Google Ads Cases Management

Phases

The implementation of the cases management feature is divided into four phases, with my primary focus and contribution centered around V0.2 and V0.3 of the development process.

User feedback from V0.1

• “I had no idea that my cases would show in the Help Center. I love it!!” 👏

• “Unable to interact. Maybe provide message to users to let them know that they can check their email for updates.”

• “I don’t like how this doesn’t show the reason for the case being open. I like how the recent cases shows days open and case ID.”

User feedback from V0.1

• “No progress, no details breakdown?”

• “I would like to be able to see more details than just the case number and the status. I should be able to review chat transcripts from this case.”

• “I would like the ability to get a follow up on my case within the website and not have waste time trying to call in.”

The ability to reply to a case directly from the recent cases experience is one of the top feedback received from users. The goal with V0.2 is to enable all users to respond directly from the Ads Help Center, eliminating the need to switch to their email inbox and allowing them to conveniently track ongoing cases.

Scope of Work

• Reply to a case shown on the widget. Plain text option only.

• Provide a bias for action for cases where the customer is expected to respond.

• Affordance to “send” and “cancel” the drafted reply.

• Once reply is sent, data fields of the case get updated on the widget.

Scope of work

• Confirmation once reply is sent or canceled.

• Show indicator when a reply is left incomplete and remind users the reply will be lost.

• Assure the customer that the reply will be reflected in their email (this was a recurring feedback from UXR).

• Option to reply in default email client.

Deliverables

Case widget: Reuse the widget that we have for cases v0.1 but improve some elements for better user experience.

• Used case summaries as titles instead of truncating the entire message, which was often long and repetitive. This change was made because customers had difficulty distinguishing between cases.

• Implemented a bias action, the "Reply" button, for cases that require customer action. By clicking the "Reply" button, customers can now respond directly inline.

• Added Customer IDs (CIDs) as tags to clearly indicate which case belongs to which CID.

• To differentiate between read and unread cases, we introduced a blue dot to indicate the unread state. For read cases, the UI is dimmed by adding a gray background and reducing the font intensity.

Reply to a case

• Case ID was found to be secondary information to customers; therefore, we decided to hide case ID from the top level and only show it when the case is drilldowned and added the copy ability for customers who wanted to copy and paste the Case ID into other places.

• The case widget is no longer expanded in place (v0.1), but instead, it has been changed to a drill-down format. This decision was made in response to feedback indicating that other content was being pushed down excessively, resulting in visual clutter for customers.

• Consequently, a "Back button" has been introduced at the top of the drill-down case view, allowing users to easily return to the main view displaying all cases.

Inline reply

• Clicking into the “Reply” button, an inline reply will appear below the message where users be able to type in their message sent it right on HC.

• To validate a reply, customers need to click the "Send" button. If the reply is found to be invalid, an error message will be displayed on top of the in-line reply, prompting customers to try again.

• Customers have the option to cancel their drafted reply by clicking on the "trash" icon. A popup message will then appear, asking them to confirm their action.

• A message will be displayed to inform users that their reply "will be shown in their email."

• Additionally, when a customer replies to an “Action Required” case, the status will be updated to "Assigned."

Mobile Version

Web accessibility guidelines

Before passing the final designs of V0.2 Cases Management to the Engineers, I prepared all necessary visual assets, ensuring they were optimized for diverse screen sizes and resolutions.

In addition, following the Google guidelines for web-related project, I also created an accessibility spec called “Greenlines” to hand off to the Engineers. This specification focuses on defining components specifically tailored for visually impaired users, enabling seamless web navigation through keyboard commands and voice-over features. Its purpose is to guarantee an inclusive and user-friendly web experience for all.

Greenlines Spec

Impact

Positive results, but much more to work on

• Good engagement from the targeted population, with an engagement rate over 11% at the visit level (upon loading), over 30% at the visit level (upon impression), and a case-level engagement rate of 9%.

• Reply functionality usage is high with a 27% engagement rate.

• With the current module placement, the impression-to-load rate is 36% and there is an opportunity to make the module more discoverable.

• Cases in New state have the highest engagement rate (24%) followed by Assigned state (22%), In Progress state (20%), Action Required state (12%), and Closed state (6%).

The V0.2 update of the Cases Management system has undeniably yielded positive results, allowing advertisers to monitor the status of their cases, reply to inquiries directly on the Help Center website, and access self-help solutions. Despite these advancements, ensuring advertisers have a complete case management experience, independent of email reliance, remains a key focus for our team. By eliminating the need for email correspondence, we aim to enhance efficiency, streamline communication, and provide a more integrated and responsive experience for our valued advertisers.