Building the be+ App

In 2019 Frank, a prominent figure in the pension and insurance industry and the founder of a young startup, contacted us to help him bring his startup to live. The goal was to make employee benefits more accessible and show them all on one platform. He planned to revolutionize the company pension industry. With their combined experience and determination, they aimed to provide an innovative app that would have revolutionized the way employers and employees interacted and collaborated.

The Challenge

From Franks extensive industry knowledge and a lot of feedback from the industry leaders, they discovered, that there are two key main challenges for the company pension industry and the overall labour market for companies.

For HR-Departments: War for talent is intensifying, companies invest a lot but employee appreciation lags

Companies face the difficulty of attracting and retaining skilled workers due to a growing shortage in the talent pool. They are investing significant amounts into benefits like corporate pension schemes, with a desire to provide appreciation through valuable benefits for their employees. However those efforts are not really recognized by the employees and they don’t really feel appreciation. They also have a lot of manual processes in personnel administration.

For the insurance industry: Incredibly poor closing rates

Pension products have incredibly poor closing rates of only 36 % for pension products despite the crucial need for employees to take care of their pension. They also suffer lack of young talents in sales and loose touchpoints to private customers.

For the employees: A desperate need for a pension solution

14,000,000 employees (in SMEs) are in a desperate need for a pension solution, but 64% still have no contract with their employer as they hate complexity in pension products and do not understand the benefits of a retirement provision.

The Idea

The idea was born to combine all benefits a company offers on one easy usable platform and to make the benefits of for example the company pension more transparent for the employees to generate a feeling of appreciation and at the same time digital transform hr processes.

Design & UX Process

Our design and user experience (UX) journey commenced with a series of immersive workshops, beginning with the foundational Design Thinking Workshop. This initial phase involved meticulous user research to validate existing challenges, followed by empathetic mapping and persona development to gain insights into our target audience. Ideation sessions and the creation of paper prototypes paved the way for user interviews, leveraging tools like Marvel App and InVision for visualization.

Subsequently, a Business Design Workshop facilitated deeper dives into market research, enabling us to gauge demand and identify potential clientele. We crafted a robust business model, refined our value proposition, and conducted SWOT analyses to ensure strategic alignment.

Throughout the design and UX phase, customer engagement remained paramount. Activities spanned from field studies and beta testing to adopting early adopters, complemented by moderated testing sessions and cognitive walkthroughs. An array of methodologies, including remote and in-place usability testing, stakeholder interviews, and co-creation workshops, enriched our understanding of user behavior. We meticulously mapped customer journeys and user flows, integrating insights from user behavior analytics and usability metrics.

Moreover, we established a comprehensive design system and style guides to maintain consistency across the platform. From sketching and wireframing to interactive prototyping, every step was meticulously crafted to prioritize user-centric design principles. The iterative process, initiated with Sketch and transitioned seamlessly to Figma, ensured continual refinement and optimization.

In essence, our design and UX process was a testament to our unwavering commitment to user satisfaction and innovation, culminating in a cohesive and intuitive platform that resonates with our audience.

The Solution

Results

Dozens of corporate customers and companies are utilizing be+ with thousands of users in the first years, all achieved without any marketing expenditure. We have integrated multiple product partners and sales partnerships, wherein insurance companies, insurance agencies, and financial institutes offer be+ as an add-on for their products to their customers.

Key Learnings & Conclusion

The journey with be+ has been an illuminating one, revealing several key insights and lessons learned along the way.

Firstly, our success underscores the importance of user-centric design and continuous validation. By prioritizing user feedback and iterating on our designs based on real-world usage, we were able to create a product that resonated with our target audience.

Secondly, the integration of design thinking methodologies and agile practices was instrumental in driving innovation and rapid development. The combination of design sprints, user testing, and agile development allowed us to quickly iterate on ideas and bring them to market efficiently.

Thirdly, establishing strong partnerships and alliances played a significant role in our growth trajectory. By integrating with multiple product partners and forging strategic sales partnerships, we were able to expand our reach and offer added value to our customers.

Lastly, maintaining a cohesive and efficient design system was essential for scalability and consistency across the platform. By governing and evolving the design system in collaboration with external partners, we ensured a seamless user experience and streamlined development processes.

In conclusion, the success of be+ demonstrates the power of collaboration, innovation, and user-centered design in addressing complex challenges within the pension and insurance industry. Moving forward, we remain committed to further enhancing the platform and delivering exceptional value to our customers.

My Role

Throughout the evolution of be+, my role has evolved from Project Manager and Business Analyst to Head of Product, encompassing a wide range of responsibilities.

Initially, I spearheaded the validation of the idea through design sprints and business model workshops, laying the foundation for the project’s success. Subsequently, as Head of Product, I provided strategic direction, developed the product roadmap, and led the development team in bringing our vision to life.

Additionally, I played a pivotal role in designing the brand language, creating all brand assets, and crafting intuitive user interfaces to enhance the overall user experience. Furthermore, I oversaw marketing activities, identified synergy opportunities with partners, and tackled advanced frontend tasks to optimize app performance.

Despite facing various constraints, such as coordinating multi-platform design and managing diverse teams, we navigated these challenges with resilience and determination, ultimately achieving remarkable outcomes in a complex and regulated market landscape.