BUSINESS OBJECTIVE
Win market share for L2 48A chargers by creating an undeniably simple experience when installers install our product and connect to our CMS (Charger Management Software).
With test projects, here’s what the numbers said:
2 months to 4 weeks
3 respondents
Skip to designs
PROBLEM
Why focus on the “installer” and not the site owner - the one purchasing the stations?
Because more often than not, business owners are not adept in EV charging or chargers. Project managers, electricians and installers mentioned being asked by site owners about the available options.
In other words, installers and distributors often dictated which chargers will be installed at these sites.
PLANNING
Scoping the project
The MVP will be tested for ViaLynk customers only. This service will be slowly rolled out to client networks under the Lynkwell umbrella after careful consideration and additions.
The Lynkwell manufacturing team will take complete ownership of adding new inventory into our CMS.
We are assuming distributors and independent installers to have similar roles & needs.
IDENTIFYING CAUSES
Key pain points as mentioned by installers:
Half-baked user experience: Many manufacturers seem to rely on installers to complete major tasks before the station can be functional, much of which can be fairly technical like adding and connecting SIM cards, configuring stations etc.
Communication between multiple parties: Charger specs and setup requirements vary by vendor and model. This results in a lot of back and forth between installer and manufacturer support teams.
Knowledge gap for the end user: Promises of quick installs quickly fail and end users (site owners) become more frustrated by the setup experience.
MAKING CHOICES
All XLynk stations will be pre-configured, aka installers can do what they do best without having to worry about the station technicalities. They just need to…
Enter customer contacts + station info before install
Priority was keeping information submission stupid simple by allowing them to scan the unique QR codes of the stations going for the project.
1 - Welcome page which walks you through the info required, upfront.
2 - First two steps involve adding installer and customer information so the Lynkwell team can contact them
3 - Last step involves scanning the QR code on stations to add them to the project
Check real-time station connection status
Instead of having to contact the manufacturer or the software provider to establish and ensure connection, the installer can simply check the status page.
1 - Project status page displays the connection status of all stations on the project
We bring the end customer in the loop
Once all stations are connected, the end user receives a confirmation email with an activation form. This form includes payment information (for future payouts from the ev charging at their location) as well as other crucial location information like charging rates, times, location type (private or public), coordinates for the mobile app etc.
1 - Site Host may fill out all the necessary info
2 - Last step involves a final confirmation on the stations expected at the location.
Close the loop
Our technical implementation team is notified of a completed activation form via email. Once they review the project information, ensure all stations are connected, they complete the loop by sending this to the main production system.
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FUTURE
Moving forward
Test with installers, fill in the gaps
We continue to test the whole flow with new installers, project managers and site owners. The goal is to test with a total of 5 projects, each ranging from $50k-$300k by end of 2025.
Add automation
Automating the review process can introduce greater efficiency in the process.
Expand to v2
V2 will involve establishing this process for a larger scale. This includes offerings for partner networks, supporting an extended range of station models etc.