Tala
Tala’s KYC (Know Your Customer) is a custom manual process done at Tala to verify a Tala customer in order to either start a savings account or be provided a loan. KYC is completed through the B2C Android app and then verified through a back-end internal program, CARE. It’s a process that most customers will fail either due to not reading the provided instructions or creating drop off due to a lengthy application process. Instant gratification truly is our humanity downfall.
Tala Android App is only available on the Google Play Store in Mexico, India, Kenya and the Philippines
While KYC was a current feature within the Tala B2C app, it faced many issues in it’s previous feature. 35% of users had drop off rates during the KYC process for numerous reasons.
No bars15% of users faced issues with their phone service or wifi connection.
I ain’t reading all that20% of users dropped off due to too lengthy of flow or too much text to read to know what to do.
No catfishing a loan company37% of users had their KYC rejected due to poorly taken selfie or not submitting the right documents needed for the KYC process.
How can we improve the KYC process to build user trust and ensure higher approval rates? What specific guidance can we offer to help customers submit the right documents first try?
Usability GoalsIncrease KYC success rates with customers so they can be serviced promptly. Make instructions clearer for customers. Improve the quality of visual indicators to customers so they know how to complete the feature.
Business GoalsDecrease drop-off rates by limiting verbiage and steps from 35% to 15%, lower the rejection rates of KYC from 37% to 20% to start off with.
Predicted OutcomeBy giving more examples of which documents are accepted, shortening the flow, lessening complex verbiage and provide tips on how to give great selfies for verification purposes can elevate a customer’s chance at being approved within the app. We’re McLovin’ this.
Before starting design work, I collaborated with UX researchers in the Philippines and Kenya to understand user pain points in the KYC process.
I can see clearly nowUsers wanted clearer visual indicators to show documentation failures, process status and selfie tips.
I got distractedRequest the ability to save progress on their KYC application if progress got interrupted.
When they go low, I go low-erUsers requested to have a application process that could benefit from poor service or low wifi quality areas. The current selfie taker took a lot of data and the app sometimes booted out users.
After confirming UX design work with stakeholders, I started to focus on updating the UI to Tala’s new standards for mobile. For mobile, it was only certain UI elements such as colors and icons that was to be updated. I also with the help of in-country market teams, wrote UX copy that was easier to understand.
On the side of this project I worked with the design team to help establish and kick off the ideation of applying our rebrand across the board to our mobile app and also creating a higher level design system that could be more uniformed across all design aspects Tala created.
To reduce cognitive overload from a lengthy process, I focused on minimizing screens and providing clear, written and visual guidance to prevent errors. A drop-off screen was added to show incomplete steps, and users were given the flexibility to upload documents in any order. I also ensured easy navigation back to the overview screen for document re-uploading.
Wireframes
I streamlined the KYC flow by returning users to the primary overview screen for a more continuous experience. I removed the top icon to reduce scrolling, and updated error states to automatically reroute users or prompt for a valid ID if they submitted the wrong documentation.
Wireframes
Tala’s UX Researcher in the PH market conducted the moderated session with 8 participants.
Keep it flowin’ like a rap songCut out some of the screens that return back to the main steps screen. Keep a continuous flow right on through. If drop-off happened of course count for that return by starting back at the main screen upon app load.
Lemme see some IDVisually show the user where an ID number can be found on their identification card, that way the proper number can be entered.
You get a tip, you get a tip, everyone gets tips!Keep the ability to show tips for the user even if they tap off.
Tala rolled out KYC to 810K of users in October of 2021. Metrics were captured via Looker.
Lightening McQueen fast adoption91% of users were able to go through the KYC process with ease. 9% still had issues with the flow being ‘too long’ but with this process we couldn’t cut out much more since everything was for country specific legal purposes.
K.Y.C. yeah you know meKYC acceptation rates went up from 63% to 83%.
Look at this photograph, every time it makes me laughTala embed a better photo capturing capability in Version 2 that would accurately capture the users’ selfie and photo ID. Included was a step to ask users to check for their image quality to help improve chances of KYC approvals.
Yo, check this flowRemoved the constant go back to the home page by having users to do an all in one continuous flow. If someone dropped-off, they could pick up where they left off on the KYC home screen.
