CRM
PZU integration
insurance sector
insurance & Finance sector

Banking Sector Breakthrough: Crafting a User-Centric Debt Collection Solution - A Comprehensive Case Study

Duration
12 months (MVP), 2018/2019
My role
Product Team Leader, CEO
Industry
Insurance & Finanse sector
Client & Product

Unveiling the Client: A Trailblazer in Automotive Financing and Insurance

Rudy Consulting is a financial enterprise in Poland specializing in receivables management. They offer tailored solutions to improve clients' financial liquidity and minimize business risks. Their services include debt monitoring, amicable and legal collection, and purchasing receivables. Based in Wrocław, Rudy Consulting has established a significant presence in the market, focusing on comprehensive financial solutions and innovative approaches in their field

problem statement

Enhancing Efficiency in Debt Collection through an Advanced Monitoring System

Rudy Consulting, a financial company specializing in receivables management, faces significant challenges in managing its debt collection process. The existing systems and workflows are outdated, leading to inefficiencies, delays, and increased frustration among call center agents. These challenges hinder the company's ability to effectively manage debt recovery, impacting overall performance and client satisfaction.

The primary issue is the inadequacy of the current debt collection system in meeting the modern demands of efficiency, user-friendliness, and rapid case resolution. This inefficiency impacts the performance of call center agents and negatively affects client satisfaction and overall business outcomes.

Target Market Analysis: Graphs showing the heavy transport insurance sector's potential.

Objective

To develop a state-of-the-art debt monitoring application that streamlines the debt collection process. The new system aims to address the specific needs of call center agents, optimizing their workflows and enhancing overall efficiency in managing debt recovery cases.

Problem statement: Identified problems

Key challenges

To develop a state-of-the-art debt monitoring application that streamlines the debt collection process. The new system aims to address the specific needs of call center agents, optimizing their workflows and enhancing overall efficiency in managing debt recovery cases.

Problem statement: Identified problems

Expected outcomes - definition of done

The project was conceived in response to a pressing need in the heavy transport sector - a streamlined, efficient process for managing car insurance sales. The vision was clear: to develop a CRM system that not only simplifies but also accelerates the insurance sales process, from lead generation to policy issuance. This system was uniquely tailored for businesses requiring fleet and specialized vehicle insurance, a niche yet vital segment in the market. The cornerstone of this initiative was the integration with PZU, ensuring instant creation and delivery of insurance documents, thereby setting a new standard in customer service and operational efficiency. This endeavor wasn't just about building a software solution; it was about redefining an industry practice.

Overcoming challenges: How we tackled project obstacles
my role

Product Designer's Role in Developing an Effective Debt Monitoring System

In my journey as a Product Designer at Rudy Consulting, I am at the heart of crafting a cutting-edge debt monitoring system, one that's molded perfectly to the day-to-day realities of our call center agents.

My canvas stretches across deep-diving into user research, sketching out life-like personas, and weaving an interface that's as intuitive as it is efficient. It's a role that blends technology with empathy, ensuring every pixel and process we design resonates with and elevates the user experience.

My role diagram: Visualizing how my role changed through the whole process.
process

Collaborative Design Process: From Research to Implementation

I wholeheartedly embrace the design thinking process because it enables me to create solutions that truly resonate with users. By following this iterative and human-centered approach, I can empathize with users, uncover their unmet needs, and define the problem statement with clarity. Ideation allows me to explore countless possibilities, while prototyping and testing help me gather invaluable feedback and iterate on designs. Implementing the refined solution brings the vision to life, and continuous evaluation ensures its effectiveness.

Design thinking empowers me to merge creativity, empathy, and user insights, resulting in products that make a genuine difference in people's lives.

Double Diamond Implementation Process: The process that  we followed for this implementation
Existing CRM: Old CRM - screens showcasing lead management
end-users

Understanding Our Audience: Tailoring the Debt Monitoring System for Impact

In developing our debt monitoring system, we're not just building a tool; we're creating a solution that resonates with a diverse spectrum of users within Rudy Consulting. At its core are our call center agents, the linchpin of our collection process, who seek efficiency and ease in their daily interactions.

At its core are our call center agents, the linchpin of our collection process, who seek efficiency and ease in their daily interactions. Our management staff, the strategic overseers, look for robust reporting and analytics to steer operations effectively.

Bridging these needs with the technical finesse of our IT team and the strategic insights sought by company executives, we weave a system that's as multifaceted as our audience itself.

CRM end-users: Users involved in lead generation process

Outcome and Significance: Shaping a User-Centric Solution

The outcome of the user research phase was transformative, leading to a tailored design for the case management feature that directly addressed the specific needs and challenges of call center agents. This process resulted in a more efficient, user-friendly tool, significantly enhancing the agents' ability to manage debt collection effectively. The significance of this phase extended beyond mere data collection; it fostered a deep empathy with the users, ensuring that their voices and experiences shaped every aspect of the software. Consequently, the final product emerged not just as a technological solution but as a testament to our commitment to improving the daily work lives of those who would use it most.

research

Crafting a User-Focused Information Architecture: The Blueprint of Our Software

In sculpting the information architecture for Rudy this product , we embarked on a meticulous journey to align our digital landscape with the intuitive workflows of our call center agents. This process, pivotal in shaping the software's usability, began with a deep dive into understanding the specific needs and daily routines of our primary users. It evolved into a comprehensive design strategy, where every piece of content and functionality was thoughtfully placed to mirror the agents' mental models.

Our approach blended organization of information with intuitive navigation and search systems, all underpinned by continuous user testing and collaboration with UI/UX designers, setting the foundation for a solution that's as logical as it is user-friendly.

Critical Decision-Making Moments:: Capturing key discussions and resolutions.
Feature mapping: CRM key functionalities
ideation

From Concept to Creation: The Journey of Brainstorming and Sketching

At the heart of this project was a vibrant phase of brainstorming and sketching, a period where creativity met practicality. Our team, a tapestry of diverse talents and perspectives, came together to transform insights into innovative ideas.

In these sessions, we ventured beyond conventional boundaries, exploring a plethora of possibilities to enhance the software's functionality and user experience..

These collaborative explorations were then crystallized into first sketches, marking the transition from abstract concepts to tangible blueprints, setting the stage for the software's design evolution.

Sales Lead: Sales lead decision flow
ideation

Wireframing: Crafting the Blueprint of User Experience

With a solid understanding of user needs and the problem space, I began the design process with initial sketches, progressing to low-fidelity wireframes for basic layout and structure, and then to high-fidelity wireframes and prototypes.

These stages, crucial for exploring ideas and refining the design, allowed for interactive testing and feedback from stakeholders and end-users, ensuring an optimized user experience in the final product.

CRM dashboard: Visualizing the specific needs and pain points identified.
CRM Dashboard: Visualizing the specific needs and pain points identified.
CRM Dashboard: Visualizing the specific needs and pain points identified.
testing

Remote User Testing: A Virtual Approach to Real-World Feedback

In the midst of a pandemic, the user testing phase for our debt collection app took a creative turn to adapt to the remote working environment. By recruiting a diverse group of call center employees and managers, we ensured a broad representation of our target audience, encompassing various experience levels with debt collection processes.

Utilizing a mix of video conferencing and screen sharing tools, I conducted one-on-one sessions, closely observing and recording user interactions with the app.

This remote yet intimate approach not only enabled us to gather critical feedback but also paved the way for iterative design refinements, ensuring the app met real user needs effectively.

Insurance feature for car dealers visualization
Insurance feature for car dealers: Visualization
final design

Final Design: A Symphony of User-Centric Innovation

The final design of our debt collection app emerged as a refined amalgamation of user feedback, technological innovation, and empathetic design principles. It boasted an intuitive interface, streamlined workflows, and thoughtful features that resonated strongly with the end-users' daily needs in debt collection.

This culmination of extensive research, collaborative development, and iterative testing ensured a product that was not just functionally robust but also a delight to use, setting a new standard in user-centric software solutions.

Concluding Statements: Final design
Concluding Statements: Final design
Concluding Statements: Final design
Concluding Statements: Final design
Concluding Statements: Final design
Concluding Statements: Final design
Concluding Statements: Final design
Handoff

Seamless Transition: Design Handoff and Developer Collaboration

The design handoff to the client's development team marked a pivotal transition from concept to reality, where detailed design specifications and interactive prototypes were meticulously transferred. This phase was underscored by a collaborative spirit, as we worked closely with the developers, ensuring a seamless understanding of the design intent and functionality.

Regular communication, feedback sessions, and a shared commitment to quality underpinned this collaborative effort, ensuring that the final software not only met but exceeded expectations in bringing the design vision to life.

Concluding Statements: Final design
Concluding Statements: Final design