Impact
Quantitative Results (4-week pilot):
Self-service resolution rate ↑ 35%
Support tickets ↓ 22%
Qualitative Feedback:
“I fixed a blinking pump issue in minutes—no more waiting on hold.”
Business Impact: Faster installs, lower support costs, elevated brand trust
8. Lessons Learned & Next Steps
Lessons:
Balance powerful filtering with UI simplicity
Trust signals (verification badges) are non-negotiable in B2B contexts
Next Steps:
Integrate Performance & Savings dashboard
Expand community to homeowners & wholesalers
A/B test gamification incentives (badges, leaderboards)
