Profit Analyzer
Gamifying brand allocation to maximize profits and incentives
Profit Analyzer
Gamifying brand allocation to maximize profits and incentives
Introduction: Building Profit Analyzer for Smarter Brand Allocation
Introduction: Building Profit Analyzer for Smarter Brand Allocation
American Tire Distributor (ATD) recognized a critical gap in how auto shop owners managed their brand allocations and incentive programs. To address this, we built Profit Analyzer from the ground up—a powerful, data-driven platform designed to help retailers make smarter decisions. Our goal was to simplify complex incentive structures, provide clear profit insights, and enable quick adjustments to maximize revenue potential.
As a UX Designer, I leveraged user research and collaborating closely with stakeholders, to help develop a user-friendly, scalable, and high-impact solution that empowers tire retailers to make informed decisions with confidence.
American Tire Distributor (ATD) recognized a critical gap in how auto shop owners managed their brand allocations and incentive programs. To address this, we built Profit Analyzer from the ground up—a powerful, data-driven platform designed to help retailers make smarter decisions. Our goal was to simplify complex incentive structures, provide clear profit insights, and enable quick adjustments to maximize revenue potential.
As a UX Designer, I leveraged user research and collaborating closely with stakeholders, to help develop a user-friendly, scalable, and high-impact solution that empowers tire retailers to make informed decisions with confidence.
Spotting Hurdles
Spotting Hurdles
As I embarked on building Profit Analyzer, we quickly uncovered the challenges tire retailers faced. Existing tools were disjointed, difficult to navigate, and lacked real-time insights—forcing auto shop owners to make allocation decisions without clear visibility into profitability.
To design a truly effective solution, we conducted over 30 interviews with industry professionals to deeply understand their pain points. These conversations revealed inefficiencies in managing brand programs, optimizing unit distribution, and unlocking hidden revenue opportunities.
Here’s what we uncovered at a high level:
As I embarked on building Profit Analyzer, we quickly uncovered the challenges tire retailers faced. Existing tools were disjointed, difficult to navigate, and lacked real-time insights—forcing auto shop owners to make allocation decisions without clear visibility into profitability.
To design a truly effective solution, we conducted over 30 interviews with industry professionals to deeply understand their pain points. These conversations revealed inefficiencies in managing brand programs, optimizing unit distribution, and unlocking hidden revenue opportunities.
Here’s what we uncovered at a high level:
Scattered Tools
Scattered Tools
Retailers struggled with disconnected systems, juggling multiple platforms for tracking inventory, managing brand programs, and adjusting unit allocations. This lack of integration led to time-consuming workarounds, duplicate efforts, and missed profit opportunities.
Retailers struggled with disconnected systems, juggling multiple platforms for tracking inventory, managing brand programs, and adjusting unit allocations. This lack of integration led to time-consuming workarounds, duplicate efforts, and missed profit opportunities.
Lack of Visibility
Lack of Visibility
With no centralized tool to analyze margins, incentives, and growth bonuses, users relied on guesswork when making allocation decisions. Critical insights were buried in spreadsheets, making it difficult to optimize for maximum earnings.
With no centralized tool to analyze margins, incentives, and growth bonuses, users relied on guesswork when making allocation decisions. Critical insights were buried in spreadsheets, making it difficult to optimize for maximum earnings.
Complex Decision-Making
Complex Decision-Making
Adjusting unit allocations required manual calculations and tedious processes, causing delays in strategy execution. Retailers needed a fast, intuitive solution to visualize trade-offs, track profitability, and act with confidence.
Adjusting unit allocations required manual calculations and tedious processes, causing delays in strategy execution. Retailers needed a fast, intuitive solution to visualize trade-offs, track profitability, and act with confidence.
⚠️
One small error in my calculations throws off everything
💻
The tools we use feel outdated and disconnected
⏳
I waste hours trying to consolidate data from multiple sources
🔍
Why isn’t there a single place to view all my brand allocations?
🌀
I have to jump between three different platforms just to figure out my brand allocations
📊
Tracking inventory and incentives shouldn’t take this much effort
⏳
The system doesn’t load fast enough.
📋
The admin settings are a nightmare.
📄
Creating quotes are a nightmare
❌
Data in one tab never matches another.
🛞
There never seems to be the right amount of inventory
😮💨
🖥️
I have three tabs open just to check stock.
🏋️
Even basic tasks are harder than they should be.
It takes forever to load anything.
⏱️
❄️
Pages keep crashing or freezing.
📲
It’s impossible to use on my phone.
📼
It looks like something from 2006.
🤕
📚
The menus and layout are overwhelming.
⚠️
One small error in my calculations throws off everything
💻
The tools we use feel outdated and disconnected
⏳
I waste hours trying to consolidate data from multiple sources
🔍
Why isn’t there a single place to view all my brand allocations?
🌀
I have to jump between three different platforms just to figure out my brand allocations
📊
Tracking inventory and incentives shouldn’t take this much effort
⏳
The system doesn’t load fast enough.
📋
The admin settings are a nightmare.
📄
Creating quotes are a nightmare
❌
Data in one tab never matches another.
🛞
There never seems to be the right amount of inventory
😮💨
🖥️
I have three tabs open just to check stock.
🏋️
Even basic tasks are harder than they should be.
It takes forever to load anything.
⏱️
❄️
Pages keep crashing or freezing.
📲
It’s impossible to use on my phone.
📼
It looks like something from 2006.
🤕
📚
The menus and layout are overwhelming.
⚠️
One small error in my calculations throws off everything
💻
The tools we use feel outdated and disconnected
⏳
I waste hours trying to consolidate data from multiple sources
🔍
Why isn’t there a single place to view all my brand allocations?
🌀
I have to jump between three different platforms just to figure out my brand allocations
📊
Tracking inventory and incentives shouldn’t take this much effort
⏳
The system doesn’t load fast enough.
📋
The admin settings are a nightmare.
📄
Creating quotes are a nightmare
❌
Data in one tab never matches another.
🛞
There never seems to be the right amount of inventory
😮💨
🖥️
I have three tabs open just to check stock.
🏋️
Even basic tasks are harder than they should be.
It takes forever to load anything.
⏱️
❄️
Pages keep crashing or freezing.
📲
It’s impossible to use on my phone.
📼
It looks like something from 2006.
🤕
📚
The menus and layout are overwhelming.
Designing With Auto Professionals In Mind
Designing With Auto Professionals In Mind
We needed a strategic approach to tackle inefficiencies in brand allocation, profit tracking, and incentive optimization. To start, I collaborated with the team to identify core objectives. Through in-depth discussions, I defined two user groups that shaped our approach:
We needed a strategic approach to tackle inefficiencies in brand allocation, profit tracking, and incentive optimization. To start, I collaborated with the team to identify core objectives. Through in-depth discussions, I defined two user groups that shaped our approach:
Efficiency Driven Users
These users need a fast way to manage brand allocations without disruption. They require a system that lets them quickly adjust units, compare incentives, and execute decisions on the fly to keep up with business demands.
Efficiency Driven Users
These users need a fast way to manage brand allocations without disruption. They require a system that lets them quickly adjust units, compare incentives, and execute decisions on the fly to keep up with business demands.
Profit Focused Managers
Overseeing the bigger picture, these users rely on analytics, financial insights, and order tracking to make data-backed decisions. They need tools that help them optimize profitability, manage supplier relationships, and streamline operations for long-term growth.
Profit Focused Managers
Overseeing the bigger picture, these users rely on analytics, financial insights, and order tracking to make data-backed decisions. They need tools that help them optimize profitability, manage supplier relationships, and streamline operations for long-term growth.
Defining the Challenge
Defining the Challenge
With multiple stakeholders having different priorities, aligning around a clear vision for Profit Analyzer was a crucial first step. We needed a strategic approach to tackle inefficiencies in brand allocation, profit tracking, and incentive optimization.
To start, I collaborated with the team to identify core objectives. Through in-depth discussions, we defined two guiding questions that shaped our approach:
With multiple stakeholders having different priorities, aligning around a clear vision for Profit Analyzer was a crucial first step. We needed a strategic approach to tackle inefficiencies in brand allocation, profit tracking, and incentive optimization.
To start, I collaborated with the team to identify core objectives. Through in-depth discussions, we defined two guiding questions that shaped our approach:
1.
How might we simplify and accelerate the process of optimizing brand allocations to maximize profits effortlessly?
1.
How might we simplify and accelerate the process of optimizing brand allocations to maximize profits effortlessly?
2.
How can we introduce gamification to engage users, making brand allocation adjustments more rewarding?
2.
How can we introduce gamification to engage users, making brand allocation adjustments more rewarding?
Through user interviews, stakeholder workshops, and competitive analysis, we uncovered key pain points. Rapid prototyping and iterative testing helped us simplify complex decisions, making profit optimization more intuitive and engaging. By incorporating gamified elements, we transformed brand allocation into a dynamic, rewarding process, motivating users to make smarter decisions.
Through user interviews, stakeholder workshops, and competitive analysis, we uncovered key pain points. Rapid prototyping and iterative testing helped us simplify complex decisions, making profit optimization more intuitive and engaging. By incorporating gamified elements, we transformed brand allocation into a dynamic, rewarding process, motivating users to make smarter decisions.
Turning Ideas Into Innovation
Turning Ideas Into Innovation
With real-time insights, interactive visuals, and gamified progress tracking, users can confidently optimize profitability without guesswork.
With real-time insights, interactive visuals, and gamified progress tracking, users can confidently optimize profitability without guesswork.
Designing the Brand Allocation Experience
Designing the Brand Allocation Experience
Users needed a clear and efficient way to reallocate brands while ensuring they met program requirements. The process needed to allow retailers to move units between brands while receiving insights on their profitability and compliance.
Users needed a clear and efficient way to reallocate brands while ensuring they met program requirements. The process needed to allow retailers to move units between brands while receiving insights on their profitability and compliance.
Gamifying Insights
Gamifying Insights
To make brand allocation adjustments more engaging and informative, I introduced gamification elements on the results page. Users needed a clear understanding of how their decisions impacted profitability, incentive eligibility, and overall business growth.
To make brand allocation adjustments more engaging and informative, I introduced gamification elements on the results page. Users needed a clear understanding of how their decisions impacted profitability, incentive eligibility, and overall business growth.
High Level Overview:
See how moving your units to a new brand affects your profits.
Let's Break it Down:
See exactly what you need to hit your program goals.
High Level Overview:
See how moving your units to a new brand affects your profits.
Let's Break it Down:
See exactly what you need to hit your program goals.
A NEW WAY
TO MAKE PROFITS
PRESENTING
A NEW WAY
TO MAKE PROFITS
PRESENTING
Strategize Brand Allocation
Unit Mover is your setup tool to analyze and leverage your brand mix for maximum profitability. By reallocating units strategically, you can ensure you’re meeting program incentives, improving margins, and unlocking new revenue opportunities.
Track Your Progress
Easily see the number of units needed to reach the next rebate tier and unlock higher earnings per tire.
Detailed Breakdown
Program Cards provide a comprehensive view of how you’re performing in each manufacturer program.
Instantly see total earnings, margin improvements, and incentive unlocks.
Quickly make refinements to unlock additional profit potential.
Program Cards provide a detailed analysis of earnings, unit changes, and incentive.
A dynamic progress bar highlights how close users are to achieving higher rebate tiers.
Maximizing Profits with Profit Analyzer
What Were the Results?
What Were the Results?
Following the implementation of Profit Analyzer, users experienced notable gains in profitability, efficiency, and program compliance. By leveraging real-time insights, growth bonuses, and strategic brand reallocation, retailers optimized earnings while ensuring they met manufacturer requirements.
Our findings were further validated through performance tracking and financial analysis, highlighting the impact of data-driven decision-making on profit margins.
Following the implementation of Profit Analyzer, users experienced notable gains in profitability, efficiency, and program compliance. By leveraging real-time insights, growth bonuses, and strategic brand reallocation, retailers optimized earnings while ensuring they met manufacturer requirements.
Our findings were further validated through performance tracking and financial analysis, highlighting the impact of data-driven decision-making on profit margins.
Profit
Increase:
Users uncovered missed revenue opportunities and increased rebate payouts.
Increasing total profits by
12%
Faster Decisions:
Insights reduced manual effort, making allocation adjustments easier.
Increasing decision-making efficiency by
73%
Program Success Rate:
Optimized allocations helped retailers hit incentive targets.
Increasing incentive goal achievements by
35%
Profit Increase:
Users uncovered missed revenue opportunities and increased rebate payouts.
Increasing total profits by
12%
12%
Faster Decisions:
Insights reduced manual effort, making allocation adjustments easier.
Increasing decision-making efficiency by
73%
73%
Program Success Rate:
Optimized allocations helped retailers hit incentive targets and boost earnings.
Increasing incentive goal achievements by
35%
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Read Case Study
Strategize Brand Allocation
Unit Mover is your setup tool to analyze and leverage your brand mix for maximum profitability. By reallocating units strategically, you can ensure you’re meeting program incentives, improving margins, and unlocking new revenue opportunities.
Maximizing Profits with Profit Analyzer
Quickly make refinements to unlock additional profit potential.
Track Your Progress
Track Your Progress
Easily see the number of units needed to reach the next rebate tier and unlock higher earnings per tire.
Easily see the number of units needed to reach the next rebate tier and unlock higher earnings per tire.
Detailed Breakdown
Detailed Breakdown
Program Cards provide a comprehensive view of how you’re performing in each manufacturer program.
Program Cards provide a comprehensive view of how you’re performing in each manufacturer program.
Strategize Brand Allocation
Unit Mover is your setup tool to analyze and leverage your brand mix for maximum profitability. By reallocating units strategically, you can ensure you’re meeting program incentives, improving margins, and unlocking new revenue opportunities.