A case study by Praxent⌘
Credit Union’s
33% boost in account opening conversions
The rapidly digitizing banking industry demanded a human-centered approach.
Meriwest and Praxent collaborated to enhance user experience of their account opening flow to minimize drop-off and boost conversions.
UX Audit
- Homepage and Landing Pages
- NCR’s Terafina Account Creation Process
User Testing and Research
- User Interviews and Research Workshops
UX Redesign (desktop and mobile)
- Reduced friction by simplifying steps.
- Reduced cognitive load by dividing information.
- Added clarity on next steps.
- Increased new account opening conversion to 33%
- Consistency between marketing site and the off-the-shelf Terafina account opening experienece
- Recognized as ‘Best Credit Union’ by Mercury News
The challenges
User drop-off
Despite being able to pinpoint where it was happening, Meriwest struggled to understand why users were dropping out of the flow before opening an account.
New generations
To continue growth into the future, acquiring new digital-native members was critical. However, user expectations are much harder to meet for Millennials and Gen Z.
Off-the-shelf technology
An end-to-end digital account opening experience was a significant step forward. However, integrating multiple off-the-shelf solutions into one seamless experience is a challenge.
The vision for Meriwest Credit Union
Meriwest sought to reduce friction and increase conversions by understanding why prospective members dropped off before converting within their marketing website and NCR’s Terafina account opening experience.
A fully digital account opening experience
Quickly and easily understand membership requirements
Open multiple accounts at the same time
Visibility into fees and rates on the account pages for smooth comparison
A partner from end to end
Technical Design Workshops
Existing MVP prototype architecture, non-functional goals, and potential architecture patterns.
Vendor Selection + Technical Design
Key technology selections and cloud deployment approach.
UX Design
User flow diagrams and wireframes representing a landing page concept and design review for the PH 3.0 platform.
V1 Feature Prioritization and MVP Agile Dev
Comprehensive feature list for first product release.
Launch
In less than 6 months, enabling the onboarding of 50 SMBs at launch.
AlwaysDeliver:
“They (Praxent) knew what they needed to do and streamlined everything for us. I would say that probably one of the standouts for me is that structure of, ‘Here’s what we do next.’ And then they delivered.”
–Mary Shelton, Project Manager, User Experience
Meriwest Credit Union
How we turned can into done: Comprehensive UX audit
To meet our client’s goal of launching before the upcoming sports season, we faced a tight 5-month deadline.
We used lean methodology to focus on essential early-stage features, achieving an MVP within the timeline. The product is designed for iterative evolution, based on real user feedback.
User insights
Our UX audit was a deep dive into Meriwest’s digital customer journey, using best practices to identify hidden friction points. However, only speaking with actual users can uncover their unmet needs and tell you what information or validation they’re missing to move forward.
20+ years of experience in UX Strategy, revenue models and digital transformations
What we delivered: Value-centered homepage
In the redesign, essential information for potential members was strategically highlighted to guide them forward.
This included prominently featuring special promotions on the homepage and providing quick access to various account types for streamlined decision-making.
Fees and rates were made highly visible on account pages, enabling swift comparison.
Upfront membership requirements
Clarifying member requirements prior to the account opening experience in clear but friendly and understandable terms, helped streamline member approvals and reduce drop-off later in the flow.
Re-configured Terafina flow
Praxent adjusted Meriwest’s Terafina configuration to create a more intuitive flow and better highlight the benefits of each account.
A frictionless account opening experience
33%
Increased new account opening conversion
+70
Issues identified through UX Research
8
Research interviews conducted
What Meriwest had to say
Mary Shelton
Project Manager, User Experience, Meriwest Credit Union
