Challenge
Blinds.com offered a 100% no-questions-asked return policy, which reduced purchase risk for customers but also created high costs when orders were measured incorrectly. Measurement errors led to customer frustration, preventable returns, and additional workload for Design Consultants and Service teams.
When a company-wide Shark Tank competition was announced, I saw an opportunity to address a root cause of returns and improve the customer experience.
My Role
Led customer research, solution development, testing strategy, and executive presentation.
Actions Taken
Interviewed the Service team manager to identify the leading cause of returns.
Discovered that measurement errors—particularly customers forgetting to measure window depth—were a major contributor to failed installations and returns.
Conducted post-sale customer research to understand how customers were recording their measurements.
Designed a double-sided 5x7 measurement cheat sheet that could be inserted into existing sample packs with minimal operational impact.
Built the tool around real customer behavior, including:
Inside vs. outside mount guidance
Ruler markings to the nearest 1/8 inch
Visual measurement prompts and directional cues
A complete ordering checklist to reduce missed selections during checkout
Added a unique tracking phone number to measure effectiveness and identify callers who were likely prepared to complete an order.
Presented the concept to company leadership during a Shark Tank-style innovation competition.
Results
Won the Shark Tank competition, securing leadership support for implementation.
Rolled out the measurement cheat sheet company-wide.
Distributed the tool in more than 16,000 sample packs each month.
Reduced friction caused by measurement errors and improved customer preparedness before ordering.
Helped Design Consultants spend less time correcting measurement issues and more time closing sales.
Increased close rates within my own book of business by approximately 11%.
Business Impact
What began as an improvement in customer experience became a scalable operational solution. By identifying a recurring customer pain point and designing a simple, low-cost tool around real user behavior, I helped improve ordering accuracy, support sales conversations, and create a better buying experience at scale.
The initiative demonstrated how customer research and cross-functional collaboration can produce meaningful business results without requiring complex technology or significant investment.