Arly · B2B2C
Flexible payments for families
Offering payment plans for families enrolling in afterschool programs.
Company
Arly
Role
Lead Product Designer
Industry
Education
Type
B2B2C
Challenge
Many guardians experienced challenges during registration, particularly with the payment stage due to high upfront costs, sometimes reaching $2,500 per child. This significant financial burden led to a 40% dropout rate, emphasizing the need for more flexible payment options to assist families in enrolling their children.
Results
Registration completion rates increased by 27%.
The payment plans attracted families with tighter budgets, expanding the program's reach.
27%
Increase in registration completion rates
5,000
Guardians
100+
Out-of-school programs
Discovery
To better understand our audience's needs and challenges, I conducted user interviews and surveys. I interviewed 5 guardians and 5 program admins, and surveyed 20 guardians and 20 admins, which included current customers and non-customers. This research uncovered several recurring pain points:
Guardians:
Struggle with the financial burden of paying the full cost upfront, often leading to stress, missed enrollment opportunities, or exclusion for families with tighter budgets.
Feel unsupported due to a lack of flexible payment options, resulting in anxiety and unequal access to camp programs.
Program Admins:
Lose potential enrollments due to affordability issues, face increased requests for financial assistance, and rely on inefficient manual workarounds.
Experience challenges managing cash flow and addressing guardian dissatisfaction with payment rigidity.
Overview of user interview & survey
Lastly, we also looked at competitors and similar solutions from other industries, such as Klarna, Affirm, and Airbnb. These companies focus on flexible payment solutions, providing options like installment plans and pay-as-you-go models. Their success shows that straightforward and adaptable payment options can improve customer interest and usage.
A payment plan feature would reduce financial strain, improve access, and streamline administrative processes.
Overview of competitor & UI research
Ideation & iteration
I created initial user flows and sketches to explore various payment plan options and where we would place these options within the checkout process. Our primary goal was to design payment plan options that cater to different customer preferences.
To achieve this, we organized multiple brainstorming sessions involving team members from various departments. We focused on key features that could enhance the customer experience during these discussions.
Once we had a few different concepts, we conducted a usability study to compare options and narrow down design options based on usability, task success rate, and time on task.
Usability test results shared with cross-functional team
"A monthly payment plan option would make it much easier for me to enroll my kids at once. I wish my community had this."
Participant 2
"I'm not sure why installments are unavailable."
Participant 5
"This was very easy to maneuver."
Participant 9
"I prefer version C compared to version A. All the information I need is right here at the top"
Participant 15
"Very clearly laid out."
Participant 12
"This is very easy to use. I wish my school had something like this."
Participant 18
Final design
After conducting user research and collaborating with various stakeholders, the final designs enable administrators to set up to three payment plan options. Families have the choice to pay the full cost upfront if they prefer. Moreover, administrators have the flexibility to determine the number of payments and the frequency of those payments (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly). They can also exclude specific sessions based on their start dates and minimum order amounts.
Impact
The new flexible payment plan options offered during registration helped families with tight budgets secure their spots in the program, leading to a 27% increase in registration completion rates. This approach enhanced the program's accessibility, allowing program administrators to reach a broader audience and increase their impact within the community.
Conclusion
This project underscored the value of user-centered design in addressing real-world barriers. By introducing payment plans, we achieved measurable success in improving accessibility and revenue, demonstrating the impact of thoughtful, data-driven solutions.