Due Date Optimization | Reducing customer cancelations through smarter installation date sequencing.
This project explores how the way installation dates are presented during checkout can quietly influence customer commitment in the Fios Home Internet experience.
The Context
Verizon Fios is a fiber-optic home internet service designed for high-speed, high-reliability connectivity in residential environments. Delivered over a dedicated fiber network, Fios supports consistent performance for bandwidth-intensive activities such as streaming, remote work, and connected home ecosystems.
Fios is not just a connectivity product but a long-term service relationship, where onboarding moments like installation scheduling, setup, and early use play a critical role in shaping customer trust, commitment, and retention.
The Problem
Verizon Fios Home Internet experienced measurable cancellation rates after purchase but before installation. These cancellations were not tied to product dissatisfaction or pricing.
Instead, the installation date - where its timing and presentation, was acting as a psychological commitment gate where users dropped off.
The business team had defined an Optimized Due Date (ODD) window using customer analytics that correlated with higher installation completion rates. However, this insight lived in analytics and business rules, not the user experience.
This meant: Optimized dates were visually and cognitively equal to high-risk dates.
The Experience Gap
The system knew which dates worked best. The existing experience did not.
If customers were first shown installation dates that fell within a statistically optimised window, they would be more likely to complete installation.
The goal was not to remove options, but to sequence them in a way that supported faster commitment.
Making the bet
The solution needed to function consistently across multiple sales channels, including Call Centers, My Verizon Online, the My Verizon App, and Kiosks.
Verizon values brand consistency a lot, so making sure that the experience feels the same throughout was ideal.
System constraint
Idea 1: Recommended Dates Drop down
I replaced the default calendar picker with a short list of recommended installation dates. Instead of asking users to scan an entire month, a few near-term options upfront that were more likely to lead to successful installations. This helped the decision feel quicker and more intentional at a moment where users are most likely to hesitate.
I kept the full calendar one step away through a “Select other date” action, so the users who want a delayed installation can still pick a date of their choice.
Guides most users toward better outcomes without asking them to think too hard, making the decision for them.
Recommended dates can quickly become invalid due to technician availability changes, making the experience feel unreliable if options disappear or shift after selection, in case of opting for a saved cart.
Can feel restrictive to users who want to see all options immediately.
Idea 2: earliest date radio box
In this implementation, we have a set of dates labeled with the proper copywriting, explaining to the customer that these are some dates on which they can get a technician to their house at the earliest. This reduces the amount of clicks that the user has to go through to a mere single click.
Similar to the initial idea, I kept the Installation Date button intact, so that the customers who are looking for a date of their choice can still select it from the standard calendar.
Calendar Selection:
Calendar widget is still available on the check-out page.
Radio box selection:
Choose from a set of 6 to 8 recommended options.
Possibly the quickest way of date selection that can be offered in this particular web experience.
This particular Radio Box works well on a desktop breakpoint, but doesn’t translate clearly on a mobile breakpoint.
While the senior designer on my team liked this approach, it was not consistent with how Verizon US presented their selections on the MVO and MVA experiences.
Idea 3: updating the calendar
For this idea, we took a step back and proposed a redesign of the calendar. Now, because Verizon already has an extensive design system built for all possible use cases, taking a pre-stablished component as the base design felt like the right thing to do. It would keep solution consistent through out the entire online experience, and also reduce on the development times drastically.
The diagram below explains the additions made to the calendar component:
Showcases the system recommended dates to user and at the same time shows the unavailable and cancelled dates.
Because we are using the same base component, it integrates seamlessly into all the different breakpoints of the web experience.
Even with the changes done to the component, the integration aligns with Verizon’s brand guidelines and
The final approach went live on the Fios Home Internet flow, where optimised installation dates were shown earlier and more clearly during checkout. This helped nudge more customers toward near-term installations without taking away their ability to choose other dates.
Outcome
The final solution led to an 11–13% improvement in customers selecting optimised installation dates, directly reducing friction between purchase and installation.
By reshaping how dates were sequenced and presented, the experience improved follow-through at a critical commitment point without changing pricing, availability, or operational constraints. This demonstrated that relatively small UX interventions in choice architecture can drive meaningful business outcomes at scale.
Impact
This project reminded me that small details can carry a lot of weight. Installation scheduling looked like a simple step, but it turned out to be a moment where users were quietly deciding whether to stick around or not. A bit of thoughtful sequencing and clearer guidance went a long way, without needing to add complexity or new features.
Key Takeaways!
Customers often make up their minds before the service is ever installed. The way installation dates are presented can either reinforce that commitment or quietly introduce doubt.
Commitment Forms Earlier Than You Think
Giving users fewer, better-timed options upfront was more effective than offering full flexibility immediately. How options are ordered often matters more than how many options are available.
Sequencing Matters More Than Choice