Role
UX Design
Deliverables
SMS feature
User flow
Programs Used
Figma
Figjam
Company
Porch Moving Group
Year
2021
Direct communication between Hahdmin Agents and customers throughout the booking process is crucial.
The Hahdmin dashboard at Porch was a fragmented platform, requiring users (Customer Service Representatives) to navigate multiple tools for chat communication. This created inefficiency, confusion, and slow response times for agents, customers, and moving companies.
To address these issues, our team developed a unified chat feature that integrated SMS and email directly into the existing system.
Through user interviews, rapid prototyping, and iterative feedback, we designed an intuitive interface with color-coded roles and real-time messaging. The new solution streamlined workflows, improved clarity, and enabled faster, more seamless communication for all users.
As a result, agents could manage conversations efficiently, customers received timely updates, and moving companies experienced better coordination, enhancing the overall moving experience.
the challenge
Redesigning the Moving Experience
What is Hahdmin's role?
Hahdmin offers essential infrastructure and data collection services to ensure that moves operate seamlessly. It provides comprehensive information about quotes, movers, and clients, enabling customer service representatives to efficiently manage a high volume of logistics tickets daily, including delivering quotes via phone and email.
One crucial feature that was lacking is SMS functionality. This addition would simplify communication for everyone involved and save time by allowing parties to interact in a chat room, rather than relying on phone calls or emails.
user insights
Hahdmin Agents Needed Some Help
We began by gathering insights from our agents to identify the main obstacles they faced and explore ways to simplify their workflow. It soon became clear that a complete overhaul of the Hahdmin framework wasn’t feasible due to time and resource constraints, so we shifted our focus to enhancing the existing interface.
This meant addressing the distinct needs of various user groups—admins, supervisors, agents, customers, and movers who all interact with Hahdmin in different capacities. As we planned the integration of the new chat feature, we carefully considered how to introduce it smoothly while disrupting the overall user experience
7 days devoted to a detailed study
5 CSRs interviewed
There was one major caveat: every six months, CSRs were required to learn entirely new tools for handling phone calls, emails, and texts, interrupting daily workflows and creating a frustrating experience for all parties. To make matters worse, the Hahdmin dashboard was overwhelming and not intuitive.
market analysis
We checked out how big companies handle their chat features and looked into some best practices to get a better grip on the micro interactions.
This assisted us in mapping and brainstorming our own processes, drawing on the insights of experts who had successfully tackled this challenge. We examined companies like Twilio, Textline and even Whatsapp which are renowned for their multi-party SMS communication features.
It was crucial to note that Hahdmin was exclusively a desktop application designed for Customer Service Representatives. The only users who might have accessed it via mobile devices were customers and providers, but agents were not included.
+6 drafted journeys
3 days devoted to page exploration
Findings & Strategy
Lo-fi Explorations
After conducting multiple testing rounds with stakeholders and users, our initial sketches evolved into prototypes that outlined the path for integrating SMS messaging into the existing system. We implemented a scope board to help us prioritize the most relevant interactions, which was refined based on ongoing agent feedback.
To help users quickly identify conversation participants and their roles, we introduced color coding, creating a clear visual hierarchy among customers, movers, and agents. This approach clarified interactions and streamlined communication.
ui/ux design
The Final Product
After several rounds of feedback, we introduced our new chat feature flow, which seamlessly integrated not just SMS but also email into the Hahdmin platform, creating a centralized hub for all communications. This upgrade significantly enhanced the experience for agents, customers, and moving companies alike.
Agents wouldn’t need to learn new platforms; rather, they would feel at home with our solution. We’ve integrated the same interactions from platforms they already use into the admin workflow. Additionally, we’ve introduced a communications modal to help agents communicate and have visibility of all events.
New SMS Modal
The main new feature is the new SMS modal, which is activated from various CTAs throughout the dashboard near contact information. It enables users to initiate SMS threads with any relevant parties added dynamically. Once conversations are started, the agent can view pertinent information on the contact panel on the right.
Another interesting feature is the native capability of maintaining several modals active even when the user navigates other admin dashboards. This allows agents more flexibility in managing logistics and improving communication.
A notification system was implemented
After integrating the SMS modal into Hahdmin, we introduced a native notification system to bring real-time message alerts directly into the platform. Historically, SMS conversations were monitored in separate third-party tools, forcing agents to juggle tabs and contexts. This update closed that gap.
Now, new messages and relevant communication events appear instantly in a dedicated notification panel within Hahdmin. The notification system follows a clear logic to keep information relevant and actionable. Not all events generate notifications. Only actions critical to an agent’s workflow.
From Sketches to Prototypes
Agents no longer juggled multiple tools. They managed conversations faster and more easily. Customers got quicker updates and better support. Movers coordinated more efficiently. Overall, communication became faster, clearer, and seamless for everyone. We focused on changes that fit within the existing system. We used rapid prototyping and constant feedback. Training helped agents adopt the new feature smoothly.
The final chat feature integrated SMS and email into Hahdmin. It became a central hub for all communication. By combining the new SMS modal with this intelligent notification logic, Hahdmin now delivers a unified, distraction-free experience where agents can stay on top of conversations and respond faster — all without leaving their main workspac
Rodrigo Martínez
UX Designer
I realized that what seems like a “small” addition — in this case, a notification panel — can have a huge impact when paired with the right logic and context. The real challenge wasn’t just displaying messages, but deciding which events truly matter
…& how to present them clearly without disrupting the flow of work. It reinforced for me that thoughtful design is as much about what you leave out as what you put in.
Thank you for reading!