MTS Bank | B2C

Redesigned Refinance Experience to Help More Borrowers Save

In 2020, MTS Bank, which serves 3.8 million users, set out to improve its mobile loan refinancing experience. I joined the UX team as a UX/UI Intern to help redesign a feature that many users were abandoning. We made it easier to compare loan options, allowed eligible customers to skip document uploads, and added the ability to sign documents directly in the app. As a result, successful mobile refinancing applications grew from 14,000 to over 17,000 in the first month after launch.

MY ROLE

UX/UI Intern

THE TEAM

Design Lead, PM, Engineers (2), UX/UI Designers (2), UX Researcher

PROBLEM

TIMELINE

March 2020 -May 2020

60% of users stopped the refinancing process on the mobile app before seeing rate options. The main reasons were confusing labels and missing key details, which led to lost conversion opportunities and lower user trust.

BUSINESS GOAL

Increase conversion rates by reducing drop-offs in the refinancing flow through clearer labels and improved information, helping more users reach the rate comparison screen and complete the process.

STATUS

Launched June 2020

My Role

I collaborated closely with the product manager, legal and compliance teams, mobile engineers, and customer service to:

  • Contribute to secondary research and map the existing flow to identify key drop-off points

  • Create user flows, wireframes, and prototypes for an improved mobile experience

  • Finalize visual designs and deliver UI assets in Figma mobile platforms

🚨Constraints🚨

This project began at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which introduced several key challenges:

  • Tight deadlines: With bank branches closed or limited, the mobile app became a critical channel, increasing pressure to deliver a fast, reliable, self-serve solution.

  • High user stress: During a time of financial uncertainty, the design had to feel trustworthy, clear, and supportive to reduce user anxiety.

Customers

We designed for two distinct user groups:

  • Direct deposit recipients – users who receive their salary directly into their bank account.

  • Checking account holders – users who use a checking account but do not receive direct deposits.

Project Kick-Off

With limited access to users due to early COVID-19 restrictions, we started by using internal resources and secondary research to guide our work:

  • Analyzed product analytics to identify where users dropped off in the existing refinancing flow

  • Reviewed top customer support questions to understand common pain points and unmet needs

  • Conducted secondary research and competitive analysis of leading banking apps to find best practices and UX patterns for mobile refinancing

Key Findings

Based on product analytics, customer support data, and secondary research, we uncovered four major insights:

DESIGN

After identifying key drop-off points and underlying pain points, we focused our design exploration on improving transparency, building trust, and reducing friction.

As we mapped out the user journey and uncovered where drop-offs occurred, several key opportunities emerged.

First, we needed to increase transparency around refinancing benefits and loan terms. Many users didn’t understand the value of refinancing or what would happen next, which led to hesitation and drop-offs.

Second, we saw the need to simplify the flow, especially for direct deposit users. Since many of them were already verified, we could safely remove unnecessary steps like document upload.

Third, there was an opportunity to build trust by clearly communicating pre-approval status. Users receiving direct deposits often didn’t realize they already qualified and needed more clarity around why.

FINAL DESIGNS

Reflection & Impact

This project showed me how small UX changes—like clearer messaging, simplified steps, and smarter defaults—can lead to meaningful business outcomes. By reducing friction and tailoring the flow to user needs, we turned a confusing, drop-off-prone experience into a streamlined process that users could trust.

Seeing successful refinancing applications grow from 14,000 to over 17,000 in just one month reinforced the power of user-centered design and cross-functional collaboration. It also strengthened my belief that designing with empathy and clarity directly drives both adoption and impact.