Consumer Research & Strategy for Veo

Focus:

Behavioral Research, Strategic Recommendation

Role:

Research & Strategy Lead (Group Project)

Timeline:

Fall 2025

Context

Veo is an app-based micromobility company operating on college campus across the United States. While Veo provides a convenient alternative to walking or driving, they struggle with long-term loyalty and how riders perceive Veo when they choose to use it. The goal was to move beyond assumptions and use behavioral insight to inform strategic recommendations around brand positioning, product features, and user experience.

My Role

Within our team of four, I led the research design and strategic framing of the project.

Designed and wrote the primary consumer survey
Analyzed behavioral patterns and decision drivers
Developing two of the three consumer segments
Created the Mobility Perception Map to visualize tradeoffs between speed and cost
Translated research into recommendations

Research Approach

Our research combined quantitative and qualitative methods to understand how Veo fits into everyday transportation decisions.

Primary research survey (n = 52)
Behavioral and perception-based interviews
Analysis of usage timing, motivation, and brand associations
Competitive context review

Together, these methods clarified when, why, and under what conditions riders choose Veo over alternatives.

Key Insights

Several patterns emerged across responses, revealing a gap between Veo's functional value and its perceived role in students' lives.

Speed and convenience are the primary usage drivers
Veo is seen as practical, but loyalty is low, and most riders use it situationally rather than habitually
Safety matters to riders, especially at night, but it is not strongly associated with the brand

Mapping transportation options revealed Veo's position as faster than walking and biking, cheaper than driving, and primarily valued for convenience.

While convenience is strongly associated with Veo, safety (despite being important to riders) is not a defining brand attribute.

Behavioral Segmentation

Instead of segmenting only by ride frequency, we built profiles around motivation and mindset.

Situational Speed Seeker (developed by me)

Uses Veo only when necessary
Motivated by urgency
Views Veo as a faster alternative to walking
Low brand loyalty

Night-Safety Rider

(developed by me)

Rides primarily between 6pm and 6am
Motivated by safety
Uses Veo to avoid long walks at night

Everyday User

Uses Veo as primary transportation
Most profitable but smallest segment
Price-sensitive

These segments clarified Veo serves multiple use cases, each with distinct needs and opportunities.

Key Problems Identified

Low loyalty — most riders use Veo infrequently and without attachment.
Safety perception gap — safety matters to users but is weakly associated with the brand.
Vehicle reliability concerns — inconsistent experiences negatively impact trust and repeat use.

Strategic Recommendations

BetterRide Loyalty Program

An interactive, point-based loyalty program designed to increase engagement and repeat use.

Rewards frequent riders with incentives
Uses geo-fenced push notifications to prompt timely usage
Reinforces Veo as an "in-the-moment" alternative to walking or transit

Geo-fenced mockups of push notifications to the right.

Slow Zone Expansion

An expansion of speed-limited zones during risky locations and times.

Targets high traffic and impaired riding windows
Reinforces safety without restricting everyday use
Aligns product offering with night rider behavior patterns

Slow Speed Zone mockup to the left.

Veo Trike Implementation

A three-wheeled vehicle concept designed to expand accessibility and reduce rider risk.

Increases stability and safety
Supports riders new to micromobility
Expands Veo into new demographic segments (youth and older adults)

Veo Trike mockup shown to the right.

Reflection

This project reinforced that effective problem-solving starts with understanding the audience. Developing consumer segments, mapping perceptions, and analyzing decision-making patterns showed me how behavioral research translates directly into strategic recommendations, from new product concepts to promotional approaches.