Geru Credit App
In the aftermath of a merger between different credit companies, Open Co hired outracoisa* to design the experience of a fintech app that operates with a different logic than the traditional one.
Conceived as the company's vision for the near future, the new app was born with the ambition of transforming the transactional relationship between creditor and debtor into a more solid and lasting connection, marked by transparency, trust, and long-term growth.
The Project
Brazil's largest credit fintech also becomes its most innovative
When Open Co became Brazil's largest unsecured credit fintech by acquiring Geru, Rebel, and Biz Capital, the need arose for a clear vision for the future.
The company's internal efforts were focused on continuously improving its existing apps, so outracoisa* was invited to create a guiding vision that would fuel the company's innovation process.
The final product would be the design of an innovative app, but the project aimed to consolidate Open Co's value proposition and, based on it, develop a strategy for product design, experience, and user journey.
The goal was to transform the relationship between customers and credit, offering tools that promote continuous and positive interaction over time, going beyond a simple financial transaction.
The Challenge
From loan to credit
From helplessness to education
The central challenge would be to reframe the perception of "loan", which traditionally carries a stigma, to the more optimistic concept of "credit", attracting people seeking to leverage their financial lives.
Of all the findings from the process, the most significant is that customers feel uninformed about what qualifies them for credit and what disqualifies them. As with any credit institution, the vast majority of customers don't know what they can do, pragmatically, to become eligible. Therefore, we understood that the product should include a large dose of financial education.
The Process
Understanding the triggers to build the vision
The work began with a UX Research process that lasted several months and investigated the relationship with credit or loans of different types of users, who would later become our personas. The result was a detailed map of their pain points (practical and emotional) and the identification of opportunities for the company's transformation.
During this phase, we identified 4 triggers that lead people to seek credit:
1. Debt: the need to renegotiate already committed amounts.
2. Transaction: the search for immediate liquidity for purchases.
3. Availability: the desire to have credit available on a recurring basis.
4. Dream: long-term goals, such as buying a house or investing in a business.
For each of these triggers, we developed specific features, always with the goal of transforming Open Co's customers from creditors (a cold, bureaucratic, debt-based relationship) into users (a dynamic, transparent, and interactive relationship). This shift in customer prominence supported the product's new value proposition. With a well-defined product vision, we were able to consolidate it into an application prototype.
The Solution
Learning about finances to gain access to capital
We developed a toolkit that allows users to gradually build their access to the best credit conditions. This interactive and intelligent experience allows users actions to increase their chances of approval and improve conditions over time.
Open Co positions itself as a partner that helps Brazilians create a continuous and positive relationship with credit, offering practical tools to help them build trust throughout their financial journeys.