Inclusion
Energy concessions
Reduce fail rates for customers eager to apply for concessions on their electricity bill
Role
Lead UX Designer - My Account (Portal)
Client
Energy Australia
Year
2018
The Problem
Eligible customers were blocked by failing digital verification
40% of customers failed concession verification when applying through My Account
Failed applications forced customers into manual, paper-based follow-up
High failure rates drove avoidable call-centre demand
Postal notifications increased cost and delayed outcomes — disproportionately impacting vulnerable customers
What I Did
Redesigned a mobile-first concession application to prevent verification failure by making eligibility and government rules explicit upfront.
Diagnosed verification failure points
Mapped where digital applications diverged from government validation rules
Isolated failure points driving avoidable call-centre and postal follow-up
Prevented ineligible submissions upfront
Guided customers to select the correct concession card type
Surfaced mismatches between customer details and concession records
Set expectations upfront to reduce failed submissions
Reduced risk for vulnerable customers
Removed guesswork from concession eligibility decisions
Helped customers understand when digital self-service would succeed — and when it wouldn’t
Avoided unnecessary stress, delays, and follow-up for at-risk users
Government processes aren’t hard because people lack capability — they’re hard because the rules are invisible.
Most concession failures happened before submission, due to unseen eligibility constraints
Customers were willing to self-serve, but couldn’t assess success without understanding government validation rules
When rules were made explicit, customers made safer decisions for themselves and the business
Key Insight
Impact
+45%
increase in successful applications from concession card holders.
As a result:
Fewer failed applications requiring call-centre support or postal follow-up
Reduced manual handling from preventable verification errors