Client Overview:

A leading fintech app in Egypt, specializing in consumer credit products, is transforming how the Middle East and North Africa shop, pay, and save. Their mission is clear: to provide an experience that empowers users toward greater financial independence.

The Objective:

The client wanted to develop a seamless, secure, and empowering customer journey. The challenge? Understanding the nuances of the Egyptian fintech ecosystem, while aligning with global best practices and staying laser-focused on the needs of their customers. They sought to create a human-centered experience that would not only resonate with users but foster loyalty and trust.

ERGO’s Approach:

To meet these goals, ERGO implemented a multi-phase strategy rooted in in-depth research and strategic foresight. Here’s how we approached the challenge:

1. Aligning Objectives:
   We kicked off the project by ensuring that the client's goals were fully aligned with our research and design efforts. This foundational step guaranteed that all future work was centered on high-impact areas, maximizing potential for meaningful change.
2. Market and Competitor Analysis:
   Our team dove deep into mapping Egypt’s fintech ecosystem, studying key players, and identifying trends. By conducting a comprehensive competitor analysis, we were able to pinpoint gaps and opportunities that would shape the client’s strategy moving forward.
3. Consumer Credit Fintech Landscaping:
   Mapping the competitive landscape of Egypt’s fintech industry allowed us to identify areas of growth for the client. We conducted a detailed analysis of competitors, reviewing their social media strategies, onboarding processes, and customer journeys to discover where the client could stand out.
4. Global Benchmarking:
   We didn’t just look locally; we analyzed global best practices in consumer credit, examining how top fintech companies worldwide are approaching customer experience. These insights were key to helping our client differentiate their offerings while adapting strategies to fit the Egyptian market.

Understanding the Customer:

At the heart of our approach was customer-centered research, ensuring the client’s product truly resonated with its users.

1. Persona Development:
   We built detailed personas that captured key customer segments, their pain points, and unmet needs. These personas ensured that every design decision was grounded in the real needs of the users.
2. Empathy Mapping:
   To dig deeper into customer motivations, we created empathy maps that highlighted users’ thoughts, behaviors, and internal/external drivers. This helped us understand what really drives customer decision-making and how to design for it.
3. Customer Journey Mapping:
   We developed comprehensive journey maps focused on critical touchpoints—like onboarding, credit transactions, and card activation. These maps spotlighted areas for improvement and revealed opportunities to strengthen customer relationships and enhance overall experience.
4. Social Media Analysis:
   We also analyzed social media activity, reviewing how the client and its competitors engage with customers online. This helped inform strategies for building a stronger, more engaged customer base through digital channels.

Prototyping and Design:

We transformed these research insights into actionable design strategies, focusing on optimizing the user experience. Prototypes were developed to test and refine features, ensuring the client’s brand touchpoints were user-friendly and aligned with customer expectations.

Delivery and Implementation:

ERGO’s role didn’t end with design. We provided the client with a detailed Innovation Blueprint, outlining a roadmap for integrating insights into their operations. This included an opportunity map identifying hotspots for innovation, collaboration, and growth.

The Outcome:

The results were clear and impactful:

• Enhanced Customer Experience:
  By refining the onboarding process based on customer journey insights, the client created a more streamlined and user-friendly experience, improving satisfaction and engagement.
• Market Differentiation:
  Armed with insights from our fintech mapping and global benchmarking, the client was able to differentiate themselves in the market, showcasing a customer-centric approach that set them apart from competitors.
• Strategic Foresight:
  Our global trend analysis gave the client a proactive edge, enabling them to anticipate market shifts and stay ahead of changing consumer needs.

By integrating deep market research, strategic foresight, and human-centered design, we helped our client reimagine the way they engage with users. Together, we created an experience that empowers customers while positioning the client for sustained growth and success in the ever-evolving fintech landscape.