Case study
Notification system
From scattered emails to real-time in-app notifications
The problem
Without an in-app notification system, both internal teams and customers rely on emails, tickets, and spreadsheets to track updates. This creates inefficiency and frustration on both sides.
CSMs spend time answering the same questions repeatedly, like “Do I have new incidents?”, instead of focusing on strategic work. Enforcement and onboarding agents often discover expiring documents too late, losing valuable time.
Customers face the same challenge. Enterprise clients managing many assets said, “We need to know right away if a new seller is flagged.” SMBs added, “I don’t have time to open tickets just to see if something changed. I need quick updates in the platform itself.”
The absence of a centralized notification system leaves teams overwhelmed and customers without the transparency they expect.
User needs
Interviews with CSMs, enforcement and onboarding agents, and customers revealed a shared frustration: critical updates were scattered across emails, tickets, and spreadsheets. Internal teams described spending too much time on repetitive questions. One CSM said, “I get the same question from customers multiple times a week: ‘Do I have new incidents?’” Agents also highlighted missed deadlines, with one noting, “It’s hard to track when a document is about to expire — we usually find out only when it’s already too late.”
Customers echoed these concerns. Enterprise clients wanted real-time visibility, explaining, “We need to know right away if a new seller is flagged.” Smaller businesses emphasized efficiency: “I don’t have time to open tickets just to see if something changed. I need quick updates in the platform itself.”
Both sides made it clear: they needed a centralized, proactive way to receive updates directly in the app, reducing manual work and building trust.
Design process
Research and discovery
I started by conducting interviews with eight internal users and five customers, a mix of enterprise and SMBs. These sessions allowed me to map pain points across their daily workflows and uncover the moments where timely notifications could improve efficiency and reduce friction.
User Journey Mapping
I then designed a user journey to define when and how updates should be received. This included identifying the triggers, such as the creation of a new incident, determining the delivery method through a notification bell and center, and creating a dedicated settings screen where users could manage their preferences.
Ideation & Wireframes
With those insights, I sketched several models for a notification system, exploring different approaches such as an inline component, a dedicated notifications center, and a hybrid option combining email with in-app alerts. Each version was validated with internal teams, helping refine the scope and align the concept with their needs.
Prototyping & Validation
Finally, I built interactive prototypes in Figma and tested them with both CSMs and customers. The tests confirmed the clarity of the notifications and the usefulness of settings customization. Based on feedback, I iterated further — for example, by adding priority tags so users could quickly identify urgent updates.
Results
Our Brand Protection platform currently lacks an in-app notification system. This gap has led to three major issues:
For Internal Teams:
Reduced repetitive tickets and emails from customers. Saved ~20% of CSMs’ time previously spent on status updates.
For Customers
Faster access to critical updates. Increased transparency and trust in the platform.
