Homebase is a platform that helps businesses manage employee scheduling, time clocks, payroll and more.
Helping hourly workers gain access to penalty-free cash advances.
While working at Homebase, I was the leading designer for the mobile app, with the financial services/Cash Out pod being my primary team. Our primary objective was to provide hourly workers living paycheque to paycheque with a penalty-free cash advance, thereby combating the overdraft fees and loan sharks many of our users encountered.
This case study highlights our efforts to assist users in understanding the workings of Cash Out and its potential to provide access to funds when needed.
Context:
Many hourly workers on the Homebase app struggled to maintain a weekly bank balance of over $100, frequently resulting in costly bank overdraft fees. To address this issue, we introduced the Cash Out service, which provided users with a penalty-free cash advance. Users who could wait two days to receive the cash could access the service for free, while those who needed the money instantly could do so for just $3.99, which was more cost-effective than a bank overdraft fee. Our goal was to offer a straightforward and effective solution for users to access a portion of their paycheque when needed, helping them avoid unnecessary charges.
Target users:
Hourly working employees on the Homebase app who found themselves in need of a cash advance.
Problems and opportunities:
In general, users didn’t understand how Cash Out could benefit them. More specifically, the problems and opportunities we decided to prioritize were:
First, based on data, we saw a significant drop off during onboarding of users making it to the Plaid onboarding screens. We used the platform Plaid to connect the user's bank account to our app to deposit the money directly into the user's bank account.
Also, based on interviews, users didn't understand how much money they could get through Cash Out. The money you received was directly related to your earnings made within a pay period.
My role:
Sr. Product Designer
Tools:
Figma & Adobe Illustrator
Team:
Small cross-functional pod consisting of a Product Designer, Product Manager, Data Scientist, UX Researcher, and Engineering
Part 1: Identifying small opportunities for improvement.
To address the considerable drop-off of users during the Cash Out onboarding flow, we decided to focus on enhancing the initial screens that users encounter before linking their bank accounts, as it was a simpler task that required minimal effort from the design engineering teams. Although our ultimate goal was to better integrate Cash Out into the product seamlessly, we chose to tackle smaller, testable items in the meantime. Our primary objective was to increase the number of users linking their bank accounts.
Problem:
Many users dropped off before reaching the screens where they could link their bank accounts.
Assumption:
Users didn’t feel they have enough information before connecting their bank account.
Goal:
Increase the number of users who link their bank account.
Current flow:
A glimpse of all the various iterations and process work that took place:
Refining messaging: testing different approaches.
As a team, we experimented with different messaging approaches on the first two screens before users entered the Plaid flow.
We explored three variations; on the first screen, we highlighted the penalty-free feature of using Cash Out, emphasizing the ability to access payment instantly while being transparent about the instant access fee and promoting the flexibility of choosing one's payday. On the second screen, we highlighted information on the eligibility criteria, information about the Plaid app, and the enrollment steps and expected duration.
To improve the user experience, we also wanted to include a larger illustration. I used Adobe Illustrator to illustrate money leaving the Homebase app and landing directly into the user's hand. Throughout the illustration process, I gathered feedback from weekly design reviews and the marketing design team to ensure the illustration aligned with the brand image.
The experiment and its outcomes.
The experiment ran for a 3-week period that involved randomizing screens to identify which combination would facilitate more users to complete the onboarding process.
After analyzing the test results, we discovered that the flow, seen below, reduced drop-offs, resulting in more users connecting their bank accounts and benefiting from the Cash Out feature, thus aligning with our goal of increasing the number of users linking their bank accounts.
Part 2: Seamlessly integrating Cash Out within the earnings tab.
The amount of money you could receive through Cash Out was directly linked to your earnings for that pay period. Data showed that the earnings tab was the most frequently used feature in the app. Additionally, user interviews revealed that people living paycheque to paycheque closely monitored their income and expenses. Despite the Cash Out tab being located within the earnings tab, only a fraction of users clicked on it, and even fewer signed up for the feature. Those who had signed up needed clarification about how they qualified for a specific amount of money, leading to increased customer support queries. We assumed that based on the current design, and people were currently not making the connection that the feature was directly related to earnings. Our primary objective is to decrease confusion surrounding the relationship between Cash Out and earnings.
Problem:
Users didn’t understand how Cash Out related to their earnings.
Assumption:
As there was no direct correlation between Cash Out and earnings in the app, users were unable to establish a connection between the two.
Goal:
Increase number of users who sign up for Cash Out and Reduce confusion related to Cash Out. We plan to measure its success through user testing and a reduction in customer support cases.
Integrating Cash Out within the Earnings Experience
Our long-term goal for this project was to enhance users' comprehension of how Cash Out relates to their earnings on the Homebase app, as user interviews revealed that they needed help to grasp the amount of money they could receive.
Earnings tab one of the most used tab on the platform
Cash Out was almost tacked onto the side of the platform
Integrate Cash Out into the earnings tab
Want more details about this project?
Let’s chat more about my work experience. Email me hello@stephjuliet.com