Service design not only transforms the way customers experience a brand: it can also generate measurable results.
Instead of considering the experience as something intangible, it’s time to demonstrate its return on investment (ROI) with concrete data.
This sounds great, but… What is ROI? If you work in innovation or customer experience, you’ve surely heard that question. Investing in improving the experience feels like the right thing to do, but in the language of management and finance, feelings or experiences don’t pay the bills. You need to demonstrate the impact on the bottom line.
The good news is that Service Design isn’t an expense; it’s a strategic investment. And like any investment, its return can and should be measured. It’s not just about having happier customers, but about building a more efficient operation and a more profitable business.
At BLASTER, we don’t believe in blind faith. We believe in evidence-based design, and that includes financial evidence. That’s why connecting every design initiative to a measurable business outcome is at the core of our practice.
In this article, you’ll discover how to measure the ROI of service design from three complementary dimensions that connect emotion, operation, and business.
The Three Dimensions for Calculating the Return on Experience
To understand the real impact of design, we must measure from three angles:
1. Experience Metrics (What They Feel)
They evaluate the direct perception of the client:
- NPS (Net Promoter Score): Measures loyalty based on the likelihood of a recommendation.
- CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score): Measures instant satisfaction after an interaction.
- CES (Customer Effort Score): Measures the ease of resolving a problem.
2. Operational Metrics (How it Benefits Us)
They show how a better experience optimizes internal processes:
- Reduced support costs.
- Shorter time to resolution (TTR).
- Reduction in operational errors.
3. Business Metrics (How Much We Earn or Save)
They translate experience into financial impact:
- Retention or churn rate.
- Customer Lifetime Value (LTV).
- Conversion rate.
Our Formula at BLASTER: From Moments to OKRs
Measuring for the sake of measuring is useless. Metrics require a strategy. At BLASTER, we connect the dots using a framework that translates design findings into clear business objectives.
MOS Matrix (Moments, Objectives, Solutions): We don’t try to improve everything at once. First, we identify the most critical moments (on a global level) in the customer journey. For each moment, we establish clear objectives, what do we want to happen at each moment? And finally, we propose and then prioritize and design solutions to achieve those objectives, i.e., the means how are we going to achieve it?
Format Example (Created by Pedro Sanín for Blaster Diseño)
From Objectives to OKRs: Here’s the key. We translate those objectives from the MOS matrix into the strategic language of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). For example:
- Objective (O): Improve the post-purchase experience to increase loyalty.
- Key Result 1 (KR1): Increase NPS in the new buyer segment from 20+ to 40+.
- Key Result 2 (KR2): Reduce call center calls about “where is my order?” by 30%.
KPIs as a thermometer: KPIs (NPS, CSAT, TTR, etc.) become the tools we use to constantly monitor whether we’re on track to meet those Key Results. They allow us to make improvements in real time and ensure the objective is met.
How to Build a Business Case for Service Design
With this approach, presenting a design project ceases to be a conversation about perceptions and becomes a measurable and profitable business plan.
At BLASTER, we help you build that case:
- We diagnose the current situation with metrics.
- We define OKRs aligned with the corporate strategy.
- We project the financial impact of achieving them.
So the question is no longer “should we invest in this?” but “when do we start generating this return?” Stop guessing the value of the experience and start measuring it. 📩 Write to us and let’s talk about how to demonstrate the ROI of service design in your company.
