Digital transformation
of the business

The Problem

Client lacked a technology partner to help them with digital transformation of the business. They wanted the loan process to be easy to understand, straightforward, and accessible to those who may have had difficulty borrowing in the past.

Before the redesign, loan applicants faced a fragmented experience:

• The application process required switching between platforms mid-flow, causing a high drop-off at the document upload step
• Loan terms were buried in legal language with no visual summary, leading to repeated support calls
• Existing customers had no self-service portal — every account query required a phone call
• The mobile experience was an afterthought, despite a large portion of the target audience being mobile-primary

These issues weren't just UX problems; they were directly impacting conversion rates and customer trust.

Discovery

Through interviews with loan applicants and analysis of drop-off data, three insights shaped the redesign:

• Applicants abandoned when they couldn't see progress. Most drop-offs happened between steps 3 and 4, where there was no indication of how many steps remained. → We designed a persistent progress tracker with estimated time remaining.
• Loan terms felt opaque. Users reported feeling 'tricked' by fine print they didn't understand. → We introduced a plain-language loan summary card that surfaced APR, monthly payment, and total cost upfront before any commitment.
• Mobile users needed a different flow, not a smaller screen. On mobile, users attempted the process in short bursts (2–3 minutes), not long sessions. → We designed a save-and-resume flow with push notification reminders.

Solution

Unified Application Flow

We redesigned the loan origination process to eliminate platform switching and provide clear progress indicators at every step.

• Pre-qualification flow showing loan terms before personal data submission
• In-app document upload replacing the external portal transition
• Progress tracker with 5 clear stages: Qualify → Apply → Documents → Review → Complete
• Auto-save functionality allowing multi-session completion

Transparent Loan Summary

Before users committed to the application, we surfaced a breakdown of true loan costs in plain language.

• Monthly payment amount (largest, most prominent)
• APR percentage (not buried in legal text)
• Total loan cost over the full term
• Comparison to requested amount (transparency about fees)

Self-Service Customer Portal

We created a mobile-first portal where borrowers could manage their accounts without calling branches.

• Real-time loan balance and payment status
• One-tap payment scheduling (next due date, custom date, or payoff)
• Payment method management (save bank details, switch methods)
• AutoPay enrollment with full control and transparency
• Loan renewal eligibility and instant renewal flow

Outcome

The redesigned customer portal launched in Q3 2022 with phased rollout across Regional Finance's borrower base. Operations teams reported a measurable reduction in phone-based account inquiries. The lending team adopted the new pre-qualification flow as their primary sales tool, replacing manual PDF-based processes. Borrowers began using loan renewal features, creating an upsell channel that didn't exist before. The design system established a foundation for future product iterations. The technical modernization (updated APIs, modern framework, enhanced security) created a scalable foundation for Regional Finance's digital growth strategy.