Welcome to "Behind the Mic." Today, we have the honor of featuring Alok Kumar, the Director of User Experience at Myntra.

Alok is a true believer in Human-Centered Design, bringing 18 years of extensive experience in the end-to-end design process of product development. He has successfully built design teams from scratch in startups and has a diverse background, having worked across B2B, B2C, startups, and corporates such as Microsoft, Walmart, Magicbricks, BlueStone, Cars24, and Vedantu. A highly active member of the UX community, Alok loves mentoring designers in UX Research, advocating for a data-driven UX approach, nurturing an experience-first mindset, and fostering a Research and Design-led culture. Additionally, he co-founded the RethinkingUX community, aiming to support and foster growth within the global UX industry.

Here are his thoughts on his journey, insights, and the future of user experience in e-commerce:

Q. What inspired you to pursue a career in customer experience, and how did you get started in this field?

It wasn’t a planned career path, but I’ve evolved my thinking over time to get here. In 2005, I began my career as a Graphic Designer, but soon realized it wasn’t enough. I transitioned to Web Design, and then to User Experience (UX) and User Research. I discovered a passion for UX and developed a deep interest in human-centered design psychology, which led me to pursue a Master’s degree in it. Along the way, I realized that customer experience and user experience are closely intertwined.

Q. How do you incorporate cutting-edge technologies such as AI, machine learning, and blockchain into your product development process to enhance customer experience?

The customer is always the top priority, as it should be for every business. Technology serves as a medium to continuously enhance customer experience. We have been innovating for both our buyers and sellers. For instance, we use the latest GenAI tools like ChatGPT to improve buyer experiences—customers can interact with a GenAI Fashion stylist (FashionGPT & Maya) for fashion tips and suggestions, and receive styling and pairing advice from “MyStylist”. We also support our sellers by providing data on upcoming trends and social media trends, helping them plan their supply and meet customer needs. Our cutting-edge AI technology and accurate predictions constantly bridge the gap between buyer demand and seller readiness.

Q. Can you share some of the biggest challenges you've faced in improving customer experience, particularly from a product management perspective, and how you overcame them?

To illustrate, let me share an example from my previous organization in the e-commerce sector, specifically in gold and diamond jewelry at BlueStone. As part of our expansion and growth strategy, we aimed to attract more customers to purchase jewelry online through our website/app. However, our user research revealed that customers had reservations about buying expensive jewelry online and were unable to pay large sums upfront. Additionally, government regulations prohibited buying gold on EMIs, and converting gold purchases to EMIs via credit cards was also not allowed.

This challenge prompted us to develop a product solution: the “Goldmine 10+1” plan. This feature allowed customers to pay in advance for 10 months of EMIs and receive the 11th month free from BlueStone. Consequently, customers could purchase their desired expensive jewelry in the 11th month with a significant discount. We provided an intuitive dashboard for customers to track their EMI payments and plan their jewelry purchases accordingly. The onboarding process was simplified to just three steps, and unnecessary documentation was deprioritized.

This example demonstrates the power of customer feedback, user research, and product management. The “Goldmine 10+1” feature became a major success, significantly boosting our revenue at the time.

Q. How do you navigate regulatory requirements and compliance standards, particularly in highly regulated sectors, while innovating and launching new products?

Ignoring regulatory requirements and compliance can be very costly, and there are many examples to illustrate this point. Governments prioritize customer satisfaction and create customer-friendly regulations for e-commerce and other sectors. Like many others, we have a dedicated team to monitor these requirements, prioritizing them above all our product features. A recent example is the implementation of dark pattern rules for e-commerce. We ensured that our platform does not incorporate any dark patterns in user experience and established a dedicated team to prevent dark patterns in future developments.

Q. What role do technology and data play in your approach to enhancing customer experience, and how have you leveraged them to drive improvements in your organization?

Data is crucial when using first principles thinking to improve customer experience. Often, we bypass longer processes in favor of this approach. We use data as concrete evidence to develop hypotheses, then refine and test these hypotheses through A/B testing. In this method, data and technology serve as the two main pillars supporting the creation of a satisfactory customer experience.

Q. Can you provide insights into your collaboration with cross-functional teams,including engineering, design, and marketing, to deliver seamless customer experience?

I believe the key to successful collaboration with cross-functional teams lies in having a robust process for collaboration and execution. A well-defined process ensures everyone follows certain rules and adheres to deadlines, preventing delays that can impact the next team in the workflow. When the process and timelines are broken, dissatisfaction arises, which ultimately affects product quality.

Another crucial aspect is empathy. I strongly believe that many problems disappear when there is a good working relationship and rapport among cross-functional team members. When people understand each other’s pain points and the reasons behind their activities, they focus on finding solutions rather than blaming each other. This collaboration significantly improves efficiency and product quality.

Furthermore, when teams empathize with customers, they align around a single goal: enhancing the customer experience. This shared goal serves as a powerful motivation for every team member.

Conclusion

Alok’s insights shed light on the evolving landscape of user experience in e-commerce and the importance of a human-centered, data-driven approach. His dedication to fostering a design-led culture and mentoring the next generation of UX designers is truly inspiring. We are grateful for the opportunity to share Alok’s journey and perspectives with our audience. Stay tuned for more inspiring stories and expert insights in our next edition of “Behind the Mic.”

Thank you for joining us on this edition of Behind the Mic. Stay tuned for more insightful discussions with industry leaders!