Brad Donnelley | Where Service Meets System

Telstra • Where Service Meets System

Intelligent tools behind the scenes, seamless experiences up front.

How It All Started

Brief: We set out to modernize frontline support—replacing outdated internal systems with a streamlined platform for call center and retail employees, while rethinking in-store digital touchpoints for today’s connected customer.

Objective: Simplify workflows, reduce resolution times, and boost confidence for employees—while defining a clearer, more cohesive role for digital across assisted and self-serve retail experiences.

Role: As Service Design Manager, I balanced leadership with hands-on contribution—driving visionary outcomes from early strategy through to execution. I played a central role in leading and conducting user research, and was instrumental in aligning teams around feature prioritization and roadmap planning.

A Closer Look at the Problem

Across both contact centers and retail environments, employees were navigating clunky, disconnected systems—slowing down service and making it harder to deliver consistent, confident support. The tools simply weren’t keeping pace with the complexity of modern customer expectations.

At the same time, Telstra’s in-store experience lacked cohesion. Digital touchpoints weren’t aligned to a clear strategy, and there was no unified vision for how technology could enhance retail service in a meaningful, intuitive way. This wasn’t just a tech problem—it was a systemic one. Delivering better service meant rethinking how the entire experience was supported from behind the scenes.

How We Made It Happen

We immersed ourselves on the frontline—spending time with contact center agents across the globe and retail staff in Australia. Through interviews, observations, and co-design sessions, we identified friction points and opportunities for simplification.

Using service blueprints and journey maps, we visualized the full employee and customer experience—uncovering redundant tools, inefficient workflows, and inconsistent handoffs.

Cross-functional working sessions with operations, tech, and product helped align stakeholders and build shared ownership. Weekly playbacks with leadership kept momentum high and decision-making swift. Prototypes were tested in real-world scenarios to ensure every solution was intuitive, efficient, and grounded in the needs of both employees and customers.

The Impact So Far

We designed and launched the Customer Advisor Tool—a streamlined, intelligent interface now used by call center agents and in-store teams alike. It simplifies workflows, consolidates data sources, and empowers employees to serve customers more quickly and confidently—regardless of channel.

In tandem, we created a strategic Experience Blueprint to guide the evolution of Telstra’s retail technology. It defined how digital tools—from assisted selling to self-service—should work together to enhance every stage of the customer journey. This blueprint now serves as a roadmap for transforming more than 300 retail locations over the next three years.

Together, these initiatives laid the foundation for a more connected service ecosystem—one that’s faster, smarter, and built for the way people expect to be supported today.