AI Assisted Customer Onboarding Experience
The Project
Mosaic, a pioneering company in the solar energy financing sector, faced a significant challenge with its onboarding process. Traditionally, the process involved a cumbersome welcome call to confirm understanding of the loan agreement, which was met with dissatisfaction from all stakeholders involved. The process was inefficient, confusing for borrowers, and made solar contractors feel like they were losing control over their sales. Recognizing the need for change, we embarked on a project to modernize and streamline the financing onboarding experience.
Key Challenges
Understanding Complex Solar Loans: The primary challenge was the inherent complexity of solar loans, which are influenced by factors like FTC regulations and nuanced legal standards. Simplifying this complexity for the average borrower without diluting the necessary legalities was paramount. We needed a design that could demystify these complexities in an accessible and understandable manner.
Legal and Compliance Standards: Adhering to strict legal and compliance standards was a non-negotiable aspect of the project. The design had to ensure that all information presented met these standards, especially considering the variable factors like the first payment date. Moreover, it was crucial to provide demonstrable proof that borrowers had meaningfully consumed the required content, adding another layer of complexity to the user experience designs.
Personalization and Engagement: A significant challenge was personalizing the onboarding experience. The information had to be dynamically populated with borrower-specific details, making each interaction unique. This level of personalization was essential not just for user satisfaction but also for legal compliance, as it ensured that the borrowers received all pertinent information relevant to their specific circumstances.
Proving Engagement Without Burden: We were tasked with designing a solution that proved borrowers' engagement and understanding of the content without placing undue burden on them. This meant creating an onboarding experience that was not only educational but also engaging and easy to navigate, encouraging users to complete the process independently and efficiently.
The Process
DISCOVERY & UX RESEARCH
During the six-week UX research phase of the project, I spoke with scores of internal stakeholders and product end-users. My team and I even traveled to Istanbul and Mumbai to conduct an initial usability test and ethnographic field study of airline reservation agents.
DEFINITION & CREATIVE DIRECTION
After distilling the key findings from our discovery effort, I led the team through the process of defining the scope and parameters of the project. The output of this process is called Creative Direction.
IDEATION - THE LOTUS BLOSSOM
This canvas, called a Lotus Blossom, is a powerful tool I use to collect relevant design precedents against a set of core design requirements
SO MANY WIREFRAMES (COPY)
We used a combination of Sketch, InVision, and UXpin for wireframing and interactive prototyping. These grayscale wireframes were pretty short-lived as we quickly compiled a UI component library with which to design in later sprints.
Completion Rate Success: We aimed for a 75% self-completion rate for the onboarding process but achieved an astounding 92% in the pilot phase. This significant accomplishment surpassed our initial expectations and demonstrated the effectiveness of our design strategy.
Broadening the Initiative: The pilot's success prompted Mosaic to expand this new onboarding approach to their entire range of financing products. This decision reflected the initiative's potential to enhance user experience and operational efficiency on a larger scale.
Streamlined Processes and Enhanced Satisfaction: The redesigned onboarding process not only improved operational efficiency by reducing the reliance on customer care but also significantly enhanced user satisfaction. Borrowers now enjoy a more intuitive and personalized experience, while solar contractors appreciate the smoother transition, reinforcing Mosaic's commitment to innovation and excellence in customer service.
Key Outcomes
My Involvement
Owning Design: I led the UX design, overseeing everything from initial concepts to prototypes. This role enabled me to directly influence the project’s direction and its focus on user-centric solutions.
Collaborative Efforts: I collaborated with the visual designer on creating unique screens and enhancing our design system. With the UX researcher, we utilized user feedback from testing and analytics to refine our approach, ensuring the onboarding process was intuitive and effective.
Impact Through Design: My work emphasized user-centered design, significantly improving the onboarding experience and aligning with both user needs and business goals.