Plus Pitch - A New Vision
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Problem Statement:
Large clubs struggle to effectively use Plus Pitches to outplace top players due to poor visibility, underutilization, and inefficient workflows. Clubs use only 20% of their annual allocation, with Tier 1 clubs averaging just 12%. Plus Pitches are hard to find in the product interface, individual pitches underperform compared to batches, and recommendations—despite doubling success rates—are used in less than two-thirds of cases. These issues limit the feature's potential, reducing its value and impact.
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Solution Statement:
To improve Plus Pitch usage and success rates, I propose:
Increasing Utilization:
Enhance visualizations to highlight opportunities and encourage full allocation use.
Introduce actionable triggers for eligible users and upsell options for non-eligible users.
Design inclusively for both clubs and agents.
Improving Success Rates:
Use data-driven analytics and recommendations for optimal targeting and pricing.
Consistency in Design:
Align with the established visual language from the Pitch Sending context.
These changes aim to make Plus Pitches more visible, user-friendly, and effective.
Just a little context…
The Plus Pitch feature on the TransferRoom platform allows clubs and agents to sell or loan players, providing opportunities to generate revenue or reinvest in talent. However, the feature is underutilized due to poor visibility, a cumbersome user flow, and a lack of guidance post-onboarding.
Despite being a premium upsell, it is hidden at the bottom of the page and lacks clear instructions, leaving users—typically senior decision-makers—confused. Selecting recipients involves a tedious process of filtering through countries and leagues, diminishing the feature’s value and efficiency.
This presents an opportunity to reimagine the Plus Pitch experience with improved design, clearer guidance, and AI-driven enhancements to maximize its potential and adoption.
A Place to Start
My assumptions were further validated through collaboration with our Head of Data, analyzing usage patterns pre- and post-signup, and comparing Plus Pitch usage between new clubs and legacy customers. Unfortunately, TransferRoom had not implemented tools like Hotjar or user tracking software, making it difficult to gather data on where users were dropping off in the Plus Pitch flow.
So to gain deeper insights into user challenges and expectations, I knew I had work with the CS team to observe onboarding sessions. These sessions would provided me with a valuable opportunity to engage directly with decision-makers from football clubs both locally and globally. Through these interactions, I would be able to understand their journeys, key touchpoints, and pain points firsthand.
My Assumptions:
Lack of Signposting: Users struggled to navigate the Plus Pitch process due to unclear guidance and poor visibility within the platform.
Player Selection Uncertainty: Clubs were unsure which players were best suited for Plus Pitches and lacked confidence in their decisions.
Target Team Identification: There was little clarity on how to identify the most suitable clubs or teams to approach for a Plus Pitch.
Optimizing Success Rates: Users wanted guidance on how to improve the chances of success for a Plus Pitch, especially given that it cost them valuable credits.
With these assumptions, I developed a series of user archetypes to capture their needs, behaviors, and expectations. To further refine our understanding, I facilitated sessions with the wider design and CS teams. Together, we created a checklist of targeted questions inspired by The Mom Test. This approach ensured we asked unbiased, actionable questions to uncover deeper insights and inform the design of a more effective and user-centered platform experience.
I implemented Dovetail, enabling my team to build a valuable database of user pain points and insights. With a robust tagging system, cross-functional teams can quickly find relevant information. The success of this initiative led the founder to ask me to roll it out across the organisation, with CS, Sales, and Marketing now leveraging Dovetail as well.
A selection of some the feedback and insights we gained from using Dovetail to record to some of the users on the platform.
With my assumptions confirmed - The Plus Pitch feature on the TransferRoom platform allows clubs and agents to sell or loan players, providing opportunities to generate revenue or reinvest in talent. However, the feature is underutilized due to poor visibility, a cumbersome user flow, and a lack of guidance post-onboarding.
Despite being a premium upsell, it is hidden at the bottom of the page and lacks clear instructions, leaving users—typically senior decision-makers—confused. Selecting recipients involves a tedious process of filtering through countries and leagues, diminishing the feature’s value and efficiency.
This presents an opportunity to reimagine the Plus Pitch experience with improved design, clearer guidance, and AI-driven enhancements to maximize its potential and adoption.
The OST i mapped out in order look at how we could structure the continious improvements needed to address the many issues.
“The design language at TransferRoom is intentionally simple and clean, reflecting the founder’s vision. However, this provides an opportunity for me to gradually evolve and push the design forward. The football industry leans towards dynamic and bold aesthetics, and I aim to start incorporating elements of this into our platform to align with the broader landscape.”
After finalising the product strategy and roadmap, I worked cross-functionally with BAs, Engineering, and PMs to align this with the ongoing product redesign across Clubs, Agents, and Players. With TransferRoom redesign in the discovery phase, I leveraged the new design system to establish the design language for ver2 of Plus Pitch reworking.
Samples of some the inspo i used to power my discovery
Drawing on my years of experience, I recognized the importance of knowing when to move forward—a key aspect of my growth as a design leader. With sufficient data and support, I initiated a kickoff meeting and determined that a one-week sprint would be enough to identify the key UX and UI issues with the current Plus Pitch experience.
By the end of the sprint, I developed two simple click-through prototypes, which I shared with the CS team. Together, we conducted a series of small A/B tests. Both flows performed well, but one emerged as the clear winner. Below are a few screens from the low-fidelity model we tested.
A quick and dirty look at the main elements to the flow
Drawing on my years of experience, I recognized the importance of knowing when to move forward—a key aspect of my growth as a design leader. With sufficient data and support, I initiated a kickoff meeting and determined that a one-week sprint would be enough to identify the key UX and UI issues with the current Plus Pitch experience.
By the end of the sprint, I developed two simple click-through prototypes, which I shared with the CS team. Together, we conducted a series of small A/B tests (internal/external). Both flows performed well, but one emerged as the clear winner. Below are a few screens from the low-fidelity model we tested.
In the second week of the two-week sprint, I focused on creating the high-fidelity version of the clear winner from our testing. I then retested it with a small cohort of our customers, (including Man City and Real Madrid!) to gather additional feedback and refine the design further.
A selection of close up screens from the cohort group prototype
Results? All-round success! The feedback and participation exceeded expectations, leading us to expand the cohort group to include customers on basic subscriptions and even a few churned users. They instantly recognised the value of the new design and its faster time-to-value.
This success validated my process, showcased my ability to align and energise a relatively new Design team, and proved that the creative direction both respected the founder’s vision and pushed the platform forward.
3 Key Results
Revenue increased significantly
As the redesigned Plus Pitch experience drove greater customer engagement and adoption. The intuitive, streamlined interface helped users quickly recognize the value of the feature, leading to higher utilization rates across all tiers. Notably, churned customers began to re-engage with the platform, impressed by the improved ease of use and tangible benefits, with many opting to upgrade their subscriptions.
Additionally, the enhanced design encouraged basic-tier customers to explore and invest in premium offerings, further expanding revenue streams. By bridging the gap between usability and value realisation, the updated Plus Pitch experience not only retained existing users but also reignited interest among previously disengaged customers, fueling growth and long-term profitability.
KPIs achieved:
● North Star | Declare interest
Plus Pitch creation tripled
Signaling a dramatic boost in feature adoption and user engagement. This surge demonstrated that the redesigned experience not only made the process more intuitive but also encouraged clubs and agents to actively explore the full potential of Plus Pitches. By simplifying workflows and addressing pain points, users felt more confident and empowered to utilize the feature, leading to greater alignment with their strategic goals. This increase also unlocked additional revenue opportunities, as more users maximized their credit allocation (Up by 54% from 20%) and engaged with the platform at a higher frequency.
KPIs achieved:
● North Star | Declare interest
● Club/Agent | Commercial | Plus Pitch utilisation
CS Team Where able recoup valuable time
The CS team observed a consistent month-on-month decrease in troubleshooting requests, significantly reducing their support overhead. This improvement highlighted the success of the redesigned Plus Pitch flow in addressing user pain points and creating a more intuitive experience. With fewer users needing guidance or assistance, the CS team was able to redirect their focus toward higher-value activities, such as onboarding new customers and proactively building relationships. This reduction in support effort not only improved operational efficiency but also contributed to an enhanced customer experience, as users could navigate the platform more independently and with greater confidence.
OKR achieved :
● Protect and grow value from existing clubs and agencies