Software testing success is increasingly tied to a better customer experience as more teams adopt quality engineering, a discipline that embeds testing throughout the development lifecycle. When quality is prioritized throughout development, companies see higher customer satisfaction and better user retention. This connection was cemented in mabl’s Testing in DevOps Report, which found that companies with high test coverage were almost 3x as likely to report high customer satisfaction.
The one simple thing customers want you to know: test coverage = user satisfaction
Tailoring test coverage to the needs of the customer is one of the most direct ways quality engineering teams can measure their impact. Typically, most organizations aim to reach the highest level of test coverage possible. But with more software development teams deploying new code on a daily basis, applications are evolving too quickly to maintain a minimum level of test coverage. For maximum efficiency, quality leaders are using data to identify test coverage gaps that are most likely to hurt the user experience.
When Sensormatic Director of QA Adeeb Valiulla described his team’s approach to test coverage, he emphasized on the customer connection: “Customer happiness and sentiments can ensure your team is focused on testing the most important part of your applications and provide a path for improving the overall customer experience.”
The needs and preferences of the customer should be one of the most important factors when expanding test coverage. Common gaps that are often overlooked when creating test coverage goals: PDF and email testing, accessibility testing, and cross browser tests for Microsoft Edge.
Email is one of the most important tools organizations have to connect with their users and prospective customers. Whether it’s a marketing campaign, account notification, or status update, consumers now expect clear communication from brands ranging from financial institutions to their favorite ecommerce brands. Companies that rely on email but aren’t testing this critical component of the user experience are likely to miss bugs that derail purchases or other valuable customer engagement.
The core challenge of email testing: complexity. Between APIs, mobile, and PDF attachments, the number of scenarios needed for an effective email testing strategy can quickly become overwhelming for quality teams. Low-code test automation streamlines test creation and maintenance so that quality teams can cover all email scenarios without slowing product velocity. No matter what an email needs to do; nurture a prospective customer relationship, reengage a former user, or confirm a current customer’s purchase, quality engineering teams can support their experience.
An estimated 15% of the global population lives with some form of disability, and vision impairment alone is one of the most common health issues in the United States. This means that every company has customers and prospective customers who need more accessible digital experiences. The shift to digital-first experiences has made this need particularly acute, prompting major technology companies like Twitter to introduce major accessibility updates and the U.S. Department of Justice to issue new guidance on web accessibility.
Yet accessibility (also written as a11y), is often managed completely outside the software development organization. Siloed away from development and limited to occasional audits, accessibility is a common gap in quality strategies even as more consumers look for inclusive applications and websites. Incorporating automated accessibility checks into existing end-to-end tests is a low-effort, high-impact way to make a product work for a wider range of users. With just a few clicks, quality engineers can improve the customer experience for a vast number of users.
For many, Microsoft Edge is out of sight and out of mind. Yet the underestimated web browser recently surpassed Apple’s Safari browser as the second most popular desktop browser. Much of this can be attributed to enterprise users who are locked into Microsoft Edge for security and functionality reasons. Industries like insurance, banking, and enterprise technology all continue to rely on Edge as their go-to browser, making it essential for quality teams serving those sectors to include Edge in their software testing practice. Yet scaling cross browser testing is a time-consuming practice. Even when cross browser tests are automated, test maintenance inevitably creeps up and testing teams are forced to wait as consecutive tests are run across all relevant browsers.
Mabl’s intelligent test automation solution makes it possible to run cross browser tests in sequence or run unlimited parallel tests across browsers for fast feedback and infinite scale. For even faster testing, low-code testing allows quality teams to create a single test that works across Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, or Microsoft Edge. QA professionals can easily add Microsoft Edge to their cross browser testing strategy so that every customer has a quality experience.
Technology trends come and go, especially in the fast-paced world of DevOps. For a software testing and quality engineering practice that accelerates product velocity and improves the customer experience, QA teams are most successful when they focus on the user perspective. Building a testing strategy that matches customer needs - whether it’s an engaging email, accessible application, or enviable Edge experience - is key to unlocking higher customer satisfaction.
Start testing gaps in the customer experience with low-code test automation from mabl. Join our 2 week free trial to see how your quality team can tailor testing to your customer experience.