Business Centered
Corporate App Strategy
Transitioning Apps into Ownership Centers
Industry
Consumer Appliances / Home Appliances
Timeline
2021 – Present
Services
Digital Graphics & Motion · Industrial Design · CMF · Haptics · Sonics
01 / Overview
Overview
Developed a comprehensive app strategy that addresses opportunities across the entire customer experience journey - from pre-purchase discovery through long-term ownership and replacement. The strategy pivots the Whirlpool mobile app from a simple connected-appliance controller into a full ownership center, creating new revenue streams, driving IoT adoption, and establishing a persistent brand touchpoint across all appliances - connected or not.
02 / The Challenge
Low IoT adoption and missed revenue across the journey
“A narrow controller app leaves 75% of appliance owners without a meaningful brand experience.”
Whirlpool's existing mobile apps focused narrowly on controlling connected appliances, leaving the vast majority of appliance owners - and significant revenue opportunities - unaddressed. IoT adoption and product registration rates remained low because the app offered no value to owners of non-connected products. The customer journey from shopping through ownership was fragmented across disconnected touchpoints with no cohesive brand experience.
03 / Our Approach
Seven Core Flows Across the CX Journey
We mapped the complete customer experience journey and identified seven high-value experience (HVE) flows that represent the greatest opportunity for engagement and revenue. Each flow was designed to sync with existing business capabilities - retail partners, delivery services, shopping services, user care, and warranty - creating a connected ecosystem rather than a standalone app.
Pre-Purchase Engagement Enhanced shopping with AR product demos and retail partner sync, plus onboarding incentives tied to delivery tracking and QR-based registration
Active Ownership Ownership center with fault detection and diagnostics, dynamic push content, and OS Live Activities for elevating everyday appliance use
Revenue & Ecosystem Seducible moments with in-video product identification synced to shopping, plus Matter device integration for cross-brand smart home experiences
04 / The Solution
Seven high-value experience flows
Each of the seven core flows addresses a specific stage of the customer journey with tailored capabilities
AR product demos and retail partner sync for pre-purchase discovery
QR-based onboarding and delivery tracking for seamless installation
Matter-ready smart home experiences for cross-brand coordination
“By transitioning from a connected-appliance controller to a full ownership center, the app becomes valuable to every appliance owner - not just IoT adopters - unlocking revenue opportunities across the entire customer journey.”
05 / Branded Apps
Cross-brand App Differentiation
The app strategy extends across all four Whirlpool Corporation brands - Whirlpool, JennAir, Maytag, and KitchenAid - with each app sharing the same core architecture while expressing its unique brand identity through distinct visual treatments, typography, and interaction patterns. From home screens to cycle controls, each branded app delivers a consistent yet differentiated experience.
06 / Collaboration
Collaboration
Partnered directly with global design leadership, interior architecture teams, and brand experience leads to align the cross-brand digital vision across diverse hardware, product segments, and software groups.
07 / Strategic Impact
Strategic Impact
The strategy transforms the mobile app from a narrow IoT controller into a comprehensive ownership platform, driving revenue through retail partnerships, shopping integrations, and warranty services while dramatically increasing app adoption by serving all appliance owners.
Key Project Impacts
All Owners: App becomes valuable to every appliance owner, not just connected device users
7 Flows: High-value experience flows covering the complete customer journey from pre-purchase to replacement
4 Brands: Unified strategy deployed across Whirlpool, JennAir, Maytag, and KitchenAid with brand-specific differentiation