The journey had accumulated friction, especially for users 45 and over. We tested with real customers, redesigned the flow, and gave the team a repeatable way to keep improving.
Plusnet is a UK-based company that provides broadband and landline services to homes and businesses across the country. As a part of the BT Group, they have spent over two decades focused on keeping their customers connected with straightforward internet setups.
Thunk helped us transform a sign-up flow full of friction into something faster, clearer, and more human. Their research and design gave us a smoother onboarding process that reduced drop-off and set us up with a more insight-led way of working.
Amy Gooding, Digital Product Owner, Plusnet
Plusnet knew their signup process had picked up friction over the years, particularly for older customers and anyone less confident with technology. What they needed was a clear view of exactly where, and a way to fix it without disrupting a live commercial operation.
We tested it with people aged 45 to 70, redesigned around what we saw. The work helped Plusnet frame a more customer-centred direction for onboarding, and gave the team a repeatable process for future improvement.
Signup flows rarely break in one obvious place. They accumulate, a field at a time, and every addition makes sense on its own.
The people most likely to be switching provider were the ones least likely to push through a confusing screen. So the flow worked best for the customers who needed the least help.
The homepage didn't clearly guide new customers, and elements competed for attention
Postcode entry, the gate to everything else, was frequently missed or misunderstood
Pricing and speed sat too far down to influence the decision people were making
Unclear CTAs and ambiguous award badges caused hesitation, especially on mobile
The redesign improved clarity, speed and motivation in testing, and reduced drop-off through better structure, clearer calls to action and putting the important information where the decision happens. It then rolled out across the signup experience.
Plusnet also came away able to keep doing this without us. A plan for moderated and unmoderated testing cycles meant the next set of questions had a method attached.
Homepage flow redesigned, with postcode entry and sign-in repositioned
A precise location option to cut friction on mobile
A plan-selection wizard built around how people actually use broadband
Labels tested against real motivations, including "show me the cheapest"
01
Users aged 45 to 70, watching how they approached the page, navigated the flow and made sense of the options.
02
Homepage structure, field positions and the order information arrives in.
03
A precise location feature and a plan-selection wizard, tested rather than assumed.
04
Moderated and unmoderated cycles, so improvement continues without a project attached to it.
A disciplined hunt for value — the structure to explore the unknown without the usual cost of getting it wrong.
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