System Redesign • Prototype • A/B Testing

Financial Services System Through User-Centric Design

In 2020, ibjects took on a transformative project: redefining 4G Capital's Loans system. This wasn't just a visual facelift; it was about optimising usability and ensuring every interaction felt intuitive. Through close collaboration with the 4G Capital team, ibjects dove deep into user insights, iterating designs based on real feedback.

Various design strategies were explored, from Trello-inspired cards to dynamic popup forms. However, the classic table layout resonated most, especially for those acquainted with 4G Capital's earlier systems.

With a diverse user base in mind, responsiveness became paramount. Instead of developing a separate mobile app, ibjects faced the challenge head-on, crafting a web platform with the feel of a native app, resulting in a sleek Progressive Web App (PWA).

This project showcases the blend of design, functionality, and user-centricity, encapsulating ibjects' dedication to delivering top-notch digital experiences. Dive in and explore this enterprise system design journey with 4G Capital, a leading loans service in Africa.

Login and Forgot Password

In refining 4G Capital's system, the text field UX stood out as a pivotal element, especially for field staff entering vast client data. The 'Login' and 'Forgot Password' designs underwent multiple iterations, focusing on mobile-optimized user experience. The finalized designs, showcased below, balance aesthetics with swift, efficient data entry. Dive in and see the transformation.

Leads & Customers: The Conversion Journey

Customers form the backbone of the loans business, and designing their interface required a blend of familiarity and modernity. Presented below are two final design contenders. The first, with its more traditional look, was the chosen design, resonating with user preferences. The second, featuring an orange nav bar, is a hybrid – merging familiar elements with innovative design techniques. This dual approach ensures one design retains what users love, while the other introduces them to newer, more modern UX strategies. A glimpse into this methodology can be seen in the two designs that follow.

Transforming leads into loyal customers is at the heart of any successful loans business. The interface and workflow design play a pivotal role in this conversion process. By ensuring a seamless transition and intuitive user experience, we aimed to empower the field staff and enhance their efficiency. Up next, explore the meticulously crafted UI that simplifies and elevates the journey from potential lead to satisfied customer, encapsulating the essence of 4G Capital's commitment to excellence.

In the dynamic landscape of loans services, field staff are often at the forefront, not just collecting leads but also converting them to customers on-the-spot. To support this on-the-ground action, having a responsive application is crucial. Our two design approaches were meticulously crafted with this in mind. The first provides a sense of familiarity, ensuring quick data entry, while the second introduces modern design nuances optimized for mobile interfaces. As an added layer of testing and refinement, we sometimes craft a quick prototype that is coded and uses demo data with fakeAPIs. This allows us to assess the design's functionality in real-world scenarios. As you'll see in the upcoming video, both designs prioritize seamless UI/UX, ensuring field staff can effortlessly navigate and operate the application, irrespective of the device. This dedication to responsiveness underscores ibjects' commitment to empowering field operations with the best digital tools.

Loans & Customer Audit

In the comprehensive customer account section of 4G Capital's system, 'Loans' is a crucial component. Field agents, who are the primary users of this system, handle various tasks ranging from loan issuance to tracking repayments. This section is designed to make these processes as efficient as possible.

Apart from Loans, the account interface includes Repayments, Messages, BLC/BFC, Interactions, Adjustments, Letters, Trainings, Comments, and Complaints. Each tab is tailored to provide field agents with the necessary tools and information to manage customer accounts effectively.

The Business Profile Audit goes further, allowing field agents to delve into detailed financial assessments. Here, they can update information related to rent, bills, food expenses, school fees, Chama contributions, and more. This comprehensive view aids in evaluating the financial health and sustainability of a customer's business.

In summary, the Loans & Customer Audit section is a testament to our commitment to simplifying and enhancing the field agent's workflow. By providing a comprehensive and intuitive interface, we empower agents to conduct thorough audits and manage loans with unparalleled efficiency. The final video showcases this functionality in action, highlighting the seamless integration of various features and the ease with which agents can navigate through the system. This section exemplifies our dedication to optimizing the loan management process, ensuring that agents have the best tools at their disposal to support customers effectively in their financial journeys.

Search

The Global Search feature in the system is a pivotal tool designed to streamline the day-to-day tasks of field staff. Understanding the need for quick and efficient access to information, this feature offers both a basic and an advanced search option. The primary goal is to provide field agents with the ability to rapidly locate specific customer data, loan details, or any other pertinent information with ease. By minimising the time spent searching, we maximise the time field agents can dedicate to customer service and other crucial tasks. This section highlights the intuitive search functionality, a testament to our commitment to simplicity and efficiency in design.

Admin Panel

In the Admin Panel, managing Products is a critical function, allowing administrators to finely control and customise each financial offering. From setting specific terms like interest rates and penalties to tailoring SMS communication for various stages of the customer journey, this feature ensures that products like Kuza and UPIA are perfectly aligned with both partner and client needs. Administrators can also seamlessly assign these products to appropriate partners, ensuring each product is optimally positioned for success. This section highlights how the Admin Panel serves as a strategic tool for precise product management within 4G Capital's ecosystem.

In the Admin Panel, the 'Partners' section plays a crucial role in managing the intricate network of partners and distributors integral to 4G Capital's operations. Administrators have the ability to oversee and organize these vital relationships, ensuring a streamlined workflow. Each distributor is associated with specific Routes, and administrators can upload a CSV file of customers for each route, effectively generating leads for field staff. While field staff have the autonomy to add leads, this feature primarily serves to leverage the partnerships, like those in the Kuza program, where local businesses collaborate with 4G Capital for mutual growth. These uploaded leads from partners act as a strategic foundation for field operations, aligning the needs of partners with the capabilities of field staff. This section will demonstrate how the Admin Panel effectively manages these partner relationships, fostering a cohesive network that drives the core of 4G Capital's business model.

In the comprehensive realm of the Merlin Admin Panel, the capability to manage users stands as a cornerstone feature. This includes assigning specific users to designated partner routes and aligning them with particular products like Kuza or UPIA. Such strategic allocation ensures that each user operates within their area of expertise and relevance. Beyond user assignments, the panel offers robust functionalities for monitoring and auditing system usage, with features like user logs and change logs. Administrators are also empowered to configure system settings at a granular level, from setting up countries and defining roles & permissions to updating user information. This section of the Admin Panel is a testament to the system's flexibility and control, ensuring that every aspect of user management and system configuration is handled with precision, aligning with 4G Capital's operational needs and strategic objectives.

Product Designer: Chaudhry Talha